Family holidays in Stubaital
The Stubaital is a picturesque valley in Tyrol, just a 20 minute drive from Innsbruck. The Stubai is a glacier overlooking the valley and a popular ski resort.
The glacier is snow-covered for eight months of the year, happy skiers start skiing in October, and the last tourists leave the resort with their winter gear in June. Sounds perfect, right?
The good news is that Stubai Valley is also great for family holidays. Ski schools with children's playgrounds, children's programmes for both winter and summer, family-frienly hotels with a range of services for young guests — everything is in place to make your family holiday a pleasant one.
Kidpassage has put together all the important information about holidays with children in Stubaital: find out when it is best to go and what you can do when you are not skiing.
Stubaital on the map of Austria
Stubai is a ski resort in western Austria, in the state of Tyrol, not far from the border with Italy. It is part of the Innsbruck district. The distance from Fulpmes to Innsbruck is 21 km, to Salzburg — 200 km, to Munich (Germany) — 176 km, to Vaduz (Liechtenstein) — 180 km.
The part of the Alps where Stubaital is located is famous for its high altitudes. The valley is surrounded by three-thousand-metre mountains, thanks to which it is possible to ski from October to June.
Stubaital for kids
The Stubai ski resort is good in every sense of the word. Picturesque nature is accompanied by an excellent ski infrastructure, a variety of hotels and apartments, local restaurants — everything you need for a pleasant holiday.
A family holiday in Stubai Valley has its advantages. The first is the ski schools for children, where the lessons are like a fun game. Children are kept busy in special areas and the lessons are fun and safe.
The second advantage is that there are lots of interesting things for children in Stubai. In winter it is sledging and skating, snowshoeing, a visit to an ice cave, in summer it is relaxation in a children's amusement park, hiking in the mountains and excursions.
The third advantage is family hotels, where you can have a good rest with your child. In such hotels, cots and high chairs are available, and parents can relax while their children have fun in the playroom or take lessons in the mini-club.
Some hotels offer everything you need for a holiday with a baby.
Important: Stubaital is a high mountain resort and acclimatisation can take several days. Plan your trip to Stubai with children so that they have enough time to acclimatise.
Best time to travel
The ski season in Stubai Valley overlaps with the summer season, with some sunbathing by the pool and others skiing. The Stubai Glacier is snow-covered from October to early June — only Sölden can boast such a long skiing season.
However, the main season is from December to mid-April. At this time, all the resort's slopes and lifts, children's parks and ski schools are open. In October-November and April-May, only part of the slopes are open and the après-ski programme is very modest.
When is the best time to visit Stubaital? If you prefer empty pistes to all the hustle and bustle, come in autumn or the second half of spring.
The official opening of the season in Stubai, in the pre-Christmas period, sees a huge influx of tourists. The second mass arrival is in February-March. There are relatively few tourists in January and April.
Holidays with a child can be planned for the summer. The warm season here is more like the cool season, but this weather is better for walking and excursions than the heat. It is good to come to Stubai with a baby in the summer to enjoy the peace and fresh air.
Weather and Climate
Information about the climate in Stubai Valley may give a chill to those who do not like frosty and snowy winters. However, skiers love frost and snow, so the weather on the glacier will be a delight for them.
October is considered the beginning of winter in Stubai. By this time the snow is already on the mountains, and in the village the temperature drops to +3-7°C during the day and -1-5°C at night.
In November the daytime temperature drops to zero, at night the temperature can go down to -19-24°C, although the average temperature remains between -4-14°C. Towards the end of the month, snow begins to fall, making it possible to ski in Neustift and Fulpmes at the beginning of winter.
Calendar winter brings frost. From December to February the thermometer reads -2-12°C during the day and -9-15°C at night. Short-term cooling to -20-30°С is possible. The sun rarely shines during these months, but snowfalls regularly renew the cover on the slopes.
The best time to visit Stubai with children is in March. On the glacier, of course, the harsh winter continues, but at lower altitudes it gets a little warmer. In April the temperature is +3-7°C, although it is still very cold in the evenings.
In May, the temperature stays below zero at night and rises to +10°C during the day.
Warm clothes and waterproof shoes are essential for a summer holiday in Stubai. The air temperature varies from +8°C to +15°C, at night the temperature drops to +2-5°C.
There are about as many rainy days as sunny days in summer. In September the temperature is +4-10°C, at night the temperature drops below zero.
Transportation
You can also take the Stubaitalbahn from Fulpmes to Innsbruck. It's a long journey, but the views are spectacular.
Public transport is very important in Stubai: the distance between the main ski areas is 25 km. In winter, ski buses successfully transport skiers to the lifts.
There are several cross-country ski trails that link the Schlick 2000 area with the surrounding villages. The ski buses run from 1 October to 1 May, and the rest of the year from the beginning of December to the end of April. The exact timetable can be found on the resort's website.
The year-round transport in Stubai is the regional bus no. 590 between Innsbruck and the Stubai Glacier.The ticket costs around €8 to Neustift There is a discount for children aged 6-15.
