What is the current situation regarding travel to Austria

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@PowderQueen, Lifts are short compared to US/Canada? Not sure why you think that. Apart from the Peak to Peak in Whistler and the Tram at Jackson Hole most of the other long lifts are in Europe. Is it because a lot of the infrastructure in North America is so slow and doesn't have chair covers it just feels longer?

As to FFP 2, so far this season in Austria, FFP2 at the bottom lifts are a must but once you're on the Mountain nobody is checking what's under your Buff/Snood.

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You can always just pop it in under a buff without using the loops.

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we have ordered the "official" ski austrian ffp2 buff.....basically a black buff with ffp2 inserts and a big "FFP2 inside" sign on it.

should be super simple, get the lift pull buff up, get off lift and depending on weather, lower it or leave it up.

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@enduroaid, So that's €14.50 for another mask to go over your 50c "insert" from the local supermarket. Plus another set of things to hook over your ears. As opposed to using your existing collection of Buffs to do the same job. https://www.skiaustria-shop.at/startseite/5650-16298-ski-austria-gesichtsmaske-mit-filter.html#/25-farbe-rot

Makes perfect sense to me.

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Well one last curve ball, will need a negative Antigen test to return to Ireland, have travel insurance in place to cover if we test positive while in Austria, just wondering how you go about finding accommodation to cover your isolation period.

After all it is free

@2waterford, I'm sure the authorities will be able to help with that but it won't be in a ski resort.

@2waterford, there are free 15 minutes tests at Munich airport, which I assume would work for return travel. You can always do a self test before hand to check.

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@2waterford, I've been trying to find the answer to your question on Quarantine. I found that Vienna does have designated quarantine hotels and that Salzburgland seems to have the same. Couldn't find it in writing though. I think what would happen is that if you test positive, the health authority contact you and if you can't isolate "at home" in Austria then you are directed to a quarantine facility which you may have to pay for. On my (UK) travel policy it does state that they would pay out for any quarantine requirements that occur after you've started your trip.

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@2WATERFORD. Our tour op told us yesterday that the Austrian Gov were providing free quarantine accomodation for tourists who have to isolate there. Not sure that I believe them.

@2waterford, that's the way the world is at the moment. There is always a risk of testing positive and having to deal with whatever arises from that. If it is a big worry then you are probably better off staying at home rather than getting stressed about "what ifs". It is supposed to be a holiday!

You know it makes sense.

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@buchanan101, It is on my post 9 up!

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It looks like they removed it from the store. I remember when i last checked a few weeks ago it was listed as out of stock. Cant seem to find it on their website anymore. They just have normal “Schlauchals” listed atm

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At Axamer Lizum today, we had to have our passes activated at the Kassa for 2G, but that will last the season now. Some ski areas can be done online, but at the others you have to activate on the first visit rolling eyes

Obviously, I'm not likely to remember which areas are active and which are not, and will inevitably hit a red light on a turnstile at some point Confused

No checks after that. Everyone was very compliant with their FFP2 masks where it mattered (on the train) and not at all where it didn't (on the chair).

There is a snack bar operating at the top this year (daft laws about road access put paid to that last year) where we were able to get a hot sandwich and chips, and the bar half way down was open for hot drinks and bangin' choons. The 50m takeaway rule is a bit daft though, as everyone just ends up sitting in the snow in front of the kiosk, or using a bench if any have been left out. I'm not sure the risks are any different when sitting on the floor or round a table rolling eyes

On-piste conditions were really nice today – first day this season for me and I'm coming back off an ankle injury so didn't want to risk anything too crazy – but off-piste looked a bit rocky and the bits that didn't got skied out yesterday! More snow falling though, and the ankle held up fine.

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@Scarlet, do you really need to activate it at each area, I would have thought they would just make the ticket valid until end of season / end of 270 days, whichever comes first.

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@Chris_n, It seems it's not a particularly joined up system. For the areas that are in the 21st century (Stubai, Kühtai, Schlick etc.), you can activate it once online, and it's valid as long as your impfpass, so August for me. For the others, (inc. Axamer Lizum & Nordkette), you have to go to the Kassa the first time you go to that area, and then it's valid presumably, till August, but it might be the end of the ski season. I guess I'll find out in summer, but there's never a queue then so it's not a big deal, and we might not be on 2G by then anyway. Yesterday, ORF had mental pics of Axamer Lizum with a huge queue for the Kassa going up and down and back through the carpark! Needless to say, a lot of pass holders turn up on opening day.

For the avoidance of doubt, I'm talking about a season pass here.

