We first came to Bike Republic Sölden in 2018, and as soon as we had the opportunity to visit this place again, we immediately said – let’s go! Has anything changed for the better/worse in these six years? Or maybe our perception of this place has been completely different after all these years? After all, is it worth coming here for a MTB holiday? Let’s find out!
Sölden – ski paradise
Sölden is one of the most famous winter resorts in Europe. It is located in the Austrian Tirol in the Imst district and is located in the Ötztal valley at an altitude of 1,368m a.s.l. In turn, thanks to the largest glacier, the Rettenbach, which towers over the city and provides amazing views, the winter season practically never ends here. In winter, there are 35 lifts, which translates into almost 150km of ski slopes. Although Sölden is quite small, according to data from 2024, only 3,110 inhabitants lived there, over 2 million tourists visit it during the year!
But what does Sölden offer apart from winter sports and the Bike Republic? The most famous attraction is certainly the 007 Elements exhibition. This time we had the opportunity to visit it and we have to admit that it is definitely worth it! The whole thing is dedicated to James Bond franchise, mostly to “Spectre”, which was filmed in the vicinity of Sölden. The whole thing is located on the top of the Gaislachkogl mountain at an altitude of 3066m a.s.l., right next to the highest located restaurant in Europe – Ice Q.
In addition, in the nearest area we will find a thermal & spa complex, the Aqua Dome water park. If you still have not enough adrenaline, you can also visit the famous Area 47, where you will be able to have fun (motorcycles, mountainbikes, jumps, etc.). It is worth adding that it was in Area 47 that the Pump Track World Championships took place in 2023. In addition, there are numerous hiking and biking trails, as well as numerous shops and restaurants.
Bike Republic Sölden
In the summer, the surrounding mountains are taken over by mountainbikers, who have the Bike Republic Sölden complex at their disposal. It consists of four lifts, and the highest descent point is 2666m a.s.l.. There are 12 shaped trails on site, the total length of which exceeds 36 kilometres, and if we add to this at least 17 natural lines, which are shared with hikers, the number of kilometres increases by another 40.
We spent two days on site, which was more than enough to explore most of the trails. Since we prefer a typical bike park style of riding, we focused on the shaped lines. Due to the daily storms, we didn’t manage to reach the black Olm Volle Line (6040), which has the status of a double black diamond and leads through really steep and technically difficult elements.
The best way to start exploring Bike Republic Sölden is the blue Eebme Line (6005) (main lift of Gaislachkoglbahn I) or, if you are a complete amateur, the green Schtiggar Line (6058), which is located next to the ZentrumShuttle cable car and is the only one that is completely unconnected to the other trails.
It should also be noted right away that the local trails are very, very long. A sample ride consisting of the Gaislachkoglbahn I lift, the blue Eebme Line (6005), the Langeggbahn lift and the blue lines Troaln Line (6034), Harbe Line (6008), Gahe Line (6028) and Lettn Line (6009) took us almost 2 hours without any major stops!
All the trails in Bike Republic Sölden are typical flow trails (apart from the aforementioned Olm Volle), which sometimes have a very nice, high-mountain character. A great example here is probably my favorite Ollweite Line (6010), accessible from the Langeggbahn lift, which starts at an altitude of over 2600m a.s.l. and offers a wonderful view of the glacier. During the 7 kilometers of riding, we will experience a vertical drop of 712m, as well as overcome countless stones, a great scenic rock garden, and when we finally catch a nice flow, in the last section we will be additionally exposed to a large exposure of the terrain (fear of space guaranteed!). The official website predicts 1 hour to complete this trail.
After the descent, you can go up again or go down to the town on the super-nice blue Ohn Line (6007). A good warm-up is also the red Teäre Line (6003), which runs along the main lift of Gaislachkoglbahn I. 5.2km long and 575m of elevation drop will certainly provide the right dose of excitement, and if necessary, halfway through you can turn onto the black version of Zaahe Line (6004), which offers several double jumps and more difficult elements. The whole thing ends opposite to the Bike Hotel Baeckelar Wirt (we recommend it!) in a small relaxation zone, where you will find a drop from a snowcat, a pump track and a gastro zone. And all this just a few dozen meters from the lower station of the Gaislachkoglbahn I.
