4 great ski resorts in Austria

In co-operation with snowtrex

Last winter we tried skiing in the Alps for the first time, and we were hooked! The Swedish mountains in all honour, but there is something special about going high up on an alpine peak and then sliding down these long descents that never seem to end.

The view of the high peaks takes your breath away, and when your legs get tired, you can warm up in a cosy tavern in the middle of the slope. In today's post, we recommend four great ski resorts in Austria - one that we have visited and three that our partner has visited. SnowTrex selected to recommend among all their destinations.

Table of contents

Alpbach Valley

In January this year we went to the Alps for the first time to ski. We went to Alpbachtal where we stayed in a cosy little village. Reith im Alpbchtal and really experienced completely fantastic skiing. This ski area is not as well known as some others in Austria, which is why it has managed to retain its cosy and convivial feel.

Although Alpbachtal may not be well known, there are some really good slopes here. The area has nearly 109 kilometres of pistes and 16 km of ungroomed slopes. We enjoyed both the skiing and a lot of relaxed socialising with gluhwein and local food.

Skidresa till Österrike — Peter and I (Helena) in Alpbachtal in January this year

Mayrhofen

Mayrhofen is a lively ski resort in the Zillertal valley, largely neighbouring the Alpbachtal. The resort is a popular après-ski destination and there are also plenty of other off-slope activities, from ice skating and tobogganing to swimming and theatre.

The modern ski area includes a gondola lift that can carry as many as 150 (!) people. There are slopes of all levels of difficulty, especially blue and red. For the more daring, there is also Austria's steepest hill, Harakiri with a 38 degree slope.

The lift pass is valid for the entire valley, with about 515 piste kilometres (equivalent to almost five Åre), including glacier skiing. With the valley's own train and ski buses, which are included in the lift pass, you can comfortably travel between the different resorts in the valley.

Bad Gastein

Bad Gastein is a popular ski resort, which is also a health resort with several thermal baths. It even has its own research institute for spa treatments! The ski area in Bad Gastein is suitable for both experienced skiers and families with children. For families with children there is a practice slope, ski school, childcare and family activities such as tobogganing and dog sledding.

An advantage when travelling here is that the town is close to Salzburg Airport and has its own train station. Those who want to fly can therefore easily fly to Salzburgand then take the train from the centre of Salzburg to Bad Gastein, one of 4 great ski resorts in Austria.

Bad Gastein — © steinbauer-photography.com

Flirsch, St Anton

St Anton is known for its unbeatable skiing and here you will find everything from blue and red runs to opportunities for tough off-piste skiing. The ski area is located at an altitude of over 2800 metres, which means that it is very snow-safe even in a "bad" winter.

An insider tip from SnowTrex is the quieter neighbouring town of Flirsch, which has excellent bus connections with St. Anton, both ski bus during the day and after-ski bus in the evening/night. By staying in Flirsch, you can ski in one of the top areas of the Alps without breaking the bank.

St Anton am Arlberg, bra skidorter i Österrike. — TVB St. Anton am Arlberg/Josef Mallaun

Your tips for good ski resorts in Austria?

Have you been on a skiing holiday in Austria or elsewhere in the Alps? Which ski resort is your favourite?

18 October 2017 6:00

Austria

skiing, sport

Helena

Administrator

33 Comments

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Lena - good for the soul says:

Ohhhh, how wonderful! It is so beautiful down there. I have skied in Zell am See in the summer, but have never tried winter time. It has not happened even though I have wanted it for a long time.

Thanks for the lovely, somewhat unexpected, winter pictures 🙂 .

