How to Get to Aqua Dome in Austria by Public Transport
Going to Aqua Dome Spa for the day from Innsbruck was an absolute highlight of our trip. It’s such an incredible spa, and great for all the family. Getting there really wasn’t that hard when we did it, but it’d seemed so complicated I’d been hesitant right up until the day. Here’s how we did the two hour journey from Innsbruck to Aqua Dome pretty easily.
Why visit Aqua Dome?
With the stunning Ötzal Alps as a backdrop, lying on a submerged lounger with my head on the padding while I listened to Green Day’s Time of Your Life was one of my last memories of 2025, and also one of the best.
As soon as I saw the Aqua Dome on Instagram, I knew I had to go. There’s a kids pool with two bigger slides and a splash park inside. There was also these three futuristic sky pools outside (all around 30-35° on the -6° day we visited) and two pools inside too. There’s a sauna area and all kinds of treatment rooms inside, and also a bistro for lunch. It sounded amazing.
Trouble is, it was around two hours from Innsbruck, which would mean four hours of travelling. Could I do that to my three year old?
Where is Aqua Dome?
Aqua Dome is in Längenfeld, a village in the Ötzal Valley in Tyrol, western Austria. It’s about halfway from Innsbruck and the Italian border.
If you drove from Innsbruck it’d be around an hour, but we didn’t have a car.
Look at the ski jump on the hill!
The route from Innsbruck to Aqua Dome
Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof (either Central or West) > REX1 train to Ötztal (30 mins) > Bus number 320 to Längenfeld Aqua Dome (45 mins)
See, easy. I could not find that information in any blogs about Aqua Dome though, or whether it was suitable for a child. I will fill that gap for you, and go in depth.
The Alphotel where we were staying was a little out from Innsbruck, on the east of the city. So first, get yourself to the Central Haptbahnhof.
We could’ve got the F bus from the Alphotel direct to the Hauptbahnhof, but to make things a little quicker and easier we actually took a taxi from the hotel to the West Bahnhof.
This meant we could leave when we wanted, it was a bit less time on buses for us all, and it just seemed the easiest option. It did cost us €13, but I still think it was worth it for the three of us to not worry about making our train.
The Central Hauptbahnhof has a lot more to do, eat and see than the Westbahnhof (which only had a vending machine). It was pretty barren, but we did get to see the ski jump. Central has a Maccas, a supermarket and a few cafe shacks.
REX1 Train to Ötztal
At Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof (either Central or West) you’ll need to get the REX1 train to Ötztal Bahnhof. There are plenty of screens and it’s very easy, if you’re used to trains in the UK. The train will arrive a few minutes before, and you’ll get on.
I’d booked our tickets the night before on Trip.com, for £19.97 for the three of us. My three year old was free but I still needed to register the fact he was on the train.
There was no coffee or snacks, but a lot more space than I’m used to from trains in England. We sat by a huge window watching the Austrian landscape go by. I thought it was great – love a train journey somewhere I haven’t been before.
Ötztal to Längenfeld
When we arrived at Ötztal, we just had to find the exit and had about 4 minutes to find the bus to Lägenfeld. I just presumed it was going to be a bus like we’re used to in England, and like had been used for the F Line. It turned out to be a nice, warm, cosy coach, and the stop was just across the street from the train station.
We needed cash though, for the fare. The driver pointed out the bank just over the square, so I ran there and quickly got the money out. All just in time for us to get that bus and get going. I definitely didn’t fancy standing around in the cold for 30 minutes waiting for the next one. Nice old bus driver, waiting for us.
It was €19 for two adults return, and Reggie was free.
This journey was enjoyable too. So much to see out the window, and an easy route. We picked up and dropped off a few skiers along the way, but we were comfy on the back seat. I think the three of us were definitely ready to be there by the time we were 40 minutes later though!
We actually got off a stop early at Längenfeld Gemeindeamt and enjoyed the easy and beautiful walk to the Aqua Dome, although it wasn’t very visible from the road for such a huge place.
After leaving the hotel at 9am, we were there for just after 11am. Ready to go!
At the Aqua Dome
Enjoy those outdoor thermal pools, and the bistro! Make sure you find the panoramic lounges, and take a few pictures from above too!
Getting back to Innsbruck from Aqua Dome
Don’t get carried away at Aqua Dome – remember you have a two-hour journey back to your hotel.
For some reason we didn’t realised you could get on the bus right outside the Aqua Dome, and so walked the ten minutes or so into the town. It turned out for the best though, as we saw this horse and carriage pass by and got to go to the Spar for a drink.
The bus stop is just outside a ski shop, and near a Spar supermarket if you need some refreshment for the journey. I’d managed to keep my bus tickets intact and we got on to a very busy bus filled with skiers, who all seemed to get off over the next two stops so we could find a seat.
We got to the train station and our train was leaving in the next five minutes, although weirdly there were no screens on the platforms so I was relying on what I’d seen in a split second as we marched through the entrance hall. My phone app Trip.com gave us the reassurance I needed that we were on the right platform.
The train was lovely on the way back. The sun was setting and I left those guys to some game on Ben’s phone while I enjoyed the window scenery in peace. It was another £20.51 (booked five minutes before) on the way back, and our tickets did get checked – in case you were wondering.
Cost of getting to the Aqua Dome
- £20.51 Ötztal > Innsbruck Main Station
- €19.95 / £17.32 Return bus ticket
- £19.97 Westbahnhof > Ötztal
= £57.80
We also paid €13 for a taxi to Westbahnhof, but just got the bus back from town as we hasd the 24-hour passes.
Read more: How Expensive is Innsbruck?
How much to go to Aqua Dome?
There are many different options when it comes to visiting Aqua Dome.
After much research and debate, the best option for the three of us would be to get the two adults and child ticket for €119. This covered you for the day from 9-6.
Unfortunately I spent so long deliberating that those tickets had sold out when I went to book two days before we went, so I ended up with the 3 hour passes for two adults and a child, at €114. We were then charged an extra €5 for staying an extra half and hour, which I thought was pretty reasonable.
We also hired two dressing gowns and two towels, for €30. We didn’t get Reggie a set – which was the right decision – as he could just use one of my towels.
We also ended up spending about €90 on food and drink as we were well in the spirit of decadence!
All the costs added up, as always, but it was a brilliant day out for all of us.
Hope you have a great time at Aqua Dome. Let me know how you get on with that journey!