The use of all buses of the regional line 590 between Mutterberg and Innsbruck and the STB from Fulpmes zu Innsbruck is included in the STUBAI SUPER CARD.
You can also take the Stubaitalbahn from Innsbruck to Fulpmes. It's a long journey, but the views are spectacular.
The best way to get around the Stubaital is by car. There are car parks near the bottom stations of the lifts, and in Neustift there is a car park near the tourist centre.
Stubai for kids
It is very difficult to get bored in Austria's ski resorts, even if you are not planning to spend your entire family holiday skiing. There are many winter activities for children and adults in Stubai — something for you to enjoy and for the child to be interested in.
A unique experience is to climb to the top of the Stubai Glacier, where there is a viewing platform at an altitude of 3120 metres.
A little further down is a children's playground where you can swing up to 3,000 metres. And on the Stubai Glacier, access to the Ice Cave is open. This is the home of the BIG FAMILY park mascots.
What else to do in Stubai with a child? Here are some win-win options:
- Try your hand at cross-country skiing — there is an easy two kilometre trail for beginners in the middle of the glacier;
- Tobogganing — the longest of the eight toboggan runs runs from Elfer to Neustift;
- Put on your skates — there are ice rinks in Neustift, Fulpmes, Schönberg and Mieders;
- Take your child for a walk in the snow-covered mountains — some routes require snowmobiles, and there are places where you can walk on the treaded snow.
And as the frosty weather can get boring in the Stubai resort, we recommend a visit to the indoor leisure centre in Neustift, with swimming pools, sauna, playgrounds and a bowling alley.
Alpine skiing
Unlike other resorts where there are many ski areas, but they are side by side, in Stubai there are only two main ski areas and they are 25 km apart.
The main attraction for skiers in Stubai is the glacier, which has snow for 8 months of the year. Despite the difficult skiing conditions — an altitude of 3000-3300 metres and quite severe frost — most of the runs on the glacier are good for beginners.
The glacier also has freeride routes, two snowparks with areas for beginners and advanced boarders, and the BIG Family Skicamp.
The Stubai Glacier ski area is at full capacity from December to April. Before that, only some of the pistes and lifts are open.
Near Fulpmes is the Schlick 2000 ski area. There are fewer slopes, but the lifts are close to the hotels. Families with children will appreciate the blue and red slopes, the Ronny's Kinderland children's winter park with kindergarten and its own ski school for adults and children.
Near Neustift (Elfer Ski Area) and near Mieders (Serles) there are several slopes. There you can spend time with children who prefer to stay away from crowded places. Both resorts have ski schools with children's parks.
If you are coming to Stubai with your child to introduce them to skiing, enrol them in one of the ski schools. Children learn their first skiing skills in special areas with their own lifts, ski simulators and slopes.
Lessons are playful, and after 4-6 days little skiers are ready for their first competition. The minimum age for children is 3-4 years.
The Stubai Ski Schools have kindergartens for children who are too young to start skiing or who are not interested in this activity.
Pistes, slopes, lifts
| General season |
15 October – 2 June |
| Ski area |
Stubai Glacier
|
| Elevation difference |
1750 m-3210 m |
| Ski slopes |
38 km — total
19 km — «blue»
15 km — «red»
4 km — «black»
|
| Ski lifts |
25 total, including
5 gondola lifts
7 chairlifts
10 T-bar lifts
3 Magic Carpets
|
| Ski routes |
21 km |
| Snowboard parks |
Moreboards Stubai Zoo with three lines of trampolines, rails and boxes |
| The longest ski run |
10 000 m |
| Speed downhill on the track Daunferner |
1 |
| Viewing platform TOP OF TYROL at an altitude of 3210 m |
1 |
| Interactive scheme of ski slopes and lifts |
https://www.stubaier-gletscher.com/skigebiet |
| Ski season |
December-April |
| Ski area |
Schlick-2000
|
| Elevation difference |
1000 m-2240 m |
| Ski slopes |
22 km — total
12 km — «blue»
6,8 km— «red»
3,2 km — «black»
|
| Ski lifts |
13 total, including
2 gondola lifts
3 chairlifts
5 T-bar lifts
3 Magic Carpets
|
| Ski routes |
18 km |
| Funpark |
1 |
| Halfpipe |
1 |
| Border cross track |
1 |
| The longest ski run |
6 000 m |
| Interactive scheme of ski slopes and lifts |
https://www.stubaier-gletscher.com/skigebiet |
Ski- and lift passes rates
A single Stubai Super Ski Pass is available throughout the season from 1 December to 22 April at the Stubai Glacier, Skizentrum Schlick 2000, Elfer and Serles ski resorts.
The approximate cost of a 2-6 day ski pass is €112-270* for adults, €73-176 for youths aged 15-18 and €56-136 for children aged 10-14. Children under 10 years of age are free if their parents have a valid ski pass.
*Prices are quoted for online purchases. Prices are usually higher at the ticket office.
It is possible to buy ski passes for individual resorts. For example, a day pass for skiing on a glacier costs between €20 and €40, depending on the age of the skier.
