Drei Mountainbiker am Bikepark Brandnertal Eingangsschild mit Blick ins Tal

Mountain Biking Brandnertal: Trail Guide to Bikepark Brandnertal

A first-person guide to one of the Alps' most talked-about bike destinations in 2026 — the jump lines, the fast-access gondola, and the quiet world of natural singletrack that most visitors never find.


There was a moment early in 2026 when Brandnertal was everywhere. Instagram, YouTube, MTB forums — this small Vorarlberg valley had become the season's social media darling, and the marketing was working: the bikepark had leaned fully into the jump-line crowd, the younger freestyle audience, the kind of riders who hit a park the way others hit a skatepark. Energy, progression, tricks, style. That whole world.

I'm not that kind of rider. I'm the guy on the e-enduro with 170mm travel looking for rocks and roots and singletrack that takes you somewhere rather than somewhere that loops back to the start. So I watched the Brandnertal hype with mild detachment — noted it, filed it under "worth checking," and moved on.

Then it came up on my Gravity Card tour list, and I found myself there in early June 2026. And the part that surprised me wasn't the bikepark, which was exactly what I expected — well-built, energetic, genuinely fun if that's your genre — but rather the moment when the gondola stopped at the summit station instead of the middle, and I rode out into open alpine terrain with almost nobody else around.

If you know what you're looking for at Brandnertal, you'll find two completely different mountains in one lift ticket. Most people never find the second one. This guide is for both types — and a honest account of how they sit next to each other.

A bit of context: I spent four days in Brandnertal at the start of the 2026 season. A friend of mine lives nearby, and what started as a visit turned into a proper boys' weekend — the best way to get to know a new spot. I rode every trail and line multiple times, the black jump line aside, so I have a fairly thorough feel for the place. Two natural trails were still closed due to the seasonal grouse protection closure, which means I'll probably have to come back in July. There are worse obligations.


Bikepark Brandnertal at a Glance

Stat Details
Location Tschengla 5, 6707 Bürserberg, Vorarlberg, Austria
Total trails 12 designated trails + freeride zones and features
Trail network ~30 km
Lift system 1 gondola (new 2025): middle station + summit stop
Season 2026 Mid-May → 1 November
Opening day 2026 8 May 2026
Seasonal closure ST-04 + ST-05 (Loischkopf trails): closed until 15 June each year
Gravity Card ✓ Accepted — valid for all bikepark lifts
Trailforks Bikepark Brandnertal
Website bikepark-brandnertal.at

What kind of place is this? Bikepark Brandnertal is primarily a freeride and jump-line destination with a strong personality: young audience, high-energy atmosphere, social media presence, and some genuinely excellent shaped terrain. It also has an often-overlooked upper tier of natural singletrails that are enduro in character and far quieter. Via the A14 motorway, it's one of the most easily reached bike parks from Germany and Switzerland — which is both an asset (easy logistics) and a consideration (it gets busy, especially on weekends).


The New Gondola — 2025's Best Upgrade

The single most significant change at Brandnertal in recent years is the new gondola, which replaced the old slow chairlift system in 2025. It's worth understanding how it works because it fundamentally changes the experience.

The old system involved two separate lifts — a slow, single-seat chairlift for the upper section that riders estimated at 9–17 minutes ride time, plus queuing. On popular weekends, you could spend 45 minutes getting back to the top. This was the main complaint about the park.

The new gondola is a single, modern cable car with two stops:

  1. Middle station — where all the main bikepark lines (ST-01 through ST-06) start
  2. Summit / Loischkopf — for the natural singletrails and enduro terrain

The bike handling system is genuinely clever: a separate gondola car carries up to 8 bikes in a rotating holder. You're assigned a numbered slot, hang your bike on arrival, and when you reach the top, the holder rotates to present your bike back to you in the same order. No fighting over bikes in a packed gondola, no scratches from other people's handlebars. For loaded e-MTBs it's clean and efficient.

Ride time back up: approximately 5–10 minutes on a normal day. On the opening weekend (8 May 2026), with around 1,000 riders on-site, queues were longer — but the gondola's throughput was still far better than the old single-seat system.

E-bikes: accepted on all gondola runs. No battery removal required.


