How do I get to Schlegeisspeicher?
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Schlegeisspeicher is one of the absolute highlights in the Zillertal valley and a fantastic destination for hikers, day-trippers, and nature lovers. To make sure your adventure starts off completely stress-free, I’ll show you all the best ways to get to Schlegeisspeicher. Whether you prefer the flexibility of driving your own car along the spectacular Alpine road or want a comfortable, eco-friendly ride on the public bus—the high-alpine reservoir is easy to reach either way. Below, you’ll find all the details and handy tips for your journey.
Heading up by Car
If you decide to go by car, you will most likely start your journey on the A12 highway, taking the Wiesing exit and following the Zillertalstraße road all the way down the valley to Mayrhofen. Right past the town center, a clearly signposted mountain road branches off toward Schlegeis, marking the start of a scenic 24-kilometer drive uphill. Along the way, you will pass through the charming hamlet of Steg—where it is well worth stopping for a quick look down into the impressive canyon—and the traditional mountaineering village of Ginzling.
The real adventure begins past the Breitlahner mountain inn, where the toll-paying Schlegeis Alpine Road starts. Because this section is narrow and single-lane, a traffic light system regulates the flow, giving each direction green for 18 minutes. You will drive through rough, narrow rock tunnels that were carved straight into the mountain during the dam’s construction. Once you emerge, you will catch your first breathtaking view of the massive 131-meter-high dam wall from below, just a few minutes before parking right at the top.
Choosing the Public Bus
For those who want an eco-friendly and stress-free journey without having to navigate the mountain switchbacks, traveling by public bus is a fantastic alternative. Your trip starts by taking a train to Jenbach, a major international transport hub. From there, you easily hop onto the local Zillertalbahn train, which runs every 30 minutes, and ride it to the terminal station in Mayrhofen.
Right outside the Mayrhofen train station, you can seamlessly transfer to Bus 4102, also known as the Schlegeis bus. This line takes about an hour to wind its way up the mountain, bringing you directly to the reservoir. During the summer months, the bus operates daily between 8 AM and 5 PM, with return trips from the dam wall running until 6 PM, making it incredibly convenient for a full day of alpine exploring.
Where to find the Schlegeisspeicher?
The Schlegeisspeicher is located in the Zillertal Alps of Tyrol. It sits at an altitude of about 1,782 meters (5,846 feet) above sea level at the very end of the Zamser Grund valley. It is close to the mountaineering village of Ginzling and just south of the popular tourist hub of Mayrhofen. The reservoir is surrounded by majestic three-thousand-meter peaks and glaciers, situated close to the border between Austria and Italy. If you are using a GPS or navigation system, here is the address for Schlegeisspeicher: Dornauberg 107, 6295 Dornauberg, Austria
–> You can also use this Google Map to find your way.
Key Distances to Schlegeisspeicher
Here are the distances and travel times to Schlegeisspeicher to help you plan your trip. Please keep in mind that travel times can change depending on traffic conditions and the traffic light cycles on the Schlegeis Alpine Road.
- From Lake Achensee: approx. 71 km | ~1 hr 20 min
- From Kufstein: approx. 91 km | ~1 hr 30 min
- From Innsbruck: approx. 96 km | ~1 hr 35 min
- From Kitzbühel: approx. 109 km | ~1 hr 50 min
- From Seefeld: approx. 114 km | ~1 hr 45 min
- From Munich: approx. 180 km | ~2 hr 30 min
- From Bolzano: approx. 208 km | ~3 hr
Further Links
- all about the Schlegeis Reservoir
- what about the opening times of the Schlegeis Reservoir
- how to explore the big Schlegeis Dam
- look at the famos Olpererhütte Bridge
FAQ about to get to the Schlegeisspeicher
The Schlegeisspeicher reservoir is located in the Zillertal Alps in the federal state of Tyrol, right on the border with South Tyrol (Italy). The reservoir is part of the municipality of Finkenberg. It is situated at the end of the Zemmtal (a side valley of the Zillertal).
It is about 25 kilometers from Mayrhofen to the Schlegeisspeicher. You should plan for a pure driving time of around 35 to 45 minutes.
It is about 96 kilometers from Innsbruck Old Town to the Schlegeisspeicher. You should expect a pure driving time of approximately 1 hour and 35 minutes. The route takes you via the Inntal Autobahn (A12) to the Wiesing/Zillertal exit, from there along the Zillertalstraße (B169) to Mayrhofen, and then onwards to the reservoir.
It is about 180 kilometers from Munich to the Schlegeisspeicher. You should expect a pure driving time of around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
It is about 493 kilometers from Vienna to the Schlegeisspeicher. You should expect a pure driving time of around 5 hours and 40 minutes.
By car, the distance from Bolzano Old Town to the Schlegeisspeicher is about 208 kilometers. You should expect a pure driving time of around 3 hours. Similar to the route from Sterzing, there is no direct mountain pass road, so the driving route takes you north via the Brenner Pass into Austria, and then into the Zillertal valley.
By car, the distance from Brixen (Bressanone) to the Schlegeisspeicher is about 112 kilometers. You should expect a pure driving time of around 1 hour and 55 minutes.
