The best ski areas in Austria this season

Traditionally, Europe’s best all-rounder, Austria looks set to give France a run for its money this season as the favourite destination – certainly among British skiers. There’s the diversity of resorts — from some of the highest in the Alps, to expertly maintained beginners’ slopes set in historic mountain villages — plus ever-easier access. The increase of cheap flight connections to the likes of Innsbruck, Salzburg, Linz and Klagenfurt, means those with summit gleams in their eyes can easily experience a winter lifestyle where serious powder highs and oompah-pop-fuelled apres-ski is the norm.

Just as well that Austrian ski resorts are so flush with new goings-on that it makes sense to return every year. And this season is no exception, with a host of new ultra-modern lifts, namely in Schladming-Dachstein, Zillertal Arena and SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser. In Brixental, the solar-powered Eibergbahn will be the world’s most powerful detachable chairlift (we’ll spare you the technical details. Just think: swift and sustainable).

As well as transporting skiers to new places, these resorts are in the business of making you feel happier to be alive than when you first arrived. One of the tricks is the annual roster of events and spirit of celebratory raucousness. In February 2025, the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships is taking over Saalbach, while during the 10th anniversary of Sölden’s Electric Mountain Festival there’ll be enough Red Bull and Champagne sprayed to turn the mountains gold. And Bryan Adams, Sting and Simply Red will help orchestrate the season opener in Schladming.

Too often, skiers stick to what they know, but even Austria feels the urge to push us in other directions. In Ötztal, ice-diving workshops in Lake Piburg and crevasse abseils in Obergurgl now marry extreme action with the more populist desire of chasing fresh snow. Happily, there’s plenty of downtime on offer at the vast spa-leisure centre, Erlebnistherme Zillertal, re-opening in Fügen after a major facelift.

And then there’s Austria’s reliably beautiful ski landscape, where skyscraping peaks back chocolate box hamlets of gingerbread cabins and oodles of old-fashioned Alpine charm. Whether you’re skiing, partying or enjoying one of Austria’s many mountain festivals, a visit to these Eastern Alps this winter may be the best version of a ski trip you’ve ever had.

Here’s where to hit the slopes in Austria this season:

1. Zell am See-Kaprun

Best for families
Every ski resort would benefit from its own mascot. The Narnia-like Schmittenhohe peak in Zell has its own dragon, Schmidolin — a red-quiffed creature, who’s often spotted on skis. Add floodlit tobogganing until 10pm and the reliable glacier at Kitzsteinhorn for spring skiing, and family fun is guaranteed.

2. Montafon

Best for book worms
Before the days of his travels in Florida, East Africa and Cuba, Ernest Hemingway spent two seasons ski touring in Vorarlberg, with its powder stirring him to write The Snows of Kilimanjaro. These days, it’s equally motivating, if less hard work, with 79 cable-cars and lifts connecting 185 miles of ski routes and prize-winning pistes.

3. SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser-Brixental

Best for all abilities
Panoramic summit viewing platforms are popping up everywhere in the Alps, and the latest in Tyrol is at the top station of the Zinsberg cable-car in Brixen. Following the vista, you can further blow your mind playing snakes and ladders across 167 miles of piste, including Austria’s largest night-skiing area.

4. St Anton

Best for off-piste adventure
The popularity of Arlberg’s star resort is founded on its off-piste terrain and legendary apres-ski — the word that springs to mind is wild (surviving nights out at Mooserwirt and Krazy Kanguruh is a badge of honour). Rising early is mandatory though, as is ripping round the Run of Fame, the Alps’ longest continuous ski circuit.  

5. Obergurgl

Best for beginners
While Sölden, further down the Ötztal Valley, has the James Bond theatrics (see the following feature), Obergurgl is for novices yet to pull the trigger. The terrain, mostly blue- and red-graded runs, is covered by heavily discounted lift passes, a hallmark of the so-called ‘Diamond of the Alps’. Kids can ski from around £25 a day.

6. Bad Kleinkirchheim

Best for downhill racers
Franz Klammer, Austria’s most famous racer, earned his stripes in Carinthia, a region that’s opening up, with new flights between London and Klagenfurt. For the first season, SkiWeekends, Flexiski and Ski Club Freshtracks now offer package trips here and, so far, few British accents echo along its tree-lined pistes.

 7. Lech

Best for luxury
Lech is the sort of place where you won’t get much change from €10,000 for a few nights’ ski and sleep. The ultra-luxe pads by Arula Chalets and Pepper Collection are among the Alps’ swankiest, with cinemas, concierges and chefs. But there are more sensibly priced stays, too, so thrilling runs like the legendary White Ring connecting to Zürs can be enjoyed by all.

8. Bad Gastein

Best for culture
Bad Gastein’s currency is high culture, from classical concerts to the largest art festival in the Alps (February), when the slopes are carpeted in ice sculpture. Snow Jazz (March), brings a degree of melody to the mountains rarely seen elsewhere. Between piano solos, run your skis down some 125 miles of ivory pistes.