been returned to their former owners.
Facilities can be used by anyone, but members obtain specific benefits including substantial discounts on accommodation and guaranteed overnight space in club refuges, annual rescue and repatriation insurance and maps and guidebooks at discounted prices. Benefits are available on a reciprocal basis with other national alpine clubs, including DAV.
A typical Alpenverein refuge – Lamsenjochhutte (Stage 8)
If you are planning to walk the Adlerweg, and are not a member of an alpine club, you are strongly recommended to join OeAV. The easiest way to do this is to become a member of AAC (UK), also known as Sektion Britannia. Contact details are in Appendix D. AAC (UK) is a fully-fledged section of OeAV with over 6000 members. Annual membership in 2011 cost £42, with a 25% reduction for seniors (over 60) and juniors (under 16).
Getting there
By air is the only way of getting from the UK to the start of the Adlerweg in one day. There are direct flights by various airlines from a number of UK airports to Munich, Innsbruck or Salzburg.
From Munich airport, frequent S-bahn trains (S8 to Munich Ost (37min) and S1 to Munich Hbf (40min)), link the airport with the DB German rail network. Regular DB trains connect Munich with Rosenheim, Kufstein and Worgl in the Inn valley. OBB (Austrian) trains connect Worgl with St Johann.
From Salzburg airport, bus route 2 runs to Salzburg Hbf from where OBB trains enable you to reach St Johann via Bischofshofen.
From Innsbruck airport there is a bus to Innsbruck Hbf for regular OBB trains to Worgl and St Johann.
Return from St Anton by OBB trains to Innsbruck then connect for Munich via Kufstein or Garmish, or for Salzburg via Kufstein or via Bischofshofen. An alternative return route from St Anton is via OBB and SBB (Swiss) direct trains to Zurich. Frequent trains connect Zurich Hbf with Zurich airport, where various airlines fly to UK airports.
Travel by rail will take two days, with an overnight break necessary in Cologne, Frankfurt or Munich. The best route is to take the Eurostar from London to either Brussels or Paris.
From London St Pancras to Brussels by Eurostar (approx 2-hourly), then Brussels to Cologne or Frankfurt by Thalys or DB ICE (approx 2-hourly) and Cologne or Frankfurt to Munich by DB (hourly, more than one route). Then travel Munich to Worgl by DB, with OBB connection at Worgl for St Anton.
From London St Pancras to Paris Nord by Eurostar (approx hourly) and short walk to Paris Est for trains to Stuttgart by SNCF (TGV) or DB (ICE). Then Stuttgart to Munich by DB (approx hourly) and continue as above.
Return from St Anton by OBB trains via Innsbruck to Munich; or via Bregenz, Lindau, Ulm and connect for Frankfurt; then retrace your outward journey.
Tickets are available from DB or Rail Europe. Contact details are in Appendix D.
You can catch a tram from Bergisel to reach the start of Stage 13 in Igls (photo: Christine Gordon)
By road using Eurotunnel/car ferry via Calais. Autoroute/autobahn across Belgium and Germany to Munich and Kufstein, then local roads to St Johann via Elmau. Total distance Calais–St Johann 1100km. Driving time is at least 11hrs. Leaving your car in St Johann you can return by train from St Anton via Innsbruck and Worgl to pick it up.
Intermediate access
Hintersteinersee is reached by bus, four times a day from Scheffau, which is served by buses between St Anton and Worgl.
Kufstein: station on main line between Munich and Innsbruck. Bus services to St Johann and Innsbruck.
Kaiserhaus: bus from Kramsach/Rattenberg, which is served by local trains between Kufstein and Innsbruck.
Steinberg: bus from Achenkirk, which is served by bus from Jenbach changing at Maurach; or from Munich by BOB train to Tegernsee and bus to Achenkirk.
Achensee (Maurach/Pertisau): bus (hourly) or Achenseebahn train (four/five per day) from Jenbach main line. Also by train and bus from Munich via Achenkirk.
Absam: frequent local buses from Hall and Innsbruck.In high season a vintage bus runs between Pertisau and Gramaialm (Stage 8)
Innsbruck: airport with direct flights from the UK. Main line station with international trains to Munich, Vienna, Salzburg, Verona, Milan and Zurich. Many bus services.
Hochzirl/Seefeld/Geissenbach/Scharnitz: stations served by trains on Mittenwald line between Innsbruck and Garmish/Munich.
Leutasch: bus from Seefeld.
Ehrwald/Lermoos: trains from Innsbruck or Munich changing at Garmish.
Fernstein: bus service between Imst/Nassereith and Lermoos/Reutte.
Bschlabs/Boden: three buses per day from Elmen in Lechtal valley.
Lechtal valley: regular bus service between Reutte and Steeg calling at villages along the Lechtal valley. Reutte is served by trains from Innsbruck or Munich, changing at Garmish.
Kaisers: six buses per day from Steeg.
Steeg: buses from St Anton, changing at Lech.
Navigation
Path grading
Throughout the Tyrol a standard system is used to grade the level of experience, skills, fitness and equipment required to walk mountain paths. There are three grades: wanderweg, roter bergweg and schwarzer bergweg. The system is colour coded, with white (wanderweg), red (roter bergweg) or black (schwarzer bergweg), usually appearing in a small circle on signposts. The official grading appears in this guide in the introduction to each stage. The grade relates to the most difficult part you will encounter in a stage. There is one exception, in Stage 4, where despite the stage being classified red, the ridge walk section from Koglhorndl to Hundsalmjoch is graded black. An alternative route is signposted avoiding this section.
Wanderweg (white) are easily accessible footpaths, generally wide with only slight gradients. There is no exposure, and neither a head for heights nor mountain equipment is needed. Four stages are classified wanderweg.
Roter bergweg (red) are trails with a moderate level of difficulty, sometimes steep or narrow with short cable-aided sections possible. Surefootedness, a reasonable head for heights and appropriate physical condition are required. No specialist mountain equipment is needed, although a good pair of walking boots and appropriate clothing is essential. The majority of Adlerweg stages are roter bergweg.
Schwarzer bergweg (black) are steeper, more difficult stages, often narrow with aided scrambling sections and exposure to steep drops. Experience of mountain walking is essential, together with a reasonable level of physical fitness, surefootedness and a good head for heights. However, these stages are walks or scrambles, not climbs, so no specialist mountaineering equipment is needed. There are four schwarzer bergweg stages on the main Adlerweg, although these can be avoided with easier alternatives, plus four more on the Lechtaler Alpen Hohenweg.
Waymarking