Hug Lena

18 October 2017 - 6:17

Reply
- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Summer skiing sounds great! As I said, we tried skiing in the Alps for the first time last winter. We thought it was fantastic! Would love to go again. (And by the way, hope for a nice white winter this year ;))
  
  18 October 2017 - 7:01
  
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Ditte says:

Surely it is high time to plan for skiing holidays and many "good" resorts are sold out since early autumn. I am most fond of the Alpine area in Italy where Cervinia, Gressoney Bad Gastein, Champoluc and Val Gardena are favourites and offer very good skiing as well as everything else that belongs to and is charming ski resorts. But I think the best skiing is in France where the range of slopes is by far the largest. I want to put on my skis and boots at the hotel and not take gondolas or buses to reach the ski areas.
Often you have to in Austria.
In France, Val Thorense, Tignes and Avoriaz are favourites. Switzerland with Verbier and Zermatt are also perfect, but in my opinion they are very expensive.
I've tried Badgastein, Bad Hofgastein, Mayrhofen, Sölden, St Anton, Zell am Zee, Zillertal, Alpbach and Ischgl in Austria and the favourite is probably Ischgl, which offers exciting skiing at high altitude.

Glad you were bitten and want to go again. And I hope to go, but many of the goodies are sold out....I was a bit late.

18 October 2017 - 7:34

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Wow, you really have experience of many different ski resorts Ditte! We have not had time to try so many yet, but hope that there will be more in the future! 🙂
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:09
  
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- Travelsis says:
  
  Wow, you've been skiing, Ditte?
  
  21 October 2017 - 21:01
  
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cheek says:

We have travelled by motorhome over New Year several times to Riezlern in Austria, which I can highly recommend. Very nice place with good bus service that is included when you stay there. However, book camping in good time.

18 October 2017 - 7:50

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you took the motorhome and thanks for the tips! Yes, booking in time seems to be needed in many of these places...!
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:11
  
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Ama de casa says:

Oh! Immediately feel that I want to go to Mayrhofen and ride in Harakiri! What am I waiting for? (For the ski season to start, maybe? 😉 ) HAHA! It would be a sight to see Ama de kaaaasa on that slope. Although that would probably be the last thing I did... 😀.

We have been to many places in the Alps, and also travelled in the USA, Canada, Andorra and Spain. There are many favourites there 🙂

When it comes to Austria, Ischgl is probably a favourite. You can make a lovely tour there - even without skis. The fact that they have a lift and a conveyor belt through a tunnel in the town to the slopes doesn't make things worse 😉.

Otherwise, I would like to mention Andorra, which was very nice.

And of course the Sierra Nevada in Spain. We go there every year and train for the ski trip with the gang, so even I'm starting to recognise the lift system there. Otherwise, I'm mostly like a goldfish on the slopes, like "I've never been here before". in slopes where we have just travelled 🙂.

18 October 2017 - 9:50

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Haha, well what are you waiting for? You're not a coward, are you? A little Harakiri now huh...? 😉 Ischgl feels a little tricky to pronounce, but sounds like a nice place!
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:13
  
  Reply
Liniz Travel says:

We were last year in Wagrain / Kleinark it was really fantastic 🙂 we were so happy with the trip! But are hungry for Austria again !!! Hugs

18 October 2017 - 10:07

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you were happy with your ski trip!!!
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:14
  
  Reply
lindane mum says:

Oh, how wonderful it seems! Would love to go to the Alps.

18 October 2017 - 11:25

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  It's lovely in the Alps! 🙂
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:14
  
  Reply
Solan says:

Never forget a ski week in Tignes, France. Stuck with one pole in a ski railing that was on a completely snowed-in car. Off piste!!!

18 October 2017 - 17:15

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Wow, it sounds like you must have been really off-piste...! 😉
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:15
  
  Reply
  - Solan says:
    
    Nono, there was an awful lot of snow. Roads were closed and we were snowed in for four days. A so-called adventure?
    
    18 October 2017 - 21:00
    
    Reply
    - Comment by post author
      
      Helena says:
      
      Ok, yes it sounds like one of those real (i.e. not prepared) adventures! 😉
      
      18 October 2017 - 22:51
      
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Matts Torebring says:

We have been to Kitzbühel, St Johan and others. These we have visited both summer and winter several times. To compare with the "Laptops" in the Nordic countries is just not possible,

18 October 2017 - 18:00

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Agree that the Alps are nice both summer and winter! We visited Zermatt in Switzerland this summer and it was a wonderful experience 🙂.
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:16
  
  Reply
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

Too bad I am not a skier (went for a few years when the children were of school age but was just as grateful every time I came down with my life). Austria is wonderfully beautiful and of the resorts I have been to Matehofen twice in the summer and hiked and then realised that it must be wonderful in the winter too!

