Kaprun - Kitzsteinhorn Ski Resort Austria
Skiing in Austria wouldn’t be complete for Powderhounds without a visit to wonderful Kaprun ski resort & the breathtaking Kitzsteinhorn. Lift pass linked with the nearby Zell am See & Skicircus Saalbach ski resorts, Kaprun provides something for everyone in a beautiful combination of high alpine glacier & a superb local village ski hill.
Snow-sure with the upper ski area on Kitzsteinhorn reaching up to 3,029m, Kaprun offers ‘winter’ skiing from mid-October to the start of June & then a month of 'summer' skiing after that. Kitzsteinhorn has fantastic off-piste freeride skiing & riding on powder days, perfect groomed slopes for intermediates, Austria’s biggest half pipe, eclectic but efficient lifts, a smaller family ski hill & glorious views across to Großglockner & the entire Hohe Tauern National Park.
Pros & Cons for Kaprun Ski Resort
Pros
- Guaranteed skiing from October to July on Kitzsteinhorn.
- Quality high altitude snow.
- Awesome variety of terrain in combination with lift pass linked Zell-am -See & Skicircus Saalbach.
- Modern & ever expanding lift system.
- Amazing value lift pass combined with Zell am See & the Skicircus.
- Breathtaking views from Kitzsteinhorn.
- Diverse range of accommodation available.
- If the weather is poor (low visibility), lower elevation skiing available on Maiskogel, Zell am See or the Skicircus Saalbach.
- Easy access by train & bus via Zell-am-See.
- Close to a vast number of other world class ski resorts in the region
- Wide variety of non-ski activities to do in the ski resort & general area.
Cons
- Maiskogel & Lechnerberg base areas vulnerable to vagaries of climate warming.
- No full vertical on-piste ski trail from Kitzsteinhorn to Kaprun (lift transfer required). (There are some awesome backcountry descents though!)
- Limited ski-in ski-out lodging near Kaprun & none on Kitzsteinhorn.
Pros or Cons (depending on your perspective!)
- Kitzsteinhorn is very exposed when the winter blizzards roll in, but hey, it doesn’t snow when the sun shines!
- Relatively quiet après ski in Kaprun for an Austrian ski area - it is better at Zell am See or Saalbach.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
The three Kaprun ski areas of Lechnerberg, Maiskogel and Kitzsteinhorn offer vastly different skiing and boarding experiences. Each brings a required element of ski resort to the table & put together with Zell am See & Skicircus Saalbach, offer the full spectrum of ski & snow experiences that anyone can wish for.
Check out the ski trail map for Kaprun below.
Beginner tows called the Lechnerberg are right in town and great for first timers and families.
Maiskogel is Kaprun's other family ski hill rising a more than respectable 960m above town. It has some wonderful piste to suit all snow riders, winding their way back down to Kaprun. Brilliant views plus numerous bars & restaurants make it a real surprise package. The new gondola provides ease of access to newer skiers & now links it to Kitzsteinhorn.
The high peak of Kitzsteinhorn is Kaprun’s jewel in the crown. Rising to 3,029m with a skiable vertical of 1,053m, it provides mainly intermediate piste terrain, a huge half pipe & park plus extensive advanced off-piste freeride routes. When the snow is deep enough in the valley, super long freeride descents are possible from Kitzsteinhorn. Classic descents of up to 2,000m skiable vertical can be achieved from the summit all the way down into the Pinzgau valley near Mühlbach.
The linking of Kaprun to Kitzsteinhorn via gondolas from Maiskogel (removing the need for shuttle buses to the glacier) is a game changer for the area. The linking of lift passes to both Zell am See & Skicircus Saalbach is an absolute triumph.
For detailed information on lifts & terrain see our Kaprun Skiing & Snowboarding page.
Lift Pass Linked with Ski ALPIN
The Kaprun ski area is lift pass linked to the delightful Zell am See (also known as Schmitten) & Ski circus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. The combined Ski ALPIN lift ticket covers the slopes of Kitzsteinhorn, Maiskogel, Schmittenhöhe, Saalbach, Hinterglemm, Leogang & Fieberbrunn. The difference in vertical from the base near Zell-am-See (760m altitude) to the top of the ski-able area of Kitzsteinhorn (3,029m) makes for an impressive 2,269m vertical across the resorts - shame you can can’t ski it all in one hit! It does however provide access to a total of 408km of trails and 121 ski lifts - an area comparative to the massive Ski Arlberg.
