Lake Achensee in Tyrol
The Achensee is located in the Austrian federal state of Tyrol. It is a 30-minute drive from Innsbruck and is located near the German border in the district of Rosenheim in Upper Bavaria, nestled between the Karwendel Mountains and the Brandenberg Alps. The Achensee is the largest lake in Tyrol and is known for its crystal-clear water.
Swimming and bathing in Lake Achensee: There are many free sunbathing lawns and some paid beach resorts on Lake Achensee. There has also been a modern indoor swimming pool in Maurach since 2019. The lake is one of the coldest bathing lakes in Austria. Even in summer the temperature rarely rises above 20°C. See the map at the end of the page with the most popular bathing spots on Lake Achensee.
A total of five villages are located on or in the immediate vicinity of Lake Achensee: Pertisau, Maurach, Häusern, Buchau and Achenkirch offer numerous accommodations and restaurants. There are three larger campsites: Achensee Camping Schwarzenau, Alpen Caravan Park Achensee and Karwendel Camping.
Hiking at Lake Achensee: In the Achensee region, numerous hikes of varying difficulty can be undertaken. These include the relatively easy hike to the Dalfazer waterfall or the more challenging hike to the Bärenkopf. We also recommend the hike to Gschöllkopf viewing platform.
Natural storage: Anyone who visits Lake Achensee in spring is often surprised by the very low water level. Directly below Maurach, for example, there is a sandy beach several hundred meters long. This is because Lake Achensee is a natural reservoir and its water is drained to generate energy. Be careful: the sandy beach is swampy in many places. There is a risk of sinking.
Train and ship: There is a shipping company on Lake Achensee that offers tours and also serves as a means of transport. The timetable is: Seespitz – Pertisau – Gaisalm – Seehofkapelle – Scholastika – Gaisalm – Pertisau Buchau – Seespitz. The current timetable is available at www.achenseeschifffahrt.at In addition, the traditional Achensee railway runs from Jenbach to the Seespitz boat landing stage and back (timetable also under www.achenseeschifffahrt.at).
Achensee in winter: In winter, Lake Achensee offers two ski areas with lifts: the Rofanbahn and the Karwendelbahn. The Atoll Achensee indoor swimming pool offers fun and relaxation. There is also an ice skating rink in the Atoll Achensee. When the weather is nice, a winter hike around the lake is recommended. It is particularly beautiful and sunny at the Seehofkapelle Achenkirch.
General information
Directions: By car 40 minutes from Innsbruck via Wiesing. From Germany via Achenwald. By bus via Jenbach and from there with the Achenseebahn.
Parking and swimming: There are numerous paid parking spaces, but these are often quickly filled on weekends (in summer) (see map below). There are both paid and free bathing areas.
1) There is a large car park at the Atoll Achensee (Parkplatz Atoll). There is also a large paid bathing area with a children's playground and toilet. However, if you walk a little to the left from the Atoll car park (along the shore towards Maurach / Pertisau), you will come to a large free bathing area.
2) Along the road from Maurach (past Buchau) towards Achenkrich there is another large car park (Parkplatz Achensee), but there is no bathing area (but you can go into the water on the narrow stone bank). This car park usually always has free spaces.
3) A little further on there are two more parking spaces right next to the Seehof Chapel. There are some nice places to swim here, but in summer it is difficult to find a free parking space.
4) In Achenkirch there are also only a few parking spaces, but there is a large campsite. There is a small, separate lake here, which is particularly attractive for children and young people. There is also a snack bar and a pedal boat rental.
5) There is also a large car park in Pertisau, but it quickly fills up on nice summer days. The Pertisau lido is also located here, for which there is a charge (possibly free for holders of the Achensee guest card).
Important: There are no official free parking spaces. Some visitors park on the side of the road, but they may be fined.
