 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
We a re a group of five boarders driving to St Anton from Munich airport at the end of December. Its the first time we have done this so wanted to know of any pitfalls that might lay out there? I have heard that you have to buy a toll pass but there are no toll booths, instead you have to visit a service station. Can anyone clarify this. Any other tips or advice massively appreciated too.
We are staying at Duffski just outside St Anton. Can't wait to get out there as we have heard so many good things about the place. As it's our first time we are looking to book a guide and get some off-piste in. Any recommendations there would be massively welcome too.
Many thanks y'all
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Rental car place might sell the toll sticker?
If not, stop at one of the last service stations on the Autobahn before Austria. I tend to get mine from the Holzkirchen services on the A8 (they sell them in the cafeteria, and I guess in the petrol station bit). Can't stand Irschenberg services. Not sure if that's the most convenient route (edit: it probably isn't). And make sure you stick the sticker in the window, cos there is a checkpoint, and they do check all cars from time to time (I've been stopped and checked twice).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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As above, worth asking at the rental place. If not, petrol stations in Germany approaching the border sell them so easy enough to stop off at a service station and pick one up to stick in the windscreen. Not sure which way you are approaching, or planning to approach, but I know you can also stop off at the border before the Pfänder tunnel and buy one there, there is a lane to pull off in to with parking to purchase the vignette so guess it might be the same at other autobahn borders. Don't think the a8 mentioned would be the best route, whenever I've driven between Anton and Munich airport I've either gone to Imst and then over to Garmisch (very little snow around as it was just pre season, not sure I'd be so keen to do it otherwise) and then a95 towards Munich, or taken the S16/a14 towards Bregenz/Lindau, through the Pfänder tunnel (now fully open) and then a96 to Munich.
Re guiding, plenty of people recommend piste to powder, I've never used them myself but all my guests over the seasons I have worked here in St Anton have had a thoroughly enjoyable day when skiing/boarding with them. They can book up quickly, especially if fresh snow is forecast. Not sure what the off piste will be like end of December, but we've had snow already and apparently a little more due later in the week.
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Or if you don't want to drive out there is always the train and ski shuttle bus from nearby villages.
Piste to Powder is good but a bit expensive http://www.pistetopowder.com/ . You can join groups of your standard. If you can ski with the head guide and owner, Graham Austick (who runs Lyngen Lodge in Norway from February on) then do. He is extremely good but usually takes the top group unless he has a private booking.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Do do the moose and or kangaroo at least once, has to be experienced in every skier's lifetime, do ski zurs best pistes are there imo, I believe sonnenkopf is good too but never made it yet, wellness in St anton is recommended if you're feeling sore, car is very handy if skiing in the other areas, there are some annoying flat bits between some one side of the St Anton ski area and the other but the off piste is the real attraction anyway, I can recommend piste to powder also but a little pricey perhaps, one hundred per person in a group of up to 8 is kind of taking the proverbial, some great long off piste routes off the back of rendl though and some nice accessible ones off the front and also in the steep chutes off Schindler bahn, sorry for lack of punctuation posting on phone, food is good in the moose also actually
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Hi all
Many thanks for the replies, much appreciated.
I think I was misinformed when planning to drive from Munich to St Anton as I was told it takes roughly 2 hours however now looking into it, it would appear more like 3 hours. Not much can be done now any way as all flights ect are booked. I also didn't realise there are a number of routes to get there. I suppose I would look at sticking to main roads, motor ways etc even if it is a longer route just to be able to keep the speed up. If anyone does have a tried and tested preferred route please let me know.
Thanks again.
G
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The trip is not too bad .. but dont forget the weather can catch you out as well as the "Stau" around Munchen leading to the Salzberg Autobahn.
Be especially careful about black ice on the entrance and exit to the tunnels after you get past Innsbruck.
My mate wasn't ....
We were piling it through to Ischgl when the snow started to fall and in the dark its like driving through a hail of Zulu Spears....
We could see the outline of the tunnel arch through the gloom ahead and we thought "Thank God .. the Zulus cant get us in here!"
But as we entered the tunnel the rear wheel drive car went into the death slew and as we ricochet off one side of the tunnel to the other I adopted the brace position.
