A mining town whose racing mountain ends at the edge of the old town. Four mountains on one pass, a night run and a glacier day.
Photo: Evgenia Jarabik, CC BY 4.0
Schladming was a silver town before it was a ski town. It is first mentioned in 1180, had town rights by 1322, and at its peak it employed up to 1,500 miners in the Schladminger Tauern, digging silver, lead and copper, and cobalt and nickel later. The miners also joined the peasant revolts against the Salzburg rulers, and in 1525 Archduke Ferdinand I had the town almost wiped out and its town rights removed. It got them back only on 7 July 1925. The railway came in 1875, and skiing followed: the first drag lift went up on Planai in 1953, and on 22 December 1973 Franz Klammer won the first World Cup race there.
That race history is the reason to come. Schladming is a small town of about 6,600 people where the finish stadium of a World Cup slope sits a few minutes from the main square, and where the Nightrace is the biggest night out of the winter. The area itself is honest, not flashy: it runs from a valley floor of about 745 m up to 2,015 m, the snow is helped by grooming and snowmaking, and it won't impress anyone who counts only kilometers. What you get is four connected mountains on one pass, wide pistes, a 7 km toboggan run, a floodlit run on Hochwurzen and a glacier less than 30 minutes away for the day you don't ski. Five days is a good length: four mountains, one day each, and a fifth without skis.
The plan goes by mountain. Day one is Planai and the town, day two Hochwurzen with its night run, day three Hauser Kaibling, day four Reiteralm, and day five the Dachstein glacier and the Ramsau cross-country trails, with Hallstatt as the other option. Start on a Monday, arriving Sunday evening, so you avoid the Saturday changeover crowds and the night run is open on day two. For the country as a whole, see Austria. If you are choosing between resorts, the Kitzbühel guide covers the town under the Streif, and the St. Anton guide a much higher area.
Every stop from the plan below, colored by day. Pick a day to see its route.
Lift pass and the Planai gondola, the World Cup slope, a hut lunch, après-ski at the finish stadium and dinner in the old town.
The Hochwurzen gondola, a hut lunch, the 7 km toboggan run and the floodlit run in the evening.
The highest point of the circuit at 2,015 m, the XXL Funslope, a lunch at the huts and the ski link back to Planai.
The western mountain on its own, long runs on the training mountain of the ski teams, and a beer at the end.
The glacier cable car, the Skywalk, the Ice Palace and the suspension bridge, then cross-country skiing on the Ramsau plateau.
The 4-Berge-Skischaukel links Hauser Kaibling, Planai, Hochwurzen and Reiteralm into one area of 123 km of pistes and 50 lifts on a single pass, and it is part of the Ski amadé network. It is not the highest or the biggest area in Austria, and the runs start at a valley floor of about 745 m. What it has is racing history, wide groomed runs, a lift from the middle of town and a floodlit night run. It suits intermediates and families best, and strong skiers get the World Cup slope on Planai. For the price comparison, see the cheapest ski resorts in Europe, and for the other big Austrian names the best ski resorts in Austria.
| 1 day, adult, 19 Dec to 26 Mar, ticket office | 81.50 EUR |
|---|---|
| 1 day, adult, 19 Dec to 26 Mar, online early booking | 69.50-81.50 EUR |
| 1 day, adult, early and late season, ticket office | 76 EUR |
| 1 day from 12 noon, adult, 19 Dec to 26 Mar | 69.50 EUR |
| 3 days, adult, 19 Dec to 26 Mar, ticket office | 241 EUR |
| 5 days, adult, 19 Dec to 26 Mar, ticket office (this plan) | 391.50 EUR |
| 5 days, adult, online early booking | 333-391.50 EUR |
| 1 day, youth born 2008-2010, ticket office | 61 EUR |
| 1 day, child born 2011-2020, ticket office | 41 EUR |
Operator prices for the main season, subject to change. From 2 days the pass is automatically a Ski amadé pass, valid in 5 regions with 760 km of pistes. The keycard deposit is 3 EUR. The evening ticket for night skiing and tobogganing is separate.
