Ruhpolding Biathlon Stadium
At 710 metres above sea level, the Chiemgau Arena sits on the Zirmberg with the kind of purposeful plainness that serious sport tends to favour — a 19,000-square-metre spread of shooting ranges, tracks, and stands that fills with up to 20,000 people on World Cup weekends in January.
On quieter days, you can walk the course yourself, try your hand at the shooting range, or simply stand at the lane markers and reckon with the stillness required to fire accurately after a hard uphill sprint. The stadium earns its reputation not through grandeur but through repetition: this has been a World Cup fixture since 1980.
💛 What travellers fall for
People who come back tend to book the guest shooting session early — slots go fast on weekends. The walk from Ruhpolding along the Traun via Laubau takes around an hour and a half and arrives at the arena from below, which gives you a better sense of the climb athletes actually race. Beppo, the cross-country fox mascot, has been a fixture here since 1985 — the kids always find him first.
The story behind Ruhpolding Biathlon Stadium
Biathlon found a home on the Zirmberg in the 1960s, and a permanent training centre followed in 1977–78. Within a year of opening, Ruhpolding hosted its first Biathlon World Championships — 283 athletes from 26 nations, watched by 4,000 spectators. The scale of that event looks modest against what came later.
The stadium was rebuilt in 1996, the same year it hosted a second World Championships. The third, in 2012, drew 240,000 spectators over the course of the event — and became the occasion for German athlete Magdalena Neuner's farewell to the sport. A 50th World Cup edition is scheduled here for 2030.
Good to know
No parking at the arena; take the free shuttle from Ruhpolding or Inzell, or walk the 1.5–2 hour riverside path. Open Wednesday to Saturday 11:00–17:00, Sunday from 09:00. No glass, cans, or alcohol inside. Children under five enter free.
The World Cup season runs in January, when snow cover is reliable and temperatures stay well below freezing — dress in proper layers if you're watching from the stands for any length of time. Summer brings a quieter version of the venue, good for walking the tracks without a crowd.
Where is Ruhpolding Biathlon Stadium?
More tickets & tours for Ruhpolding Biathlon Stadium
Book directly at the provider
What travellers say about Ruhpolding Biathlon Stadium
IBU WORLD CUP BIATHLON - the action takes place in different places, but it is in Germany (Ruhpolding) that they do not like animals, considering them as dangerous as weapons (((( . Italy, Slovenia - no problems , Dogs are friends!!!
Visited it in summer. It was quite empty but the setup looked wonderful. I hope we can go again during the ice season where the real games take place
It was a great experience. Quite good managed and organized.
Ski rent. Café in mail building
Super 🤗🤗
More of Ruhpolding
Discover where to stay, what to do and the best deals for your trip.
Explore Ruhpolding →More attractions in Ruhpolding
All of Ruhpolding →
Background adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · ratings & place photos via Google · other photos with per-image credit. Ticket links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.