Start
Innsbruck - Inn Brücke
Ziel
Sterzing-Vipiteno - St. Margarethen Church
Weg
Return to the bike route at the bridge and continue following signs which will navigate you to the main train station, across the tracks and then south along the Sill River.
After leaving the city, you will also leave the water, and the climbing begins. Ascend first to Patsch, and then continue onward to Matrei am Brenner. In the next town, Steinach am Brenner, the bike route joins the main road for the last 10 km. to the Brenner Pass. Given the volume of traffic on this road, the speed of the traffic, as well as the curves of the road, many cyclists choose to take the train the last 10 km. to the pass. If you choose to take the train, the 17-minute ride should cost less than 3€ per person and 2€ per bicycle. There will be an automated machine (with English) at the train station where you can purchase your ticket, as well as your bicycle ticket. Be prepared with smaller dominations of cash as not all machines accept foreign credit cards. Trains leave once or twice every hour. Board the train in a car that has a large picture of a bicycle on the side.
Brenner Pass marks the border with Austria and Italy. This is the German-speaking region of Italy, which means towns, rivers and landmarks have two names: one in Italian and one in German. This makes this region particularly confusing.
The fantastic decent from the pass starts just above the village of Brenner, and travels down a paved former railroad grade, which makes for a spectacular and pleasant descent. As you approach Sterzing (also Vipiteno), your descent will transition to rolling terrain. The valley opens up right at Sterzing.
Refer to your Personal eGuidebook for accommodation information.
