 Poster: A snowHead
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There doesn't seem a huge amount of info on here about Ski Welt but does anyone know of shared transfer options to those resorts from Salzburg airport on saturdays in winter? I know public transport is an option but the return flight would be too early for it. Would arriving on Hahnenkamm race day make the transfer options really busy, or fairly unaffected?
Any other info would also be appreciated. They seem fairly quiet towns by Austrian resort standards but Brixen in particular seems a good base to ski the Ski Welt area and also to access places like Kitzbuhel and even Fieberbrunn if you have the super Ski area pass.
I have never been but would assume conditions and queues to be fairly similar to places like Saalbach or Ski Amade at the same times, or are they likely to be vastly different?
Thanks for any help. It seems from a search that there isn't the same SHs local representation compared to the vast help available in Ski Amade (Flachau and Radstadt in particular) and Mr T + others in S/H
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 25-05-25 9:41; 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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@toyah807, if you want a shared transfer service then Four Seasons/Tirol taxi do transfers from several airports including Salzburg to Austrian resorts including Brixen and Hopfgarten. It looks like they charge 138€ each way.
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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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Another shout for Four Seasons. They are excellent. We've used them to Ellmau a few time.
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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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| musher wrote: |
| Another shout for Four Seasons. They are excellent. We've used them to Ellmau a few time. |
Agreed, I've used them several times from Munich airport to the Zillertal. If you register with them you can even collect transfer bonus points to use to offset the price of subsequent transfers.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Alastair Pink, thanks, I did see mention of Four Seasons on the Ski Welt site but stopped reading when I didn't immediately see Brixen in the list of resorts. 138 euros each way seems a lot for a shared transfer for a solo traveller, if that's what you mean? I couldn't see SZG prices on the Four Seasons website.
Most of my friends would share a private transfer, there is just one person on a different flight who would be looking to transfer alone.
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@toyah807, on the Four Seasons website select Salzburg as the airport and Brixen im Thale or Hopfgarten im Brixental as the resort. You can then see the prices for one person or a group (Economy class or Private class).
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@Alastair Pink, ok, I see now, thanks. The SZG transfer price is reasonable for 6 (450 return), less so for 1 (276 euros). Munich also seems quite pricey at 146 euros each return for 5 people.
I will try some other options, I was thinking of something similar to the cheaper shared options available for Ski Amade and Saalbach, though accepting that is a shorter distance and less commonly used.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@toyah807, I have skied SkiWelt a lot over the years (Scheffau is pretty much the nearest decent sized area to where I live). Mainly day trips so not much knowledge about transfers though not sure shared transfers will be a thing. I would imagine most visitors drive or if they fly via Munich. Brixen is the most central location, though not sure how lively it is and it is rather spread out. Certainly nothing like the apres setup in S-H. There are a number of Dutch owned bars (the area being very popular with Dutch folks). I dont go much these days, I prefer going by train and that really doesnt work for SkiWelt but mostly because conditions are rarely that good. Outside of a snowy January (or early season heavy snow in December) the snow is often poor, dont even think about skiing from Hoch Brixen to Brixen on the red unless you are a decent skier (conversely the run down from Choralpe on the opposite side of the valley is the best in SkiWelt). I have never found an issue with queues, the lift system is efficient and mostly very up to date, but a long time since I have been in February.
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@munich_irish, thank you, very helpful. Particularly your observations about snow quality
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@toyah807, I'm an Austrian regular, and I tend to alternate between Flachau, Hinterglemm, Skiwelt and Zillertal and then throw in days out to interesting places like Alpbach, St Johann, Maria Alm/Hochkonig, Steinplatte, Lofer, Schladming, etc to get a bit of variety and scope out other options for future trips.
As @munich_irish (frequently) grumps, conditions in the Skiwelt can be variable but I've found that just about everywhere at one time or another, and I've also taken the family to the Skiwelt for 3 out of the last 5 years at half term in February and only one of those had conditions which were in any way poor, and we still managed 8000 vertical metres on most days. January is the best time to be there as that's when conditions are likely to be good. February is generally OK - if you're looking for knee deep powder then you're in the wrong place unless you get lucky, but the pistes will generally be reasonable and there is occasionally reasonable cover offpiste as well. March is probably too risky. I've also been in Söll for the opening week of the season for the last 5 years, and have had no problems with skiing all day every day on empty slopes with good cover. All of the valley runs have generally been open in January and February, though the comments on the Brixen run are accurate and I'd generally advise avoiding it unless you've had a good look at it on the way up and seen that it has good cover.
