Ski in Austria

The country’s southwestern corner boasts fabulous summer hiking and touring, and, of course, amazing winter skiing. The ski season is from around December through April; while the cities experience their high season from April to October.

Innsbruck-Igls ski resort is just six kilometres from the city of Innsbruck. This tiny Alpine resort is located at the base of the Patscherköfel Mountain, providing scenic hiking trails, a relaxed atmosphere and good skiing. The resort is 908m above sea level and features a good selection of accommodation, as well as plenty of attractions away from the ski slopes.

St Anton am Arlberg is one of the most famous ski resorts in the world. It is most popular with expert skiers, who enjoy the powdery slopes, moguls and outstanding off-piste routes. The resort has a charming, pedestrianised centre with a main drag offering stylish cafés and shops.

With Zürich to the west and Innsbruck to the east, the resorts of Lech and Zürs are conveniently situated in the Arlberg ski area near to the German border. Together, they offer arguably the best skiing in the country. Zürs is an elegant ski resort filled with typical white stucco Vorarlberger buildings featuring carved wooden balconies, while Lech is a 14th century village spread over wide grassy slopes with sharp ravines, nestled in a lovely valley.

Other ski resorts in Austria include: High Montafon, Ischgl, Katschberg, Kirchberg in Tyrol, Kitzbühel, Schladming (Dachstein), Montafon Valley, Neustift im Stubaital, Obertauern, Saalbach/Hinterglemm-Leogang, Seefeld, Sölden Ötztal-Arena, St Anton am Arlberg, St Johann im Pongau/Alpendorf, St Johann in Tyrol, Zell Am See/Kaprun, Zillertal/Hintertux/Mayrhofen, Alpbachtal, Altenmarkt/Zauchensee, Bad Gastein, Bad Kleinkirchheim, Brandnertal, Brixen Im Thale/Wilder Kaiser, Galtür-Silvretta, and Gurgl (Hoch and Obergurgl).

You can reach Austria most easily by air, with Vienna as an important gateway. Alternatively, many destinations in western Austria, such as Innsbruck, Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg, are closer Munich. By road, the autobahn from Munich goes via Salzburg to Vienna. From Switzerland, the main arteries are via Feldkirch to Innsbruck, or from Basel via Karlsruhe to Munich and then on the autobahn to either Salzburg or Vienna. Vienna has rail links to all the major cities of Europe. From Munich, a train leaves daily at 09:24, arriving in Vienna at 14:18, and then again at 23:19, arriving in Vienna at 06:47 the next day.

Skiing and snowboarding are excellent pastimes but do come with the risk of accidents. Additionally, other activities, such as bobsledding or ice-skating, can also result in injury. To have peace of mind while you participate in your favourite sports, we recommend you take out travel insurance for yourself and your family when visiting ski resorts in Austria.

Austria Ski Partners from Essential Travel

Ski Austria
Comprehensive guide for ski holidays in Austria with online booking of ski hotels, flights and rental cars. Resort information from glacier & family skiing to expert ski terrain including snow & avalanche reports, après ski, airport locations, safety…

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