Trail Tables

Bikepark Lines — Middle Station and Below

All of these trails are accessible by getting off at the middle station. They all converge at the valley station finish area where the dropzone, airbag, and skills zones are located.

Trail Code Type Difficulty Character
Tschengla Unchained ST-01 Flowline Easy (Blue) 3.1 km of machine-built flow. Berms, rollers, optional jumps, some woodland sections. Suits beginners, children, and anyone wanting a chill warm-up or high-speed laps. Newly rebuilt for 2026.
Tschäck the Ripper ST-02 Freeride Medium (Red) The main jump line. Tables, berms, shark fins, doubles, and a three-section jump sequence at the end where the ambitious can throw tricks. Newly rebuilt 2026. Jumps are rollable but reward speed.
Tschack Norris ST-03 Downhill Difficult (Black) The classic DH line. Technical, fast, rooty in sections. Black designation is honest.
Tscharlie Tschäplin ST-04 Freeride Medium (Red) Red freeride line. Closed until 15 June each year (Capercaillie protection).
Tschonny Noxwil ST-05 Enduro Medium–Difficult Natural enduro line, rooty and technical. Closed until 15 June each year (Capercaillie protection).
Tschäckie Tschan ST-06 Enduro Difficult (Black) The rootsy, rough, natural enduro line. Black rating earned. Great fun for enduro riders willing to commit. Multiple line options throughout.
Burtscha Trail ST-07 Singletrail Medium (Red) Natural singletrail connection from Burtschasattel to Tschengla area.
Schmalzbödile Trail ST-09 Singletrail Easy Transfer/connection trail.

Also at the valley station:

  • Dropzone: A tiered drop battery with drops in multiple sizes — small, medium, and large — for practicing drop technique at controlled commitment levels. New for 2025/26.
  • Airbag / Airtime Zone: A jump with inflatable landing for progression riders learning airtime. Ride the Tschengla Unchained and look for the fork-off toward the airbag section near the finish.
  • Whip Zone: Dedicated lipped jump for practicing whips.
  • Kids Zone: Small features and a conveyor belt uplift for young riders. Starting July, expanded with its own small park.
  • Tschina Wild: An advanced freeride jump area — larger features than the Tschäck the Ripper, not always open. Access requires signing a liability waiver at the Wallride shop and always riding with at least one partner who watches the track. A key is issued at the shop to open the entry drop. Not for casual exploration — this is serious air.

Natural Trails — Summit Area and Loischkopf

These are the trails that most first-time visitors miss. To reach them, stay on the gondola past the middle station to the summit. From here, the terrain opens up, and there's a noticeable drop in rider numbers — the park's freeride crowd mostly exits at the middle station, leaving the summit area quieter and more natural in character.

To reach the singletrails from the summit, a short pedal transfer is required — both on the flat and with some gentle climbing. This is the natural filter: riders on full downhill bikes without flat-pedal fitness rarely venture up here.

The two main options from the summit:

Trail Code Type Difficulty Distance Descent Character
Alte Statt Trail ST-08 Singletrail Medium (Red) ~3.5 km ~500 m Singletrail back to the bikepark valley station. Mixed natural and rough terrain, some gravel sections. Shared trail with hikers — closes at 17:00. Not on Gravity Card for the return lift if you exit at Brand.
Parpfienz Trail ST-10 Singletrail Easy ~3.8 km ~300 m Easy-rated singletrail with sweeping panorama views down the valley toward Brand. Some short counter-climbs mid-trail. Technical in the final section. Ends in the valley at Brand village.
Upper Tschoy Ride ST-11 Flowtrail Easy Flowtrail connection below the Parpfienz Trail leading toward Brand.
Lower Tschoy Ride ST-12 Flowtrail Easy–Medium ~1.6 km ~180 m The valley flowtrail connector running between Bürserberg and Brand. Designed for families and intermediates but satisfying at speed.

The full loop from summit → Brand: Gondola to summit → short pedal transfer → Parpfienz Trail → Upper Tschoy Ride → Lower Tschoy Ride → Brand village. Total: 6.2 km of descending, 660 m elevation loss. From Brand, the Loischkopfbahn gondola (separate from bikepark gondola) can return you. Check Gravity Card coverage for this lower lift in advance.


