Is it possible to mix hostelling, city sightseeing and alpine hiking into one budget-friendly European trip? That was the question I wanted to answer when planning an 8-day interrailing route through Munich, Mayrhofen and Vienna with my housemate, Shaun.
Even though we had both visited Munich and Vienna independently years earlier, this trip had a different goal: use trains and hostels to link two European cities with a short hiking escape in the Austrian Alps. Travelling in early June meant cheaper accommodation and quieter trails, but it also meant dealing with closed cable cars, limited seasonal openings and much bigger hiking days than expected.
This part of the interrailing series covers Days 3–5, travelling from Munich to Mayrhofen Austria, staying at Hostel Chillertal, hiking to Olpererhutte and Friesenberghaus, and taking on the long Filzenkogel route above town. If you are planning a Mayrhofen summer trip, this guide explains how to use the town as a budget hiking base in the Zillertal Alps.
For me, Mayrhofen is one of the best alpine towns in Austria. It has dramatic mountain scenery, easy train connections, hostels, supermarkets, hiking routes, cable cars, mountain huts and access to some of the best Mayrhofen hiking routes in Tyrol. Check out Part 1 for the first two days in Munich, then continue below for the alpine middle section of the trip.
Mayrhofen
Mount Penken & Mount Ahorn
Mayrhofen is a picturesque alpine town in the Zillertal Valley in Tyrol at 633 m. It is known for year-round outdoor adventures. In the Summer, it offers world-class hiking, mountain biking routes, trail running and climbing. With the Italian border close by and multiple cable cars available to save the legs, it’s easy to spend over a week enjoying Mayrhofen in the warm sunny months. There are many mountain huts and restaurants with mountain and valley views to keep you fueled and refreshed on days out. Mount Penken has family activities such as Mountain scooters and E-bikes to get the heart going.
There is often live music at the top and an internationally famed paragliding scene. The Knorren Climbing Area provides 2 Via Ferrata routes on the rugged rocks, with traditional rope climbing available too. The other half of the Mountopolis is Mount Ahorn on the south side of the Zillertal Valley. The Ahornbahn starts as early as 7:30 for hikers to hit the trails, with Sunrise and Sunset tickets available to witness a special view over the mountains.
Lake AhornSee and AhornBachl Stream give water paradises alongside the children-focused AlbertAdler Playworld and Adventure Trails. There are great hiking trails along the ridge towards Ahornspitze (2973m) and down to Karl-von-Edelhütte (2,238 m). No wonder the Zillertal Alps Nature Park leaves an impression thanks to its almost 80 glaciers, three giant reservoirs and inspiring summits.
Ski Season and Relaxation
In winter, Mayrhofen transforms into a bustling ski resort. There are fast downhill runs, cross-country skiing, exhilarating toboggan runs and adventurous snowshoe hikes. The Ahorn provides carving slopes which are ideal for families, casual skiers and beginners. Whilst Penken offers action with the legendary Harakiri descent and the PenkenPark for snowboarders and freestylers.
As well as the mountains on the town’s doorstep, there is convenient access to the Hintertux Glacier with many ski routes and summer fun at over 3000m. Mayrhofen is also known for its white water sports along the Ziller River, so check out the rafting and kayaking options for an adrenaline kick and challenge. After an adventure in the mountains, the town offers a place to relax in Tyrolean style.
There are many restaurants to explore the local cuisine. And to fully relax, there is the Waterpark featuring a large indoor pool, saunas and an outdoor pool with mountain views- a perfect place to relax. For more info on what’s open and prices, visit the Mayrhofen Official Website.
Mayrhofen Highlights
- Popular for skiing, snowboarding, hiking, and paragliding.
- Hosts the Snowbombing Festival, a unique blend of music and mountain sports.
- Surrounded by the Penken and Ahorn mountains, with access to the Hintertux Glacier.
- SkyRide Ahorn is the largest aerial (open-top) cable car ride in Austria up to the Ahornplateau
- Mountopolis offers 142 kilometres of pistes and 60 modern lifts in the ski area and numerous hiking trails in summer.
Vibe: A charming mix of traditional Tyrolean character and lively resort energy
Trip Planning
Flights
- We managed to get cheap flights from Heathrow to Munich with Lufthansa (only £59 each). Then had a return from Vienna to Heathrow with British Airways costing £46 each. Overall, this trip was made possible by the bargain flights when we travelled in 2022.
