Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Holiday season minimum night stay

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Americans thinking of doing a European ski vacation around christmas and new years. Initial plan was to spend a few nights in whatever city we arrive in , like Innsbruck, Geneva l, or Zurich and then 5 nights at a ski resort , dates would be after Christmas but over the new year. I’ve contacted a few resorts like ishgl, overgurgl, and Val d’isere. And the common response is to contact them in late summer / early fall, since, that’s when landlords will become more flexible for reservations that are less than a week, which would be too late to make a decision for us. Anyone have any advice on other resorts that maybe more flexible during that time ? Or, any other suggestions ? Unfortunately, Due to kids school holiday schedules for 2024/25. Christmas / new years week is our only option for skiing. This will be our first time skiing over the holiday and the general feeling is that the crowds in Europe are a bit more manageable than in North America.
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Welcome to Sniwheads @Vtgobbler99 snowHead it's difficult. Best option might be to rent an apartment for the week you want and just stay there for five nigh. But it will be busy everywhere.
latest report
 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?
Thanks. Yes , that would be another option. Just suck it up and book the entire week. Any recommendations on ski towns that have more non-skier activities so we have things to do if we don’t ski the entire week ? Ishgl seems like a good spot for that ? Not so much with obergurgl.
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
@Vtgobbler99, Try booking.com
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Vtgobbler99, this year is extra difficult due to Christmas being mid-week. There will be an even stronger pressure to only sell complete weeks 21-28 dec and 28 dec-4 jan.
It's not just a full week you need to book, you also need to start that week on a Saturday, sometimes Sunday to really improve your chances.
ski holidays
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
This will be our first time skiing over the holiday and the general feeling is that the crowds in Europe are a bit more manageable than in North America.


Not sure exactly what it's like in N America, but that is the busiest part of the season in Europe too, particularly from the 26th through to 2nd Jan...so be prepared for crowds wherever you go.

latest report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
holidayloverxx wrote:
@Vtgobbler99, Try booking.com


and Trivago, Airbnb, Google Maps hotels.

Just enter dates and see what comes up. A lot of places will only be interested in 7 night Sat-Sat bookings over the holidays
snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
Initial plan was to spend a few nights in whatever city we arrive in , like Innsbruck, Geneva, or Zurich


All of those have something of interest, but I would suggest Salzburg or Venice as the most beguiling cities near the Alps.

Best to find the most economic direct transatlantic flight option (also try Milan, Munich?) and work the options from there
snow conditions
 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.
Quote:

Best to find the most economic direct transatlantic flight option (also try Milan, Munich?) and work the options from there


Coming from Washington DC, Munich is looking like the best option. We’d then either train or fly to Innsbruck or Salzburg.
ski holidays
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:
Not sure exactly what it's like in N America, but that is the busiest part of the season in Europe too, particularly from the 26th through to 2nd Jan...so be prepared for crowds wherever you go.



I’ve heard horror stories from friends about skiing here over the holidays, so, thought since volume of resorts in Europe is larger plus infrastructure is better , it wouldn’t be too bad even though its peak season.
ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
In the states, resorts start opening up their reservation systems around March/April for the next ski season. Is that the same for Europe? Seems like im searching a bit too early for next season ?
latest report
 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.
Hi @Vtgobbler99! Resorts in Europe don't have any control over when accommodation providers open up booking as they're generally independent. As others have said try booking.com vrbo etc. If you see something you like and it's cancellable then take it, but keep looking as something better might open later in the year. I managed to get 5 nights over new years this year in Chamonix valley at regular season rates as I just kept looking. I think the owner just forgot to increase the price for new years and I got lucky.
snow conditions
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Canuck wrote:
Hi @Vtgobbler99! Resorts in Europe don't have any control over when accommodation providers open up booking as they're generally independent. As others have said try booking.com vrbo etc. If you see something you like and it's cancellable then take it, but keep looking as something better might open later in the year. I managed to get 5 nights over new years this year in Chamonix valley at regular season rates as I just kept looking. I think the owner just forgot to increase the price for new years and I got lucky.


Great advice ! Thanks !