Brixen is strung out along the road, and the centre is almost non-existent. There is one apres bar by the lift which is OK, but not a lot else. Hopfgarten is one place I haven't tried, but that's because it also has little to recommend it - there's a village, but the lift is on the edge and there's not a lot around it other than a hotel and a bar and a car park. However, both are reachable by train, Hopfgarten having a second station beside the lift, while in Brixen it's about a mile away.
Salzburg and Munich are about the same travel time to Brixen, ~90 minutes in clear conditions. I normally hire a car - the roads are all below 700m and typically completely clear and easy, so at €180-240 for the hire and €50 for fuel it is cheaper and more convenient than a shared or private transfer and also means that day trips out are easy, plus of course if you are self-catering it makes the shopping run much less hassle.
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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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@ousekjarr, grumpy moi? 
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@munich_irish, twas always going to be a case of pot calling kettle... 
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You know it makes sense.
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A Four Seasons private transfer for four of us in March was cheaper than hiring a car, Innsbruck to Ellmau.
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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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Here’s a long shot for you @toyah807, on the shared taxi front.
Andi’s Taxis took my wife and I to and from Salzburg to St Johann about 10 years ago (told you it was a long shot).
They were well priced and reliable, so maybe worth a try: info@andis-taxi.com
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Poster: A snowHead
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@ousekjarr, thanks.
@EdYarker, not a long shot at all! Found the website and it appears to offer exactly what I was looking for at a reasonable price. Would certainly be contacting them closer to the season, if some of the other comments hadn't made me question Brixen as a base after 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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@toyah807, that’s good to hear and possibly the first time one of my recommendations on here has come to anything.. if only you with stick with your Brixen plan!
In all seriousness, having skied the area 3 times before I would be tempted to go one resort further to Westendorf. I feel that the skiing is generally better on that side and you can link into Kitzbuhel area easily. It still has a train station if you want to go onto Fieberbrunn one day and the village is far more compact.
Good luck
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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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@toyah807, I've stayed in Brixen on several occasions and had a good trip, but it wouldn't be my first choice.
I tend to go to Söll because I like the village and especially the eating and drinking options available. Ellmau is OK, compact centre and some variety, but the skiing is mainly from Hartkaiser and that's either a bus away or needs the drag lift on the nursery slope if you are well placed to access it, though in good conditions the Hausberg is worth an occasional visit. Scheffau has a split personality - a small cluster of buildings at the lift with the main village centre almost a mile away up on a sunny terrace, from where one run is maintained down to the valley to the gondola, but you need a bus back. Going is tiny and pretty dead, but cheap. At all of these the runs are primarily north-facing and are maintained down to valley level through the main part of the season.
Itter is small and spread out with little to recommend it other than being quiet. Hopfgarten and Brixen I've covered, except to add that the slopes at Hopfgarten face west to south west, and those at Brixen mainly face south west to south east, hence the problem on the valley run.
With a Superski pass I'd be venturing to Alpendorf, Niederau, Sankt Johann or Steinplatte before I went to Kitzbuhel or Fieberbrunn, but while those are quieter and more interesting, they all require a car rather than a train with the exception of Sankt Johann.
Westendorf has some interesting skiing and the run back to Brixen is highly recommended apart from the last 400 metres where a short tunnel, 30m travelator and 350m drag rope get you back to the lift. On the back side, the runs are pretty samey and south facing with the exception of the KiWest descent which I really like. I've never visited the village beyond the lift, so can't comment on it.
On a private transfer or in a hire car, look at all of them and make a call on which ticks your boxes. If a train trip out is attractive, that limits the options as there is no train line through Itter, Söll, Scheffau, Ellmau or Going. In Westendorf and Brixen it is a long way from the lift, so you can choose accommodation near the lift or near the centre or near the station, but not all of them and not even 2 of them in Westendorf.
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@ousekjarr, aren’t the lifts and the village centre fairly close in Westendorf fwir? Admittedly the train is a bit of a treck (bus journey).