Source: Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen for 123 km, 50 lifts, 56 huts and the 2026/27 hours and prices, Schladming-Dachstein tourist board for the mountains. The split by difficulty (47.3 / 67.3 / 8.4 km) is from the Hauser Kaibling operator for the whole 123 km; the 92 / 115 / 15 km split on the tourist board site is for all 222 km of the region and is not used. Prices checked 2026-10-20
The whole day starts and ends within a few minutes of the main square. Get the pass in the morning, ski Planai while it is quiet, and be at the bottom before the after-ski starts. Slopes close at 17:00, so there is no skiing to dinner.
The Planai gondola starts on Coburgstraße, a few minutes' walk from the old town, and everything is in one place: ticket office, ski depot, rental and ski school. The pass covers all four mountains, and from two days it is a Ski amadé pass, so a longer stay opens the other regions too.
The operator sells online early booking prices, and a day pass can drop from 81.50 to 69.50 EUR depending on season and demand. Multi-day tickets are valid only on consecutive days, and the keycard costs a 3 EUR deposit.
The main cable car takes you up from town to the heart of the ski area, and red, blue and black pistes start in all directions from the top. The Planai is the sporting center of the area, with about 35 km of pistes, and it is one of the lower mountains: the summit is at 1,906 m, between Hauser Kaibling to the east and Hochwurzen to the west.
Take a warm-up lap on the wide runs first and look across to the Dachstein massif, which fills the horizon to the north on a clear day. The Märchenwiese area is for slow first turns, and the fun park and speed course are for the rest.
Planai has two World Cup courses. The western one, called Planai, runs down to the finish stadium and is the slope of the Nightrace; the eastern one, the Streicher, was first raced at the 2012 World Cup finals. Both hosted the 2013 World Championships, 4 to 17 February 2013, after the 1982 edition. The giant slalom course has an average gradient of 41%, with a maximum of 61%, and is among the more demanding on the circuit.
Check the piste map for which runs are open that day, and ski the lower part toward the stadium, where the finish slope opens out below you. The World Championship downhill, run 1, has a special rule that lets you ski it from 17:00 to 18:00 at your own risk, when the other pistes close. Take it slowly; this is a racing slope.
The resort counts 56 ski huts across the four mountains, and the tourist board's own line for what to order is Kasnocken or apple strudel. Kasnocken are small dumplings tossed with cheese and fried onions, close to the Käsespätzle you know from the Austrian menu, and in this valley they are often made with the local Ennstaler Steirerkas, a sharp grey-brown cheese that matures for three weeks.
Pick any hut on the Planai side that has a sunny terrace and a queue of ski instructors, and order the pasta and a drink. Expect to pay hut prices, which are always higher than in town, and check the hut's winter hours before you commit to a long run to reach one.
The Hohenhaus Tenne is built into the Planai finish stadium, at the foot of the slope, and it sits at the bottom of the last run, so you can ski straight to it. A 2025/26 listing gave après-ski from 11:00 to 20:00 and a night program from 21:30 into the early hours, so check the 2026/27 hours.
It is loud and packed in the high season. If that is your idea of a good evening, go; if not, one drink at the bottom is enough, and the town has quieter places a few minutes away.
The old town is one square and a few streets, and it still shows its past. A stretch of the 1629 town wall survives, with the Salzburger Tor and one of four round towers, and the Protestant church of Saints Peter and Paul stands a block away. Look for the town hall, which Prince August of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha built in 1884 as a hunting lodge, and the parish church of St. Achaz, a late-Gothic hall church enlarged between 1522 and 1532.
For dinner, the Hauptplatz has Brunners Gasthaus at number 14, a traditional Austrian kitchen with home-made cakes. Try a Wiener Schnitzel or a plate of Ennstaler Steirerkas with bread. The tourist board names the local specialities as Ennstaler Steirerkas, Steirerkrapfen and Miasl, so ask what is on.
Hochwurzen has numbered runs 31 to 42, a funslope, a speed section and the toboggan run. This day is built around the evening: the night ticket is separate, and the run is floodlit only on certain days (see the stop for dates). Tuesday is fine from 12 January to 13 March.