How was Chamonix this year ? It wasn’t on my list since it’s a bit lower in altitude. Closeby, I was looking into Courmayer, but, seems a tad bit small.
latest report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
In the states, resorts start opening up their reservation systems around March/April for the next ski season. Is that the same for Europe? Seems like im searching a bit too early for next season ?


The set-up in Austria is completely different to the American "Resort" concept, where an entire resort is owned and managed by one company.

In Austria, all of the accommodation is owned by independent operators - often family-run hotels rather than corporate entities - and often by individual owners in the case of apartments/condos. Many hotels, Bed and Breakfast guesthouses (called "Pension" in Austria) and apartments have regular guests who have a long-standing booking - i.e. the accommodation is reserved for a specific week every year until the guest cancels. This is particularly the case for Christmas, New Year and mid-February weeks.

As well as the usual online sites (booking.com, VRBO, airbnb etc) look at the Tourist Office sites for the individual resorts - usually "resort.com" e.g. Saalbach.com - which will also have an accommodation booking service.

As for destinations and timing, as you have already discovered, bookings don't usually open until the end of the winter season and often not until June/July. You'll still have time to find somewhere if your plan is to fly to Munich and then take the train to Salzburg or Innsbruck (you can't fly this leg) before travelling on to your resort. As others have posted, many providers will prefer a Sat-Sat booking, but for a price you should be able to find more flexible options and start firing off requests from around Easter onwards. Beware of cancellation conditions - some hotels can be very inflexible, which is where the booking platforms have an advantage if they offer free or limited fee cancellation.
snow conditions
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
Canuck wrote:
Hi @Vtgobbler99! Resorts in Europe don't have any control over when accommodation providers open up booking as they're generally independent. As others have said try booking.com vrbo etc. If you see something you like and it's cancellable then take it, but keep looking as something better might open later in the year. I managed to get 5 nights over new years this year in Chamonix valley at regular season rates as I just kept looking. I think the owner just forgot to increase the price for new years and I got lucky.


Great advice ! Thanks !

How was Chamonix this year ? It wasn’t on my list since it’s a bit lower in altitude. Closeby, I was looking into Courmayer, but, seems a tad bit small.

It was a hell of a lot better than last year which was a write off! Hard packed on piste, no fresh snow, but we were happy to be there. Lots of fireworks on New Years. There's very little 'ski in-ski out' in Chamonix so you have to rely on busses which can be very busy during school holidays. Thankfully we had a car Very Happy
latest report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
Quote:

Best to find the most economic direct transatlantic flight option (also try Milan, Munich?) and work the options from there


Coming from Washington DC, Munich is looking like the best option. We’d then either train or fly to Innsbruck or Salzburg.


Great, Munich is a nice city, but it's big. Salzburg is more manageable and has a prettier setting, so a couple of nights there to get over the jetlag would be good.

There are some nice larger ski areas south of Salzburg...Schladming, SkiAmade (Flachau, Wagrain), Obertauern, the Gastein Valley, Saaalbach-Hinterglemm, etc

Lots of smaller ones too, good for day trips from a well-located valley base if you had a car to get about.

https://www.bergfex.com/salzburg/

Bear in mind resort altitudes don't have to be as high to get snow at this colder Eastern end of the Alps. At the beginning and end of the season, the skiing can sometimes start mid-mountain if snow conditions dictate.

Innsbruck has historic charm and has an impressive backdrop of high mountains but probably not as pretty as Salzburg. From there, you could move on to any number of resorts in the Tyrol. The Arlberg, SkiWelt, Ischgl, Zillertal are among the most extensive, but there are many more, including some that you can commute to from Innsbruck itself.

https://www.bergfex.com/tirol/

Great idea to book something cancellable and see if something better turns up as the year progresses and more options get loaded.


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 4-02-24 18:10; edited 3 times in total
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Vtgobbler99,
New year week is indeed one of the busiest but generally you can escape the crowds in most ski areas once you have sussed them out.
A 5 night booking over new year is 100% possible, lots of options now on booking.com for example. Italy, Austria or Switzerland probably more options than France
ski holidays
 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?
Italy seems to have less of a Sat-Sat / Sun-Sun only culture, particularly if staying in hotels, however, even there for New Year week it might be difficult to find availability for less than a week.
Be aware, however, that Italians tend to have less of an off-piste skiing culture than other countries (although that does not apply to all Italian resorts).

