Kitzbuhel downhill race day 2013

A snowHead

Was looking to go to Kitzbuhel in 2013. Was hoping to travel on the day of the race. (I know dates for the 2013 season aren't confirmed)

However if I get there in the morning by coach. Will I be able to get to the hotels. Would hate to have to walk miles with luggage in a crush of people.

Does the town become a grid locked car park? Has anyone had experience of this?

A snowHead

The best way in on race day is by train. Not sure how practical that is but much the best way. Many roads are closed and cars park at Kirchberg and St Johann and then there is a free train shuttle every 15 minutes. Not sure what happens with transfer coaches which I assume is what you are referring to.
Be mindful as well that the race starts at 1130am and most people are on the hill by 1030am.

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Ta, will avoid driving to the Hoff that day, was hell last Sat, 6 hours from Munich, blizzard didn't help, but it was race traffic that was the real problem.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

robboj, didn't realize dates were up already. That's great solves my problem totally. Any advice or tips about race day for example best place to watch ect

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matt23, if you can afford it buy the VIP pass which gets you as close to the racers as possible in the finish area as well as free food and drinks. You can watch every racer and their split times on the big screen and see them from when they come over the Hausbergkante jump and across the traverse

For a more authentic racing speed experience walk up as far a you can and watch them come over the jump at the Zielschuss. I've not done it but some people recommend getting your skis on and watching from further up still but unless you get a big screen you will have no idea what is happening, you have to go to a neighbouring village to get up the mountain though as the Hahnenkamm gondola is for official use only on race day.

As I said above your biggest problem if you travel on race day will be actually being in Kitzbuhel at 11.30 CET. If you are going out that day you will definitely not get there in time (unless you find a flight that leaves the UK before 4am) and if you are going home you will need to hope for a late flight? Sods law says you will have an 8am departure from the hotel?

My advice would be to go the previous Saturday and then you can watch the training all week, see the racers around town and take in the Super G on the Friday, which is much less busy (maybe only 20-30k spectators as opposed to 50k+ for the DH) cheaper and still a great atmosphere. Plus you will have no worries about delays and getting back in time for your transfer?

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matt23, I have just returned from Kitzbuhel (14/1-28/1) to take in the race and Schladming night race. Booked b/b June 2011, rooms get sold out early. Do not think you could travel out from U.k. same day and see race. In '99 I went on the wed before on spec, very lucky to get a room, very lucky with weather as well, blue skies for all race days, fantastic spectacle, viewed from various places including Hausbergkante, great spot and full view of finish area, fair walk up though. In '99 I skied down to it having got the Hahenkammbahn up on race morning (robboj, this year watched from zielschuss jump, which was unfortunately non-existent due to "slowish" speeds, so hadn't tried to use the lifts). This year not nearly as brilliant, thurs training and Friday's super g cancelled, saturday downhill shortened due to poor weather, something to bear in mind. Do not buy tickets in advance for that reason, buy on the day, unless you are going for the finish area vip/tribune tickets, which do sell out well beforehand. No refunds if race is cancelled!
If you stay in Kirchberg closeby you could access the race course by the gondola from there, and by using skis you can view the race from famous points like mausefalle, steilhang, etc.
Despite the weather this year, there was a fantastic atmosphere in town from thurs -sunday.
How about taking in the Schladming night race on the following tues night as well!!! Whatever the weather that's special.

After all it is free

robboj, davidthornton, Thanks for the advice about viewing on race day. Was looking into getting tickets for VIP area, but since you said they are non refundable will pass on that.

Very tempted to do Schladming the following week. That would be an amazing two weeks skiing . Is it easy to get from from Kitzbuhel to Schladming ?

Any other advice if I'm considering doing both?

There is no Schladming night race next year because of the World Championships there in mid-March.

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downhillalltheway, That's a shame, thanks for letting me know

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matt23, I've bought VIP passes for the Super G on the day in 2010 so it may still be an option, DH will be sold out weeks before.

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robboj, sounds like a plan. Where can you purchase from on the day?

Any recommendations for places to stay. Was looking at hotels. Done some research and being in town is more convenient for the lifts, but can be noisy.

Prefer being as close to the gondolas as possible so can put up with that.