Trail Highlights in Detail

The Summit Loop — Brandnertal's Hidden Enduro Side

The trail I came for — and the one most people who approach Brandnertal as a pure bikepark destination never find — is the combination of the summit access with the Parpfienz Trail and the Tschoy Rides down to Brand.

The character shift when you exit the gondola at the summit rather than the middle station is immediate. The bikepark infrastructure is behind you. Ahead is open mountain terrain, panorama views down the Brandner valley, and singletrack that rewards navigation and terrain reading rather than progression toward a shaped feature. The approach pedalling keeps DH bikes out and creates a genuinely different atmosphere — quieter, more purposeful, less sessioned.

The Parpfienz Trail (ST-10) is officially rated easy, and the overall difficulty is accessible — but that rating comes with the context of counter-climbs and a technical finale that require attention. The middle section is sweeping open singletrack above the valley with views that make you want to slow down. The final section tightens up and gets rockier before spitting you out into the upper end of Brand village.

From there the Upper and Lower Tschoy Rides flow you down the remaining 180 m to the valley floor in Brand. The Lower Tschoy Ride (ST-12) is shaped flowtrail — built berms, rollable jumps — but it's enjoyable rather than demanding and a good contrast to the natural character above. Brand village at the bottom offers restaurants and cafés for a proper post-ride stop before you sort out the return.

Alte Statt Trail (ST-08) is the other summit option: a red-rated singletrail that runs roughly 3.5 km back toward the bikepark valley station. At 500 m of descent it's a proper trail, with a mixed character of rough natural sections and gravel traversals. The critical detail: it's a shared trail (shared with hikers) and closes at 17:00 daily. If you're planning this as your last run of the day, build in enough time before the 5pm cutoff.

Tschäckie Tschan — The Enduro Gem in the Bikepark

For natural-terrain riders who aren't there for jump lines, Tschäckie Tschan (ST-06) is probably the most satisfying option within the main bikepark. Black-rated and genuinely earning it — rooty, rough, multiple line choices throughout, and demanding of full commitment. Not a DH track and not a shaped freeride line: this is an enduro descent that happens to be in a bikepark. Multiple riders have logged 10+ laps on it in a single day and still found new lines.

The character is "unendlich viele Wurzeln" as one rider put it — endless roots — which is either your idea of a good time or your idea of a tire puncture. Plan for a high-grip tyre setup and suspension that handles square-edge hits rather than big-air landings.

Tschäck the Ripper Jump Line — What the Park is Known For

For completeness (and because if you're there with friends who are jump-line riders, you'll end up on it anyway): the Tschäck the Ripper (ST-02) is the main freeride line and the one that drives Brandnertal's social media profile.

Newly shaped for 2026, it runs about 3 km with tables, berms, shark fins, and a three-section finale where riders consistently aim for tricks. The tables are rollable — you can enter this trail on a first lap and roll everything without hitting air — but the tables are long enough that when you do take them properly, you get genuine air time. This is what distinguishes Brandnertal's jump line from some comparable parks where the jumps are sized for confidence rather than consequence.

The blue Tschengla Unchained (ST-01, 3.1 km) runs parallel and is a proper beginner/family route — smooth, well-bermed, genuinely accessible. Good for warming up, good for children, good for riders who aren't ready for the Ripper but still want laps.

Early June Visitor Note — Seasonal Trail Closures

One practical note for early-season visitors: Tscharlie Tschäplin (ST-04) and Tschonny Noxwil (ST-05), both based around the Loischkopf area, are closed until 15 June every year for Capercaillie (Auerhuhn) breeding protection. These are among the more interesting natural terrain options — ST-05 in particular is the enduro-medium line with significant roots and technical character.

When I visited in early June 2026, both were still closed. The park manages this with trail diversions (Schmalzbödile Trail as the transfer alternative). It's not a disaster — there's plenty to ride — but plan accordingly if you're prioritising those specific trails.