Hostels
- I used HostelWorld to research accommodation, as well as using Shaun’s previous experience. In Munich, we stayed at Wombat’s City Hostel near the Hauptbahnhof for its great central location. The choices were limited in Mayrhofen, with mainly hotels and apartments available. Hostel Chillertal was much more affordable and located next to the river, a short walk from town. Finally, in Vienna, I took Shaun’s advice to stay in Hostel Ruthensteiner, which turned out to give great social vibes.
Transport
- From Munich Airport to the centre, there is a fast and reliable metro system costing only 4 euros. And similar to Vienna, there is cheap public transport out of the city to the Airport. We spent 11euros for both airport trains; however, the Interrailing trains were much more. From Munich to Vienna cost us 44 euros (£38) for the 3-hour scenic trip into the mountains. First changing at Jenbach and then onto Mayrhofen im Zillertal on the local train. Then from Mayrhofen Tyrol to Vienna, we had a change at Jenbach and only 3 hours. It cost us 106 (£91), which was steep, but it was a late booking and took half the day. Also, we took buses from Mayrhofen to Schliesgiss Reservoir, costing 12 euros return, and the Munich train to the Allianz was only a few Euros.
Kit List
- For this Hostelling Interrailing trip, I used my trusted Hostelling Packing List in my Osprey Farpoint 40 Travel Pack. As we planned 2 days hiking, the additions were my much-loved La Sportiva TX4 GTX approach shoes and a small compact 10L Quecha hiking pack (which doubled as a day-pack in the cities). This gave me sufficient quality hiking gear to safely hike out of season. For a backpacking trip for 8 days, there was not much more we needed for hiking as well. On the hikes, I carried a waterproof jacket, layers, water and food but missed out on 1st Aid kit (not ideal). The main thing needed is quality hiking boots, shoes or trail runners. Additionally, we packed swimming shorts for the water park.
Mayrhofen Interrailing Essentials
Activities
- We planned to visit the Allianz Arena for a Stadium Tour thanks to our shared love of football. We debated visiting the BMW Welt, but needed another day in Munich, so we visited the Englischer Garten (English Gardens) instead (for free). Mayrhofen would give us 2 incredible alpine hikes with a surprise visit to the Water Park and Swimming Pool on Day 3. In Vienna, we planned to visit the famous Schönbrunn Palace and Belvedere Palace. Then spend the rest of our time enjoying the views on foot.
Starting the interrailing trip in Munich?
Begin the route with Munich’s Wombat’s Hostel, Marienplatz, Englischer Garten, Allianz Arena, beer halls and a compact 2-day city itinerary before heading into the Alps.
Read the Munich Guide
Finishing the interrailing trip in Vienna?
Complete the journey with Vienna’s hostels, grand architecture, classic attractions, food stops and final city break planning tips.
Read the Vienna GuideDay 3- Mayrhofen
Train
I was most excited to get the train from the bustling city to the quiet Alps. We had booked an early train, so we grabbed a coffee and a pastry before boarding and getting seats. Unexpectedly, the train was severely delayed due to overcrowding on the train. After several pointless attempts to ask people to wait for the next train, the police got involved. Luckily, we had seats and tickets for the train, but it was alarming to see armed police asking people who were standing to depart the carriage.
An hour later, we were finally underway and gave us a chance to sit back; now the worry was over. We arrived at Jenbach, where we switched to a local train which took us to the small town of Mayrhofen in the Zillertal Alps. The sun was welcoming us as we carried our bags to the seemingly abandoned hostel. We had arrived on a Saturday, where it turned out that on Sundays, not much was open, and Monday was a national holiday. Still, we managed to check in early and drop off the bags before going to town.
Hostel Chillertal Review
Hostel Chillertal was a great base for a short hiking trip in Mayrhofen. The name is a fun play on the Zillertal valley and has an idyllic location next to the river. The dorm setup was one of the strongest hostel experiences I’ve had, getting an upgraded private 2-bedroom for Shaun and myself. We were pretty out of season, so saw no other guests but still got Beer and could play pool!
