Ski Arlberg Austria
Incredible terrain, ski lifts, snow quality & alpine villages await you at Austria's (and perhaps the world's) premier skiing region, Ski Arlberg. Straddling the border of Vorarlberg & Tirol states, the region includes the ski resorts of St Anton (including Stuben & St Christoph), Lech, Zurs, Warth-Schroecken. As if the all that isn't enough, Ski Arlberg lift passes are also valid in neighbouring Sonnenkopf (Klösterle).
Pros & Cons for Ski Arlberg Region
Pros
- One of the most reliable snowpacks in the entire Alps.
- Largest interlinked ski area in Austria & in the top-10 largest ski areas in the world.
- Exceptional, modern & efficient ski lift infrastructure, that is constantly improving.
- 320km of perfectly groomed pistes for all abilities.
- Wonderful network of marked (and often groomed) ski routes.
- Immense lift-accessed side & backcountry terrain.
- Fabulous value for money lift pass considering the size & quality of the resort.
- Extremely high-quality accommodation, much of it ski-in, and a good portion of it ski-out as well.
- Authentic villages with a range in character & location to appeal to every taste and budget.
- World’s best après ski, particularly above and in St Anton.
- Excellent access via public transport (trains to St Anton or Langen-am-Arlberg)
Cons
- A popular ski destination that can be overcrowded at particular times of day, at certain lifts, and on several pistes, particularly on-piste (Galzig along the Run of Fame toward Stuben in the morning, frontside of lech in the morning).
- High traffic on-piste trails can turn into skied-off, bumped-up, mogul fields before lunch, particularly in St Anton and the ‘frontside of Lech.
- Competition for first tracks on a powder day can be challenging in some sectors of the region.
- Prices at full-service mountain restaurants are comparably expensive.
Pro or Con
- Off-piste tree skiing is limited & probably the one thing that the region lacks, but does it really matter? Most of the forest areas are protected wildlife habitat, which is cool!
- Very popular ski region.
- Accommodation can be expensive & difficult to get at short notice.
- Epic Pass is now conditionally valid in the resort - potentially good for some, but possibly not so good for the majority!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
One of the world's Top 10 largest ski resorts, skiing & snowboarding at Ski Arlberg is only limited by your imagination. The region's 85 lifts that interlink 305km of groomed trails and a vast amount of marked ski routes are only the beginning. The endless lift-accessed backcountry will provide enough freeride powder moments for a lifetime of the sweetest memories.
Check out the Ski Arlberg Trail Map below.
Ski Arlberg Accommodation
The question of where to stay when skiing the Arlberg region can be as simple or as complex as one wants. The options are certainly diverse, with a range in scale & vibrance that includes St Anton (& its satellites like St Jakab & Pettnau), Lech (& its satellites like Oberlech & Stubenbach), Warth, Zürs, Stuben, St Christoph, Schröcken & Zug. On the fringes are Langen-am-Arlberg & Klösterle which can be connected to Stuben by local bus, or an easy drive if one has a rental car. The good news is that no matter where one stays, the villages, ski lifts & trails are so well connected that you wont be disappointed.
High demand for overnight lodgings might dictate the simple expedient of taking whatever is available, no matter where it is! But if you have a choice, here is a list of village attributes & best matches.
• Large & lively: St Anton & Lech
• Snow-clad all winter: St Christoph, Zurs, Lech, Oberlech, Stubenbach, Warth, Zug
• Absolute ski-in ski-out: Oberlech, St Christoph, Zurs
• Alpine location: St Christoph, Zurs
• Valley location: the rest!
• For novices/beginners: St Anton, Lech, Zurs
• For all other ski/snowboarder abilities: Anywhere!
• Après ski & nightlife: St Anton, then a long way back Lech & Warth (après only, nightlife is quiet)
• Public transport access: St Anton & Stuben
• Remote: Zug, and St Christoph can certainly feel that way too in a storm!
• Quiet: Zug, Schröcken
Of course for anyone happy to do day-trips to the region (with a rental car or prepared to take an early train) it is possible to stay anywhere within a 2-hour radius, which includes Innsbruck and a host of Austria’s other fantastic ski valleys (Ӧtztal, Pitztal, Paznauntal etc). Use your imagination and the options become endless.
Search & book all Ski Arlberg Accommodation.
Review
The Powderhounds have reviewed the Ski Arlberg region on numerous occasions, the most recent of which was twice in 2024, during January & March. More information about this European ski resort will come when we get the chance. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how Ski Arlberg and all its individual resorts compare to the rest of the Austrian ski areas 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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