If I was keen on using the Superski pass I would be tempted by hopfgarten due to the vicinity of the train station but as stated you maybe compromised by the quality of the local skiing.
The St Johann trip I mentioned above was great for visiting other resorts. We did Kitzbuhel and Zell am See by train and Steinplatte, Feiberbrunn and Lofer by bus as well as enjoying the local pistes.
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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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@ousekjarr, thanks, more food for thought.
Hiring a car is something we look at and discount each year, no one really wants to be the driver. Actually, one of the group hired a car to Arabba this season because at one point he thought he would have to return a day early, but has only recently got a speeding ticket notification - we went mid Jan- so the pool of volunteers will now be even smaller.
In relation to thinking of other nearby resorts, the consideration of Brixen (and less so Hopfgarten) is purely driven by price/ value compared to other places we might go. About 75 euros per night Half Board is the quote. I haven't seen a similar price for other resorts around Ski Welt so they aren't on the list and I wanted to know about possible transfer costs (we would probably arrive on different flights) so that I could weigh up the relative value of the whole trip by comparison to other Austrian places we have been to or would consider. So snow condition definitely forms part of that. Similarly my choice of a day out to Kitzski was more out of convenience with a free bus there and/or back and a stop outside the hotel than thinking it would be preferable to other Superski area choices.
So my choice is more Brixen versus Ski Amade or Saalbach using a combination of factors, though I don't want to open that as any kind of debate, I have filled up my own thread enough already........
I sometimes wish I only had a First Choice Ski Brochure and my local Lunn Poly to sort my ski holiday 
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Not sure others would agree but I think Kitzbühel is far and away the best skiing in the area (better than S-H). A big part of the attraction of staying in either Brixen or Westendorf is not the local skiing but the ease of access to the Kitzski area on the same pass, easy to do either on skis via Ki West or on the bus (free with a pass & ski kit). Brixen & Westendorf are likely to be cheaper than Kitzbühel or Saalbach if that is a consideration. Unless you like traveling around the Tirol not sure there is much to be gained from visiting spots like St Johann or Steinplatte on a short ski holiday. From what little you have said I might be inclined to suggest S-H would be as good as anywhere for your group though realise it is getting expensive (so are most places!).
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@munich_irish, thanks, I agree. I am definitely finding S/H more expensive, more around the 130-140+ euros per night mark and I am not sure it is worth the extra, however much my friends would probably pay it if I said we should go. Availability is also an issue when asking for 5 or 6 rooms, but I will keep at it. This thread has answered my transfer question but also given me a few more things to think about, so not sure I am anywhere nearer deciding!
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@toyah807, €75/ pppn HB is a great price so I can see why Brixen appeals to you and if it looks like a decent hotel and you are happy with a short bus ride each morning then I still think it’s a great option going mid season.
As you initially pointed out, you are in a good logistical area to experience all of Ski Welt and Kitzbuhel area, which is more than enough for a week.
As you are with a decent sized group you may not require a massive social scene in the village as long as there’s a bar to congregate in and half of that is taken care of with HB dinner. S-H or some of the Amade resorts offer more exciting villages and potentially better snow conditions (but I wouldn’t necessarily say better or more varied runs than the whole of Kitz/ SW combined). I see your dilemma
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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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@EdYarker, that sort of captures the dilemma exactly, though the Brixen hotel I am looking at is only 400m from the main lifts so walkable for ski welt skiing. I would hire ski lockers at the lift, as we often do for practicality and to access lower prices
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@toyah807, ski lockers transformed my ski accommodation searches! I’m perfectly happy with a leisurely 10 minute stroll to lockers/ lift or even a good bus service. Opens up loads of cheaper digs.
Come back to the thread once you’ve made your call. Interested to hear how it pans out.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@EdYarker, will do. Kirchberg is now looking favourite, skiing Kitzski and visiting Ski Welt instead of the other way round. Some of the observations above prompted that search switch, helped by a decent offer from the Lifthotel in rooms which should suit the group. It seems close enough to the lift but I could still be tempted by ski depot at Gerrys Sport. The walk into town doesn't seem outrageous if we even bother and using Kiwest link seems the easiest way into Ski Welt skiing. Unless I am missing something it does seem a very good fit for us.
