About Innsbruck

Innsbruck is a beautiful city in the middle of the Alps, in Tyrol (Austria) with about 130,000 inhabitants. It is a very old and cultural city, but as it is home to the University of Innsbruck with around 28,000 students from all over the world, it also offers a youthful and student atmosphere.

Situated in the mountains, Innsbruck's main attraction is the magnificent alpine nature in unique proximity to the urban city center. Innsbruck is an ideal starting point for outdoor activities such as hiking, climbing, mountain biking or skiing in winter. If you have time it is very recommendable to visit the valleys and mountains, that surround Innsbruck, such as the Sellrain Valley or the Kalkkögel for example. You can also take the Nordkettenbahnen to reach the peaks of the Nordkette, from where you have a breathtaking view of Innsbruck and the Karwendel Nature Park on the other side. If you are interested in the Nordkette, you should consider joining the tour to the Viktor Franz Hess House on Friday. If you plan to visit the Nordkette (or any other mountains), make sure you have the right set of clothes and shoes, because despite its proximity to Innsbruck, it is an alpine environment at more than 2,000m above sea level.

But Innsbruck has more to offer than "just" mountains and outdoor activities. For example, you can visit the historic and beautiful Old Town with its churches and castles, try the amazing Austrian cuisine, or go shopping on Innsbruck's main shopping street, Maria-Theresien-Strasse. You can also enjoy art and events in a variety of museums and cultural venues. At Ambras Castle you can experience a lot of Renaissance flair and art. If you prefer modern architecture, visit the buildings designed by
Zaha Hadid. Many cultural institutions in Innsbruck offer discounts for Welcome Card holders, so before you buy a ticket (at any cultural/touristic institution) ask if they offer discounts for Welcome Card holders.

How to get there

Innsbruck is well connected. It has an international airport with direct flights from London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Vienna, and others. If you are arriving by transcontinental flight, it is usually best to fly to Munich (Germany) and take the train or bus directly from the airport. It is also possible to book an airpoirt bus from Lufthansa from munich airport to innsbruck airport as part of your flight. More information about the bus from Munich airport to Innsbruck can be found here. An other option is a airport shuttle from Munich directly to you hotel.

For those who want to (and can) travel environmentally friendly, Innsbruck is very well connected to the European rail system. You can find your best connection on the ÖBB web app or any other European train service. There are also convenient night train connections from all over Europe, such as Amsterdam, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Zurich, Vienna, Budapest, Zagreb and some more. For more information on night trains visit ÖBB - Nightjets.

Moving around

As Innsbruck is a rather small city, getting around is very easy and convenient. As you can see on the map to the right, our conference venue is located just outside the city center. To get there from your accommodation or the city center, you can either use public transportation or rent a city bike. Both take about 15-20 minutes. If you plan to use public transportation or a city bike, make sure to pick up your Welcome Card at your accommodation. 

You can also walk most of the routes around the city center. For example: It takes about 20 minutes to walk from the main train station to the Agnes-Heller Haus, where the Welcome Drink will be held.

Another option is to take a taxi. Uber also is available in Innsbruck but charge same prices as a taxi

A bus in front of the bus terminal

Pub­lic Trans­por­ta­tion

In Innsbruck you can use the city buses or the tram to get around. Both are free if you have a Welcome Card. If you do not have a Welcome Card, you will have to pay for public transportation. There are rates for single trips (3.20€ per trip), 8 trips (18.40€), 24 hour tickets (7€) or week tickets (26.80€). If you are planning to use public transportion, we recommend that you use the VVT app, where you can check the current timetable, plan your route and buy your ticket if you need one. Alternatively, you can buy your ticket and plan your trip by clicking on the link below. The timetable also is included in google maps.

Important stops for our conference are:

  • Innsbruck Technik: Conference venue at the Technological Cmapus of the University of Innsbruck
  • Innsbruck Klinik / Universität: Agnes-Heller-Haus, location for the welcome drink on Monday in the evening
  • Innsbruck Freiburger Brücke: Glorious Bastards, location for the conference dinner on Thursday in the evening.
rental bikes of the Citybike system

City­bike

If you feel like a little exercise in the fresh mountain air, you can easily rent a Citybike (or Stadtrad in German) and cycle around Innsbruck. All you need to do is download the Nextbike app on your smartphone and create an account. If you have a Welcome Card, you can use the Citybikes for free for 24 hours. To activate your free 24 hours, go to Account Settings >> Wallet >> Buy Plan / Add Partner and then search for "Welcome Card" in the app. Please note that even if you have a Welcome Card, you will still have to pay €1 to create a Nextbike account. 

You can find the location of the nearest Citybike station and check availability in the app. To find the best route, you can also use the app or any navigation app of your choice. Innsbruck has a relatively well developed network of cycle lanes.

General information

  • The tap water in Innsbruck comes from mountain wells and is not only drinkable but of very high quality. We recommend that you bring a refillable bottle or cup.
  • Emergency Phone Number: 112
  • Time Zone: UTC/GMT +2 in Summer
  • Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz, Power sockets follow European standards.
  • Currency: Euro (€)
  • Most places around the city offer payment with both cash and card, but at some (typically remote) places only cash is accepted.
  • Pharmacies: 08:00 – 18:00 (Monday to Friday; some are open 24 hours a day, every day)
  • Shops: 09:00 – 18:30 (Monday to Friday), 9:00 – 18:00 (Saturdays); Note that shops in Austria are in general closed on sundays.
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