The location worked brilliantly for reaching the town, supermarkets, transport links and hiking routes into the Zillertal Alps. It was not the most polished hostel for facilities, and the social atmosphere was quieter than big city hostels, but for value, comfort and mountain access, it suited the trip perfectly. For budget travellers and hikers, Hostel Chillertal is exactly the kind of simple alpine base camp that makes a Mayrhofen summer trip affordable.
Hostel Chillertal
Waterpark & Swimming Pool
Mayrhofen is very traditional in its Alpine style with wooden chalets, large hotels and stunning views of the mountains. First, we stopped off at Spar supermarket to pick up supplies for the next few days. Especially as we were hiking, we needed breakfasts, lunches and snacks until we left on Tuesday. The Spar is large and well stocked, which was a saviour for us. We still had the afternoon spare, so took an impulse decision to go to the Mayrhofen Adventure Water Park and Swimming Pool.
Tickets cost us around 34 Euros, with a 100m long slide and a crazy river along with outdoor and indoor pools. The indoor pools were spacious with many relaxation features compared to the fast giant chute and the crazy river. This river was beyond safe, where we were thrown along the rapids on rubber rings, causing us many bruises and possible concussions. Despite this, we were hooked and kept alternating between the thrill of speed and the insane river. Outdoor pools offered sunshine and mountain views for us to take in.
After a busy first day in Mayrhofen, we enjoyed a beer at the hostel over a game of pool. The weather had taken a turn, and now, a typical alpine storm had engulfed the valley. We ran into town and quickly looked for a hotel or restaurant with a spare table. Hotel Alpenhof Kristall offered us a place, but I forgot how difficult it was being vegetarian in Germany or Austria, with menus dominated by meat dishes. I had a disappointing shop-bought margherita pizza, which was saved by a homemade apple strudel with ice cream. That night, torrential rain and a thunderstorm raged above the hostel as we enjoyed the 2-bed dorm just for us.
Day 4- Friesenberghaus & Olpererhütte
As featured in The Best Mountain Hikes (Check out exactly where it placed in the link), Olpererhütte Bridge has exploded in popularity and was one of the primary reasons I wanted to visit Mayrhofen. However, I wanted more of a challenge than the 2-hour hike from the bus straight to Olpererhütte. Instead, we planned to go on the path less trodden over to Friesenberghaus first and then traverse along using this AllTrails. First, we packed our bags and caught a local bus over to Schlegeis Stausee, where the trails began. Mayrhofen is 25 km away from Schleissgeis Reservoir and takes around an hour on the 4102 bus.
Friesenberghaus
The day was looking promising with some clouds and spells of sun, which created a moody atmosphere. We saw no other hikers for the first few hours up to Frisenberghaus, but it was early June, which is before the season properly opens. The trail wound up in a wooded area, slowly gaining altitude as we approached a small cabin to refill water and look back over the boardwalk. The far peaks and parallel valleys seemed never-ending, with snow and clouds encompassing them. We climbed up the valley along a stream and over snow patches before reaching Frisenberghaus at 2,477m.
Petersköpfl
After a short break and photos back along to the reservoir, we continued onto a short scramble up to Petersköpfl. This stands at 2679m and is a jagged rocky summit covered with Cairns or “Steinmänner”. The views across Großer Möseler, Hochfeiler and Hochferner peaks bordering Italy are outstanding! It’s a fun extension from Frisenberghaus, with some minor scrambling to reach the top. At almost 2700m, the altitude was noticeable, but that didn’t stop us from continuing over towards Olpererhutte.
Olpererhütte
We descended to the hut and began a short, gruelling climb over rocks and snow to start traversing. At 2700m elevation, the thinner air made us carefully cross the snow banks without crampons to the first Schlegeisspeircher viewpoint. Then we stopped for lunch and did some photography while it was quiet. However, we didn’t anticipate how busy the suspension bridge would be and had to wait to cross.
We enjoyed our 13 km hike across technical terrain before and felt rewarded despite the large crowds. We did a very fast descent with some trail running down to the Reservoir over 3km and bombed past other hikers. It meant we had 30 mins to wait for a bus, but there are worse places to be waiting. The best Austrian Alpine hike I have done and would highly recommend Mayrhofen and the Zillertal region for hiking!