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@espri, I think it will depend on your pass and whether the areas you visit have got their act together. Maybe you have more tech over your way wink

After all it is free

@Scarlet, yeah I realised it was a season / Jahreskarte. I just thought it would be treated like a multi day pass that is valid for all areas until x date. I don't have my card yet because it depends whether I am looking like working or not which card I get. If ski school can open from start of season with guests then I only get a local pass, if not I can get an instructor discount on a superski card but it is only valid for the Tirol resorts, you can ask @espri how I know that snowHead

. Not sure how much discount there is for a Tirol card, I'll find out next week.

@Chris_n, that last line wasn't really for you, more for the inevitable “I didn't have to do that when I bought my 6-day/weekend/day ticket” that will inevitably appear wink

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I am thinking I will book my Munich flight today for 13th Dec until 22nd Dec and then book the accommodation later since there is plenty to choose from (have a few options eyed up ready but I’m thinking Zillertal somewhere), just in case the flight prices go up.

Only thing is though with that is when will we know for definite it’s a goer from 13th? If the lockdown does get extended then surely it will be mentioned on or before the Friday 10th Dec? It would be a disappointment I know but I doubt anything would get done on a Sunday. It’s the Sunday which is the 12th anyhow so surely we would know before then!?

@VolklAttivaS5, Wednesday is a holiday, so probably Thursday. That's still not really enough notice for hotels and restaurants, but it's the best they're likely to get for opening next week Confused

Not sure why they won't open Sunday though.

You know it makes sense.

@Scarlet, Oh no! you will get buchanan101 going again on date calculations

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@radar, well, technically he's right, the lockdown ends on Saturday. I'd have thought hotels would want to maximise earnings by opening immediately, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I'm not connected to the industry so it's as much of a mystery to me as everyone else.

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@Scarlet, thanks. Ok so if it goes pear shaped on say the Thursday I can change my flight to another date for free with Lufthansa so that’s ok there. Can book some accommodation on the Thursday for the Monday if it’s a goer especially as pre Xmas there’s usually plenty going. I think I will ask a couple of favourite places though what their intentions are if it’s ok from 13th, do they want me if I can come there!

I suspect the accommodation providers will want the bookings even if it is short ish notice, they’ve probably got their places ready to go now. Apartment or B&B should be ok as the breakfasts don’t take much to organise.

Looks like it’s well worth it for me to go if I can as the snow looks great

A snowHead

@Scarlet, yes I think whilst some will want to maximise it, some others might just wait until Xmas week starts.
That’s why I thought I’d better ask the question of a couple of places to see where they are at.

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@VolklAttivaS5, Your plan seems pretty solid and flexible, so hopefully something will work out for you. I can't see a damn thing out of the window, but it's been snowing solidly for the last couple of days, and conditions on piste at least were already pretty good snowHead

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@Scarlet, I think people are being cautious as the 12th is the 20th day, from memory there was no end date set, so to be safe everyone is starting from the 13th.

Totally unrelated, I think it was you that was hoping to visit the UK and the two day PCR test was an issue, we are using Halo who give you the results within 5 hrs or 6am depending on what time the test is taken , it’s a bargain £59!

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@radar, No, the 12th is the 21st day, and the end day has been repeated in official announcements over the last week as the 11th, so it's just down to whether the restrictions are released. It seems likely that the shops will open at least, and that would be on the 13th, which may be where the confusion has come from, but tourism/gastro could still go either way.

I'm not going anywhere near the UK at the moment. The risk of being isolated with my mother is just too high Laughing

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@Scarlet, I think if it was me with a B&B or something I’d leave it until the Monday too especially as in Austria you can typically arrive any day of the week (especially early season). That way you’ve got the Sunday to get sorted admin wise even if you already had the rooms made up.
I can see some leaving it until Xmas week though too in case there’s some sort of U turn.
I will be very grateful if I can go but if I can’t well I will find something to do at home no doubt.

After all it is free

Ooooh. I’ve had a reply already from one of my faves I’d picked out ready and they said they’d be very pleased to have me from 13th, they say the Government will let them know on Tuesday if it’s finishing on 12th or not. Also I don’t have to pay any deposit to worry about moving over etc.
Yay snowHead

They said they would also be able to tell me on Tuesday if the ski bus will be running.

That is another consideration actually, because there might not be very many people about they may not have everything open to full capacity?
I guess that’s the same as most times I’ve been before Xmas though.

@VolklAttivaS5, this is opinion rather than law, but the Governor of Tirol is pushing to open next week, except for nightclubs. Unfortunately, that view is not shared among his counterparts: https://www.tt.com/artikel/30807658/platter-will-nach-lockdown-alles-ausser-nachtgastro-oeffnen

As I said, I don't know the details of hotel operations, but I'm pretty sure the staff are allowed to be at work, just no guests. I doubt they'd want to restock the kitchens etc. without some kind of guarantee though.

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Yes I think you’re right @Scarlet

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What is the current situation regarding travel to Austria

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