(I presume that you're aware that nothing off-piste - i.e. groomed trail - can be assumed to be avalanche controlled)
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
P.S. I agree that Courmayer is small for a week's skiing
snow conditions
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
wsirhc wrote:
Italy seems to have less of a Sat-Sat / Sun-Sun only culture, particularly if staying in hotels, however, even there for New Year week it might be difficult to find availability for less than a week.
Be aware, however, that Italians tend to have less of an off-piste skiing culture than other countries (although that does not apply to all Italian resorts).

(I presume that you're aware that nothing off-piste - i.e. groomed trail - can be assumed to be avalanche controlled)


Also, Capodanno (New Year) is the absolute busiest time of all in Italian resorts, assuming the conditions allow. Everyone has time off work and skiing is very much a social thing in Italy and everyone seems to want to go skiing at the same time so as not to miss out on the fun. Not a time I would recommend at all. It will be fun, but you won't get much skiing done! Laughing
latest report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Quote:
Innsbruck (you can't fly this leg) before travelling on to your resort.


Sorry! Not Munich, I meant Frankfurt. Lots more options to fly direct to FRA from IAD, and cheaper !

Great info. Thanks !
ski holidays
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
wsirhc wrote:
P.S. I agree that Courmayer is small for a week's skiing


How about for 4 days ? We range from beginner to strong intermediates. Courmeyer town seems nice but not really ski in / out. Seems like you need to take the cable car up to the base for skiing? However , I did notice the Super G hotel. Gets very mixed reviews. Does anyone have any info on it ? We are looking for more family friendly hotels, but, also like to Apres Smile
latest report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
Quote:
Innsbruck (you can't fly this leg) before travelling on to your resort.


Sorry! Not Munich, I meant Frankfurt. Lots more options to fly direct to FRA from IAD, and cheaper !

Great info. Thanks !


Yes, but it's not an easy transfer from Frankfurt to the Alps. You would have to factor in the cost & hassle of another round of flights or a much longer train trip. The savings would have to be quite big IMHO.

When I looked, it was only United or Lufthansa codeshares between IAD and both destinations, 2 or 3 flights per day. Not sure of your exact dates, but MUC was cheaper for the dates 27th Dec to 4th Jan, around $1500 return
snow report
 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.
luigi wrote:
wsirhc wrote:
Italy seems to have less of a Sat-Sat / Sun-Sun only culture, particularly if staying in hotels, however, even there for New Year week it might be difficult to find availability for less than a week.
Be aware, however, that Italians tend to have less of an off-piste skiing culture than other countries (although that does not apply to all Italian resorts).

(I presume that you're aware that nothing off-piste - i.e. groomed trail - can be assumed to be avalanche controlled)


Also, Capodanno (New Year) is the absolute busiest time of all in Italian resorts, assuming the conditions allow. Everyone has time off work and skiing is very much a social thing in Italy and everyone seems to want to go skiing at the same time so as not to miss out on the fun. Not a time I would recommend at all. It will be fun, but you won't get much skiing done! Laughing


That’s interesting, since, we have a few in our group that doesn’t ski at all and a few others that are pretty much done by lunch. I guess it’s just me and my daughter who really like to go all day Very Happy
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
luigi wrote:
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
Quote:
Innsbruck (you can't fly this leg) before travelling on to your resort.


Sorry! Not Munich, I meant Frankfurt. Lots more options to fly direct to FRA from IAD, and cheaper !

Great info. Thanks !


Yes, but it's not an easy transfer from Frankfurt to the Alps. You would have to factor in the cost & hassle of another round of flights or a much longer train trip. The savings would have to be quite big IMHO.

