Travel to Schladming

Spectacular rocky peaks over four separate mountains provide the setting for the large but gentle wooded ski area, boasting 170kms of runs at Schladming / Dachstein. The resort, located in Styria, is an hour from Salzburg and situated in the heart of the enormous Dachstein region, the farthest east of Austrias main ski resorts. The Dachstein Tauern region consists of seven fine ski villages, of which Schladming is well known for its annual World Cup night race in January.

Stone buildings and a medieval town gate set the tone at Schladming, which sits at 749m above sea level and dates back to 1322. An old town as well as a ski resort, Schladming features a pedestrian area of wooden chalets with painted shutters, exclusive boutiques, cosy little cafés, restaurants and hotels in the main street of the resort’s compact centre. A good place to stay is the Planai lift and the area near the centre of town.

Beginners should look to Rohrmoos, which provides the best ski options, although beginner runs can be found in all sections of this area – considered an intermediate skiers’ paradise. The Dachstein region offers 170kms of prepared slopes in various areas, with a longest run of 7.7kms and good off-piste possibilities. Around 97,100 skiers per hour are transported by 84 lifts, consisting of seven gondolas, 23 chairlifts, and 54 T-bars.

There are a total of 3,500 beds (25,000 beds in the region) at Schladming, in accommodation ranging from pensions and apartments, to hotels and guesthouses and two- to four-star hotels. There are also great après-ski and nightlife options, including bars, discos and folklore evenings; while daytime away from the slopes can be spent checking out the several shopping malls, sports shops, grocery stores and gift shops.

Some of the most interesting cross-country skiing in Austria can be found on the long plateau which accommodates the nearby Ramsau. The Enns River Valley and the entire Tauern region mountain range can be viewed from the top of the Ramsau cable car. Perhaps the most picturesque of the main villages in the region is Haus im Ennstal, which is a short drive along the valley from Schladming. It anchors the Hauser Kaibling ski area and remains a traditional village.

The resort has a long ski season from November to April, with January and March/April offering special bargain rates. From June to November, the Dachstein Glacier also offers the chance to ski during summer. The most convenient and the quickest way to get to the resort is to fly to Salzburg and transfer to the main train station by shuttle, before boarding a train to Schladming (1 hour, 30 minutes).

Skiing in Schladming

Located south of Salzburg in the Dachstein ski region, the ski resort of Schladming features 170kms of pisted runs. The resort has it all, from the serenity of one of the most extensive cross-country areas in Austria and the excitement of skiing on the Dachstein Glacier, to the challenge of the fastest World Cup downhill and wide beginner and intermediate runs through thick pine forests.

Schladming’s snowboard school, three half-pipes, and wide-open pistes attract keen snowboarders; while the 170kms of manicured slopes favour the intermediate skier with 61 per cent of runs. Beginners get 28 per cent of runs and advanced skiers can enjoy 11 per cent. Around 97,000 skiers per hour are uplifted by 84 ski lifts at Schladming, which has a longest run of 7.7kms. There are 20kms of excellent cross-country trails at the resort.

February to mid-March offers the best skiing, while the middle of January as well as mid-March to April offers special deals.

Get to Schladming ski resort by flying to either Salzburg or Munich and connecting with a train to the resort. Salzburg train station is serviced by a shuttle, bus or taxi from the airport; this is the most convenient and popular way of getting to Schladming. A hire car is the preferred option for travellers arriving at Munich Airport, although there is a rail terminal.

Apres-ski in Schladming

Schladming’s nightlife is made up of several bars and discos, with some alternative winter facilities and activities including: a natural ice rink, with skating and curling; a moonlight toboggan run down a hairpin road; ice-climbing; paragliding; snowshoeing; horse-sleigh rides; bowling; ballooning and hiking. Additionally, there is a swimming pool, solarium, as well as tennis and squash courts at a sports centre.

A host of lodging options provide 3,500 beds at the resort, which is nestled around a traditional town centre and serves as the hub of the surrounding area, situated at 749m. The main lifts are within a five-minute walk of the town centre, where you can find great shopping, nightlife and restaurants.

Transportation to Schladming

A train journey with several connections from London is possible, arriving at the rail terminal at Schladming ski resort, which is located in the northwest corner of Styria. However, the airports at Salzburg and Munich (the former the closest, the latter more popular) offer travellers a train service or hire car facilities for transfers to the resort. A major autobahn servicing Salzburg also makes driving a popular option.

By car, you should allow two days minimum to get to Schladming ski resort, which is 1,200kms from Calais. Once in Salzburg, head for the resort (90kms away), by going south on the A-10 autobahn from Salzburg, exiting at junction 63 on route E-651/B-99. From Munich Airport, take autobahns A-9, A-99 (bypass), A-8 and A-10 from Salzburg, and then exit on to the B-99, as above (260kms).

By train, three changes via Paris, Munich and Salzburg divide up the journey from London. From London’s Waterloo, a Eurostar train leaves for Paris at 17:09, arriving at 20:59 daily. An overnight train to Munich, arriving at 08:59 the next morning, leaves from Paris’ gare de l’Est at 22:56. From Munich, travel with a regular Eurocity train to Salzburg, then change for Schladming; both trains take 1 hour, 30 minutes.

It is easy to take a regular shuttle and bus transfer to Salzburg train station from Salzburg Airport. The journey to the resort takes 1 hour, 30 minutes. A direct rail connection goes from Munich’s FJ Strauss Airport to the city. From there, trains take around three to four hours to the resort.

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