Stubai Glacier Ski Guide: Season, Passes, Altitude

By Best:in Editorial Team · Updated September 2026

As of September 2026, the Stubai Glacier is Austria's largest glacier ski area: 1,450 hectares served by 26 lifts between 1,695 m and 3,210 m, roughly 45 minutes from Innsbruck. The 2026/27 ski season is scheduled to open on 9 October 2026, snow permitting; the previous season ran to 17 May 2026. Summer lift operation ends 27 September 2026 with no skiing.

What exactly is the Stubai Glacier ski area?

The Stubai Glacier sits at the head of the Stubai Valley in Tyrol, with the base station at Mutterberg 2 in Neustift. Lifts run from 1,695 m up to 3,210 m, and 26 installations serve a winter sports area of 1,450 hectares, which makes it the largest glacier ski area in Austria. The drive from Innsbruck takes about 45 minutes.

The high point is the TOP OF TYROL platform at 3,210 m, reachable on skis or on foot in season. Terrain is split between wide glacier pistes, the Stubai Zoo snowpark and marked freeride terrain covered by the Powder Department safety programme. There is a children's area with magic carpets and a practice lift, plus childcare at the BIG Family Ski-Camp.

When does the Stubai Glacier ski season run?

The glacier operates roughly ten months a year, but not continuously. The 2025/26 winter ran from 10 October 2025 to 17 May 2026. The operator has scheduled the 2026/27 opening for 9 October 2026, with the exact date and the number of open lifts and pistes depending on snow and weather.

Summer is a walking season, not a ski season. Lifts run for summer operation from 20 June to 27 September 2026, with full service to the TOP OF TYROL between 4 July and 6 September 2026 and only the Fernau mid-station at 2,300 m from 7 September. There is no ski operation and no carriage of winter sports equipment in that window. Winter lift hours are 08:00 to 16:30, with the first run at 08:00 and the last descent from the top station at 16:15.

Which ski pass do you need and what does it cover?

Tickets of 1 to 3.5 days, and the 3-out-of-4-days ticket, are valid on the Stubai Glacier only. From a 4-day ticket upwards, the Stubai Ski Pass is included at no extra cost and adds the three other valley ski areas: Schlick 2000, Serlesbahnen and Elferbahnen. For the 2025/26 season that pass was valid from 29 November 2025 to 12 April 2026, which is shorter than the glacier's own season.

Half-day options exist: 1.5-, 2.5- and 3.5-day passes go on sale from 11:50. Contactless check-in cards carry a EUR 2.00 deposit. Children under 10 ski free in the area when accompanied by a paying parent. A pedestrian TOP OF TYROL summer ticket cost EUR 40.70 for adults and EUR 20.40 for children on 26 August 2026.

How does it compare with Hintertux and Pitztal?

Stubai GlacierHintertux GlacierPitztal Glacier
Top lift altitude3,210 m 3,250 m 3,440 m
Ski seasonMid-October to May 365 days a year September to May
Lifts in the glacier area26 21 Glacier Express funicular plus Wildspitzbahn as main access
Piste extent1,450 ha winter sports area 60 km local, 206 km in Ski- & Glacier World Zillertal 3000 68-70 km with Rifflsee
Nearest city accessAbout 45 minutes from Innsbruck Head of the Zillertal, nearest airport Innsbruck Bus from Imst-Pitztal railway station
Multi-area passStubai Ski Pass, 4 areas, included from 4 days Zillertal Superskipass, about 500 km Glacier plus Rifflsee on one area ticket

How do you plan a first day on the glacier?

  1. Pick the date against the published season

    Check the operator calendar before booking. The 2026/27 season is scheduled to start on 9 October 2026, and the 2025/26 season closed on 17 May 2026. October and May days often run on partial lift opening, so the number of open pistes is published daily rather than fixed. If you need certainty in late spring, compare against Hintertux, which runs 365 days a year.

  2. Match the ticket length to where you will ski

    A 1- to 3.5-day ticket is valid on the glacier only. Buy four days or more and the Stubai Ski Pass comes with it, adding Schlick 2000, Serlesbahnen and Elferbahnen. That matters in poor visibility, because the glacier is above the treeline and the valley areas are not. In 2025/26 the Stubai Ski Pass ran only from 29 November 2025 to 12 April 2026, so an October or May trip is a glacier-only trip.

  3. Plan the drive or the bus

    The base station is at Mutterberg 2, 6167 Neustift im Stubaital, about 45 minutes from Innsbruck by car. A free ski bus serves the valley, and the Stubai Ski Pass includes the valley shuttle. The SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck was valid from 10 October 2025 to 26 April 2026 and covered twelve ski areas around Innsbruck, the ski bus and 23 cultural attractions.

  4. Set the day around lift hours and altitude

    Lifts run 08:00 to 16:30. The last ride down from the top station is 16:15 and from the middle station 16:30, so build the final descent into the plan. The top station stands at 3,210 m, roughly 1,600 m of vertical above Mutterberg. Sun exposure and UV are stronger at that height, and afternoon refreeze on glacier pistes is common in spring.

What do people get wrong about glacier skiing in Stubai?

The most common error is booking summer. Lifts do run from 20 June to 27 September 2026, but that is hiking and via ferrata season: there is no ski operation and no transport of winter sports equipment. Anyone chasing July turns in Austria has to go to Hintertux, the country's only year-round ski area.

The second error is treating the glacier ticket as a valley ticket. Short tickets do not include Schlick 2000, Serlesbahnen or Elferbahnen. The third is underrating freeride risk: the Powder Department marks checkpoints and offers transceiver training, which signals uncontrolled terrain rather than patrolled piste. Families should note the free skiing for under-10s with a paying parent, which changes the cost picture more than most discount codes.

Which options rank highest?

1.

Hintertux Glacier

The only ski area in Austria open 365 days a year, with lifts to 3,250 m at the head of the Zillertal. Around 60 km of local pistes and 21 lifts serve the glacier; in winter it merges into the Ski- & Glacier World Zillertal 3000 at 206 km of pistes, 65 lifts and 619 hectares, from 630 m to 3,250 m. The 12 km run from Gefrorene Wand to Hintertux is the valley's longest.

Best for: Year-round skiing

Official website See full facts
2.

Stubai Glacier

Austria's largest glacier ski area at 1,450 hectares, with 26 lifts between 1,695 m and 3,210 m and a 45-minute drive from Innsbruck. The 2025/26 season ran 10 October 2025 to 17 May 2026 and the next one is set to open on 9 October 2026. From a 4-day ticket the Stubai Ski Pass adds Schlick 2000, Serlesbahnen and Elferbahnen. Under-10s ski free with a paying parent.

Best for: Day trips from Innsbruck

Official website See full facts
3.

Pitztal Glacier

The highest glacier ski area in Austria: the Wildspitzbahn tops out at 3,440 m at the Hinterer Brunnenkogel, where the 3440 cafe is the country's highest. Skiing runs from September to May, and the glacier plus the adjoining Rifflsee area gives 68 to 70 km of mostly natural-snow pistes. The Gletscherexpress funicular, in service since summer 2022, handles the ascent from the valley floor.

Best for: Highest lift-served terrain

Official website See full facts

How is this ranking computed?

  • Season length and reliability of autumn or spring opening: 30%
  • Altitude and snow security: 25%
  • Terrain extent and variety: 20%
  • Access from Innsbruck or a rail hub: 15%
  • Pass coverage beyond the glacier: 10%

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