Mayrhofen is the best-known resort in the Zillertal, Tyrol: a busy, lively town at 630 m, where the valley splits into four side valleys. Above it are two ski mountains, Penken and Ahorn. Penken links to the Finkenberg, Rastkogel and Eggalm areas, and together they make 142 km of pistes and 61 lifts.
Mayrhofen is also part of the Ski- & Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000, which adds the Hintertux Glacier at the head of the Tux valley: 206 km and 65 lifts in all, from 630 m to 3,250 m. That glacier back-up, plus loud après-ski and the famous Harakiri, is what makes Mayrhofen. The catch is that the town sits low, so you ride a cable car up, and often down.
Mayrhofen ski area: Penken, Ahorn and the Zillertal 3000
The two mountains are very different, and they aren’t linked on skis.
- Penken is the main mountain, reached by the Penkenbahn from the town centre or the Horbergbahn from the edge of town. It’s mostly intermediate terrain, linked across to Finkenberg, Rastkogel and Eggalm, with the Harakiri and the PenkenPark snowpark.
- Ahorn is a separate mountain on the other side of town, reached by the Ahornbahn, which the lift company calls Austria’s largest aerial tramway. The Ahorn plateau has wide, sunny, gentle runs that suit beginners and families.
On average, 89% of the ski terrain is above 1,700 m, and there’s extensive snowmaking. The Hintertux Glacier, up the Tux valley, isn’t linked on skis: you reach it by bus or car.
Skiing in Mayrhofen for beginners
Start on the Ahorn, with its wide blue runs and child-friendly lifts, or at KinderLand Horberg, at the Horbergbahn valley station, with a 69 m magic carpet and a 180 m T-bar. KinderLand has its own cheap day tickets, so you don’t need a full pass to learn. The Penken also has practice areas at the gondola top stations. What beginners shouldn’t do is ski down to the valley: the cable cars are the way home.
Skiing in Mayrhofen for intermediates
The Penken and its links to Finkenberg, Rastkogel and Eggalm give plenty of red and blue mileage. With a Zillertal 3000 pass, a day on the Hintertux Glacier adds high, snow-sure runs up to 3,250 m.
Skiing in Mayrhofen for experts
The Harakiri is the headline (below). The ValleyRun Ahorn is a 5.5 km descent to the valley for advanced skiers. Park riders come for PenkenPark, the Zillertal’s best-known snowpark, with a Kids Park for young riders. Off-piste needs a guide.
The Harakiri: Austria’s steepest piste in Mayrhofen
The Harakiri, run 34 on the Penken, has a 78% gradient, and is billed as Austria’s steepest groomed piste. It’s a genuine expert run: on a slope this steep, a fall can mean a long slide. Ski it in the morning when it’s freshly groomed, not when it’s icy or mogulled, and only if you’re confident on black runs.
Snow in Mayrhofen and the 2026/27 season
For 2026/27:
- Penkenbahn and Horbergbahn: 4 December 2026 to 11 April 2027.
- Finkenberg, Rastkogel and Eggalm: 4 December 2026 to 11 April 2027.
- Ahornbahn: 12 December 2026 to 4 April 2027.
- Hintertux Glacier: already open, since 2 October 2026.
The lift company says dates can change with weather or demand. The town is low, so you ski high: the slopes themselves hold snow well, but runs down to the valley can be icy or patchy early and late in the season. Be ready to ride the cable car down.
Is Mayrhofen good for a last-minute ski trip?
It’s a good pick when there’s snow up high, and it’s easy to reach. Innsbruck airport is 65 km away, and trains and buses run every half hour from Jenbach. It’s big enough for a week, and lively in a way some people want.
The weak points: the low town means valley runs are unreliable, and a lot depends on the upper slopes. If the snow is poor, the Hintertux Glacier is the back-up, and a Zillertal 3000 pass covers it. Avoid peak-week Saturdays, when the valley road is busy, and check which Mayrhofen lifts are open before you book. Then find a place to stay in Mayrhofen.
Mayrhofen lift passes
- Buy online at mayrhofen.at, at the ticket offices, or from the 24-hour ticket machines at the Ahornbahn, Penkenbahn and Horbergbahn. Half-day tickets are sold only at the ticket offices.
- Children born in 2021 or later ride free with an adult. Children’s rates cover those born 2012 to 2020, and youth rates those born 2008 to 2011. Bring ID for any reduced ticket.
- Passes are loaded onto a refundable key card, and the turnstiles use photo checks.
- The Zillertal 3000 pass adds the Hintertux Glacier, and the Zillertal Superskipass covers every ski area in the valley.
- KinderLand Horberg has its own cheap day and season tickets for beginners.
Après-ski and things to do in Mayrhofen
Mayrhofen’s après-ski is loud and starts early, especially near the Penkenbahn, where the Sport & Spa Hotel Strass has its own ICEBAR. Peak weeks can be rowdy in the centre. If you want quiet, stay away from the main bars.
Off the slopes, Mayrhofen is a proper town:
- Erlebnisbad Mayrhofen, an indoor adventure pool.
- Tobogganing and snow-tubing, plus the PistenBock on the Ahorn, a sledge-style ride down the slopes.
- Ice skating and curling.
- The Erlebnissennerei Zillertal show dairy, a cinema, and the Eagle’s Stage birds-of-prey show on the Ahorn.
Who Mayrhofen suits, and who it doesn’t
- Great for: groups who want après-ski, intermediates, park riders, experts ticking off the Harakiri, beginners on the Ahorn, and anyone who wants a glacier back-up nearby.
- Think twice if: you want ski-in/ski-out (few places offer it), reliable snow down to the village, or a quiet alpine village.
Skiing with children? Read Mayrhofen with kids.
How to get to Mayrhofen
By car
Leave the A12 Inntal motorway at the Zillertal exit and follow the B169 up the valley to Mayrhofen. From Germany, the usual route is the A8 and A93 to Kiefersfelden, then the A12. The tourist office advises sticking to the motorway rather than toll-avoiding back roads, which can mean long queues. Expect heavy traffic up the valley on peak-season changeover days.
You need a vignette for Austrian motorways. From 1 December 2026 it is digital only: buy it from ASFINAG’s webshop or app, or an official reseller. One-day and 10-day vignettes bought online are valid immediately; two-month and annual ones only start on the 18th day. From 1 November to 15 April, cars must have winter tyres (M+S, at least 4 mm of tread) whenever there’s snow, slush or ice on the road. Carry chains as well.
By train and bus
Almost all international trains stop at Jenbach, on the main line between Innsbruck and Kufstein. From there, the Zillertalbahn train or bus runs every half hour to Mayrhofen. With the digital guest card, the Zillertalbahn is free between Jenbach and the Zillertal from 4 December 2026 to 11 April 2027. ÖBB Nightjet sleeper trains also run to Innsbruck.
Nearest airports
Innsbruck is 65 km away, Salzburg 170 km and Munich 190 km. Several local firms run transfers from all three airports and from Jenbach station.
