Hintertux with children – the glacier at the head of the Zillertal

Hintertux is the last village in the Tuxertal, a side valley that branches off the Zillertal at Mayrhofen. Above the village lies the Hintertuxer Gletscher, and it is the glacier that makes the resort special: the lift company markets it as Austria's only ski area open every day of the year.

For a family with children, that raises an obvious question. Can you ski with a four-year-old at over 3,000 metres? The answer is yes, but not all day and not just anywhere. This guide shows which part of the mountain suits which children, how ski school works in autumn and winter, and how to get here without a car. You will find more resorts in the country in the overview of ski holidays in Austria.

All year round – but different set-ups through the year

The 2026/27 winter lift pass is valid on the glacier from 17 October 2026 to 7 May 2027. The lifts run from 8.15 am to 4.30 pm. Outside that period there is summer skiing with a smaller offer. After really hot weeks, skiing has also been paused for short spells, most recently in a widely reported case in summer 2024, so don't count blindly on summer skiing.

The area stretches up to 3,250 metres and has just under 49 kilometres of pistes and 21 lifts. The profile is clear: roughly a quarter is blue, almost three quarters red and only a few kilometres black. Add to that eight kilometres of ski roads. That means the glacier suits children who can already turn and stop on a red piste.

For families, the glacier is at its best during the autumn half-term, in November and around Easter, when lower resorts have no snow. In midwinter it can be harsh: short daylight hours, a cold wind and poor visibility in cloud. Plan short sessions up on the glacier and warm up at the Tuxer Fernerhaus at 2,660 metres.

Choose the right part of the mountain

Area	Where	Best for
Flohpark Hintertux	In the valley, above the Aue multi-storey car park	The very first days – free and with no lift pass
Kidsslope and Funslope	Sommerberg, via the Ramsmoos drag lift and the Tuxerjoch chairlift	Children who can turn and want tunnels, waves and banked curves
The glacier	From the Tuxer Fernerhaus upwards	Confident skiers, short sessions, autumn and spring
Eggalm and Rastkogel	Above Lanersbach and Vorderlanersbach	Winter, lower altitude and dedicated children's areas

Flohpark is the family's best friend in Hintertux. It sits right by the valley station car park and has magic carpets, beginners' lifts and a carousel. Entry is free, so one parent can stay there with the three-year-old while the rest of the family skis up the mountain.

Kidsslope and Funslope on Sommerberg have big high-five boards, a snow tunnel, steep curves and wave tracks. Both require a lift pass and are explicitly not designed for children who have never been on skis. The children's areas open for the winter in December 2026, so in autumn it is the glacier or nothing.

Ski school in Tux – ages and times

Tux and the neighbouring village of Finkenberg have around ten ski schools. The big one in Hintertux is Skischule Tuxertal, which runs lessons both on the glacier and on Rastkogel.

• Bambini from age three: no more than six children per group, 10.30 am–12.15 pm. Meeting point at the beginners' area in the valley, which can be reached without a lift pass.
• Children's groups, ages 4–14: no more than twelve children per group. Beginners also meet in the valley, and those who can already ski meet at the Ramsmoos drag lift.
• Autumn (1 October–4 December 2026): lessons are held only on the glacier, and the meeting point is decided according to snow conditions about two days in advance.
• Winter (5 December 2026–11 April 2027): lessons on the glacier and on Rastkogel, starting on Sundays and Mondays.
• Full-day course with supervised lunch: only during the holiday weeks 20 December–8 January, 31 January–26 February and 14 March–2 April.

At the end of the week there is a race: the beginner groups and Bambini race on Wednesday and the other groups on Thursday. If it is the children's first ski week, it is worth reading the guide to first ski trip with kids.

Children's lift passes and the Superskipass

For the 2026/27 winter, these age groups apply on the glacier:

• Born in 2021 or later: ski free when accompanied by an adult.
• Children: born 2012–2020. The child pass costs less than the adult pass.
• Youth: born 2008–2011.

Bring ID for all children. The glacier has its own day and multi-day passes, but anyone staying in the Zillertal for a week often goes for the Zillertaler Superskipass. It covers the valley's four big ski areas, around 180 lifts, and most buses and trains in the valley. The catch is the dates: the pass is valid on the Hintertuxer Gletscher from 17 October, but in the rest of the Zillertal only from 4 December 2026 to 11 April 2027. One-day and day-and-a-half passes are also only valid in one area. Current prices are shown when you book.

The Zillertalbahn and the bus up to the glacier

• By train: get off at Jenbach in the Inn valley and carry on with the Zillertalbahn, a narrow-gauge line of just under 32 kilometres that has been running since 1902. Trains run every half hour and the journey to Mayrhofen takes around 55 minutes. The whole route from Sweden is in the guide to taking the train to the Alps.
• Bus: from Mayrhofen station, route 4104 runs all year round via Finkenberg, Vorderlanersbach and Lanersbach to the glacier's valley station, just under 20 kilometres away. From December to April the Grüne Linie ski bus also runs, which requires a lift pass. The Superskipass includes the valley's buses and the Zillertalbahn, but not the steam train.
• Flying and driving: Innsbruck is the closest, about 90 kilometres away via Jenbach. A vignette is required on the motorway. Compare the options in car, train or plane to the ski resort.

Things to consider before you book

• Stay low, ski high. Many families stay in Mayrhofen, Finkenberg or Lanersbach and head up to the glacier when the weather is good. Read about Mayrhofen with Penken and Ahorn if you want more mountains close to where you stay.
• You notice the altitude. Some children get tired or have headaches during the first few days. Start with Flohpark or Rastkogel and save the glacier for day two or three.
• A day without skis. The glacier company highlights the Natur Eis Palast, an ice cave inside the glacier, and the Spannagelhöhle cave as excursions for the whole family. Ask about age limits and clothing before you book a tour.
• Pack for winter, even in spring. See the ski trip packing list, and add a neck gaiter and mittens.

If you want to compare with other glaciers, there is Stubaital south of Innsbruck, Sölden in the Ötztal and Mölltaler Gletscher in Carinthia. There is a broader run-through of family resorts in ski holiday in the Alps with children.