Radstadt - Altenmarkt Ski Resort Austria

Radstadt Altenmarkt ski resort in central Salzburgerland is a pleassant Austrian 'local hill'. With wide pistes & modern infrastructure Radstadt-Altenmarkt is perfect for family snow-sliding adventures and warming up the legs before heading on to more challenging mountains in the Ski amadé region.

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 the 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 and perfect for stretching the legs at the start of a long ski trip.
• 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 (but several excellent ones on the slopes & nearby).
• Interesting local towns including Radstadt with its walled old town complete with turrets & 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.

Radstadt Altenmarkt Ski Trail Map

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. For day passes, there is a slightly cheaper local ski lift pass valid only in Radstadt-Altenmarkt. The 'Salzburger Sportwelt' day pass includes the resorts of Zauchensee (connected by free ski bus), Flachauwinkl/Kleinarl, and neighbouring Snow Space Salzburg. Multi-day lift passes of 2-days or more are valid in the entire Ski amadé region. Whilst the single & multi-day lift pass price is relatively high for such a small ski area, what it guarantees is access to an incredible range and quality of ski lift & piste infrastructure second to nowhere else in the world. That's worth paying for.

Where is Radstadt Altenmarkt Austria?

The Radstadt Altenmarkt ski resort is in Salzburgerland state, Austria, 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 Radstadt’s train station, buses, taxi, or a short walk will get one to the centre of town. 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 switchback mountain roads to deal with. Both the Altenmarkt & Radstadt 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 transfer to the area. Search & book here for all private transfers to Radstadt, Altenmarkt or other location.

Radstadt & Altenmarkt Accommodation

The best Radstadt-Altenmarkt ski accommodations are available in several ski-in ski-out locations on the mountain, plus near the ski area unsurprisingly in the towns of Radstadt or Altenmarkt im Pongau. Alternative locations include the nearby alpine resort village of Zauchensee, or the multitude of hotels in the sprawling town of Flachau. The general standard of lodgings in the region is extremely high and is reflected in the pricing.

On the slopes of Radstadt-Altenmarkt traditional Austrian alpine stays can be had at Sonnalm, or further toward the Altenmarkt base at either Berggasthof Bliembauer, Peterlehen Appartements, or Bifeis Hütte.

Search & book a place to stay via the Radstadt-Altenmarkt Ski Accommodation Listings.

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, plus its old town centre is a surprising delight. Radstadt’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 and it has plenty of bars & restaurants to choose from.

Accommodation in Radstadt includes numerous superb hotels within the old town walls including the fantastic Hotel Stegerbräu, plus Gasthof - Restaurant Löcker and Hotel Post Radstadt.

Numerous, high-quality guesthouses are on the town’s outskirts. The exceptional Landhaus Aubauerngut on the edge of Radstadt is absolutely wonderful. Large clean rooms with views, an awesome host, delicious buffet breakfast with fresh eggs done as you like, some fabulous 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.

Closer to the skiing, there are several ski-in options at the lift bases, plus nearby on the road to Obertauern. At the Radstadt end try the 4-star Hotel Zum Jungen Römer, or a little further on the Pension Grafengut, the apartments at Tauernresidence Radstadt or the superb Hotel Taxerhof.

Search & book a place to stay via the Radstadt Ski Accommodation Listings.

In Altenmarkt, the town centre is bustling and more of a local’s place to live. We have stayed in the elevated outskirts of Altenmarkt overlooking the town but found the icy roads to seriously challenging in a rental car. In town we dined at the Hotel Gasthof Markterwirt and figure it would make an excellent base in delightfully traditional surrounds. Elsewhere in Altenmarkt one could try the exceptional Pension Bliem or on the edge of town on the road toward the ski lifts & Zauchensee, the fabulous Scheffer's Hotel.

Search & book a place to stay via the Altenmarkt Ski Accommodation Listings.

Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding

Our local partners have ski & snowboard rental locations at either end of the ski resort. Receive a discount when you book via our Radstadt-Altenmarkt Ski & Snowboard Rentals page.

Check out lessons & guiding options via the listings below.

Reviews & More Info

The Powderhounds reviewed Radstadt Altenmarkt a few seasons ago now. We found it the perfect place to start our European ski road trip and reckon if the snow level is low, it has plenty for families when combined with its larger neighbours. Sadly though, climate change will likely seriously impact this ski area. 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 Austrian ski resorts on the Austria ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.

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If you have a question about skiing & snowboarding at Radstadt-Altenmarkt or elsewhere in Europe, CONTACT US.