When I looked, it was only United or Lufthansa codeshares between IAD and both destinations, 2 or 3 flights per day. Not sure of your exact dates, but MUC was cheaper for the dates 27th Dec to 4th Jan, around $1500 return


Should’ve clarified - I think using miles to fly to FRA is a lot less than MUC. But will need to confirm. From FRA there is a codeshare to fly to INN and very cheap using United miles. Haven’t checked Salzburg, but, imagine it’s similar
snow conditions
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
wsirhc wrote:
P.S. I agree that Courmayer is small for a week's skiing


How about for 4 days ? We range from beginner to strong intermediates. Courmeyer town seems nice but not really ski in / out. Seems like you need to take the cable car up to the base for skiing? However , I did notice the Super G hotel. Gets very mixed reviews. Does anyone have any info on it ? We are looking for more family friendly hotels, but, also like to Apres Smile


Courmayeur is a nice spot, pretty village, compact ski area and the stunning backdrop of the Mont Blanc range, but I skied out pretty much all the trails in a day. You can combine with nearby La Thuile and more distant Pila, if you can find transport. It's going to be a nightmare of a transfer from Frankfurt though! You would need Turin or Milan Malpensa ideally, maybe Geneva if you can find a way to transfer through the tunnel from France. Also, as mentioned before it will be absolutely rammed with wealthy Milanese at Capodanno.


Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Sun 4-02-24 18:50; edited 3 times in total
ski holidays
 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.
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
luigi wrote:
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
Quote:
Innsbruck (you can't fly this leg) before travelling on to your resort.


Sorry! Not Munich, I meant Frankfurt. Lots more options to fly direct to FRA from IAD, and cheaper !

Great info. Thanks !


Yes, but it's not an easy transfer from Frankfurt to the Alps. You would have to factor in the cost & hassle of another round of flights or a much longer train trip. The savings would have to be quite big IMHO.

When I looked, it was only United or Lufthansa codeshares between IAD and both destinations, 2 or 3 flights per day. Not sure of your exact dates, but MUC was cheaper for the dates 27th Dec to 4th Jan, around $1500 return


Should’ve clarified - I think using miles to fly to FRA is a lot less than MUC. But will need to confirm. From FRA there is a codeshare to fly to INN and very cheap using United miles. Haven’t checked Salzburg, but, imagine it’s similar


Not sure how miles rewards work, but doing IAD-FRA-INN or SZG must be more physical miles than IAD-MUC direct?? But maybe a better option for you than getting the train from Munich onward??
latest report
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Vtgobbler99 wrote:


I’ve heard horror stories from friends about skiing here over the holidays, so, thought since volume of resorts in Europe is larger plus infrastructure is better , it wouldn’t be too bad even though its peak season.


More resorts, but also you have skiers coming from basically the whole of Europe to ski that week.

Is that period the only time you can go? If you can go at a different time, I seriously recommend it.
ski holidays
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
swskier wrote:
Vtgobbler99 wrote:


I’ve heard horror stories from friends about skiing here over the holidays, so, thought since volume of resorts in Europe is larger plus infrastructure is better , it wouldn’t be too bad even though its peak season.


More resorts, but also you have skiers coming from basically the whole of Europe to ski that week.

Is that period the only time you can go? If you can go at a different time, I seriously recommend it.


We always try to avoid the major holidays for our ski vacations. But kids are getting older and taking them out of school is getting harder to do now , so, we are confined to school holidays and the only extended break for 24/25 is during Christmas and New Years Sad
snow report
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
So, in the states if we have a private instructor we get to skip the lift lines to some degree. Is this the same case for European resorts ? Seems like it a bit different. US ski instruction is solely booked through the resort. Europe seems to have more independent ski instruction options. So not sure if they have the same benefit of skipping lift lines ? Very Happy
snow report
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
swskier wrote:
Vtgobbler99 wrote:


I’ve heard horror stories from friends about skiing here over the holidays, so, thought since volume of resorts in Europe is larger plus infrastructure is better , it wouldn’t be too bad even though its peak season.


More resorts, but also you have skiers coming from basically the whole of Europe to ski that week.

Is that period the only time you can go? If you can go at a different time, I seriously recommend it.


