A Practical Guide to Skiing in Austria for First-Time Visitors

Hi there! Do wooden cabins and skiing sound fun? If so, you should consider visiting Austria! It is not just a place that people ski, but rather a whole alpine way of life!

Skiing for the first time can be pretty overwhelming, especially if you don’t know any of the skiing specific terms or if you don’t have the right gear. Austrians take pride in helping novices and catering to them. After spending just a couple of days in Austria, you will go from barely knowing how to sit on a chair lift to cruising down expert runs! It will be the most fun and stressless skiing experience of your life.

Skiing is great, but so is the Austrians Gemütlichkeit. It is a special kind of warmth and hospitality that can be felt all over alpine Austria. Picture yourself relaxing and enjoying some Gulaschsuppe and a roaring fire. That same moment will be just as enjoyable weeks after the skiing holiday has come to an end.

Before you start your fun, we need to cover some key points. Skiing comes with some risks, and with the mountains having unpredictable weather, it is best to get winter sports travel insurance. This way, if you fall and get hurt, or your gear gets lost, you won’t have to worry about your trip becoming a financial nightmare. Once you have that settled, you can start getting excited about the trip!

Picking the Right Ski Resort in Austria

When it comes to skiing in Austria for the first time, your first thoughts may go to St. Anton and Ischgl. While they may be some of the best places to go skiing and have a vibrant nightlife, they are not all that great for beginners. You want to prioritize finding a place with the right level of difficulty and the right amount of accessibility.

Find the Right Signs

Look for places that have a greater amount of “blue” runs as these are best for beginners. Also, if you see the term “nursery slopes” that is a good thing as these are places where beginners can practice without the interference of more experienced skiers.

Great Beginner Resorts

• Alpbach: Compact village, excellent sunny slopes, great for skiers figuring out their “ski legs.” Alpbach is often voted the most beautiful village in Austria.
• Obergurgl: Good snow due to high altitude, offers wide gentle slopes, leading to the village center.
• Ellmau (SkiWelt): Great ski school for adult beginners, massive network of easy runs.

Proximity to the Lift

As a beginner skier, bringing your skis and boots can be very difficult and tiring. It is best to look for a hotel near a gondola, or a ski-in ski out hotel. Many hotels and lodges offer this option. If you stay further out, look for a hotel near the ski bus. If you have a ski pass, the bus is free.

Austria’s Ski Difficulty System

European ski runs (called “pistes”) use a simple color code for general levels of difficulty. Whereas other countries use circles or squares to define levels, Europe uses a simple color code.

Blue Pistes (Easy)

Blue Pistes are the best option for beginners to learn the basics of skiing. They are shallow and wide, making them low-risk and good for making turns and stops. In Austria, mistakes are supposed to give players more time to make these mistakes without having to worry about gaining excessive amounts of speed.

Red Pistes (Intermediate)

After you have figured out the “snowplow” and are starting to do parallel turns, it may be time to consider skiing on the red runs. They are steeper and have more narrow areas. Your instructors may give you the go-ahead but for the first week, you may be better off on the blues.

Why Austria is Great for Learning:

Beginners are assisted by the Big snow groomers that level out the snow and create a smooth “corduroy” like finish that is much easier to ski on than the soft and “slushy” finish that other mountains have.

Black Pistes (Expert)

Black slopes have big bumps on them, are steep and icy. They are for experts only, and should be completely avoided to best learn the basics of skiing.

Ski Schools and Lessons: What to Expect

It might sound like a good idea to learn from a friend, but don’t. Skiing is taught a specific way, and you won’t learn that way in Austria.

Group vs. Private Lessons

• Group lessons: These lessons are offered during the day and include a lunch break. They are social, fun, and the cheapest option. Plus, you will be with people at the same level as you.
• Private lessons: A lot more expensive, but a lot more beneficial. You will learn in two hours what would take two whole days to learn in a group.

The Language Barrier

You do not need to be worried about the language. Most ski instructors in Austria will speak English. They are accustomed to international guests and use very visual teaching methods. 