Mayrhofen Dinner
We finished mid-afternoon, which gave us enough time to get the bus back to Mayrhofen. We were buoyant after completing our first Alpine hike, but had built up an appetite. However, we weren’t too fussy, and on a Sunday evening, not too much was open. Finally, we settled on Burgerstation, which had huge burgers, great deals and was very affordable. It certainly satisfied our hunger as the evening rain poured outside the small burger joint.
Want the full Filzenkogel hiking route?
Explore the quieter summit above Mayrhofen with route options, Ahornbahn access, trail stats, difficulty and planning tips.
Read the Filzenkogel Guide
Planning the Olpererhutte and Friesenberghaus loop?
Get the full Schlegeis Reservoir loop breakdown, including Friesenberghaus, Olpererhutte, the suspension bridge, stats and logistics.
Read the Olpererhutte GuideDay 5- Filzenkogel
After an amazing first day of hiking, the sun was shining for another hike. Instead of taking any buses, we set out on foot to scale up the nearby Filzenkogel climb. This hike featured No.9 in The Best Mountain Hikes 2.0 with epic panoramic views from the summit. We were very early in the hiking season with no cable cars, lifts or facilities open at Ahornbahn. This left us with no option but to hike to Mayrhofen to the summit and back.
The Tyrol area of Austria is renowned for its high Alpine peaks and natural beauty. Having previously visited Obergurgl and Saalbach-Hinterglemm, I was looking for another region to explore. That’s when Mayrhofen and the Zillertal mountains grabbed my attention. With only 2 days of hiking available and many tempting hikes on AllTrails and 10Adventures to choose from, it was a tricky pick after Oplerehutte. Shaun and I decided to explore closer to Mayrhofen, but travelling in early June meant the Ahornbahn Cable car wasn’t open for another 2 weeks. This meant we couldn’t do the Ahornspitze hike as planned, so we chose to hike from Mayrhofen up to Filzenkogel instead.
The Climb
We started at the bottom of the Ahornbahn station and hiked up through the trees along good gravel tracks. The views back across to Mayrhofen were good, even if the trails were a little uninspiring. We reached the Cable Car station, which was deserted and stopped for lunch in some precious shade to avoid the sun and heat before the last few 3km of climbing. As we ascended, the views of Ahornspitze and the neighbouring valleys were magical. The summit overlooks the Zillertal mountains with a fantastic 360-degree view we made the most of. We had the peak to ourselves for the hour we stayed before descending to the cable car station.
The Descent
We chose to descend into the next valley near the Karl von Edelhütte and enjoyed the peaceful valley. There were loose rock areas, and we saw a couple of other hikers for the first time. We stopped at Alpengasthaus Alpenrose for a much-needed cold lemonade and were given helpful advice from the Hut owner that the fast route down was shut, so we had to take a long detour.
What we didn’t realise was that the detour added almost 10km and an hour to our hike along more gravel tracks with a few fields and forest trails mixed in. After 31.5km and almost 10 hours of hiking in hot summer weather, we were shattered and in much need of a refreshing Austrian beer and burger.
Evening in Mayrhofen
Honestly, we were too tired to walk to Hostel Chillertal and back out again. We immediately went to Goldkind, the #1 rated restaurant on Tripadvisor, in the hope we would be settled. After our long hike down, our luck had returned, and we got a table outside. First, cold, refreshing beers were ordered before Shaun got a Cheeseburger and I ordered a Veggie Burger. It might be the hunger talking, but it still is one of the best vegetarian bean burgers I’ve had. 2 days of huge hiking had put us in a triumphant mood.
After Goldkind, we walked around town soaking up the atmosphere before the rain decided to soak us. The Gasthof Edelweiss Lounge was closed, with a very cheap ice cream stall out front. To finish off, we enjoyed the ice creams under the Musikpavillon as it rained. As we arrived at the Hostel, we hit 50,000 steps in the day, smashing my previous record! We were well and truly ready for bed as the heavy rain continued outside.
Budget
We planned for this to be a cheap budget trip and tried to save as much money as possible. We stayed in hostels instead of hotels or AirBnBs, and we found great prices for return flights, which helped. The biggest surprise cost was the Vienna trains at over £80, but these took 5hours respectively and were booked late. The hostels cost on average £25 per night, which is a bargain!
