Tulfes: Cable Cars, Hiking Trails and History

Tulfes between cable cars, hiking trails and history

Tulfes combines scenic trails on the Glungezer with special insights into the village’s history. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Tulfes can use their planned activities as a guide when choosing where to stay: the Glungezerbahn connects Tulfes with the Halsmarter middle station at 1,567 metres and the Tulfein mountain station at 2,055 metres above sea level. Arriving without your own car can also be taken into account, as Regiobus 540 runs from Hall in Tyrol railway station to the valley station of the Glungezerbahn in Tulfes.

Hikes with different focuses

For a longer tour through the mountain landscape, a hike from Tulfes via the Glungezerbahn to the Halsmarter middle station is an option. From there, it continues through picturesque alpine pastureland to the Voldertalhütte; the return route leads via the Stiftsalm and Windegg back to Tulfes. Another option is the Glungezer summit tour. It begins at the Tulfein mountain station and leads via the Schaferhütte and the Glungezerhütte to the 2,677-metre-high summit of the Glungezer. From there, the distant view extends to 400 peaks.

Shorter or differently themed activities are also available. The approximately two-kilometre Zwugl loop starts and ends at the Gasthof Halsmarter, follows a well-maintained forest track through shady woodland and can be reached by the Glungezerbahn. The Zirbenweg is an approximately seven-kilometre panoramic hike from the mountain station of the Patscherkofel to the Tulfeinalm, following an almost level route. From Tulfes, travel is by bus to Igls and onwards by gondola; the walking time is approximately two to two and a half hours. When planning, bear in mind that the trail to the Schartenkogel is closed throughout the entire 2026 summer season.

An unusual attraction on the Glungezer is the Kugelwald. A natural forest area is home to the world’s largest wooden marble run. Those interested in winter sports will also find a downhill run of up to 15 kilometres in the Glungezer ski area, depending on how they ski. Klumpern is a local speciality in Tulfes: people ride down the practice slopes on single-runner sledges.

Church, Nativity Scene and Kolbenturm

The parish church of St. Thomas is part of the village’s history. Written records date back to 1332; the present-day tower was built in 1718. The church is Late Gothic, and its altarpiece was created by the Hall painter Alois Reisacher. Particularly notable is a nativity scene from 1608, which is among the three oldest nativity scenes in the region and probably in Central Europe. In 1608, Innsbruck puppet maker and painter Kaspar Gerolt supplied the clothing for the Tulfes nativity scene and carved some of its figures.

Another historical landmark is the Kolbenturm in the Volderwald forest of Tulfes. The medieval residential tower was built around 1200 by the Kolb family. This means that mountain activities and cultural discoveries can be combined in Tulfes. When looking for a holiday apartment, you can therefore decide whether your planned trip should focus more on cable cars and hiking trails, on the area’s special history, or on a mixture of both.

Discover more village pages

For your further search, you can also visit the village pages for Sankt Jodok am Brenner, Mühltal, Rinn, Mils near Hall, Volderau, Pettnau, Municipality in Tyrol and Gnadenwald.

To the higher-level travel overview: Innsbruck-Land.