Ideally will go the weekend before the race and stay until the Monday/ Tuesday after the race. Tour operators may not go for this.

If I go DIY which is the best airport to fly to? and the best transfer options?

Thanks again for the advice. Kitzbuhel was the first place where I learnt to ski. Going back after many years. Looking forward to it!

matt23, I bought them in the tourist offices on the Hinterstadt but had to collect them from the ticket office which was in the sports hall/swimming pool building, don't know why but it was only a short walk away so no hassle.

The VIP pass is a risk due to the no refund policy but you'll have a fairly good idea a few days before based on the snow conditions and forecast. The rain and wind that scuppered this years Super-G was well forecast so it's cancellation was a possibility from a few days beforehand. If there's plenty snow and the forecast is cold with clear skies there will be very little risk in buying them a few days early.

I've never actually stayed in Kitzbuhel but if I was going to I would consult Trip Advisor. I have friends who swear by the Schweizerhof which is right next to the Gondola

I think its difficult to get 10/11 nights on a package but no harm in trying.

As for airports Innsbruck is closest, Salzburg not significantly further and Munich furthest, depends on where you are in UK and flight options you have?

For transfers I would by choice use a private taxi (booked in advance with a set fare) if theres a few of you with full luggage and skis or by train if, for example, there's just two of you with no skis.

You know it makes sense.

Cheers robboj. Was looking at Scweizerhof, but it's already booked up! Thanks for the info on airports

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

robboj, this year the schweizerhof was taken over by the swiss team appropriately.matt23, I tried every which way in spring 2011 to get a room for either the race weekend or a 10 day period, hotels and b & bs, all would only do 7 day weekend to weekend. However I did not approach any of the four stars. The hotel Strasshofer right in the old centre seems to be good value, it featured in the tour ops this winter, might, no, will be a bit noisy over race weekend! I eventually settled for a 2 week stay at the comfortable and reasonable Pension Schmidinger, a 10 min walk from both the centre and the hahenkamm gondola. As I said I took in the Schladming race, so had to pay for 2 nights unused in Kitzbuhel, staying in Radstadt taking just an overnight bag and skis mon and tues nights for the night race. Early on in the planning I looked at getting the train for the race night from Kitzbuhel, but found that there were no connections through to Kitzbuhel later in the evg, getting there would be o.k.
Ended up booking a hire car from Munich airport to save any hassle on transfers.
I bought a Salzburger super pass to cover both Kitzbuhel, Radstadt and Schladming areas.
Traffic on the saturdays is very very heavy going into and out of that part of Austria from the direction of Munich in particular.

A snowHead

davidthornton, thanks for the recommendation for the hotel Strasshofer. Really hoping I don't have to do two weeks. Happy to move hotels for the last few days. Will check with tour operators.

Shame again about Schladming, but might go another time as a separate ski trip.

Sounds to good to miss. Saw it on Ski Sunday and it looked amazing

A snowHead

matt23, we've stayed at the Strasshofer a couple of times for race week. Great position in Vorderstadt, for the party in town. Was probably noisy but didn't seem to bother us for some reason, could have been the beer! Not bad value, not the best hotel for the money either. It doesn't really have a bar and if they put you in the apartment rooms at the back it's something like 102 steps up to the breakfast room. Armed guards posted front and back for the race party as well. No lift. No boot/ski room when we went.

Getting a non saturday arrival/departure or anything other than a 7/14 stay in Kitz for the race is very very difficult. Even finding availability for for a 7 day saturday arrival for race week independently is hard. Had a nice email from the Hotel Resch when I was looking into it and they said all the best hotels are booked up for YEARS in advance. Think ORF TV go to the Resch and both parties sort of assume they'll be staying every year. davidthornton, has the best idea a two week holiday either side of the race weekend.

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I've just come back from Kitz during the hahnenkamm, met loads of people and half the hotels are empty mid week because the hotels don't accept day-weekend bookings. They know because of the event they can find people willing to pay for a week but only turn up on the thursday to get the Giant slalom on the friday and big race on sat. We had our hotel "The Kaiserhof" to ourselves practically.

If you are that bothered about meeting racers there is an easier way, ordinarily they go to "Ladies Night" at Casino Kitzbuhel on the wednesday before. and you can not only chat to them but be around the whole buzz. (with crystal for about 27euros you can get entry ticket, 3 glasses of prosecco for girls 2 for lads and they even give you 25 euros of chips each to start you off - winning chips are different from the ones they give you which can be cashed up and take home!)