Finally, it is worth transferring to the second part of the Bike Republic, the Giggijochbahn lift. You can do this by trails or simply ride through the city. The upper station is located at an altitude of 2284m a.s.l., and the blue Harbe Line (6008) leads down. It is very simple and could easily have the status of a green line, if not for the huge exposure of the terrain, which sometimes makes you want to get off your bike and admire the views.
Its direct continuation is Gahe Line (6028) (or the very advanced option Olm Volle (6040)), which, especially in the lower part, offers a lot of airtime. Of course, this is not a typical jumpline, but a very pleasant flow with a choice of additional options. It is worth adding that it is at the end of Gahe Line that the zone for the Swatch Nines MTB competition is created (we write about this later in the article).
On the official map you can see the planned jumpline, which is supposed to be another branch of Teäre Line (6003), but at the moment we do not know any details – no works could even be seen on site.
Downhill from the glacier – Fernar Trail
A separate topic is the Fernar Trail, an option to descend the Tiefenbach glacier. It is a combination of black wild trails that are normally available to hikers (from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. it is forbidden to ride on the trail!). Over 10 kilometers of descent with an elevation of 1,427m is definitely not an easy challenge, and you also have to book this option. Details: click here.
Become a citizen of Bike Republic!
Since the very beginning of the Bike Republic Sölden, a nice addition to the riding has been the Citizen Passport of the Bike Republic Sölden. In short, it involves collecting stamps for a special passport that we can receive with the pass. For the appropriate number of stamps collected, we receive small gadgets.
There are a total of 31 stamps to collect, and to take part in the fun you have to register here.
Swatch Nines MTB & co-operation with Green Hill Bike Park
Finally, it is worth adding that Bike Republic Sölden has been cooperating with the German Green Hill Bike Park since last year. In the first season, this resulted in an “exchange” of obstacles and trails, so in Sölden we have the Green Hill trail and a drop from a snowcat, which is a characteristic element of the Green Hill Bike Park.
In the 2024 season, everything has gone a step further and the Beyond The Mountain (BYND Festival) will be organized in both locations. In Green Hill, it took place on June 22-23, and in Sölden it will take place on September 13-15. The Austrian event will be accompanied by the well-known event – Swatch Nines MTB, which in the 2023 season took place… in Green Hill Bike Park. Importantly, the obstacles are to be available to all after the competition. Below you can see a few photos from afar, which show the preparations for the Swatch Nines MTB event:
The trip to Bike Republic Sölden was organised in cooperation with Rasoulution and Ötztal Tourist Office.
Is Bike Republic Sölden worth visiting? Definitely! It’s a great place to just ride and enjoy the beautiful views. If you need more adrenaline, the more difficult trails will definitely provide the right amount of it, and if you need to chill (like we did after a week in France), Sölden will also be a great choice.
Tomasz Profic, 43RIDE
After almost six years of absence, I expected to find a few more changes and novelties here, but the locals don’t do anything for nothing, they just calmly develop in their own direction. I’m very curious about the planned jumpline and the zone that will be left after the Swatch Nines MTB event, so we will definitely come back here!
Useful informations:
- Sölden is located in western Austria, right on the border with Italy and quite close to Switzerland. The drive from Warsaw is about 1230 km and about 13 hours by car. A vignette is required for Austrian motorways, and depending on the route, also for the Czech Republic.
- There are plenty of accommodations in various standards. We were hosted by the Bike Hotel Baeckelar Wirt, which offers not only a modern building with wonderful rooms, but also full biking and catering facilities. And the location – right next to the main lift. We definitely recommend it!
- There are numerous shops and restaurants on site. In the center we will also find a gas station, and in the nearby area a larger market (be sure to check the opening hours!).
- The price of the pass depends on the week or weekend and for 1 day a regular ticket costs 53-55.50 EUR. The full price list can be found here. The Gravity Card is also accepted.
- There is a very good bus service in the region, which allows mountainbikers to be taken. However, if you prefer to travel by car or are not staying overnight, there are also plenty of parking spaces. Details can be found on this page.
About Bike Republic Sölden
It’s the nation that doesn’t care about gender or generation, about your style or your skills. The BIKE REPUBLIC SÖLDEN is all about celebrating diversity and community, about surfing tracks, rolling lines and uplifting airtime. We are a home for everybody who loves biking: welcome to the REPUBLIC with ? perfectly shaped lines and ? natural trails for all levels, 2 pumptracks and numerous huts all embedded in the jaw-dropping scenery of the Ötztal Alps.
Official website: bikerepublic.soelden.com
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