01 - Overview
The Zillertal Cycle Route (R13) rolls almost entirely and gently downhill across some 30 kilometres through one of the best-known valleys in Tyrol. From the head of the valley at Mayrhofen, the gateway to the Zillertal Alps, it follows the Ziller down-valley via Zell am Ziller and Fügen to Strass im Zillertal, where the valley meets the Inn and the route joins the Inn Cycle Route. An easy, mostly paved and pushchair-friendly valley ride with a grand mountain backdrop - shadowed all the way by the narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn, which carries bikes and runs as a steam train in summer.
The Zillertal Cycle Route follows the Ziller from Mayrhofen, the last large town at the head of the valley, down to where it joins the Inn near Strass. Mayrhofen is the gateway to the Zillertal Alps: cable cars climb to the Penken and Ahorn here, and at the back of the valley the Schlegeis high-alpine road reaches the turquoise Schlegeis reservoir high among the three-thousanders - a rewarding detour by bus or toll road that supplies the alpine backdrop to an otherwise easy valley ride. Heading down-valley the path runs level and even across flat riverside meadows, past Hippach to Zell am Ziller, the unofficial capital of the valley, known for the Gauder Fest, the largest spring and folk-costume festival in the Alps, and for its Zillertal beer. It continues via Kaltenbach, Ried and Uderns to Fügen with its castle; it was in Fügen that the Zillertal travelling singers carried the carol Silent Night out into the world. The whole way is shadowed by the narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn, whose steam train trails smoke over the meadows on summer days and reliably carries bikes - so the ride can be shortened or hauled back uphill at any point. At Strass the valley opens into the broad Inn valley, the R13 meets the Inn Cycle Route, and Jenbach offers a connection to the ÖBB long-distance network. With barely a hundred metres of descent over 30 kilometres the route is easy throughout, almost flat and well suited to children - a relaxed pleasure ride beneath a grand mountain backdrop.
- Regions
- Tyrol
- Start
- Mayrhofen
- Finish
- Strass im Zillertal
- Surface
- Paved
- Network
- Regional
- Best season
- May - October
- Signposting
- fully signposted
- Families
- well suited
- Road-bike friendly
- Yes · Mostly pavedwell documented
95 % paved, longest unpaved stretch 1.3 km.
02 - Stages
3 stages · 30 km
01Mayrhofen - Zell am ZillerMayrhofen · Hippach · Zell am Ziller8 km
Setting off at Mayrhofen at the head of the valley, the gateway to the Zillertal Alps with its cable cars up the Penken and Ahorn and the detour to the Schlegeis reservoir at the back of the valley. Level and even, the path rolls along the Ziller out past Hippach to Zell am Ziller, the unofficial capital of the valley. An easy, almost flat opening across broad meadows beneath a grand mountain backdrop.
- Ascent
- 0 m
- Descent
- 44 m
- Duration
- approx. 45 min
- Surface
- Paved, level valley path
Surface (measured): paved 84 % · gravel 16 %
02Zell am Ziller - FügenZell am Ziller · Kaltenbach · Ried im Zillertal · Uderns · Fügen14 km
From Zell am Ziller, known for the Gauder Fest and its Zillertal beer, the longest stage follows the river down-valley via Kaltenbach, Ried and Uderns to Fügen. Here stands Schloss Fügen, and from here the Zillertal travelling singers once carried the carol Silent Night out into the world. Along the whole stretch the Zillertalbahn shadows the cycle path - if needed it carries bike and rider back again.
- Ascent
- 0 m
- Descent
- 41 m
- Duration
- approx. 1 h
- Surface
- Paved and fine gravel along the river
Surface (measured): paved
03Fügen - Strass im ZillertalFügen · Schlitters · Strass im Zillertal8 km
The final section runs out flat via Schlitters, where the Zillertal slowly opens, to Strass im Zillertal at the mouth of the broad Inn valley. Here the R13 meets the Inn Cycle Route, and the nearby rail hub of Jenbach gives a connection to the ÖBB long-distance network. An effortless finish where the narrow mountain valley gives way to the wide river landscape of the Inn.