18 October 2017 - 18:09

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  The Alps are absolutely beautiful in the summer too! And not everyone has to like skiing 😉.
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:17
  
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Mr Steve says:

Great pictures from great ski resorts. I did not know that Harakiri is also a terribly steep ski slope. However, alpine skiing is not on my agenda right now.

18 October 2017 - 18:14

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you appreciate the pictures! Have fun Steve!
  
  18 October 2017 - 20:18
  
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BP says:

So you are absolutely right - you can't compare apples with pears, i.e. Åre with Austria, Italy, Switzerland and France. If you think it was big in Austria, I think you should try Tignes and Val d'Isère, two resorts that have common slopes. It is not enough with one week to ski all the slopes there, I can say.

18 October 2017 - 20:27

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Good description with apples and pears. The Swedish mountains can also be nice, but there is no comparison. And we must hope that we can try some more places in the future 😉.
  
  18 October 2017 - 22:47
  
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Ruth in Virginia says:

I have nothing to add here. Biggest ski trip I
did in Sweden was in secondary school, when we went to Sälen for a week.
But I have actually travelled in Squaw Valley, California, in 1952-53.
This was before the Olympics were held there. Have also travelled on other
places in the Sierra Nevada. - Austria was not available "in my time",
unfortunately!

18 October 2017 - 22:16

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  California in the 50s sounds exciting! 🙂 And the times really change all the time, where you can go and not ...
  
  18 October 2017 - 22:49
  
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Elisabeth says:

What a wonderful post. Makes me want to go skiing again, but at the same time I know that time is over. The pictures brought memories to life. Thanks for that!

18 October 2017 - 22:43

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Glad you liked the post and the pictures Elisabeth!
  
  18 October 2017 - 22:50
  
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Marina says:

Oh so lovely! Pictures of skiing at its best. I don't have much experience of skiing in the Alps, other than in Reith, which is ages ago, plus I've been to the Val Gardena area in Italy which was absolutely fantastic. And it's tempting to do another trip with alpine skiing as a goal, so we'll see....

19 October 2017 - 10:09

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  We feel just like you. Don't have much experience, but it's really tempting to go again!
  
  28 October 2017 - 12:00
  
  Reply
Travelsis says:

The first time I went skiing was about 15 years ago. We were in Alpbach, beautiful Austria. A little nervous in the beginning, then the confidence grew and it went really well.... until the cruciate ligament and meniscus were damaged and it was to sit and watch the rest of the week.

21 October 2017 - 21:05

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- Comment by post author
  
  Helena says:
  
  Oh no, how sad with injury ...! I do not feel too insecure, but when I get tired (which I get quite fast, haha) I notice that I handle the skiing worse and worse ... 😉 .
  
  28 October 2017 - 12:01
  
  Reply

4 great ski resorts in Austria

In co-operation with snowtrex

Alpbach Valley

Mayrhofen

Bad Gastein

Flirsch, St Anton

Your tips for good ski resorts in Austria?

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33 Comments

Lena - good for the soul says:

Helena says:

Ditte says:

Helena says:

Travelsis says:

cheek says:

Helena says:

Ama de casa says:

Helena says:

Liniz Travel says:

Helena says:

lindane mum says:

Helena says:

Solan says:

Helena says:

Solan says:

Helena says:

Matts Torebring says:

Helena says:

Britt-Marie Lundgren says:

Helena says:

Mr Steve says:

Helena says:

BP says:

Helena says:

Ruth in Virginia says:

Helena says:

Elisabeth says:

Helena says:

Marina says:

Helena says:

Travelsis says:

Helena says:

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