Typical Progress

You will learn how to put on the skis and do some sliding on the flat during your first day. Most people will learn how to ski on easy (blue) runs by the third day. By the end of the week, you will be taking gondolas to ski all the way down to the bottom of the mountain and enjoying the views.

Renting Equipment or Bringing Your Own

For your first trip, you should consider renting everything. Ski gear changes every season, and as a beginner you don’t know what gear you should be using.

Benefits of Renting:

• The Right Size: When you go to a rental shop, they use your height, weight, and shoe size to help “fit you”. If you get boots that you don’t like, you can go to the shop and change them for a different pair for free.
• Safety: If you fall, rental bindings will release the ski and reduce the risk of a leg injury.
• Travel Light: If you travel to ski you usually have to pay for the ski equipment, if you rent them you can travel light.

What you should rent:

• Skis and Poles: The shop will give you shorter skis that will be easier to turn.
• Boots: A good fit that is snug, pain should not be the case.
• Helmet: In Austria, it is a rule that adults must wear a helmet and for kids it is the law to wear a helmet and in many other places.

Note: Most places don’t rent ski clothing like jackets and pants so you would have to buy or borrow waterproof pants and a jacket before you come.

Staying in the Village

“When you stay is as important as where you stay.”

Austria has an “apres ski” (after skiing) culture just as important as the skiing. Where you stay impacts your overall experience.

Ski-in/Ski-out Accommodation

These hotels are located directly on the mountain at the bottom of the slopes. Walk out the front door, click your skis, and you’re ready to go. Super convenient, but usually pricier and it might mean not being close to the village or shops.

Living in the Village

By staying in the village of Kitzbühel or Mayrhofen, you can experience the more “authentic” side of Austria. You’ll walk past 500-year-old churches, sample Apfelstrudel from the bakery, and sit in the village squares.

Skiing in Austria

Don’t worry if your hotel is 10 minutes from the lift. In Austria, the ski bus system is very efficient. They even have buses designed to accommodate people with bulky gear. It makes it easy to see different parts of the valley and you don’t need to worry about driving.

Costs, Lift Passes, and Budget Planning

Skiing is not the cheapest hobby, but the costs associated with it are less than it would cost to go skiing in Switzerland or the USA. What are the costs associated with skiing in Austria? This is a rough estimate of costs.

How Can You Save Money?

Skiing is cheapest in January and then again mid-March. When the low season skiing prices are much much cheaper than when it is high season.

Strategy for lunch: Big breakfasts at the hotel save you money on lunch. Less moving meals will save you money on lunch as well.

Guest Cards: Most hotels offer a free “Guest Card” to their guests. This Guest Card will offer the Guest Card holder different discounts on different attractions and services such as pools, museums, and the local buses.

Safety, Etiquette and Mountain Awareness

For your own safety, it is really important to know and follow the “Rules of the Road”. You as a beginner are often the most vulnerable, so it will help you a lot to know the rules so you feel more confident.

The FIS Rules (The Ten Commandments of Skiing)

• Respect others: Do not endanger others.
• Control: Your speed and ability to stop and go at all times.
• Overtaking: Make sure and give space to the person you are trying to pass.
• Stopping: Remaining slides all the way to the side.
• Climbing: Walk all the way to the sides.
• Weather and signage: Stay within borders, as mountains are unpredictable.

Building Confidence and Enjoying the Alpine Experience

It is your first ski experience, and might be your first. It is important to enjoy the different sensations. Not all about distance and speed. It’s about the journey.

It’s normal to get frustrated. Everyone trips and falls at least once, and that’s okay. Austria has kind lift operators who greet you with a “Guten Tag,” and a delicious hot chocolate at the next hut! Try to take your time and look at the views. Remember, every expert skier was once at your level.

Your adventure in Austria will make you brave and allow your inner explorer to shine. You may already be thinking about which Austrian valley to go to next when you are heading to the airport!