My wife and I decided on the thursday this year to get tickets to the GS and thankfully we didnt pre order so we saved outselves40 euros because when they cancelled it there was a queue for ages outside the ticket booth trying to get a refund in which they were politely told to fuk off! lol so word of warning when it was cancelled that VIP bit was empty think they were 110 euros a pop too!, I can send vids walking around it if you would like

for info Kaiserhof is the other side of the road of the end of blue route 20 just up from the bubble lift Very Happy

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e.g., thanks for more info about Strasshofer. Forgive my ignorance but where or what is Voderstadt. Can't get my head around the steps to the breakfast room. Are the apartments underground? Where is the race party held and is it impossible to get in ? Two week holiday would be ideal it's just cost.

Just trying to see the race and experience the atmosphere in the town after, but this is proving very difficult

Angry Squirrel, Great info about "Ladies Night" at the Casino. Who did you meet? What's Kaiserhof like?

Be great to see vids

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

matt23, the middle really old bit of Kitz is pedestrianised and consists of mainly two streets Vorderstadt and Hinterstadt. This area is full of outdoor bars and food stalls with patio heaters and towers for music speakers and on a good night (when a Tiroler wins) it's rammed with people partying till morning. The winner of the Hahnenkamm goes to the Londoner saturday night which is virtually impossible to get in then. You just walk out the Strasshofer door into the party no tickets, toilets are a bit of a problem though. There are some portacabin type ones about you have to pay for and you can use some of the hotel or restaurants ones that don't have their doors locked or use McDonalds'! The saturday night is best, but this is a problem with saturday arrivals with tour operators. If you leave on saturday you'll probably see a bit of the race but miss the party. If you arrive on saturday you miss the race and the previous giant slalom etc and training but get the party and sundays slalom. Week of the race is best, week after is quiet. Never done it but a fortnight would be best.

The apartments at the Strasshofer are a separate building behind the hotel and further down a hill. If you imagine a switchback road on the side of a steep hill, Vorderstadt is the road on top and the road behind the hotel is further down. The hotel and apartments are at right angles to these roads and built on the same bit of the hill between these roads. That's how I think of it anyway and it's been built on for the last 800/900 years.

The breakfast/dining room/restaurant of the Strasshofer is on the first floor. The ground floor has an estate agent one side and the entrance hall and stairs for the hotel. You can watch the goings on in the street from the dining room. We saw a couple of Austrians drinking at an umbrella bar friday morning, they were there when we got back from skiing and when we went out at night and when we came back late and in the morning the police where just moving them on!

Would recommend the Strasshofer for its position and good price for Kitz. The hotel Tyrol is/was (when we went a few years ago) a tour operator run hotel and based on a friends experience from staying there twice I wouldn't recommend it.

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e.g., Thanks for the in depth description of the Strasshofer and the party after the downhill race. I would love to do a fortnight, but going to take your advice for race week

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

matt23, no problem. I'm not going anywhere this season, but can still talk about it which is helping! It's a party Friday night as well but slightly less mental.

After all it is free

Matt check out kaiserhof on Crystal site mate, easily the best skiing hotel I've been at in 25 years! It is more than average but by god it makes up for it! Smile

Spa facilities ARE included in the price, just massages arent.

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e.g., Is the Friday night party any good?

Angry Squirrel, Have looked at the Kaiserhof and it does look amazing. However I'd rather use that cash for two weeks. Decisions, decisions, good ones though!

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robboj, once had a half English half German conversation with a Kitz local, the gist was that the locals would sooner a Norwegian win the Hahnenkamm than a non Tiroler Austrian!

matt23, Friday night party is good, just slightly less people about.

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If 2 weeks is beyond budget or holiday allowance, then maybe stay the week before in kitz and look into staying another couple of nights in a nearby town like st johann or kirchberg. They do shuttle trains late and taxi wouldnt be completely outrageous. Your kitz hotel should allow you to leave bags there during race day and give you the option of going into their bar when you have had enough beer/gluwein from the street stalls.

Help!!

Kitzbuhel downhill race day 2013

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