The rock faces of the Wilder Kaiser in the north and the Hohe Tauern in the south provide a high alpine look. The high alpine pastures of the Kitzbühel Alps undulate in between. This makes this Tyrolean mountain region a gentle biking area with an early start to the season - perfect for beginners and families.
The OD trails, i.e. the Oberndorf trails in the St. Johann region, have been open at weekends since 11 April. The entrances to 3 trails and a jumpline can be reached by drag lift. You can also carve your own way up the 100 metres in altitude on a black uphill trail and hone your riding technique in the skill area before the next higher trail levels open in May.
Fleckalmbahn, Gaisberglift, Harschbichl and Hochbrixen start the enduro summer at the end of May
The programme kicks off with the Harschbichl cable car in St. Johann: On Friday, 23 May, it lifts the first summer bikers to the middle station, where the 3.4-kilometre-long flowline of the same name awaits. It has 145 hairpin bends, but also 11 wooden elements that you really have to concentrate on.
- Length: 3.4 kilometres
- Downhill: 410 metres depth
- Difficulty level: S2
On 29 May, the long weekend over Ascension Day, you can tackle one of the longest trail descents in the Alps when Fleckalm railway and the Gaisberg lift. The gondola then takes you up to an altitude of 1800 metres. From there, the view extends as far as the still snow-covered main Alpine ridge and 7.1 kilometres of enduro fun with roots, lush berms, jumps and short counter-climbs wind their way in front of the fork.
The 4-seater chairlift on the Gaisberg doesn't shuttle quite as high, but two trail icons of the region await at the summit (1260 metres). The legendary, unspoilt Lisi Osl Trail (length: 3.2 km, difficulty level: S2) and a rather crisp S3 descent: over a length of 2.3 kilometres and a depth of 450 metres, the softest thing here is the forest floor. However, the tyres only have little contact with it, as there are root carpets and wooden elements stretched over it. Jumps and sporty terrain edges also help you to pull away. Always pay attention to body tension, because the trail has spectators: it runs in sections along the lift route!
In contrast, the downhill ride to Brixen im Thale is much more flowing: the Hochbrixen cable car starts its summer service a few days earlier (26 May). From the mountain station, you still have to climb 200 metres uphill yourself, but you can enjoy the Sun Trail: fine gravel bends and waves over a length of 3.2 kilometres and 410 metres of descent. Difficulty level: S0-S1.
Hahnenkamm and Sonnenrast open in June
The Streif: Hardly any other piste sends shivers down the spine of ski racers like this legendary steep descent with its gradient of up to 85 per cent. It goes without saying that there is also a counterpart for the summer, namely the Hahnenkamm Trail. However, the mountain biker does not tear into the depths at over 100 km/h, but prefers to play with them: In a skidding gear, it goes through flowing berms, over small waves with pull-off potential and with momentum over easily rollable wooden features. The lift will be running from 7 June!
- Length: 7.2 kilometres
- Altitude metres: 850 altitude metres
- Degree of difficulty: S1
The 6-seater chairlift of the Solar runway finally completes the cable car network on 14 June. The region's latest trail achievement awaits here, namely a 1.8-kilometre-long and playful flow trail with a very photogenic, eight-metre-high wooden snail. And very close by: the moderately difficult Streiteck Trail (0.8 kilometres).
One card for all lifts: Kitzbühel Alps Trail Card 2025
So that you can use the region's lift and trail network comfortably and seamlessly, you can buy a lift pass for mountain bikers at any of the 7 cable car stations.
Day ticket: 64 euros, 2-day pass: 116 euros. Info: sommer-card.at/en/kitzbueheler-alpen-trail-card.html
BIKE tour tip: The KitzAlps Enduro
- Length: 74.9 kilometres
- Uphill: 794 metres in altitude
- Downhill: 3972 metres in depth
- Difficulty: difficult
- 6 Ropeways
Tour description
Six cable cars are used on this giant tour through the Kitzbühel Alps, and yet you still fall into bed dead tired in the evening. That's why it's best to start early in the morning so that you can enjoy the many metres of downhill. After a pleasant roll-in phase, you head straight for the Hahnenkamm.
The legendary Fleckalm trail from the Ehrenbachhöhe down to Kirchberg awaits here. The valley scooter takes you over to the Gaisberg lift, which you use twice to ride down the Lisi-Osl and Gaisberg trails. The only serious counter-climb lurks after the next cable car ride to Hochbrixen. 200 metres in altitude, which is worth it because you climb up to the start of the Sun Trail.
Afterwards, the mountain railway in Klausen zips up to the Ehrenbachhöhe, where of course the descent on the Hahnenkamm Trail is still to come. Theoretically, you could now simply let the day wind down on the way from Kitzbühel back to Oberndorf. But the real final highlight is when you take the drag lift to the three OD trails in Oberndorf.
Accommodation tip in Kitzbühel: DAS REISCH
In the centre of Kitzbühel, "Das Reisch" is offering affordable accommodation packages for mountain bikers this summer:
- 4 nights in a double room with breakfast buffet
- E-bike hire for 3 days
- Free use of wellness area and fitness room
Bookable from just 640 euros. Info: dasreisch.com
General information and further accommodation addresses for bikers: kitzbuehel.com and bike-holidays.com
