In Germany, Austria and South Tyrol: Here you will find the most spectacular toboggan runs in the Alps
Frau Holle, we need snow! Because tobogganists can hardly wait to whiz down to the valley on their toboggans. We show the best and fastest toboggan runs in the Alps – from Germany to Austria to South Tyrol.
Tobogganing is experiencing a renaissance and there are many reasons for this: tobogganing not only guarantees fun and speed for children, adults also have a lot of fun and are happy that the sport can be practiced outside in the snowy mountains together with the whole family. Compared to other winter sports, tobogganing is cheap and easy to learn. Apart from the sled, no special equipment is required apart from a helmet, goggles and gloves – just a bit of courage. We present six toboggan runs in Bavaria, Austria and South Tyrol, which are suitable for both speed fanatics and families.
Wallberg am Tegernsee: steep, winding, demanding
One of the longest natural toboggan runs in Germany is located at the southern end of Lake Tegernsee – on the Wallberg: The 1722 meter high mountain in Rottach-Egern boasts a six and a half kilometer long toboggan run and an impressive panoramic view of the Alps. The cable car takes you up to the 1620 meter high Wallberg plateau, where the sporty descent starts. Big advantage: There is no ski operation on the Wallberg, so tobogganists are completely alone.
However, the toboggan run is less suitable for beginners and small children, because the first section of the route is tough with its steep passages, sharp curves and steep inclines. If you have to get used to the high speeds, you can stop at the mulled wine hut after 500 meters. Or stop off at the Wallbergmoosalm halfway along the route. The demanding descent extends over 825 meters in altitude and takes about half an hour down to the valley – depending on your speed.
Toboggan park on the Allgäu Hornbahn: Three levels of difficulty
Yellow, red and blue: there are three toboggan runs in Bad Hindelang in Oberallgäu. The toboggan park on the Hornbahn is relatively snow-reliable, because a track is always artificially snowed, as long as the temperatures allow it. The three toboggan runs, each three and a half kilometers long, are divided into the colors yellow, red and blue.
Yellow is suitable for experienced and sporty tobogganists. The winding terrain requires tobogganing technique, skill and quick reactions. The red toboggan run leads in long curves past the Hornwiesen and is suitable for everyone who is just looking for a bit of adventure. Families with smaller children have the most fun on the route marked in blue, as do those who like it more leisurely. Due to its safety precautions and comfort, the toboggan park has been awarded several times as the best toboggan run by the ADAC. Tip for adrenaline junkies: If you are looking for the ultimate tobogganing experience, you can rent a racing toboggan at the Hornbahn valley station.
Wildkogel in Salzburger Land: The longest floodlit toboggan run in the world
The longest floodlit toboggan run in the world stretches out in the Wildkogel Arena in Neukirchen & Bramberg. The addictive feeling of gliding lasts an extraordinarily long time here in Pinzgau. For a descent you have to reckon with 30 to 50 minutes – depending on your ability. The 14-kilometre route on the Wildkogel is suitable for families and children, but it does have some tight curves to offer. Caution is advised, because the toboggan run sometimes crosses ski slopes and some skiers think they have to start a race with the tobogganists.
A stop that hardly any adult misses is the meantime. That’s the name of landlord Harry’s rustic wooden hut, where the bear is always raging and wild après-ski parties are celebrated. If it takes longer in the meantime, no problem, because the toboggan run is floodlit along the entire length until 10 p.m. For skid junkies this means: The 1300 meters in altitude from the mountain station down to the valley to the Smaragdbahn can be whizzed down umpteen times.
Ehrwald: Tobogganing in the Tyrolean Zugspitz Arena
Curvy fun day and night: on the Austrian side of the Zugspitze, the winter sports resorts of Lermoos and Ehrwald are only a few kilometers apart. Toboggan enthusiasts can whiz down the valley from the Brettalalm at the middle station over a distance of 2.8 kilometers during the day in Lermoos am Grubigstein. And at night, every Tuesday and Friday evening with floodlights in the Ehrwalder Alm ski area. From 6.30 p.m. to 9.30 p.m. the gondola takes you up and down the three-kilometre-long, floodlit valley descent, which is only for sledgers. You can toboggan on the wide ski slope until 11:45 p.m., only then does the lighting switch off. Because many tobogganists don’t race straight down into the valley after the last gondola, but instead stop off in one of the three huts with live music – the stylish Tyrolean house, the rustic Ganghofer hut or the Brentalm. There is a toboggan rental at both valley stations.
Rosskopf near Sterzing: family fun on the longest toboggan run in Italy
Sterzing with its local mountain, Rosskopf, is on the way to northern Italy just before the toll station. The longest toboggan run in Italy, which has already won the ADAC test, winds its way down here with ten kilometers of slopes. The reason: the snow-covered and illuminated route is quite exciting with 17 hairpin bends, but the speed and gradient always remain family and child-friendly. Experienced tobogganists describe the Rosskopfbahn more as a tobogganing trail than as a daring speed run. Start is at 1860 meters, the finish is 900 meters lower at the valley station. On Friday evenings, the Rosskopf toboggan run is floodlit until midnight.
Sarntal: Abdominal muscle training near Bozen
Everyone knows the Rudi-Run near Brixen (however, due to construction work this will only be open again in the next winter season), but who knows the Reinswalder Wiesn? The toboggan run in the Sarntal is still an insider tip among tobogganists. It is located in the Reinswald ski area, around half an hour from Bozen, at the end of the idyllic Sarntal. The cable car takes you up and then curves four and a half kilometers down into the valley on the natural toboggan run.
The special thing here on the south side of the Alps: the descent is also suitable for children, even if they don’t scratch a curve, they tumble safely into the snow. A very special feeling of tingling in the stomach sets in on the full moon weekends – during moonlight tobogganing, when the cable car is open from 7 p.m. to 9.30 p.m.