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Voykit pocket guide · Austria
Ellmau
Ellmau is a base for hiking or skiing in the Wilder Kaiser, not a destination on its own. Two nights in summer, three to five in winter; skip if you only have time for one Alpine village.
Ellmau is a small village (pop. under 3,000) in the Wilder Kaiser mountains of Northeast Tyrol, with 5,000 guest beds and a single funicular to the Hartkaiser. Summer visitors hike or play golf; winter visitors ski the SkiWelt area. The village has no major sight beyond the mountain panorama, so the decision is about how much time to spend on the slopes or trails.
- Country
- Austria
- Best months
- Jun–Sep (hiking), Dec–Mar (skiing)
- Avoid
- Apr–May, Oct–Nov (many lifts closed)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely taken, but some cafés, huts and small shops are still cash only.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A1, Magenta and Drei are the networks; prepaid SIMs from shops and supermarkets (registration with ID).
- Emergency
- Police 133 · Fire 122 · Ambulance 144 · Mountain rescue 140
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Same plugs as Germany; UK and US devices need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or 5–10%, told to the server when paying.; Café: Round up to the next euro.; Taxi: Round up or about 10%.; Hotel porter / housekeeping: €1–2.; Ski instructor or mountain guide: €10–20 a day for a good lesson, optional.
- Water
- Tap water is excellent. Ask for 'ein Glas Leitungswasser'; coffee in a café comes with a free glass of water.
- Toilets
- Public toilets in cities cost €0.50; cafés and museums have free ones for guests.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | €3.50–5.00 |
| Schnitzel with fries | €12–18 |
| Beer (0.5 L) | €4–5.50 |
| SkiWelt day pass (winter) | €60–70 |
| Hartkaiserbahn return (summer) | €22–28 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- INN · Innsbruck
- 90 km (56 mi), about 1 h 15 min by car or shuttle56 mi (90 km), about 1 h 15 min by car or shuttle
- SZG · Salzburg
- 75 km (47 mi), about 1 h by car or shuttle47 mi (75 km), about 1 h by car or shuttle
- MUC · Munich
- 152 km (94 mi), about 1 h 45 min by car94 mi (152 km), about 1 h 45 min by car
Typical fares
- Kufstein → Ellmau, bus
- about €5, about 30 min
- Taxi from Kufstein station
- €30–40
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
A car is convenient but not essential. A free skibus runs through the SkiWelt area in winter; summer buses connect Ellmau to Kufstein and St. Johann in Tirol. The village is walkable.
See and do
Known for
- Hartkaiserbahn funicular
- SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser – Brixental ski area
- Hiking in the Wilder Kaiser
- KaiserBad adventure pool
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kufstein | Bus 40 from Ellmau, about 30 min | About 1 h |
| St. Johann in Tirol | Bus 40 from Ellmau, about 15 min | About 30 min |
| Mayrhofen | Bus to Wörgl, then train to Mayrhofen, about 1 h 15 min | About 1 h 45 min |
Sleep
- Ellmau centre
- Hotels and guesthouses within walking distance of the Hartkaiserbahn and restaurants.
- Going
- 2 km (1.2 mi) east, quieter, with a few hotels and a bus to the lifts.1.2 mi (2 km) east, quieter, with a few hotels and a bus to the lifts.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Grüß Gottgrews got |
| Thank you | Dankedahn-keh |
| How much is it? | Was kostet das?vas kostet das |
| Where is the lift? | Wo ist der Lift?vo ist der lift |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Grüß Gott' or 'Guten Tag' entering shops and huts; handshakes; avoid: Walking in without a greeting
- Titles: Use Herr/Frau and academic titles in formal settings; avoid: First names with older strangers
- Coffee houses: Linger; call the waiter 'Herr Ober'; avoid: Expecting fast service
- Punctuality: Be on time; avoid: Arriving late to concerts: doors close
- Quiet: Keep voices down on public transport; avoid: Loud phone calls in trains and trams
- Mountain trails: Greet other hikers with 'Servus' or 'Grüß Gott'; avoid: Leaving gates open on pastures
Scams and watch-outs
- Lift schedules change between seasons: check the SkiWelt website for opening dates.
- The Hartkaiserbahn funicular is the only lift from Ellmau; other SkiWelt lifts are a short bus ride away.
- Restaurants may close one day per week outside peak season.
Ellmau is very safe. The main risks are on the slopes and trails: check avalanche reports in winter, carry water and sun protection in summer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Ellmau yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hartkaiserbahn funicular
- SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser – Brixental ski area
- Hiking in the Wilder Kaiser
- KaiserBad adventure pool
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- SkiWelt official site: www.skiwelt.at/en
- Wikivoyage: Ellmau, revision 5113096 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5113096
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/ellmau). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.