- Ascent
- 0 m
- Descent
- 16 m
- Duration
- approx. 45 min
- Surface
- Paved, level valley path
Surface (measured): paved
03 - Elevation
Elevation across the full distance - move the cursor to read altitude and kilometre.
Elevation profile over 30 km. Ascent 0 m, descent 101 m. Lowest point 521 m, highest point 626 m.
Elevation from OSM geometry + Digital Terrain Model (DGM) Austria (10 m).
Hover the profile to see the point on the map - and vice versa.
04 - POIs & Services
- Mayrhofen - gateway to the Zillertal Alps (Penken & Ahorn cable cars)
- Schlegeis reservoir & Schlegeis high-alpine road (detour)
- Zillertal Alps & high-alpine nature park
- Zell am Ziller - Gauder Fest & Zillertal beer
- Zillertalbahn (narrow gauge, steam train, bike carriage)
- Schloss Fügen & the Silent Night story
- The Ziller - the river that gives the valley its name
- Strass im Zillertal - junction with the Inn Cycle Route
Services along the route
- Bike service & e-bikeCycle shops, repair, rental and charging stations in Mayrhofen, Zell am Ziller and Fügen; well supplied throughout the tourist-dense Zillertal.
- Zillertalbahn (bike carriage)The narrow-gauge railway Jenbach - Mayrhofen shadows the cycle path the length of the valley and carries bikes (limited capacity, reservation advised in high season). Ideal for shortening the ride or returning up-valley.
- Food & drinkInns, cafes and mountain huts in close succession along the valley; Zillertal specialities such as Krapfen and Graukäse, with the Zillertal beer from Zell.
- Drinking waterFountains and inns in every town; always within reach on this short, town-rich valley route.
Service points along the route
- Drinking water42
- Bike shop6
- Bike rental3
- Charging station13
Service points from OpenStreetMap. Coverage may be incomplete, some fountains are seasonal - verify before you rely on them.
05 - Impressions
Mayrhofen at the head of the Zillertal, the start of the cycle route and gateway to the Zillertal Alps.Photo: Mayrhofen im Zillertal · Frans Bosch · CC BY-SA 3.0 The Hochfeiler group of the Zillertal Alps with the turquoise Schlegeis reservoir - a rewarding detour from Mayrhofen.Photo: Zillertaler Alpen über dem Schlegeisspeicher · Stefan.straub · CC BY-SA 4.0 The village square of Zell am Ziller, the unofficial capital of the valley - famous for the Gauder Fest.Photo: Dorfplatz von Zell am Ziller · H.Helmlechner · CC BY-SA 4.0 The steam train of the narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn crosses the valley meadows - the railway shadows the cycle path and carries bikes.Photo: Zillertalbahn im Tal · CrabbyPatrick · CC BY 3.0
06 - Public transit
- Zillertalbahn (Jenbach - Fügen - Zell am Ziller - Mayrhofen)The narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn shadows the cycle path from the mouth of the Inn up to the head of the valley and carries bikes; on summer days a nostalgic steam train runs as well. The tour can be split at will or ridden back up-valley by train.
- ÖBB Lower Inn Valley line (Jenbach)Jenbach on the Inn is the rail hub of the valley: ÖBB long-distance trains stop here (Vienna - Innsbruck - Kufstein), with a direct change onto the Zillertalbahn. Strass im Zillertal lies a few kilometres away on the Inn Cycle Route.
The Zillertal Cycle Route is close to the railway from end to end: the Zillertalbahn runs in parallel from Jenbach to Mayrhofen and carries bikes, so any section can be ridden on its own or returned comfortably by train. Arrive by ÖBB long-distance train at Jenbach on the Inn, then change onto the Zillertalbahn. At the foot of the valley near Strass the R13 connects to the Inn Cycle Route.
07 - GPX & TCX download
Download for GPS devices & apps
Clean track with elevation - imports as a single tour, compatible with Komoot, Garmin, Wahoo, Strava, RideWithGPS, OsmAnd.
Download stages individually (3)
Route derived from OpenStreetMap geometry - may differ slightly from on-the-ground signage. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0) · Elevation © DGM Austria (CC BY 3.0 AT). Redistribute with attribution.