Skill Level Overview

Rider Type Best Zones Expected Experience
Complete beginner / children Tschengla Unchained, Kids Zone, Airbag Genuinely good beginner infrastructure; kids' zone expanding summer 2026
Intermediate / blue-red Tschengla Unchained, Tschäck the Ripper (rollaed), Parpfienz Trail Core audience for the park; jump line is accessible when rolled
Advanced / red-black Tschäckie Tschan, Tschack Norris, Alte Statt Trail, full summit loop Strong options; natural terrain side particularly rewarding
Expert / freeride Tschina Wild, Tschäck the Ripper at speed, Tscharlie Tschäplin (post-15 June) Purpose-built for this audience

Honest assessment for natural terrain riders: Brandnertal is primarily a bikepark destination and makes no apology for it. If you're visiting primarily for natural singletrail, manage your expectations for the core bikepark — it does what it does very well, but it's not Enduro territory down the middle. The summit area with the Parpfienz loop is genuinely good, and Tschäckie Tschan gives you proper enduro character. But if your baseline is full days of natural alpine singletrack, build your trip around Brandnertal as a half-to-full-day addition rather than a multi-day base.

For mixed groups: Brandnertal works very well for groups with different riding styles. The bikepark crowd can lap the Tschäck the Ripper all day while the enduro riders do the summit loop and Tschäckie Tschan. The gondola brings everyone back to the same point. One day here makes everyone happy.


On the Ground

Campervan & Camping

Brandnertal has one of the better-organised campervan setups in the Gravity Card network — not free like the Nauders spot, but proper and practical.

Official Bikepark Camper Zone:

  • Location: Upper parking terraces at the bikepark
  • Access: Bikepark users with valid lift ticket only
  • Check-in: Wallride Bike & Snow Store at the valley station (or online pre-registration). If arriving after 17:00, check in the following morning from 09:00.
  • Cost: €20 per vehicle per night + €3.60 tourist tax per person per night
  • Facilities: Shower/WC containers on the upper terrace. Open round-the-clock on bikepark operating days.
  • Rules: Quiet hours 22:00–08:00. No noise, no open fires, no tents, no generators. Compact parking — forward-facing spots only. Advance reservations not accepted.
  • On arrival, park only in the marked campervan zone. Overnight parking on all other areas is strictly enforced by police.

Bonus feature: On the ride back from the Alte Statt Trail, you pass a small waterfall near the bikepark access road. In summer conditions it's cold enough for a proper ice bath — one of those unplanned perks that makes arriving on two wheels worth more than the trail itself.

Alternative camping if the bikepark zone is full:

Name Address Website
Alpinspot Brand – Stellplatz Mühledörfle 7, 6708 Brand alpinspotbrand.at
Campingplatz Heidi Bürserberg Boden 5, 6707 Bürserberg burtschahof.at
Campingplatz Auhof Bürs 6706 Bürs auhofbuers.at
Alpencamping Nenzing Garfrenga 1, 6710 Nenzing alpencamping.at
Panorama Camping Sonnenberg Hinteroferst 12, 6714 Nüziders camping-sonnenberg.com

Note on supermarket access: There is no supermarket at the bikepark site. For food shopping, you'll need to drive to the valley — Bürs or Bludenz are the nearest options (roughly 15–20 minutes down the mountain road).

Food & Coffee

At the bikepark: The "Unicorn" sun terrace at the bikepark serves as the main food and drink hub during operating hours — good for mid-day recovery, cold drinks, and watching riders in the lower sections.

Brand village: After completing the Parpfienz loop down to Brand, the village has multiple restaurants and cafés. This is a genuine reason to do the full descent loop rather than returning via the Alte Statt Trail — the post-ride stop in Brand with lunch and views down the valley is a properly good end to a morning. Specific recommendation: the Heuboda is a reliable stop — we went back multiple times. The pizza is €12.50, generously topped, and large enough that three people share two pizzas comfortably.

Bike Shop & Rental

Wallride Bike & Snow Store at the valley station is the bikepark's integrated shop:

  • Rental: Propain bikes available. Day rate approximately €100 per bike + €20 for a protection gear package (full-face helmet, body armour, knee pads) — the "First Try" package designed to lower the barrier to first-time bikepark riding.
  • Shop stock: Fox, Troy Lee Designs, POC, Endura and other brands; helmets, protectors, gloves, knee pads including children's sizes; common parts and consumables including Maxxis tyres.
  • Workshop: Minor repairs and quick fixes available on-site. Not a full service centre but handles common trail-day issues.

