Where in Austria for the first time?

A snowHead

I'm planning a trip with a couple of friends in March. Where do you recommend to go?

I'm asking about relation money/conditions and also we need to have a place for some better skiers and there will be some 2nd time skiers. Very Happy

I was thinking about Ischgl but we've never been in Austria and I'm scared that there will be too many people because it is very popular place.

A snowHead

@doppelterKase, Need a bit more information here to give sensible suggestions. Ischgl is a perfectly good place to ski, large area, reliable for snow. Will it be busy? More than likely but so will most places. Costs have gone up in recent years and not many places can be described as budget locations, Ischgl most definitely not.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I would say solden, as it has glacier and you get to ski hochgurgle and obergurgle on the extended lift pass, good night life as well

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For a first time visit to Austria, I think you can't go too far wrong with Mayrhofen. Lively, but pleasant enough, town; excellent range of places to eat and drink; interesting and varied local ski slopes, plus extensive skiing up and down the valley (with good public transport links too); snowsure Hintertux Glacier is easily reachable; and a good choice of accommodation, from basic B&Bs to posh hotels.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@mountainaddict, solid suggestion
or saalbach

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All of the above are absolutely fine. Likely to get good snow all those because of height (Saalbach is higher than most low Tyrol resorts and has a huge amount of skiing). All good for apres - though Obergurgl somewhat quieter than the others.

It's really take your pick - any of those will do. Yes they may well be busy, but if a resort is any good it'll be busy.

See where you can get the accommodation you want near the centre of things. Ischgl likely to be the most expensive of the lot as most hotels are fairly high end/high end. Maybe add Kitz to your list - resort a little lower but still has a wide range of skiing.

Avoid the first week in March in Austria - fasching week

After all it is free

Thanks a lot for all replies snowHead

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

I like Mayrhofen as a base but the Penken in my least favourite area in the whole valley. It's got more of a British feel than many other Austrian resorts too.
I would put Kitz town in the same bracket.

Saalbach would be my choice as an intro to Austria. Good area for beginners, great lifts, nice buzzy village, good mix of Austrian apres bars and other places with live music.

Solden was my first Austrian holiday after years of French holidays, we arrived on our transfer coach during peak apres ski time. Was like a different world.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Assuming all adults and like a bit if Austrian, straight from the piste apres then Ischgl would be a solid choice.

Not so 'on the radar' for British skiers as some of the other suggestions which is good from the customer service PoV as those that do go tend to be better behaved (probably because they are the minority rather than trying to say they are a better class of person or anything) so less hassle/more polite to deal with than some of the Russian (assuming they can still go) or German groups. And that's no issue on the mountain - all instructors will speak perfectly good English.

A lot of people will parrot "It's not very good for beginners" but, well it's where I first clipped in to a pair of skis and slid down a piste (before falling over the first of many, many times) and I'm currently sat in Tignes on the PSB, looking forwards to next week's PiPAU bash so can't have been THAT bad a place to learn!

Sure beginners should be advised to gondola down at the end of the day as the home runs are definite reds and depending in conditions quite often unpleasant reds by the end if the day (though nice earlier in the day) - but my memories are of that gondola down being a blessed relief after 4hrs in the snowplough anyway!

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Definitely the gondola down for beginners. I remember a day in Ischgl when there was literally an ambulance at the end of every piste that came down to town. And about 20 people lined up out the door at the medical clinic! Eh oh!

@doppelterKase, predictably (because I live there) I’m recommending Saalbach, which is renowned as an intermediate skier’s paradise (140km blue runs, 110 red, 20km black, plus a further 138km of varied runs at Zell am See and Kaprun, on the same lift pass).
Unlike other suggestions, you have three blue runs (as well as a red and a black) that descend directly into the village (and virtually to the door of your accommodation if you choose the location wisely).
It has the fastest lift system, and the most gondola cable cars, of any ski resort in the world, so queues are a relative rarity.
And the après-ski is a blast!
Message me privately if you would like a copy of my comprehensive, 20 page guide to the resort; also guidance on airport transfer options, and a few suggested itineraries.

You know it makes sense.

I would recommend the Ski Welt area, several villages including Ellmau, Soll, Hopfgarten, Westendorf etc. It is low but they have excellent prepared pistes and should be fine for first half of March at least.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

1. Lech
2. Hinterglemm (Saalbach)
3. Zell am See

A snowHead

Just been following this thread, I'm considering Saalbach for next jan. Will be flying to Munich and getting train???
Is this an easy option??

A snowHead

@Rje66, yes, there is a regular train from Munich Airport to Zell am See, from where you get the local number 680 bus, or a taxi, to Saalbach.
Many of my friends and guests do this without complaint, although flying to Salzburg is a better option for quicker, cheaper, easier transfers.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@Rje66, Hate to give the opposite opinion but Munich Airport to Zell by train is a bit of a pain at least two changes possibly three. Salzburg is a better option if heading to Saalbach.

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Yes, saw that, looks like a long transfer time too. So , do Ryan air fly to Salzburg, had a look earlier in year '24 and didn't seem to and when there what's the transfer options??
Thanks.
BTW I'm flying from Dublin

@tatmantours, if i get out ill be in touch.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@munich_irish, it’s obviously relative. Having booked their flights earlier on the same day, guests of mine travelled to and from Saalbach last week (from Ireland) via Munich. They made light of the journey (although they did check into a hotel next to the station on the night of their arrival), and arrived looking very unruffled and relaxed at around noon the following day.

And they texted me to say that their return journey had gone smoothly, and all their connections went well. They left Saalbach at around midday, leaving themselves plenty of time to get to Munich Airport for their flight, and they arrived home in the late evening. Generally they were full of praise for the efficiency of the public transport services in Austria and Germany, as well as the reasonable prices (again comparative).

I have occasionally made the journey to Saalbach via Munich, and I found the train connections easy and well coordinated. IIRC it was particularly easy at Wörgl - a matter of merely crossing to the other side of the same platform.

Having said all that, I do fully agree that travelling via Salzburg is far preferable. Especially as there is a regular bus service from the airport to Saalbach (2 hours and €16, or €19 for a Freizeit family ticket for 2 adults and up to 4 children). But, if flights to Salzburg cannot be found (at an acceptable price), I would not discourage anyone from flying to Munich.

As a footnote, I would mention that my daughter flew to Innsbruck on Christmas Eve 2023, and again she found the journey by train (again via Wörgl) to Zell am See fairly painless (and also the return). And friends of mine, who have an apartment in Saalbach, regularly use other airports to economise on flights during peak season - such as Memmingen, Brno, Vienna, Stuttgart (not that I’m recommending any of them). I remember a time when members of my family thought nothing of flying to Linz or Klagenfurt - nowadays it generally seems to be Salzburg or Munich.

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@tatmanstours, It depends, the direct service between Munich & Wörgl only runs every two hours and is often very crowded (though I was on it last Friday and it was unusually quiet). The hourly service means changing at Kufstein too which is a bit of a pain, a fair walk with ski kit as the regional trains stop at different ends of the station. There is then getting the S bahn out to the airport. If (a big if in recent times) everything runs on time then it is fine but not ideal after a flight. Salzburg much better.

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Where in Austria for the first time?

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