Summer Skiing on Kitzsteinhorn
The upper glacier area of Kitzsteinhorn is open in the summer months for skiing & snowboarding. Terrain is limited but good enough to have a bit of fun sliding on-piste, leaping in a terrain park or learning to ski in the relative warmth. Break out the t-shirts!
Snow & Weather
Whilst snowfall statistics are difficult to acquire, the high elevation and northerly aspect of Kitzsteinhorn will generally guarantee quality snow conditions - a pleasing thought for all Powderhounds. With its resident glacier, Kitzsteinhorn has a long season, effectively from mid-October to the end of July, but can be susceptible to poor weather conditions. The lower elevations of Maiskogel (particularly the base) & Lechnerberg, leave them vulnerable to above freezing temperatures early & late in the season. The region’s amazing snow-making systems make up any shortfalls in the lower reaches of the resorts.
Where is Kaprun Austria?
Kaprun is in Salzburg state, 110km south of the city of Salzburg in central Austria. Kaprun is close to Austria’s highest mountain - Großglockner (3798m).
Closest major gateway airports are Innsbruck (INN) (142km) & Salzburg (SZG) (109km). Both service European & UK flight origins. For direct international flights from around the world, the best gateway airport is Munich (MUC).
Public transport options abound. Trains run regularly direct to neighbouring Zell am See from all points in Austria. Zell am See is 7.5km by road north of Kaprun. Most train journeys to Zell am See from Innsbruck take around 2hr & from Salzburg about 1½hr. Regular buses, free for anyone with a ski pass, regularly connect Zell am See and Kaprun.
For detailed information on the best way to get there, see the Travel to Kaprun page.
Kaprun Accommodation
The village of Kaprun is a real town that is focused on tourism and has a wide array of accommodation available. Once in Kaprun you can put the car away as you can walk or take a bus everywhere you will need to go. There are only a handful of real ski-in ski-out accommodation options in Kaprun, all on the side of Maiskogel.
Search & book all Kaprun ski accommodation.
For a full Austrian mountain experience, spending a few nights in nearby Zell am See or in a 'Berghotel' on Schmittenhöhe is fantastic.
Search & book all Zell am See ski accommodation.
For detailed information on the best places to stay in Kaprun & Zell am See, check out the Kaprun Accommodation Info page.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rental depots are literally at every major centre and lift hub at Kaprun & Kitzsteinhorn. To break the mould of using an Intersport shop, get a discount when you search & book via our local Skiset partner in the centre of town via our Kaprun ski & snowboard gear from our Kaprun Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
If the snow depth in the valley is good & you want to try one of the huge off-piste descents from Kitzsteinhorn but are unsure about your abilities; off-piste ski lessons & guiding can make all the difference. Or perhaps you just want a regular ski lesson. for options, see our Kaprun Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Facilities & Services
Kaprun, with its population of around 3,000 people, has a full range of services, shops, bars and restaurants. The town's après ski scene has seen better days (it was awesome 20yr ago!), but that's just a sign of the times. Zell am See has some fabulous après ski in the town centre and is worth spending an evening doing a restaurant & bar crawl. Kaprun’s best après is at the two establishments near the car park at the base of Maiskogel.
For food & drink in the resort, Maiskogel can be skied like a moving feast. Seven bars & restaurants line the ski slopes from top to bottom. Kitzsteinhorn has food options located in its 4 major hubs from top to bottom.
Activities
Skiers & non-skiers alike should head up to Gipfelwelt 3000 (Gipfelwelt = Summit World) and Kitzsteinhorn’s highest lifted location. Spectacular lifts and a 360m tunnel walk provide an exciting experience and glorious views (cloud or not!) across to Austria’s highest peak Großglockner and the entire Hohe Tauern National Park.
The nearby Tauern Spa complex (access to 25 different pool, spas & saunas) will sooth anyone’s cares away.
Cross country(Nordic) skiing, sleigh rides through town and a mountain coaster for little and big kids alike, scenic train rides to Krimml, and Kaprun Castle provide additional entertainment.
Nearby Ski Resorts
A host of ski resorts in the region can be conveniently reached by car, bus or train from Zell am See station. Ski resorts accessible by train and bus include the vast lift linked Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, iconic Kitzbuhel (via Hollersbach or Pass Thurn), Wildkogel at Bramberg , Weiβee Glacier World & the Zillertal Arena (via Krimml).
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Kaprun Kitzsteinhorn in 2017 and with all the lift development in the region since then, returned in 2022 to a glorious (& unexpected) powder day with no crowds. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read previous reviews.
See how Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn compares to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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