Radstadt - Altenmarkt Ski Resort Austria
Radstadt Altenmarkt ski resort is a glorious 'local hill' with wide pistes & modern infrastructure, perfect for family sliding adventures or warming up the legs before heading on to more challenging mountains in the area.
Radstadt-Altenmarkt is close to Zauchensee & part of the extensive Ski Amadé lift-pass linked region which includes the nearby Snow Space Salzburg & Schladming 4-Berge resorts. A short train trip or drive from beautiful Salzburg, its 721m of skiable vertical provides more than enough 'oomph' to replace one's morning jog! For families and novices, the world-class piste trails provide the sort of introduction to Austrian skiing that will make one come back year after year, particularly when you head across to the neighbouring mega-resorts covered by a multi-day lift pass.
Pros & Cons for Radstadt Altenmarkt Ski Resort
Pros
- Superb lifts and resort facilities for such a ‘small’ ski area.
- Long skiable vertical of over 720m.
- Modern, comfortable ski lifts & ski trails.
- World-class on-piste trails for novice, beginner & intermediate skiers & snowboarders.
- Deserted slopes every morning during the week.
- Numerous, quality on-mountain restaurants.
- Perfect family ski location, particularly at the start of a trip/holiday.
- Public transport access by train & bus is excellent.
Cons
- Expensive lift pass if not intending to ski Zauchensee or the broader Ski Amadé region.
- Relatively low elevation can impact snow-quality.
- Limited advanced & quality off-piste terrain.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Small ski area which, depending on ability, may not hold one’s interest for very long.
- Close to several amazing Ski amadé resorts (which may be good or bad depending on your view of popular skiing areas!).
- Most accommodation not located at the ski area.
- Interesting nearby towns including Radstadt with its walled old town complete with turrets and part of the original moat.
- Two long sledding trails on the mountain.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
Radstadt Altenmarkt ski resort is one of those small-town ski hills that is bigger & better equipped than one could possibly expect. The relative low elevation highest lifted point of 1571m is the meeting point for gondolas from both sides of the mountain. The two simple but effective base areas are a few kilometres from their respective closest towns. The Radstadt sector has an 8-seat gondola running bottom to top, a surface tow and broad beginner slope for novices, plus rental, food & après options. The base area gets morning sun which is nice when the temperatures are low (like during our visit). The Altenmarkt sector has a similar range of lifts & facilities but on a different aspect of the ski hill. Shaded first thing in the morning in mid-winter, lifts include a new 10-seater gondola plus surface tow for novices. The new base building includes ticket sales, gear rental, a warming/change room with lockers, plus toilets. Car parking is conveniently directly next to the building and lifts. The upper mountain terrain is served by two quad chairs, so it is possible to cut some fine laps without taking skis off (i.e. when using the gondolas).
Check out the ski trail map for Radstadt-Altenmarkt below.
The 700m+ skiable vertical on either side of the hill has fabulous fast piste as good as anywhere in the world. The pick of them is piste number 6 which runs top to bottom to the Radstadt base. With only one short, advanced piste trail, and a limited off-piste, there is little for better skiers & snowboarders, but the modern lifts, perfect groomed piste trails, views and range of mountain huts more than make up for it. And let’s face it, this ski hill is for families and super-cruising, not steep off-piste powder hunters. Radstadt Altenmarkt is also great when cold blizzards blow in and higher elevation resorts turn hellish!
Lift Passes
Lift tickets at Radstadt Altenmarkt are quite expensive if not intending to ski the broader Ski Amadé region for what is on offer. What one does get guaranteed for that price though, is access to an incredible range and quality of ski lift & piste infrastructure second to nowhere else in the world.
Where is Radstadt Altenmarkt Austria?
The Radstadt Altenmarkt ski resort is a paltry 80km (1hr by rental car) from the gorgeous (and must see) city of Salzburg. Munich is 234km (2¾hr by road) northwest of the resort, and Vienna is 310km (4hr by road) to the east.
The best airports are Salzburg (SZG), Innsbruck (INN) (for travellers from within Europe or the UK) and Munich (MUC) or Vienna (VIE) (for everyone else!).
The most environmentally friendly mode of travel is taking the train to Radstadt. Journeys from Salzburg take around 1¼hr, from Munich 4 to 5hr depending on connections, and from Vienna around 4hr. From the train station, buses, taxi, or a short walk will get one to the centre of Radstadt. Search & book here for train tickets to Radstadt.
If hunting out a sneaky powder day when it is a seething cauldron in the higher elevations, driving a rental car to the ski area is easy from just about anywhere, with no major alpine passes or winding mountain roads to deal with. Both sectors have ample, free parking close to (or next to!) the gondola lift bases, with Altenmarkt being the most convenient. Local buses stop at either base as well.
Anyone with an unnatural aversion to public transport or driving on winter roads may want to avail themselves of a private shuttle to the area. Search & book here for all private transfers to Radstadt, Altenmarkt or other location.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Austria ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Austria page.
Radstadt & Altenmarkt Accommodation
The best accommodations available near the ski area are unsurprisingly in the towns of Radstadt or Altenmarkt im Pongau. Alternative locations include the nearby alpine resort village of Zauchensee, or the many hotels in the sprawling town of Flachau.
Search & book here for all Radstadt Altenmarkt ski accommodation.
The town of Radstadt is the best overnight location near the ski area. It is far & away the most ‘tourist’ friendly, has a handy train station & bus links to everywhere and its old town is a surprising delight. The town’s interesting history comes complete with several long sections of intact medieval wall, towers, fortifications, and parts of a moat. The various gates and portals are fun to explore when not skiing. There is a lively après in the town square at night (pre & post covid anyway!) and it has plenty of bars & restaurants to choose from.
Accommodation in Radstadt includes numerous hotels within the old town walls (try the Hotel Stegerbräu) plus loads of guesthouses on the outskirts.
The Landhaus Aubauerngut on the edge of Radstadt is wonderful. Large clean rooms all with views, an awesome host, delicious buffet breakfast with fresh eggs done as you like, some wonderful canine friends & a menagerie of farm animals including miniature horses, pigs, chickens, sheep & rabbits make for a super stay. Best if with a car or prepared to walk a little to the bus (we did, but then again, we are super tough!). Complimentary krapfen (jam or custard filled donuts) for a midday snack totally won me over.
For full lodging availability see our Radstadt Ski Accommodation Listings page.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Radstadt Altenmarkt in mid-January 2022. We found it the perfect place to start our European ski road trip. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.
See how Radstadt-Altenmarkt compares to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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