Stubaital with children – the glacier, Schlick 2000 and Serles in the same valley

Stubaital is the valley that runs straight south from Innsbruck, and it has something most family resorts lack: a glacier with snow from October to May, plus small, quiet family areas further down the valley. That makes Stubaital one of the few places where a ski week during the autumn half-term is actually a realistic option.

Below, we go through which part of the valley suits which part of the season, what the BIG Family areas up on the glacier offer and how the children's lift passes work. We have gathered other Tyrolean and Austrian options in the overview of ski resorts in Austria.

Four areas in the same valley

With the Stubai Skipass you can ski in four areas, but the pass is only sold for four days or more. Shorter passes are valid in one area at a time.

Area	Where	Best for
Stubaier Gletscher	At the far end of the valley, above Neustift	Autumn half-term, Easter and families who want guaranteed snow
Schlick 2000	Fulpmes	Small children and beginners in high season
Serlesbahnen	Mieders, at the mouth of the valley	The very youngest and a relaxed half day
Elferbahnen	Neustift	Sledging and a relaxing day

Stubaier Gletscher lies between 1,750 and 3,210 metres and has about 41 kilometres of pistes. Just over half are easy, just over a third intermediate and only a small share black. In all there are 26 lifts and cable cars. At the very top, the Top of Tyrol viewing platform stands at 3,210 metres.

Schlick 2000 near Fulpmes lies between 1,014 and 2,136 metres and has 22 kilometres of pistes, more than half of them easy. Serles near Mieders is small, just under six kilometres of piste, with the King Serli’s Kinderland children's area at the valley station.

The glacier from October

The 2026/27 season on the glacier began on 9 October 2026, and it is provisionally scheduled to run until 17 May 2027. The lifts run daily from 8:00, and the last run down from the top station is at 16:15. How much is open in autumn depends on the snow, so check conditions before you book.

For families, the glacier works best during the autumn half-term, in December before the valley areas have got going, and around Easter, when there may be no snow in the villages but it is still winter at 3,000 metres. Remember that it is high up: if a cold wind is blowing or the cloud is thick, it gets tough for small children. Plan short sessions and long breaks.

BIG Family – the children's areas on the glacier

Everything for the children is gathered at the Gamsgarten mountain station, which you reach by gondola:

• BIG Family Kinderland: flat and fenced, with a covered magic carpet, a children's slalom course and a tyre carousel.
• BIG Family Fun Slope: bumps, jumps and banked turns, with a longer course from December.
• BIG Family Slalom: close to the Kitzlift.
• The snow mammoth: at Gamsgarten from February to April, if there is enough snow.
• Piste-basher rides: for children only, on Tuesdays from Christmas to Easter. Sign up at the kiosk at Gamsgarten the day before.

The BIG Family ski camp for children and teenagers is run by the ski school in Neustift, with full-day programmes from 13 December 2026 to 8 April 2027. In the autumn there is a smaller programme. Four- and five-year-olds can try a taster day in Miniland, and at the end of the week there is a race with a certificate and a medal.

For the youngest there is an indoor nursery at Gamsgarten from age three, Monday to Friday, 9:30–15, booking required. The children in ski school eat lunch in their own children's restaurant.

Schlick 2000 and BIG Ron’s Kinderland

If your children are small and you are going in midwinter, Schlick 2000 is often a better choice than the glacier: lower, warmer and closer to your accommodation in Fulpmes. The season starts on 28 November 2026 and the low season runs until 11 April 2027.

BIG Ron’s Kinderland is at the Froneben mid-station, flat and separate from the other pistes. There are four magic carpets, two snow carousels, a tipi, a slalom course and a small jump for those who have started skiing confidently. The children's area is open Sunday to Friday, 9:30–15:30, with a lunch break.

The very youngest are looked after in a play and warming room from the age of one, and supervised lunch with food is available from age three. Do read our guide to first ski trip with kids before you book ski school.

Children's lift passes

• Under 10: free when a parent buys a lift pass. On Schlick 2000, parent and child must have the same type of pass, and annual and season passes are not included.
• Born in 2019 or later: always free on Schlick 2000.
• Children's pass: born 2011–2015 on Schlick 2000. The child pass costs less than the adult pass.
• Youth pass: born 2007–2010.

The free pass for the glacier is not sold online. Buy your own pass and show the child's ID at the ticket office at the valley station. With the Stubai Skipass or the glacier lift pass, you can use the free ski bus between Schönberg and the glacier. Current prices are shown when you book.

The journey into Stubaital

• Train and tram: take the train to Innsbruck and then the Stubaitalbahn, a narrow-gauge tram that has been running since 1904. It runs from Innsbruck Hbf through Natters, Mutters and Telfes to Fulpmes over just over 18 kilometres, and the journey takes around an hour. The tram runs once an hour all the way to Fulpmes. Buses go to Neustift and the glacier. You'll find the route from Sweden to Innsbruck, with sleeper cars and changes, in our train guide for the journey to the Alps.
• By air: Innsbruck is the closest, about 45 minutes by car to the glacier.
• By car: a vignette (toll sticker) is required on the Austrian motorways. If you are unsure about car versus train or plane, read the comparison of ways to get to the resort.

Good to know about Stubaital

• The glacier is not a beginner's first slope. It is perfectly possible to learn to ski at Gamsgarten, but a three-year-old is often happier in Fulpmes or Mieders during the coldest weeks.
• The altitude can cause headaches and tiredness for the first few days. Start with a day further down the valley.
• Elferbahnen in Neustift has several sledging hills and evening sledging – a good change of pace on a rest day.

Compare with the neighbours in the Ötztal on the other side of the mountains: Sölden with the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers, and Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, which is high and snow-sure but quieter. If you would rather have cross-country skiing and small slopes, there is Seefeld on the other side of Innsbruck. Don't forget the ski trip packing list.