Helmet requirement: Full-face helmet mandatory in the bikepark and on all freeride lines. The Wallride shop rental includes this. If you own an open-face enduro helmet, bring your full-face too — or rent one.


Season and Conditions

Period Status Notes
Mid-May → 14 June Open — partial All core bikepark lines open; ST-04 and ST-05 (Loischkopf) closed until 15 June for Capercaillie protection
15 June → October Full programme ST-04 + ST-05 open; complete trail network accessible
July–August Peak season Busiest period; weekends can be very crowded; arrive early to beat gondola queues
September Excellent Crowds ease; stable conditions; trails well-worn in and grippy
October–November 1 Late season Some higher trails may have weather closures; lower lines excellent
Season close: 1 November 2026 One of the latest closing dates in the Gravity Card network

Weekend crowd note: Brandnertal's proximity to the A14 motorway makes it one of the most accessible bike parks in the Alps from Germany, Switzerland, and the western Austrian regions. On peak summer weekends — especially July–August — the gondola queues can be significant. Either visit during the week, arrive at opening, or accept that Saturday midday will have a wait.

Weather: The Rätikon region is relatively sheltered compared to the main Alpine chain but still subject to afternoon summer storms. The machine-built bikepark lines drain reasonably well — fresh roots after rain on Tschäckie Tschan are another matter. Check forecasts and start early.


Getting There

By Car

From Drive Time Route
Stuttgart ~2 hours ~170 km via A8/A96 to Lindau, then A14 to Bludenz exit, mountain road to Bürserberg
Munich ~2 hours ~170 km via A96 toward Lindau, then A14 to Bludenz exit
Zurich ~1 hour 30 min ~110 km via A1/A13 to Sargans, then A14 through Feldkirch to Bludenz exit
Vienna ~4 hours 30 min ~430 km via A1 and A14
Frankfurt ~4 hours ~360 km via A5/A8 and A96/A14

From the A14 motorway, take the Bludenz exit and follow signs toward Bürs and Bürserberg. The road climbs the mountain for approximately 10 minutes to the bikepark parking area. The approach road is well-signed.

Parking is at the valley station. On peak days, upper parking terraces are reserved for the campervan zone and need lift ticket verification. Standard day parking is in the lower areas.

By Public Transport

Brandnertal is reachable by train to Bludenz (served by Austrian Federal Railways from Innsbruck, Bregenz, and Zürich HB), then local bus toward Bürs/Bürserberg. Check current bus schedules at vorarlbergmobil.at — the service is less frequent than the bikepark traffic warrants, so confirm timings in advance.


Practical Information

Info Details
Address Tschengla 5, 6707 Bürserberg, Vorarlberg, Austria
Region Rätikon, Vorarlberg, Austria
Altitude ~900 m (valley) to ~1,700 m (Loischkopf summit)
Currency Euro (€). Cards accepted at bikepark; bring cash for mountain huts.
Language German (Vorarlberg dialect)
Mobile coverage Good at bikepark; some gaps on upper trails
Emergency (mountain) 140 (mountain rescue Austria) / 112 (general emergency)
Trail map Download PDF from bikepark-brandnertal.at/strecken or use Komoot (linked on the official website)
Navigation Komoot collection available at the official Bikepark Brandnertal page
Gravity Card Valid for all bikepark lifts. Check coverage at gravity-card.com

My Setup for This Trip

The park itself doesn't strictly need an e-MTB — everything is lift-served, and the summit loop pedalling is modest. But the Amflow PL setup I was running made the transfer connections far more comfortable:

  • Bike: Amflow PL E-MTB
  • Fork: 170mm Öhlins RFX 38
  • Shock: EXT Coil
  • Tyres: Continental Kryptotal front and rear

For the bikepark lines, 170mm travel is more than you need but never a problem. For Tschäckie Tschan, the coil shock absorbed the rooty hits well. The Kryptotal held on the wet roots in the lower sections of the enduro lines — where a faster-rolling tyre would have washed off the diagonal root surface.

For renting: The Wallride shop's Propain fleet is a reasonable option for those trying the park for the first time. Day rental (~€100) plus protection gear (~€20) is the accessible entry. If you own a decent enduro or trail bike, ride it — the park is well within the capabilities of any modern 29er enduro setup.