Only thing at the back of my mind is whether arriving on the day of the downhill might be problematic, or how the skiing will be impacted by the racing going on during the first weekend. Though there seems plenty left on the Superski pass
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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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@toyah807, Race weekend is usually a good time to ski the area as tends to be less folk actually on the slopes. Biggest impact is on traffic with restrictions in Kitzbühel itself which might be a minor issue for access from Salzburg. If it is a snowy January you can ski across various fields back to the village otherwise best get a locker at the lifts.
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@munich_irish, thank you. I have made an enquiry with the shared transfer company to check whether race day might affect that option but other than that I think I will go ahead. I assume private transfers will still be fine, maybe use a different route and cost a little more?
Had a reply from Andi of Andi Taxi fame above to say that they are retiring in October and that private and shared journeys will be continued by Taxi M1 (Taxer Marcus) www.tm1.cc and info@tm1.cc just in case anyone finds this thread during a search and wants another place to check.
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You know it makes sense.
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@munich_irish,
The ski areas of Kitz and Ski Welte are no longer on the same joint pass, that ended a few years ago
They are available as being able to get access to ski both on the much larger Salzburger or Tirol passes
But they also give you circa 3000kms on each not just here in Kitz etc
What you can do is buy a weeks larger area pass or depending how many days you want to go in each area extend your pass for the day circa 30 euros a day
Ironically as a local here in Kirchberg I have no option to pay the 30 euros if I want to ski the ski Welte for the day ….normal day prices I’m afraid
But then that’s my decision
This year it’s just over 600 euros for my annual pass between now until next ski season ends giving me free lifts in effect in the summer
The alternate is over 1000 euros for the Salzburg/Tirol ski pass but no lifts in the summer
Toyoh807 if you need any help in where your looking at in Kirchberg feel free to pm
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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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@jafa, thanks, will do. Looking at the Lifthotel at the moment but definitely interested to see that you can upgrade the local pass by the day if you want to ski Ski Welt. Not sure all of the group will want any more than one day out but conversely a few might fancy Fieberbrunn as well as Kitzski and SWelt
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Poster: A snowHead
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Kirchberg would seem to be a decent base. Not stayed there myself but village looks nice even if the lifts are a bit out of it.
As you suggest Lifthotel is nearer the gondola than the village, so that’s handy (and lockers still worth the investment). I suppose it means you are likely to ski a bit more in the Kitz area than SkiW, especially with the lack of joint skipass, but that’s no massive hardship.
Personally I probably prefer SkiW as it’s a bit larger and the Kitz area gets a bit strung out after the Jochburg link but they a both good and that’s very much personal taste.
Thanks for sending out the info on Andi’s Taxi successors. I’m sure that will be useful for later date.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@EdYarker, my dilemma continues! The hotel I was initially looking at in Brixen is now showing at just under 60 euros per night half board and on that basis seems to once again trump Kirchberg @96, despite the fact the Kirchberg hotel might be slightly nicer overall. Makes it a reasonable gamble even paying 429 euros for the Superski pass on top.
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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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@toyah807, it probably depends on what you want from your holiday. Kirchberg is the more interesting village though the village centre is a good way from the main lifts and requires use of a bus (which can be busy). Brixen is spread out and smaller though some of the accommodation is near the lifts (though unlikely @ €60/night). I would say the Kitzski area is better though Kirchberg is rather on the edge of the ski area. The train station in Kirchberg is easier to access if you want to do any trips further afield. St Johann is easy, the station at Fieberbrunn is in the village centre a good way (bus or taxi) from the lift.
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@munich_irish, thank you, all helpful as always. I suppose the main focus would be skiing and easily accessing as much as possible. A few drinks after skiing and with dinner too but as a group of 12 some of the entertainment is ready made. Half will go on another holiday during the winter and the others are cycling holiday and happy to stay in hostel types. We may venture into Kirchberg if staying there but not every night. 3 or 4 make use of the wellness facilities but would not miss them. Its a group of mixed ability and distance skiers but we won't have a vehicle so would use public transport for any trips out or back.
I am specifically comparing two hotels, really, given they are the ones I can find at a reasonable price and rather than the villages per se.