We always try to avoid the major holidays for our ski vacations. But kids are getting older and taking them out of school is getting harder to do now , so, we are confined to school holidays and the only extended break for 24/25 is during Christmas and New Years Sad


That's a shame, but you won't see queues here in Austria like you see from Vail/Ikon/Epic resorts in the US. The good thing about Austria is that buses/trains are super convenient from most resorts, so if you have non-skiers then it's easy for them to travel around while everyone else skis.
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
So, in the states if we have a private instructor we get to skip the lift lines to some degree. Is this the same case for European resorts ? Seems like it a bit different. US ski instruction is solely booked through the resort. Europe seems to have more independent ski instruction options. So not sure if they have the same benefit of skipping lift lines ? Very Happy


Yes, a lot of resorts have that in Europe too. Doesn't make the slopes any less crowded though!! Laughing

Though an instructor might know which runs in the resort are likely to be less crowded I suppose
snow conditions
 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?
Just looking at the codeshares if you're willing to take two flights each way and risk losing bags in transit... Shocked

Aer Lingus is on there, so maybe a routing via Dublin would open up more possibilities for less miles?? The transatlantic flights to DUB were a lot cheaper in $$ terms than the flights into Germany, not sure how that translates into Air Miles though.
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
luigi wrote:
Just looking at the codeshares if you're willing to take two flights each way and risk losing bags in transit... Shocked

Aer Lingus is on there, so maybe a routing via Dublin would open up more possibilities for less miles?? The transatlantic flights to DUB were a lot cheaper in $$ terms than the flights into Germany, not sure how that translates into Air Miles though.


Good idea with aer Lingus! Always my wife’s biggest fear when having connecting flights Very Happy
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
It is certainly possible to fly Frankfurt - Salzburg (Lufthansa/Eurowings). From Salzburg the whole of Salzburgerland and eastern Tirol is within 90-120 minutes by public transport or by a shared or private transfer.

Re. ski schools. Again, the set-up in Europe is totally different to that in USA/Canada. In Europe, the norm is independent ski schools owned by locals, not corporate schools tied to the resort. For example, in the Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang-Fieberbrunn Ski Circus there are something like 20 ski and snowboard schools, each employing between 15 to 75 instructors. France and Italy are a bit different, as there are local offices of semi-official schools (e.g. ESF in France) which are very territorial and have tried to keep other school operators out. In my experience, few, if any, Austrian resorts allow ski schools to skip the queues using priority lanes, although this is a thing in France, and maybe also Italy (but I've not been there for over a decade).

Rather than thinking about skipping queues, perhaps look at which resorts have the fastest and most modern lift systems. I regularly ski in the Ski Circus and rarely queue for more than 10 minutes, even at the busiest times on the busiest lifts. I don't think anywhere in Europe has a more modern system than Saalbach-Hinterglemm.
snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
All the bigger French resorts and some smaller ones have a range of ski schools to choose from. So if "semi official," ski schools have tried to keep others out, they've failed,!!
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
quinton wrote:
In my experience, few, if any, Austrian resorts allow ski schools to skip the queues using priority lanes, although this is a thing in France, and maybe also Italy (but I've not been there for over a decade).

Rather than thinking about skipping queues, perhaps look at which resorts have the fastest and most modern lift systems. I regularly ski in the Ski Circus and rarely queue for more than 10 minutes, even at the busiest times on the busiest lifts. I don't think anywhere in Europe has a more modern system than Saalbach-Hinterglemm.


Yes, priority lanes are a thing in Italy. Not everywhere, but in a lot of places. Most resorts have just one 'official' ski school.

Salzburg plus Saalbach-Hinterglemm would be a great combo for the OP, if he can hook up some Lufthansa codeshare flights via FRA to SZG for less airmiles. I checked Aer Lingus and it seems there's sadly no onward connection via DUB

https://www.bergfex.com/saalbach-hinterglemm-leogang/

You can get a bus/Taxi into the City from the airport and fix up some private transfers to resort and back.

The only tricky thing will be finding something reasonably priced for odd dates over New Year. Satellite resort of Leogang may be quieter?? Better to be in Saalbach though, at the centre of all the connections.
ski holidays
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
luigi wrote:
quinton wrote:
In my experience, few, if any, Austrian resorts allow ski schools to skip the queues using priority lanes, although this is a thing in France, and maybe also Italy (but I've not been there for over a decade).

Rather than thinking about skipping queues, perhaps look at which resorts have the fastest and most modern lift systems. I regularly ski in the Ski Circus and rarely queue for more than 10 minutes, even at the busiest times on the busiest lifts. I don't think anywhere in Europe has a more modern system than Saalbach-Hinterglemm.