The 10-seater Gipfelbahn takes you from Rohrmoos straight to the summit area at 1,852 m, and it is also the starting point for tobogganers and night skiers. Rohrmoos is a side valley of Schladming, and the ski bus stops at the valley station. The mountain has about 23 km of pistes, and its runs are numbered 31 to 42 on the piste map.
From the summit area runs start in all directions, from relaxed family turns to sportier descents, so you can pick your level from the first lap.
Hochwurzen's pistes are open from 8:30 to 17:00 on runs 31-42, and the Funslope and the speed section are the official highlights. The mountain connects to the other three by piste, so you can combine them on one day.
Spend the morning on the main runs, add a lap on the Funslope if you have children along, and stop at the Seiterhütte, which stands partway down. The valley run is the one the night skiers use, so you will know it by the evening.
Near the summit station are the Hochwurzenhütte and the Hochwurzenalm, which stay open into the evening for night skiers according to the operator. A plate of Knödel is the dish to ask for.
Knödel are dumplings of bread or potato, a staple across Alpine Austria, served as a side or a main in broth or with sauerkraut. Order one if you want something heavier than pasta. Check that the kitchen is open before you ski over, since hut hours follow the lifts.
The natural toboggan run on Hochwurzen is 7 km long, drops 730 m from the 1,852 m summit station to the valley station in Rohrmoos, and is one of the longest groomed runs in Austria. With a valid ski ticket you can use the Hochwurzen lift for tobogganing by day; without one, a toboggan ascent costs 25 EUR for an adult.
You can rent a toboggan at the Tauernalm at the valley station, at Ski-Lenz Reiter at the Gipfelbahn, or at the Familienhotel Austria. The run is wide enough to be safe and has enough bends to be fun. It takes about 30 minutes down, and you need warm gloves and a helmet.
Tauernalm stands at the bottom station of the Hochwurzen Gipfelbahn, where the operator points night skiers for a stop at the end of the evening, and it rents toboggans. It is a good place to try Kaiserschmarrn, the torn-up fluffy pancake dusted with sugar and served with plum compote.
If you do not want a night run, this is a quiet place to eat before heading back to town. After dark the ski bus is a separate night bus, and the day ticket is not valid on it, so check the night timetable.
Run 33 is floodlit from the Gipfelbahn summit to the valley station, and the toboggan run is lit too. The summit lift runs from 19:00 to 21:30 and the lights stay on until 23:00, when the run is closed and groomed with cable-towed groomers. The evening ticket also lets you toboggan, and with a valid Planai and Hochwurzen ski pass it is 20% cheaper according to the tourist board.
Dates for 2026/27: Monday to Saturday from 25 December to 9 January, Tuesday to Saturday from 12 January to 13 March, Wednesday to Saturday from 17 to 27 March. The huts at the top, Hochwurzenhütte and Hochwurzenalm, stay open, and the Seiterhütte and Tauernalm are on the way down.
Hauser Kaibling is the highest mountain of the four and the eastern end of the ski circuit. You can ski there from Planai, since the operator says the four mountains connect without ski buses, or take the ski bus to Haus im Ennstal if you want to be on the first Kaibling lift.
Haus im Ennstal is a market town a few minutes east of Schladming, and the Hauser Kaibling lifts start there. Two valley runs lead to the 8-seater gondola, with the ski depot, sports shop and ski school in one place, so the start is easy, and there is parking at the valley station.
The Wollis Kids Park is a 24,000 m² practice area in the valley for first turns. For everyone else, take the gondola up and ski the long runs on the sunny side before the day gets busy.
Hauser Kaibling is the highest point of the ski circuit at 2,015 m, and the view runs from the Dachstein massif across the Enns valley to the Niedere Tauern. The mountain has two black, six red and eight blue runs, which makes it a medium mountain with a couple of steep pitches, and it has a World Cup downhill run to the valley.
The Schladminger-Tauern cable car brings you to the Krummholzhütte, and the 360-degree loungers at the pleasure island are the place to stop between runs. Since December 2025 a 10-person gondola and an 8-seater chairlift have replaced the older Senderbahn and Sonneck chairlifts between Hauser Kaibling and Planai, so older maps and reviews show a different link.