The Lift Hotel in Kirchberg @96 euros or thereabouts. I am told it still needs a short bus trip, though I would not be against hiring a ski locker and walking up to the lift. As far as I can tell if we were to finish our day in Westendorf, Brixen or Kitzbuhel we could get a bus back to Kirchberg town but would need to walk or catch another bus up to the Lift Hotel.
The hotel in Brixen is less than 60 euros per night and close enough to the lifts for us to hire a ski locker and walk to and from it. The bus (4051?) also goes past the door, so finishing or starting in Hopfgarten, Kitzbuhel or Kirchberg would actually seem easier using that and get dropped off home. Easy also to get back from Westendorf village by bus. I have considered Fieberbrunn as a taxi day out but that seems the same sort of distance for either. Wildschonau is easier from Brixen.
I hear your assertion that Kitzski offers slightly better skiing but I think Brixen offers a fairly good option to access both. I am slightly worried that you say the Kirchberg buses might be busy given we might be staying on the last stop before the lift. I would hate to find it full each day and sail past us.
So apologies for that long and boring response! It is more a balance of everything and whether the Kirchberg option is worth paying over £200 more
Edit: obviously looking for decent conditions but late january will hopefully mean the runs back into Brixen would be covered and skiable, if challenging, given some of the comments earlier in the thread
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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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The Lift Hotel is no where near the end of the bus route. It goes from the Lift Hotel, up to the Maeirl Lift, then back down the hill and out to the Pengelstein area. I dont think you need worry about getting on the bus. The one that goes from my door to the Maeirl at 8-30 and 8-50 sometimes is crowded, but thats because its paid for by one or two of the hotels nearby. So they all load onto them, as otherwise, theyd have to walk down the hill to catch the transport.
Heres last years timetable
https://www.kitzski.at/media/4004-kitz-aschau-vollbetrieb-4.pdf
As you can see your really only below half way on the stops. And the last bus back to you from town (FOC ) is quarter to seven at night getting you home two minutes later
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@toyah807, To that hotel you can ski back (though needs decent snow, probable in January but who knows) it is a fairly short but uphill plod to the lift (would not be keen in ski boots). It is a bit away from the centre probably about 10 mins or so walk, too far with ski kit if travelling back from further afield. An easy location for a bus up the small valley for quick access to the Pengelstein gondola or KiWest for access to Westendorf etc (not likely to be particularly busy). Not sure you would need to use the buses otherwise unless someone ends up in Kitzbühel or further away. Personally I would go with this option, but its not my money , better skiing and a better location.
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@munich_irish, our default option is to hire a ski locker at the lifts so we would be getting on a bus or walking up in the mornings in normal shoes (unless we return from elsewhere, note to self maybe need slippers in the hotel ski room for that eventuality). If you think it is walkable to Maeirl we would be happy to do that. You may not know it for comparison but we were happy walking from Garni Bellavista to the Burz lift in Arabba (around 600m i suspect, down and then up hill). I agree that Lift Hotel offers an easy ski or bus trip to get to Ski West link but I plan to ski as much as I can in both areas whichever town I stay in.
For info the Brixen hotel I have been looking at is the Brixnerwirt, with the bus stop outside and again we would hire a locker at the lifts and walk.
@jafa, thanks for the info about the bus. I did see it continued after Maeirl despite not saying this, but I assumed that most people going there or beyond would already be on the bus as it got to us and therefore the risk it would be full remains in my mind. Getting back from town or Kitzbuhel would I agree seem fairly easy until early evening.
All food for thought and appreciated. My friends will go with and pay whatever I decide, but the pressure remains to give them a good and good value trip. Only 1/12th of the cost is mine but the other 11/12ths seem to worry me more!
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@toyah807, We've stayed at the Lift Hotel a couple of times. Ski buses are little below and above the hotel on the road outside. Would highly advise against walking in ski boots up to the Maierl. We have once skied back, after a dump in mid January was difficult find our way.
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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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@HutToHut, thanks. We would hire lockers and walk up to the lift in normal shoes. Certainly don't think some if my friends would find their way back to the hotel skiing, though if I asked them to ski to the bar out front they may have more success
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Thanks for all the help, opinions and suggestions. It has satisfied the original aim of the thread in that I have private and shared transfers for the whole group sorted (in theory).
In the Kirchberg vs Brixen saga the latter won out in the end.......
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FAQ
