KRONEZell am See Summer Card 2026: what it includes and what it really costs
By KRONE Alpine Stays · Last updated: October 2026
Short answer: The Zell am See Summer Card is issued to guests of partner accommodation from 15 May to 31 October and cannot be bought separately. It covers 18 premium partners, including the Schmittenhöhe, Kitzsteinhorn and Maiskogel lifts, the high mountain reservoirs, boats and lidos. A nightly contribution of €7.06 to €10.44 per adult applies; children up to 5 pay nothing.
The Zell am See Summer Card is often described as “free”, but the rules behind it are easy to miss until you arrive. This guide explains the Zell am See-Kaprun Summer Card as the official tourist board describes it: who gets it, what is genuinely included, what the nightly contribution costs, and which restrictions apply in high summer. Then we work out its value for a real family, in euros.
What is the Zell am See Summer Card?
The Zell am See Summer Card is a personal guest card issued by participating partner accommodation in Zell am See-Kaprun, from the first night of a stay (Summer Card). You receive it as a printed card or digitally in the free Zell am See-Kaprun app for iOS and Android (tourist board guest information).
Three basic rules apply before you even look at the attractions (Summer Card):
- It cannot be bought. The only way to get it is to stay with a partner accommodation.
- Everyone gets their own card, children included, and it is not transferable.
- Carry photo ID. The card is checked against a photo ID, and spot checks take place.
The tourist board describes the card as giving access to about 40 attractions in and around the region (tourist board guest information). Those 40 combine free admissions and discounts, as the next sections show.
When is the Summer Card valid?
The card is valid from 15 May to 31 October 2026 for the length of your stay (Summer Card). Your arrival day is treated differently depending on the period:
| Period | On arrival day |
|---|---|
| 15 May – 14 July | Valid all day |
| 15 July – 15 September | Valid from 3 pm |
| 16 September – 31 October | Valid all day |
The “day two” rule in high summer
From 15 July to 15 September, four headline attractions are only included from the second day of your stay (Summer Card):
- The ride to the Schmittenhöhe summit on the Schmittenhöhebahn and trassXpress.
- The Kitzsteinhorn Gipfelbahn and Gletscherjet 3 and 4, from the Alpincenter.
- The MS Schmittenhöhe round trip, one use per day.
- The Kaprun high mountain reservoirs.
Outside that window, all four are included on arrival day too. Plan a lake or town afternoon for your first day in August, and save the summit for day two.
What the Zell am See Summer Card includes
The official partner list splits attractions into premium partners, with one or more admissions included, and bonus partners, which only give reduced prices (Summer Card partners). These are the 18 premium partners:
| Type | Included attractions | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Cable cars | Schmittenhöhe; Kitzsteinhorn glacier; Maiskogel | Zell am See; Kaprun |
| Water | MS Schmittenhöhe boat trips and lake crossings; lidos; indoor pool | Zell am See, Thumersbach, Schüttdorf |
| Nature | High mountain reservoirs; Sigmund Thun Gorge | Kaprun |
| More gorges | Kitzloch Gorge; Seisenberg Gorge; Vorderkaser Gorge | Taxenbach; Weissbach bei Lofer; St. Martin bei Lofer |
| Museums | Kaprun Museum; Vogtturm; Ski Museum at Alpenblick; National Park Worlds; Schloss Ritzen | Kaprun; Zell am See; Mittersill; Saalfelden |
| Mining | Show mine; Museum of Mining & Gothic Art | Leogang |
Most services can be used as often as you like while the card is valid (Summer Card). The MS Schmittenhöhe round trip is the stated exception in high summer, at one use per day.
The gorges: which are close?
Only one of the four included gorges is in Kaprun itself: the Sigmund Thun Gorge. Kitzloch is in Taxenbach, while Seisenberg and Vorderkaser are near Lofer (Summer Card partners). The Lofer pair fits a day when you are driving towards Salzburg anyway.
Discounts only: the bonus partners
Bonus partners give reduced admission, or lower prices for guided hikes, tours and courses, rather than free entry (Summer Card partners). The list has 23 entries, including:
- Tauern SPA in Kaprun and the Krimml Waterfalls.
- Wildlife & Adventure Park in Fusch/Ferleiten.
- The electric boat on Lake Zell and the Pinzgau steam train from Zell am See to Mittersill.
- The “My first 3,000er” summit tour and the K-onnection on the Kitzsteinhorn.
- The Cool Kids Fun programme, adventure mini golf at Woferlgut and the Diesel Kino cinema in Bruck.
- Paragliding, the Rafting Center between Kaprun and Taxenbach, and the Archery School in Saalfelden.
What the card does not cover
Ski lifts and special rides are generally not included, and the cable cars are only for guests without winter sports equipment (Summer Card). On the Kitzsteinhorn, the 3K K-onnection is explicitly excluded from free use. Glacier skiers in October therefore still need a ski pass.
How much does the Zell am See Summer Card cost?