FAQ

Is Brandnertal worth visiting for natural terrain riders who don't care about jump lines?

Yes — with a calibrated expectation. The bikepark is the headline product and it's excellent for what it is. The natural terrain side — summit loop via Parpfienz, Tschäckie Tschan, the Alte Statt Trail — is genuinely good and less visited. You'll get more out of a day there by riding both sides than by ignoring the park entirely. But if you're planning a pure enduro weekend, the summit trails are supplementary rather than the main event.

When do the upper Loischkopf trails open?

15 June each year. Tscharlie Tschäplin (ST-04) and Tschonny Noxwil (ST-05) are protected for Capercaillie breeding until that date. All other trails, including the bikepark lines and the summit single trails, are open from the park's opening day.

Is Brandnertal on the Gravity Card?

Yes. The Gravity Card covers all lifts at Bikepark Brandnertal. The Gravity Card 2026 pricing: €680 adults / €510 youth / €340 children, valid 4 April – 8 November 2026. For the lower Brand area lift connections (Lower Tschoy Ride return), confirm Gravity Card coverage at the ticket office on arrival.

How busy does it get on weekends?

Very busy in peak season. Brandnertal's proximity to the A14 makes it a weekend destination for a large catchment area. The new gondola handles throughput better than the old lift, but queues at the middle station on a sunny Saturday in July will still be 15–30 minutes. Weekdays are significantly quieter.

How long does the gondola take to reach the summit?

Approximately 5–10 minutes at normal operating conditions. The new 2025 gondola is significantly faster than the old chairlift system, which could require 45+ minutes including wait time.

What is the Tschina Wild, and can I ride it?

The Tschina Wild is a large-jump freeride section at the bikepark — bigger features than the Tschäck the Ripper, with a different risk profile. It requires: (1) signing a liability waiver at the Wallride shop, (2) always riding with at least one partner who watches the track, and (3) a key obtained from the shop to unlock the entry drop. Only accessible to experienced jumpers — the first feature alone is enough to gauge whether it's appropriate for your level.

Can I ride from the bikepark to Brand and back in a day?

Yes. The Parpfienz Trail → Tschoy Rides → Brand loop takes roughly half a morning. From Brand, the Loischkopfbahn gondola returns you to the bikepark area (check Gravity Card coverage for this lift separately). With two lifts, you can run this loop multiple times in a day while also spending time in the main bikepark — it's a logical combination.

Is the Alte Statt Trail always open?

It closes at 17:00 daily, as it's a shared trail with hikers. It also falls under the Loischkopf trail group, so check whether seasonal trail closures affect the route on your specific visit dates.


More Trail Guides

These guides are part of my Gravity Card Explorer Tour 2025/26 — personal reports from a campervan perspective, focused on trails, pitches and what you actually need to know.

Area Guide
3-Country Enduro Trails / Reschensee Trail Guide →
Bike Republic Sölden Trail Guide →

Final Take

Brandnertal is a bikepark that knows exactly what it is. The marketing is working, the social media presence is real, and the trail crew has built something that a specific audience — jump-line riders, progression seekers, young freestyle culture — finds excellent. If that's your scene, you're going to have a very good time.

If it's not your scene — and it's not mine — there's still a worthwhile day here, but it requires looking past the headline. Take the gondola to the summit. Pedal the short transfer. Ride the Parpfienz loop down to Brand, eat somewhere in the village, and come back up. Do a couple of laps of Tschäckie Tschan for the roots and the enduro satisfaction. And if you time it right — post-15 June, on a weekday, when the Tschonny Noxwil is open and the park hasn't yet filled with weekend riders — you'll find a genuinely rounded mountain bike day that doesn't require you to be someone you're not.

The new gondola removes the main historical complaint. The bikepark side is as good as it's ever been. And the summit trails remain the quiet reward for those who make the transfer pedal.


Visited: Early June 2026. Part of the Gravity Card Gebiete Entdecker Tour. Some upper trails (ST-04, ST-05) were still closed under seasonal Capercaillie protection during this visit.

Current trail status at status.bikepark-brandnertal.at. Trail data: trailforks.com/region/bikepark-brandnertal.

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