Innsbruck, Stubai Valley

Stubai valley is a side valley of the Wipp valley, joining Innsbruck to Brenner pass and Italy.
There is a tram joining Fulpmes, the largest village, to Innsbruck; it is a slow but fairly nice ride.
From the end of the valley there is a cable car going to a glacier area, with extensive skying (but I do not know how it works with the present climate change.)

If you are going by car, remember a trick: you need a highway vignette in order to drive highways in Austria, but the A13 Brenner highway (Brenner to Innsbruck Süd) is not included in the system, you have to pay tolls for each trip. If you only drive to Innsbruck Süd you do not need the vignette, that is needed as soon as you pass Innsbruck Süd. The toll from Stubai valley (Schönberg) to Innsbruck is 4 eur, if you drive south to Brenner and Italy is 12.50 eur.

There are ways to spare some euros but they are not easy. For example, if you enter at Schönberg and you are requested to pay 4 euros but you are headed south, ask the machine a paper receipt of the 4 euros and give it to the toll attendant at the following gate, that will discount them from the 12.50 (if not, you end paying 16.50 and this is probably why the thing is not made very clear). There was also an unlimited yearly pass for 75.00 eur but it is not easy to convince the attendant to sell one to you; it is linked to the license plate.

There is also a digital toll system, you first have to register license number and a credit card, you pass toll gates on the video toll lane, each time the appropriate toll is charged on your credit card, up to 75 eur and then you are not paying anymore for one year. The subscription can be bought from https://shop.asfinag.at

The best drives from Stubai valley are Innsbruck, Vipiteno/Sterzing and Bressanone/Brixen in Italy past the Brenner. There aren't too many round trips due to the geography of the zone.

https://www.stubai.at/en/. This is the Stubaital regional website. The Bergbahn to the glacier at the south end of the valley is fun and if lifts are open (it is shoulder season; check before you go) there is a "Top of Tirol" viewing platform above the glacier ski area. If you want to go farther afield the Zillertal is just next door which has multiple lifts to ski areas on the sides of the valley and the Hintertux Glacier at the south end. The valley has multiple gondolas and lifts. https://www.zillertal.at/en/ Both the Stubaital and the Ziilertal having hiking trails down the middle of the valley for cross-country skiing in the winter and walking in other seasons.

"wonderful round trip day scenic excursion" ?? Buckle up, assuming fine weather this is worth the journey to get there! But not if the weather is low cloud and wet.

1. Get over to Brenner, see previous advice. Get off autobahn as soon as past border and follow main road south. First stop (if you leave early and want breakfast) is Vipiteno/Sterzing. Basically a large village with a really nice old main street - with lots of cafes etc. The main road squeezes around the old centre, there's parking straight off it at the north end or continue to the traffic lights signed railway station left and "P" right, turn right, ignore the first parking sign and go as far as the square at the south end of the main street. To leave go back to the station intersection and turn right. If you don't need feeding this stop is optional. Either way folow the main road to the south end of the village....

2. From Sterzing head west via the Jaufen Pass/passo Giovo to St. Leonhard in Passeier and then follow the signs to Timmelsjoch. Just as you re-enter austria there is a restaurant and a couple of small buildings with history of the road - the views from around the parking are worth a video. The restaurant is mid point in the driving time so let's call it lunch!

3. From here navigation is simple, just follow the pass road into austria - there is a €20 toll for the pass road but I think it's only collected on the austrian side, so you will be paying to leave! Keep going down the Ötztal. It passes through a variety of small villages until it reaches the village of Ötztal Bahhof, where you have the choice of the A12 autobahn (if the car has a vignette) or the B171, both will take you back to Innsbruck and the road back into Stubaital.

The round trip is 4½-5 hours driving but stops for refreshment and many, many views could double that!

Edited to correct the typo that got through! Thank you Paul..

I like the “me.crewe” route. Note it’s the Jaufen Pass.

Sterzing/Vipiteno is certainly worth seeing. Right outside of Sterzing try to tour Reifenstein Castle/Castel Tasso. Rick Steves famously calls it the best-preserved original medieval castle interior in Europe because it was never conquered or destroyed.

https://www.burgreifenstein.com/welcome-burg-reifenstein

Just FYI... The Italian side of the Timmelsjochstr. is narrow and twisty-turney. You might be uncomfortable if you are not used to this type of mountain driving. We stopped at Gasthof Hochfirst for lunch. The Austrian side is wider. The small village of Gries im Sulztal is nice. We stayed there for a few days. In Sölden you can take the lift up to the 007 Elements at over 3000m. Check the lift running dates/times https://www.soelden.com/en/activities/excursion-destinations/007-elements

I have pointed to the Axamer Lizum and lifts before. https://www.axamer-lizum.at/?lang=en
You might take a look at the lift in Mieders too. Im not sure of the opening/running times for these lifts in October either, so please check.
https://www.stubai.at/en/skiing-resorts/serlesbahnen/serles-live/open-facilities/?anchor=lift&cHash=3665820b2456499dbe7ee570c57ec17a

it's wide enough for buses this big to get and down 4 times a day

https://www.merano-suedtirol.it/media/48c02eb3-6dde-4426-a9fd-ebc5d2fad296/1900_x_900/-bp-529364-c-benjamin-pfitscher-1.webp

(will be different colour in October......)

Yes me.crewe, but when you meet one coming the other direction it can be an adventure tour. Just a caution to folks who have never driven these kinds of roads. Passing bicyclers too.

Good point. I’ve been on passes and came to a hairpin turn with a tour bus coming in the opposite direction. It can be tight. Use caution, of course.

I would like to thank each of you for your suggestions. I think we will attempt to combine these suggestions for two separate day excursions. One day for driving a scenic round trip to Vipitino, Italy….perhaps only smaller roads. And another excursion r/t to Innsbruck via the Flumes StubaiBahnen train. We have four days so maybe an additional trip to StubaiGlacier lift. Our days will be 10-14 October so I must find which lifts. If any, are open.
Thanks for the help.

If you want a video of the tram/train trip Fulpmes > Innsbruck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJ2yVK_UpIM

Lachera: thank you for this video tip. It answered all of my questions on where to pickup the train in Stubaital and where I need to get off when visiting Innsbruck. Also shows switching from train to city tram tracks without a transfer. The bonus was getting a full insight of the scenery between. Thank you