The card is not literally free. It comes with a nightly contribution per person, which varies by period and age. These are the gross figures for 2026 (Summer Card):
| Period | Adult & youth (15+) | Child (6+) | Child up to 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May – 15 July | €9.28 | €4.64 | €0 |
| 15 July – 15 September | €10.44 | €5.79 | €0 |
| 15 September – 15 October | €9.28 | €4.64 | €0 |
| 15 – 31 October | €7.06 | €3.52 | €0 |
The tourist board page does not say how each accommodation collects the contribution. Ask before you book whether it is already in the nightly price or added on top.
Worked example: is the Summer Card worth it?
Take two adults with children aged 8 and 4, staying seven nights in high summer:
- Adults: 2 × €10.44 × 7 nights = €146.16.
- Child aged 8: €5.79 × 7 = €40.53.
- Child aged 4: €0.
- Total contribution: €186.69 for the week.
Now compare one summit trip without the card. A summer 2026 Schmittenhöhe return ticket costs €45 for adults and €22.50 for children, and children born in 2021 or later ride free with an adult (Schmittenhöhe tickets). For this family, one Schmittenhöhe trip alone costs €112.50, about 60% of the whole week’s contribution.
Add the Kitzsteinhorn, the reservoirs, boat trips and lidos, and a mountain-loving family gets far more than it pays. A couple on a two-night city-style break who never leave town will get much less out of it.
How the cost changes with your dates
For the same family and the same seven nights, here is the total contribution by period, calculated from the official table:
| 7-night stay | 2 adults + child 8 + child 4 |
|---|---|
| 15 May – 15 July | €162.40 |
| 15 July – 15 September | €186.69 |
| 15 September – 15 October | €162.40 |
| 15 – 31 October | €123.48 |
Late October saves over €60 against high summer, but the high mountain reservoirs close in mid-October (Zell am See-Kaprun). The cheapest week is not always the best one; our best time to visit Zell am See guide weighs those trade-offs.
Summer Card vs Guest Mobility Ticket
The Guest Mobility Ticket is a separate pass for public transport, introduced in May 2025 and issued from your first overnight stay (tourist board guest information). The two are easy to confuse:
| Summer Card | Guest Mobility Ticket | |
|---|---|---|
| Covers | Lifts, boats, lidos, gorges, museums | Public transport across the state of Salzburg |
| Season | 15 May – 31 October | Whole stay, including arrival and departure days |
| Who gets it | Guests of partner accommodation | Overnight guests in the region |
The mobility ticket includes trains, Postbus services and the Pinzgauer Lokalbahn, but excludes steam trains, special trains and the night bus (tourist board guest information). How it works from Salzburg Airport is covered in our guide on how to get to Zell am See.
How to get the Zell am See Summer Card, step by step
- Choose accommodation in the region and confirm that it is a Summer Card partner for your travel dates.
- Book at least one night between 15 May and 31 October.
- Download the Zell am See-Kaprun app before you travel if you want the digital card.
- Collect one card per family member when you check in.
- Carry passports or ID cards whenever you use the card at an attraction.
Common Summer Card mistakes
- Trying to buy it at the tourist office. It is not sold separately.
- Planning a summit for arrival day in August. The day-two rule applies from 15 July to 15 September.
- Forgetting the children’s ID. Each card is personal and checked against photo ID.
- Mixing up “included” and “discounted”. The Krimml Waterfalls and Tauern SPA are discounts only.
- Taking skis on the cable car. The lifts are included only for guests without winter sports equipment.
Rainy-day value of the card
Several premium partners work in bad weather: the indoor pool in Zell am See, the Kaprun Museum, the Vogtturm, the Ski Museum at Alpenblick and the National Park Worlds in Mittersill (Summer Card partners). Tauern SPA and the Diesel Kino in Bruck add discounted options.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Zell am See Summer Card free?
Not entirely. It is issued without a separate purchase, but a nightly contribution of €7.06 to €10.44 per adult applies depending on the period. Children up to 5 pay nothing.
Can I buy the Summer Card without staying in the region?
No. It is only issued to guests of partner accommodation and is never sold separately.
Does the Summer Card include the Kitzsteinhorn summit?
Yes, the summit lifts are included. From 15 July to 15 September they are only included from day two, and the 3K K-onnection is excluded.
Are the Krimml Waterfalls included?
No, the card gives a discount on admission only. Tauern SPA and the Wildlife & Adventure Park in Ferleiten are also discounts.
Does a baby need its own card?
Yes, every guest gets a personal card, including children. Children up to 5 have no nightly contribution.
Does the Guest Mobility Ticket cover the steam train to Mittersill?
No, steam trains are excluded. The Summer Card gives a discount on the Pinzgau steam train between Zell am See and Mittersill instead.
Ask about the card before you book
The Zell am See Summer Card is real value for a family staying a week and planning lifts, lakes and gorges. Its value drops for short, town-only stays. Before booking anywhere, ask two questions: is the property a partner for your dates, and how is the contribution charged? When you enquire about our stays or a property such as the Family Apartment in Kaprun, we confirm in the written quote which guest card benefits come with that booking. Contact us through our contact page, or read the Kaprun guide to plan your glacier day.
Sources
Planning a summer week?
Send your dates and group size. We reply with availability, the full price and the guest card details for that stay.