We both survived with minor bruises but ...
That was the end of that car ... I had to take the train back to Nuremberg next morning and get my car to pick up the skis and the salvageable bits of his car. ...
namely just the radio and the Nazi First Aid kit.
But Ischgl was brill ... and I've still got the first aid kit.
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holyjasper, depending on the route planner it can come out as 2 hours but that bears little or no resemblance to reality. The most direct route involves going around/through Munich to the A95 (to Garmisch-Partenkirchen). After the Starnberg interchange this is only a 2-laner and then it all piles into 1-lane at Echenlohe, about 15kms (or 3 hours depending on the time of day and weather  ) from GAP. You then have non-motorway roads over the hills to the Inntal these can also be slow, especially if the Dutch are on the move with their caravans. Once you gain the autobahn again in Tirol you may or may not be limited to 100kmh because of air pollution control measures (aka Tirol's cash cow)
The route I found to be consistently the fastest from Munich was to use the A92 to the A99 (following signs for Stuttgart) - that way you miss the hell on 4 wheels called the Munich-Nord interchange. After the Karlsfeld tunnel on the A99 take the branch that goes to Lindau and the A96. Be very careful about speeding in any of the tunnels as they are installing infra-red speed cameras so there are no flashes to warn you. Once you hit the A96 keep right on until the end at the border then continue (with vignette) into Austria at the Pfander tunnel by Bregenz. At weekends this used to be a real bottleneck in both directions but the road works are now finished and both tunnels are 2-lane in both directions so there should not be any more big hold ups (I am cautious and really mean should here). You now follow the Rheintal Autobahn (A16) until Bludenz where it becomes a "schnellstrasse", S16 (still needs a vignette by the way). At the approach to the Arlberg tunnel you can either come off and go over the pass (if it is open) or pay the toll and go through the tunnel. St Anton is just the other side.
It is a longer route but you are on motorway or fast dual carriageway with (currently) little or no roadworks to worry about. In terms of driving a hire car it means a lot less stress all round.
Hope that helps!
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I work as an airport transfer driver and ski instructor in this region so can really help you out with current advice.
I highly recommend using a transfer service even though it seems expensive.
The Pro´s: No car means no parking problems, digging it out of snow, extra cost for toll sticker needed (called a "Vignette"), fuel, worry of driving in snowy conditions, snow chains. Generally faster and safer. Driver knowledge of traffic problems and language understanding for recent traffic reports. Alternative routes known to avoid problems. No hassle waiting at the airport for the rental car and no time wasted dropping it off again. Most transfers are done by minibuses so loads of room for 5 snowboarders, not squashed into a cheap rental car. All 5 of you can relax with a beer and enjoy the drive. Saves you time so you might get some more skiing in 
The Con´s: Price, seems expensive but shared between 5 people it´s often affordable. You can even ask the company if they offer shared transfers to spread the cost.
Best route: Munich airport to Munich "middle ring" (mittler ring) A92, A9, 304 West towards Olympic stadium (middle ring anti clockwise), south towards Garmisch Partenkirchen A95, Continue on 2 to Scharnitz, Austria. B177 to Seefeld, L36 to Telfs, Then choose A12 (motorway needs Vignette) or B171 (main road needs no Vignette but considerably slower) to St Anton.
If you´re travelling on a Saturday (change over day) then avoid the "Fernpass" and the A12/A8 motorway corridor via Kufstein and Rosenheim. They are garanteed to be jammed solid during daylight hours. But are generally okay on other days of the week.
As for a guide just contact any of the larger ski schools and make sure you tell them what you want/expect and your group´s skill levels. That way you should get a suitably qualified/experienced instructor.
Have a great holiday
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shreddyteddy, Current long term roadworks around the Mittler Ring (B2R) in both directions are causing big delays at any time of the day not just rush hour. Easier to use the A99 West and then cut across via the A96 and the München- Laim exit to pick up the A95. The hold ups at the end of the A95 are notorious though, and the climb up out of GAP towards Mittenwald ca also be a crawl.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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holyjasper, use the trains, much easier than the roads.
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