Nordkette without a car: from Lake Constance to the summit ridge

"What does it feel like when, after endless effort, after unspeakable exertion ... finally reach the top?"-Hermann Buhl

Train ticket instead of fuel bill, timetable instead of traffic jam. What sounds like a transport activist's manifesto is actually a mountaineering philosophy in action. The great mountains in the early days of alpinism are also reached by bicycle and/or train. It is proof that great alpine tours do not require your own car and that nowadays super comfortable is so to reach the mountains. Therefore ... train, aa night in Innsbruck, an early bus to Hungerburg and a via ferrata that leads directly into the sky above Tyrol.

Dawn over Innsbruck

06:15 am, IVB line 6. The bus is almost eerily empty. Just a few sleepy faces on their way to the early shift and me. Outside, Innsbruck wakes sluggishly, a network of lights slowly fading, while the sharp edges of the Nordkette mountain range are already in their first alpenglow. As an Innsbrucker, I know this scenery, but today it feels different: no searching for a parking space in my head, no fuel costs, no complex return logistics. Just pure focus on the tour, on the rock that lies before me.

At the Hungerburg, the scent of damp mountain forest and cool morning dew hits you. The ascent to the Hafelekarspitze is a solid warm-up through mountain forest, mountain pines and later over scree fields. The legs wake up, the head clears. It was just under 200 kilometers from Lake Constance to here, but it already felt like a different world.

Hafelekar: At the starting point of the vertical route

Once at the top, with an almost surreal view of the Karwendel, the plan is clear: the Innsbruck via ferrata to the Langer Sattel. The route follows a logical line through steep walls and over airy ridges. Technically not extreme, but with enough exposure to teach humility. The wire rope is cold in your hands, the rock is grippy underfoot and the view of the Inntal valley on one side and the Karwendel on the other is simply breathtaking.

But something is strange. A fine, almost unreal veil clouds the horizon. No fog, no clouds. It is the smoke from Canadian forest fires that has made its way across the Atlantic to Europe. A surreal moment of connection: here I am standing in the Tyrolean Alps, breathing air that just weeks ago hung over burning forests in North America. The world is smaller and more fragile than you might think from up here.

Meter by meter through the rock

The Nordketten via ferrata is honest. It doesn't flatter you with artificial aids or unnecessary detours. It is a functional, direct and deeply satisfying line across the Ridge of the Nordkette. Every grip is right, every step is calculated. This is alpinism without fuss.

The route leads for hours through varied terrain. Steep upswings, airy crossings and narrow rocky ledges where every step is deliberate. It is around 700 meters in altitude to the Langen Sattel - enough to earn the reward at the end. My highlight is certainly one of the most beautiful breakfast spots in Innsbruck (it's also part of the city, the summit of the Kemacherthe last summit on my Tour).

Descent to the Höttinger Alm: the reality check

The way back via the Höttinger Alm is the perfect contrasting program. Soft alpine meadows instead of hard rockthe ringing of cow bells, trail runners on the way to the Seegrube. The legs are tired by now, but it is a satisfied, good tiredness. This is the biggest advantage of the car-free journey: You can fully immerse yourself in the tour and the moment without having to waste a thought on the way home. The mountain sets the pace, not the parking ticket or the thought of having to drive another car through the traffic.

The descent drags on, but that's part of it. Mountaineering also means taking the time you need.

Manni's products for the mountain tour

Innsbruck: Reward in two scoops

Back to the city center on line 6. Back in the hustle and bustle of Maria Theresien Straße, my ritual awaits: two scoops of ice cream at Tomaselli. This time pistachio and lemon—the unbeatable combination of creamy and fresh. As the ice cream melts in the afternoon sun, the day replays in my mind's eye. From the bus ride in the morning to the smoke-filled view of the Nordkette mountains to the green alpine meadows in the afternoon.

The conclusion is simple: this tour not only works without a car – it's better without a car. The journey there was relaxed, the tour itself free of logistical baggage, and the return trip uncomplicated.

The new alpine mobility

This tour proves it: Sustainable mountaineering is not a contradiction, but an opportunity. Where the infrastructure is right - and this is exemplary in Innsbruck - spectacular mountain experiences become accessible for everyone. Not having a car is a win-win situation: more focus on the essentials, less stress all around.

Sometimes you don't need a full tank and trunk for the biggest adventures. Sometimes is enough a bus ticket and the willingness to set the alarm clock early.

Practical information

  • How to get there: Take the train to Innsbruck. From the main station to Museumstraße and then take bus no. 6 to Hungerburg (runs regularly from around 06:00).

  • Route: Hungerburg - mountain station Hafelekar - Innsbruck via ferrata (2,334 m) - Langer Sattel - Höttinger Alm- Hungerburg.

  • Duration: 6-8 hours total time.

  • Difficulty: Via ferrata B/C. Alpine experience, surefootedness and a head for heights are required.

  • Special feature: The entire tour can be completed without any gaps using public transport and can also be significantly reduced in altitude with the Nordkettenbahn.

Text and photos by Manni Meindl