Ski rentals
Ski hire in Stubaital can be found in every ski resort, in Neustift and Fulpmes. There is a wide range of equipment from basic to professional.
A day's ski hire for an adult costs around €14-€35, depending on the class. Boots cost around €9-€12 per day. A set of skis and boots can be hired for 18-41 euros.
Children's ski hire costs approximately €6-€10 per day, boots €4-€7 per day. If two parents rent equipment, skis, boots and helmets are free for children aged 10 and over. Children under 14 get a discount on all equipment.
Summer holidays
In summer, Neustift and Fulpmes never cease to amaze with their beauty and recreational opportunities. The Big Family Children's Park continues its work in the form of a summer camp for children aged 5 and over.
A special entertainment and active leisure programme with hikes, games and themed quests is developed separately for different age groups.
Some hotels offer their guests with children a free visit to the camp as an added bonus.
In the village of Mieders, a 2.8 km toboggan run is open in summer and the Serles cable car takes you to the start. Horse lovers should visit the modern equestrian centre at Hotel Atzinger in Fulpmes. Riding lessons are available for adults and children, and pony rides are available for children.
Like many other Austrian resorts, Neustift and Fulpmes offer bike hire, mountain and lake walks and paragliding courses in the summer.
For the resort's youngest guests, there are children's playgrounds in the villages and at the lift stations, with a variety of designs and entertainment.
Among the most popular recreational areas for children are the playground at the Kamplsee with carousels, swings, slides and a climbing wall, and the playground in the Schlick-2000 area at the Kreuzjoch mountain station with a trampoline and climbing wall.
The Stubai Card allows you to reduce the cost of your summer holiday in Stubai, and includes free use of the resort's ski lifts (one ascent and descent per day on each lift), use of the mountain tram from Fulpmes to Innsbruck, use of public transport in the Stubai Valley, free access to the indoor and outdoor swimming pools in Neustift and Mieders, summer toboggan run (one ride per day).
Attractions
The question of what to do and see in Stubai and the surrounding area is easy to answer. Half an hour's drive from the resort is the city of Innsbruck, where there is plenty to do for both adults and children. But before you head to the capital of Tyrol, we recommend that you visit the sights of the Stubai Valley.
The most interesting place for children is the Birds of Prey Park in Telfes. Wounded birds are nursed here and when they recover they fly away, although some stay in the park.
In the warmer months there is a birds of prey show, where the park rangers talk about the habits of eagles, falcons, hawks and owls.
Fulpmes has a small museum of nativity scenes. The oldest exhibit in the museum dates from 1720 and the largest nativity scene consists of 350 wooden figures.
After that you can go to Innsbruck. Its main attraction is the white-walled Ambras Castle, graceful as a palace and powerful as a fortress.
Allow at least two hours for a tour of Ambras Castle to see the art gallery (there are paintings by Titian and Velasquez), the armoury and the art camera.
Visit the Innsbruck Zoo and show your child the animals of the Alps. And just outside Innsbruck is the Swarovski Museum — the underground halls are full of treasures, which is why the museum is sometimes called Aladdin's Cave.
There are plenty of things to do with the kids around Innsbruck. We recommend the castles of Tratzberg and Kufstein, the silver mine in Schwaz and the Tyrolean Village Museum in Kramsach. For something a little less serious, visit Terfence, home to the Upside Down House and the Jungle House.
During a holiday in Stubai with children, you can also take a trip to Germany. The closest Bavarian attractions to the resort are the village of Oberammergau, where each house is decorated with a special painting, and the castles of Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau.
Where to stay
Where to stay with children in Stubaital? There are many towns and villages in the valley with comfortable hotels and cosy apartments. Neustift and the village of Fulpmes are the most convenient for families.
Fulpmes
The resort, with a population of about 4,000, is a picturesque village with old and modern painted houses. Most of the houses are hotels and apartments.
The main advantages of Fulpmes:
- own ski area Shlik-2000;
- proximity to Innsbruck;
- guaranteed free seats on the ski bus;
- developed infrastructure — a supermarket, shops, pharmacies, restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops, banks and much more;
- a wide range of apartments for independent holidays in Stubai with children.
Many hotels do not offer special services for families with babies, but they do offer comfort.
The disadvantage of this part of Stubai Valley is the early end of the ski season in the Schlick 2000 ski area. From the second half of April, most restaurants are closed and the après-ski programme in the village is unlikely to be varied.
Neustift
The most famous and largest resort in the Stubai Valley. It consists of several districts within the same town, each of which is served by a ski bus to the Stubai Glacier cable car station.
The main advantages of Neustift
- proximity to the Stubai Glacier;
- rich après-ski programme;
- well-developed tourist infrastructure.
In Neustift it is not difficult to choose where to stay with children: there are several family hotels with playrooms, cots and high chairs, mini-clubs and swimming pools.
The small downside is that in high season the ski buses are usually full. There are many après-ski establishments in the centre of the resort that are open until late at night.
Good accommodation is available in the Stubai area. In winter you can stay in the villages of Schönberg, Mieders, Telfes and others along the ski bus route. In summer there are many villas and apartments for rent near Stubai, but outside the resort area.
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