Innsbruck. A runway in the middle of the Alps, with the weather to match.
Four kilometres from the old town and inside an hour of the Arlberg. A superb arrival when the weather is kind, and a field that demands a second plan when it is not.
The airport
Innsbruck at a glance
- CodesINN / LOWIIn the Inn valley, on the western edge of Innsbruck in Tyrol.
- To the old townAbout four kilometresTen to fifteen minutes by road. It is the closest alpine airport to its own city.
- Runway08/26, 2,000 metresAsphalt, on the valley floor with high ground close on both sides.
- Category CSpecial crew training requiredCrews must be specifically trained and approved before operating into Innsbruck.
- ApproachVisual segments in a valleyStrong foehn winds, turbulence and downdraughts are routine rather than exceptional.
- PeakWinter SaturdaysChangeover day fills the terminal, the apron and the valley roads at the same time.
- Private aviationA General Aviation CentreRun by the airport company, with its own terminal, lounge and apron on the field.
- RoadThe A12 Inn valley motorwayImmediately beside the airport, with the Brenner route south to Italy and the Arlberg west.
Innsbruck is one of the more demanding airports in Europe for crews, and diversions to Munich or Salzburg in poor weather are a normal part of a winter season rather than a disaster.
Transfer times
From Innsbruck to the resorts
| To | Clear roads | Winter Saturday or snow |
|---|---|---|
| Innsbruck old town | 10 to 15 minutes | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Seefeld | 30 to 45 minutes | 45 to 70 minutes |
| St Anton am Arlberg | 60 to 80 minutes | 90 to 140 minutes |
| Lech and Zurs | 75 to 100 minutes | 110 to 170 minutes |
| Ischgl | 75 to 95 minutes | 100 to 150 minutes |
| Kitzbuhel | 75 to 95 minutes | 100 to 150 minutes |
| Munich | 1 hour 45 to 2 hours 15 | 2 hours 15 to 3 hours |
| Salzburg | 1 hour 50 to 2 hours 15 | 2 hours 15 to 3 hours |
Realistic ranges, not promises. The A12 is fast until it is not: Saturday changeover, snow on the Arlberg pass and roadworks in the Inn valley each add an hour without warning. The Arlberg road tunnel closes for maintenance periodically, which pushes traffic over the pass.
The honest version
A wonderful arrival, with a second plan
For Tyrol, Innsbruck is unarguably the right airport, and for the Arlberg and the Otztal it beats Munich and Zurich by a wide margin. It is also a Category C airport, which means crews have to be specifically trained for it, and a valley approach means weather closes it more often than a field on flat ground. The foehn, the warm southerly wind that pours over the Brenner, produces turbulence and windshear that will stop an approach when the sky looks perfectly clear from the terrace. Aircraft do divert, most often to Munich or Salzburg, and on a bad Saturday several may divert together.
So we plan for it. Any winter arrangement we quote for Innsbruck includes what happens if the aircraft goes elsewhere: a car ready at the diversion field, a realistic road time to your resort from there, and one number to call so you are not negotiating with a local office in a language you do not speak while standing in a baggage hall in Munich. It costs nothing to agree in advance and it is the single most useful thing we do on this route.
On the day
Where the car waits and how we meet you
For a private arrival, the General Aviation Centre has its own terminal and approach on the field, away from the passenger building. We speak to the handling agent about your movement, agree which entrance to use, and where the airport permits it for that flight, the car can be brought to the aircraft. That permission is the airport's to give for each movement, so we confirm what has been approved rather than promising it.
For a winter charter flight, expect Saturday to be busy. Your chauffeur waits inside arrivals with a name board and does not move, which matters when a terminal designed for a quiet regional airport is handling a full changeover. Skis come off the belt late and in a heap; we plan the collection around that rather than around the scheduled landing time.
What we handle
Details that matter on a Tyrol transfer
A demanding airfield, a changeover day, and a valley road with one way in.
- Flight tracking and a car timed to the real arrival, with the diversion field covered in the same arrangement
- Coordination with the General Aviation Centre and the handling agent for private movements
- Winter tyres and chains as standard through the season on every vehicle
- Ski and boot bags counted at the quote stage, with a second vehicle where luggage needs one
- Resort access checked in advance, including hotels where the last stretch is restricted
Coverage
Our cars, and cars we arrange
Odyssey owns its cars and employs its chauffeurs in London and Manchester. In Austria, cars are arranged through operators we know, with drivers who work the Inn valley and the Arlberg through the winter, and you deal with our team throughout on one number. Aircraft and helicopters are arranged: see private jet charter and helicopter charter. For the resorts, see St Anton, Lech and Zurs and Kitzbuhel.
Onward
Where Innsbruck passengers go next
Request a quote
Tell us the arrival
Date, flight number or tail number, passengers, ski bags and the resort and hotel. Tell us the diversion field your operator has nominated and we will cover it in the same arrangement. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About Innsbruck transfers
Why do flights divert from Innsbruck so often?
It is a valley airport with a visual approach and strong local winds. The foehn in particular produces turbulence that will stop an approach in clear weather. Munich and Salzburg are the usual alternates.
Can any private jet fly into Innsbruck?
The runway suits most business jets, but crews must be specifically trained and approved for the airport, which not every operator holds. Ask your operator early rather than at the point of booking.
Innsbruck or Salzburg for Kitzbuhel?
They are close to even on driving time. Salzburg has the longer runway, the instrument approach and fewer weather cancellations. Innsbruck is better for the Arlberg and the Otztal, and better still if you also want the city.
Can you arrange the aircraft as well?
Yes. See private jet charter.
