 Poster: A snowHead
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hi all
I'm off to Bad Hofgastein next week with a group of friends, a mixture of good skiers and boarders.
I've been before, years ago but didn't make it out of the Gastein valley and hadn't appreciated just how big and spread out the Ski Amade region is!
Are there any must visit hidden gems? We won't have a car so will be using public transport.
thanks
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 6-01-16 17:18; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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I didn't post immediately I saw this as I have been to the Gastein valley for the last 3 years running and still not made it outside into the rest of Amade. This year I explored Sport Gastein for the first time but got bored quickly as I was on a board and would have preferred skis. Still not been up the Graukogel side. I liked Dorf Gastein a lot too. Have you explored that area?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The Gasteintal is a little out the way of the rest of the Ski Amade. IIRC similar questions have been asked before and failing a car the railway looked to be the best bet for getting around. I enjoyed Sport Gastein the extra height gives it a different feel, save it for a sunny day. Dorfgastein and Grossarl is a good day out as well.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@scootsman1, and it was gret in reality when we went
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Really liked Bad Hofgastein, and stayed there twice. A really pretty, safe town with a few good places to eat. Not much apres. The skiings good - has some lovely tree lined runs. The highlight of the town is the spa/pool complex, with indoor/outdoor pool, flumes, lazy river, cinema (in a pool) etc etc. The ski bus is free to neighbouring Sportgastein and Dorfgastein - if you get bored of the skiing in Bad Hofgastein.
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thanks all for the welcome and advice 
Having looked into the options a bit further there seems to be a regular train/bus between the Gastein valley and St Johann which looks to be a short hop to Alpendorf, this gives access to the Salzburger Sportwelt region. Anyone tried this?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Without a car the best option might be to stay in Dorfgastein and then ski over to Grossarl and then take the free ski bus to Alpendorf (for access to Sportwelt). You'll also have the free ski bus along the Gastein valley.
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I'm going to hijack this thread with my question.
We are a group of 8 adults + 1 toddler + 1 baby. We are going to Bad Gastein / Bad Hofgastein for a skiing week in early March.
We have 2 options for accommodation:
1. More or less central area in Bad Hofgastein, next to skibus, walkable distance to the ski lifts (about 900m). There are skibuses to Dorfgastein and Sportgastein.
2. The village of Badbruck, 4km from ski lifts in Bad Gastein. Skibus is near, there are 14 skibuses a day to Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein. No direct skibuses to Dorfgastein and Sportgastein.
The Badbruck option is more family/toddler friendly.
Now how about the efficiency of the skibuses? At least 4 persons like to ski a lot and appreciate slope diversity, new places. Are the skiers doomed if we stay in Badbruck? What would you choose? I've heard opinions that the skibuses are somewhat random.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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There are some nice hotels in the Badbruck area. If you're in the center of Bad Hofgastein I don't think you'll have a direct ski bus to the other areas either as those buses run along the main road by the lift. The center of Bad Hofgastein is quite nice too though.
There are lots of ski buses but not sure of their efficiency. I don't think the ski convenience will be that different for the two places. Therefore I'd go with the better hotel. 900m is a long way to walk in ski boots so unless you leave them by the lift you'll more likely use buses whichever place you choose.
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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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The general assumption is to use skibuses, but if I miss a bus at in Badbruck 10:40, the next one is 11:40.
In Bad Hofgastein center the bus is every 5-10-15 minutes, so if I miss one, I'm not set back one hour.
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We used the ski depot (Irausek) next to the Schlossalm lift station in Hofgastein, which is over (there's an underpass) the road from the main bus stops. Dependant on the hotel location in Hofgastein it's an easy ten minute walk from the centre. Good for a warm up and more convenient than bussing it. The buses are pretty frequent and reliable once you've understood the different lines. All the bus lines meet at the main bus stations. So depends if you want to walk or have a short or longer bus ride and there's some OK apres near the bottom of the Schlossalm in Hofgastein.
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You know it makes sense.
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| tupungato wrote: |
The general assumption is to use skibuses, but if I miss a bus at in Badbruck 10:40, the next one is 11:40.
In Bad Hofgastein center the bus is every 5-10-15 minutes, so if I miss one, I'm not set back one hour. |
Not true. If you miss the 10:40 there's another one in 5 minutes !! (the actual times are 10:43 and 10:4
Although buses are normally every hour they run 6 extra ones in the morning and 4 in the afternoon.
Buses from Bad Bruck will give you access to 3 uplift points (Schlossalm, Stubnerkogel, and Graukogel) in two areas whereas buses in Hofgastein only one (Schlossalm) or perhaps two (Angertal) but only one area. Unless of course you are near the bus station in Hofgastein in which case all 6 uplift points in the valley will be accessible by direct bus.
Trouble with a ski depot is it can tie you down to one area.
Here's the bus timetable.
http://www.skigastein.com/files/prospekte/winter/gastein-skibus-info-15-16_ansicht.pdf
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@snowheads68, the Irausek ski depot is just over the road from the Hofgastein bus station. Best of both worlds?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| HutToHut wrote: |
| @snowheads68, the Irausek ski depot is just over the road from the Hofgastein bus station. Best of both worlds? |
Yeah. Good point.
Perhaps not so convenient for Graukgel or Stubnerkogel or Sortgastein from Badbruck.
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