Yes, priority lanes are a thing in Italy. Not everywhere, but in a lot of places. Most resorts have just one 'official' ski school.

Salzburg plus Saalbach-Hinterglemm would be a great combo for the OP, if he can hook up some Lufthansa codeshare flights via FRA to SZG for less airmiles. I checked Aer Lingus and it seems there's sadly no onward connection via DUB

https://www.bergfex.com/saalbach-hinterglemm-leogang/

You can get a bus/Taxi into the City from the airport and fix up some private transfers to resort and back.

The only tricky thing will be finding something reasonably priced for odd dates over New Year. Satellite resort of Leogang may be quieter?? Better to be in Saalbach though, at the centre of all the connections.



Yes, I’ve shifted focus to saalbach as it checks off most of my boxes. I’ll keep an eye out for flexible date lodging and hope for the best. Thanks!

Another area that keeps coming up in my research is Val D’isere. It’s a bit of a transfer from Geneva but doable. Again would spend a few nights in Geneva to try and break the trip up. The area of La Daiile seems perfect. Close enough to centre and next to funicular and gondola. And easy access to Tignes.
snow report
 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.
Vtgobbler99 wrote:
luigi wrote:
quinton wrote:
In my experience, few, if any, Austrian resorts allow ski schools to skip the queues using priority lanes, although this is a thing in France, and maybe also Italy (but I've not been there for over a decade).

Rather than thinking about skipping queues, perhaps look at which resorts have the fastest and most modern lift systems. I regularly ski in the Ski Circus and rarely queue for more than 10 minutes, even at the busiest times on the busiest lifts. I don't think anywhere in Europe has a more modern system than Saalbach-Hinterglemm.


Yes, priority lanes are a thing in Italy. Not everywhere, but in a lot of places. Most resorts have just one 'official' ski school.

Salzburg plus Saalbach-Hinterglemm would be a great combo for the OP, if he can hook up some Lufthansa codeshare flights via FRA to SZG for less airmiles. I checked Aer Lingus and it seems there's sadly no onward connection via DUB

https://www.bergfex.com/saalbach-hinterglemm-leogang/

You can get a bus/Taxi into the City from the airport and fix up some private transfers to resort and back.

The only tricky thing will be finding something reasonably priced for odd dates over New Year. Satellite resort of Leogang may be quieter?? Better to be in Saalbach though, at the centre of all the connections.



Yes, I’ve shifted focus to saalbach as it checks off most of my boxes. I’ll keep an eye out for flexible date lodging and hope for the best. Thanks!

Another area that keeps coming up in my research is Val D’isere. It’s a bit of a transfer from Geneva but doable. Again would spend a few nights in Geneva to try and break the trip up. The area of La Daiile seems perfect. Close enough to centre and next to funicular and gondola. And easy access to Tignes.


If you go for Val d'Isere there is a direct train from Paris to Bourg-Saint-Maurice at weekends during the season, then a taxi or bus up to VdI. The train also stops at Moutiers for the 3 Valleys, Aime for La Plagne (part of the Pardiski area). BSM is also the station to access Les Arcs (the other part of Paradiski), plus La Rosiere and Ste Foy.
Have you considered asking for the help of a specialist ski travel agent - they may have more info on what will be available next season.
https://www.peakretreats.co.uk/
https://www.alpineanswers.co.uk/
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@luigi, “Salzburg plus Saalbach-Hinterglemm would be a great combo for the OP, if he can hook up some Lufthansa codeshare flights via FRA to SZG for less airmiles. I checked Aer Lingus and it seems there's sadly no onward connection via DUB

https://www.bergfex.com/saalbach-hinterglemm-leogang/

You can get a bus/Taxi into the City from the airport and fix up some private transfers to resort and back.”

Increasingly popular as a transfer option from Salzburg Airport to Saalbach is the public bus, which is now running a much improved and regular service. The bus leaves from immediately outside the terminal and drops you at Maishofen, where you transfer to another bus that takes you the final 8 miles up the Glemm valley to Saalbach. It costs 15-18 euros each way and takes less than two hours.
ski holidays



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy