Description
Saalbach Hinterglemm is the heart of Austria's largest lift-served mountain bike area, with over 120km of trails and lines linking Saalbach Hinterglemm to Leogang and Fieberbrunn on a single Bikecircus ticket. Six lifts run straight out of the valley, opening up everything from full Alpine descents starting near 2000m down to the valley floor at 900m, to gentle flow trails, a pump track and a dedicated learn-to-ride area for beginners. There's also an extensive network of alpine gravel routes through the wider valley for a change of pace.
The Trails
This is a huge area and tough to cover in one day. Trails range from World Cup standard downhill runs to relaxed flow lines, so riders naturally spread out even in busy summer weeks. New lines are added most seasons, most recently the Bearly Legal-Line on the Schattberg and the ScheeLeitn and Wildenkaramba lines on the Wildenkarkogel.
The Monti-Trail (formerly known as the Milka Line) on the Kohlmais is the easy option, a gentle 2.9km run across open alpine meadow and woodland. The X-Line is the big one: over six kilometres of berms, tables and jumps from the top of the Schattberg X-press lift, one of the longest freeride trails in Europe. Elsewhere there is singletrack, north-shore, drops and natural freeride mixed in with purpose-built bike park sections, plus mountain restaurants dotted across the hillsides for a break.
Insider tip: from the top of the X-Line, ride the first 300m of the trail then break left and hike the ridge for around 15 minutes. It connects into a trail that drops you into Hinterglemm, and it is worth the effort.
Gravel Riding
Saalbach Hinterglemm markets a dedicated gravel offer alongside its mountain bike trails: hundreds of kilometres of gravel and touring routes across the wider valley, mapped through the resort's own interactive gravel touring tool. One standout is the Glemmtal cycling path, a car-free route linking Saalbach Hinterglemm to the neighbouring village of Maishofen and into the wider Salzburg cycling network, good for a lower-key day or a rest from the lift-served trails.
Guides, Shuttles and Hire
Uplift here is by lift, covered by the bike ticket system rather than a van shuttle, and hire, coaching and guided rides are available from shops in both Saalbach and Hinterglemm.
- bike'n soul: bike hire, repair and guided rides, with shops at the Reiterkogelbahn base in Hinterglemm and in Saalbach.
- Heli's Bike School and Rent: bike hire, technique courses and a dedicated kids' bike shuttle to the Learn to Ride parks, based in Hinterglemm.
- Sport Hagleitner: bike hire plus guided e-bike and enduro tours, an early-morning "Sunrise Mission" ride and a weekly kids' bike camp, based in Saalbach. Enduro guided tours run from around EUR 125 per person including bike and guide.
- Sunbikers: bike hire, private and group guiding, and technique courses, running from AlpenParks Sonnleiten in Saalbach since 2011.
Prices are correct as of September 2026 but subject to change, so check current rates with the operator.
Getting There from the UK
Salzburg is the closest airport, around an hour and a quarter by road. Munich and Innsbruck are both around two hours away and widen the choice of flights from the UK.
By rail, take the Eurostar to Brussels or Paris, then a daytime train or an overnight Nightjet service on towards Salzburg. From Salzburg, regional trains on the line towards Zell am See and Wörgl call at Maishofen-Saalbach, from where Postbus route 680 runs on into the valley to Saalbach and Hinterglemm. Reserve a bike space or check the carriage rules on any long-distance leg before you travel; regional trains generally take bikes space permitting.
Driving from Calais or the Channel Tunnel is around 1,100km, roughly eleven hours on motorways through Belgium and Germany, joining the B311 for the final stretch through the Saalachtal and Glemmtal valleys, about 75km south-west of Salzburg.
Once in the valley, the Reiterkogelbahn in Hinterglemm (Reiterkogelweg, A-5754 Hinterglemm) is the main access point for this listing, with parking at the valley station. Saalbach and Hinterglemm sit about 5km apart in the same valley, so the Kohlmaisbahn and Schattberg X-press lifts in Saalbach work equally well as an alternative start point.
When to Go
The lift-served season runs the alpine summer only, roughly late May to late October each year, with exact opening and closing dates set by the operator each season. The core months, mid-June to mid-September, are the most reliable bet for the full trail and lift offer running; late May and October at the shoulders can mean a thinner trail selection and are worth checking before you book. The GlemmRide Bike Festival runs in the valley each summer and draws extra crowds for the weekend, and Austrian and southern German school summer holidays push July and August into the busiest weeks overall.
Top lift stations sit close to 2,000m against a valley floor around 900m, so it can be noticeably cooler and windier up high even on a warm day below. Afternoon thunderstorms are a regular feature of Alpine summers and can pause lifts and close trails temporarily, so start early, carry a waterproof layer and check the forecast each morning.
Where to Stay
Saalbach and Hinterglemm both work as a base, about 5km apart in the same valley: Saalbach sits at the foot of the Kohlmaisbahn and Schattberg X-press, while Hinterglemm gives direct access to the Reiterkogelbahn. Either puts you within reach of the whole Bikecircus area, including the lift-linked connection to Leogang. Accommodation runs from guesthouses and hotels to apartments, chalets and a campsite in the valley.
Guests staying with a partner accommodation provider for the length of their stay receive the JOKER CARD, which gives unlimited free use of up to six cable cars in Saalbach Hinterglemm, two free bike transports a day on those lifts, two free cable car rides a day in Leogang, and a 20% discount on bike tickets bought on site. It does not replace a bike ticket itself.
Share
- If you have visited Saalbach Hinterglemm, please share your reviews, photos, and videos to this listing.