Also, we kept our costs down by using supermarkets for breakfast and lunches instead of eating out every day. In total, for the 8-day trip, we spent £86 a day, which safely qualifies for a budget trip. Mayrhofen itself was fairly cheap, given we stocked up on food and supplies at Spar. The dinners cost us less than €20 each, and the beer was even cheaper than in Munich! Our biggest expense was the Water Park at €34 for the whole afternoon. The Cable Car tickets usually cost € 39.00 for a round trip on either Ahornbahn or Penkenbahn.
“Food & Drink
The food in Mayrhofen was a mixed bag. We were unlucky with our timings as several places weren’t open on Sundays or the Monday national holiday. And the weather meant we were at times more desperate to get inside than look around. The typical Tyrol cuisine dishes include: Kasspatzln (cheese pasta), Knödel (dumplings) and Tiroler Gröstl (a potato and meat hash). We didn’t indulge in traditional staples; instead picked cheap and convenient. The best restaurant by far was Goldkind, and I would highly recommend going. Remember to book beforehand to get a table!
Art
Final Thoughts
Looking back, this interrailing trip managed to combine two European cities with alpine hiking using only trains for transport. The route through Munich, Mayrhofen and Vienna gave us a brilliant mix of hostels, city sightseeing, mountain trails and budget travel. Apart from the slightly hungover final day in Vienna, we made the most of nearly every day.
Mayrhofen was easily my favourite stop because it gave the trip its adventure element. The two hiking days were huge, with incredible Zillertal views, challenging sections and a real sense of teamwork between Shaun and me when the trails became steeper, longer or more awkward than expected. The lack of open cable cars made the hikes harder, but also made the achievement feel even better.
Hostel Chillertal gave us a useful base camp, and the surprise water park added a fun recovery option after travelling. We somehow managed to complete the planned hikes, even if Day 5 accidentally turned into a 50,000-step monster. In hindsight, I only wish we had stayed longer and visited slightly later in the season when more huts, lifts and facilities were open.
For anyone planning a Mayrhofen summer trip, the town has a lot to offer. It works well for hiking, hostelling, interrailing and accessing the wider Zillertal Valley. It also has convenient train links to Munich, Innsbruck and Vienna, making it easy to include in a wider Austria or Central Europe itinerary.
If you enjoy alpine towns with real hiking access, Mayrhofen Austria deserves a place on your list. It offers mountain views, budget accommodation, food options, public transport and some genuinely rewarding hikes without needing a car.
What is your favourite alpine place to hike? There are so many amazing hiking destinations across the Alps, so share your favourites in the comments.
FAQs
Is Mayrhofen worth visiting in summer?
Yes, Mayrhofen is absolutely worth visiting in summer if you enjoy hiking, mountain views, cable cars, alpine huts and outdoor adventure. The town sits in the Zillertal Valley in Tyrol and gives access to routes around Olpererhutte, Friesenberghaus, Filzenkogel, Ahornbahn and Penken.
Is Mayrhofen good for hiking?
Yes, Mayrhofen hiking is excellent. The area offers everything from accessible cable car hikes to demanding alpine routes. In this trip, the main hikes were the Friesenberghaus and Olpererhutte loop from Schlegeis Reservoir, plus the long Filzenkogel hike from Mayrhofen town. [backpacker…tality.com]
How many days do you need in Mayrhofen?
You can enjoy Mayrhofen in 2–3 days, but 4–7 days would be better if you want to hike, use the cable cars, visit mountain huts and explore the Zillertal region properly. The post covers 3 days in Mayrhofen as part of an 8-day Munich, Mayrhofen and Vienna interrailing trip.
Can you visit Mayrhofen by train?
Yes, Mayrhofen is very suitable for train travel and interrailing. The route in this post travelled from Munich to Jenbach by train, then changed onto the local train to Mayrhofen im Zillertal. The onward journey to Vienna also connected back through Jenbach.
Is Mayrhofen expensive?
Mayrhofen can be affordable if you stay in hostels, buy food from supermarkets and use local transport carefully. The post notes that Hostel Chillertal was much cheaper than hotels, Spar was useful for hiking supplies, and the overall 8-day interrailing trip averaged around £86 per day.
Pingback: Vienna Hostel Ruthensteiner: How to Make the Most of Interrailing - Backpacker's Mentality