The XXL Funslope is 1,460 m long, with steep turns, tunnels and jumps, and it is a good run for young skiers and anyone who wants to play. Hauser Kaibling has 15 rustic ski huts, all with table service.
Ski it once to see whether it suits you, and keep your speed under control near the beginner areas.
Two huts sit near the summit: the Krummholzhütte at the top of the Tauern cable car, and the newer Harry's Alm, which looks across to the Dachstein. The Kaiblingalm hut is about two kilometers away on the alm of the same name.
Order Käsespätzle, the Austrian macaroni and cheese: soft egg noodles layered with melted mountain cheese and crispy fried onions, usually with a green salad on the side. It is the dish every hut kitchen does best, and a plate is enough for two small appetites.
The ski circuit means you can finish the day on Planai without a bus. Leave Hauser Kaibling early enough: the Planai lifts close at 16:30 and the slopes shut at 17:00.
If the link runs short on a day with little snow, the ski bus runs between the valley stations of all four mountains and is free with the pass. Skiline records your vertical meters if you enter the pass number online.
After a day on the highest mountain, eat the heavy dishes. A Tafelspitz is boiled beef served with apple horseradish and chive sauce, said to be Emperor Franz Joseph's favorite meal and still a test of a traditional kitchen. A Wiener Schnitzel is the simpler order: thin veal, breaded and fried, and it should hang over the edge of the plate.
Finish with a slice of Apfelstrudel, the thin pastry rolled around spiced apples and raisins, ideally warm.
Reiteralm is the western end of the circuit and the mountain of the ski teams. It is reached by ski bus from Schladming, or by piste from Hochwurzen. It makes a good fourth day because it is quieter than Planai.
Reiteralm sits right on the Ennstal main road in Pichl-Preunegg, west of Schladming, with a valley station of its own. The resort describes it as 100% snow-covered for maximum snow reliability, with long, wide runs and a lot of terrain for sporty skiers. Ski bus services run between all four valley stations.
The tourist board calls it the training mountain of the ski world elite, so expect roped-off race courses at times and give the athletes space.
The Gasselhöhe chairlift top station is at 1,860 m, the highest point of the western side, and from there long runs lead back toward the valley. The Preunegg Jet top station stands at 1,740 m near the Reiteralm lake.
Ski the long, wide runs and keep an eye on the piste map for which lifts are open that day; the mountain has two gondolas, four chairlifts and six T-bars.
Reiteralm's listed highlights are the GUL Speed Track, the Crosspark, Cool Running and the Skimovie, plus the Kinderland for children. The operator does not publish distances for them, so look at the piste map for the day.
If you ski by feel, try the speed track once and decide whether to repeat. A helmet is the sensible minimum on the cross sections.
The huts on the Reiteralm side are quieter than those on Planai, and the plate to order is a Knödel dish. Austrian Knödel come in many forms, as bread dumplings, potato dumplings or filled with speck, and they are served with sauerkraut or in a broth.
If you want a break from the hut menu, the Ennstaler Steirerkas appears in soups and on bread, and a slice of homemade cake will do for dessert.
You can leave Reiteralm on skis toward Hochwurzen and continue to the Rohrmoos valley station. Plan around the lifts: the last rides on Reiteralm are at 16:00-16:30, and on Hochwurzen the lifts stop at 16:30 and the slopes close at 17:00.
If you are tired, the ski bus is the easy choice. It runs from the valley stations to Schladming and is free with your pass.
The Schladming brewery is a regional speciality brewery on Hammerfeldweg, and it brews the classic Schladminger Märzen plus two organic specialities, the BioZwickl and a white beer. Tastings last about an hour and are booked in advance. The 2026 listings run from late May to 30 October at 11 to 14 EUR a person, and no winter dates are published.
If the tasting is not available, order a Märzen at any inn: it is an amber lager, malty and smooth, and it goes well with the hut food.
A rest day for the legs that still has views. The glacier is open from 25 December to 29 March, and from 12 January it is closed on Tuesdays; the cross-country trails start earlier and run on snow. Friday is open in every week. If the day turns out windy or in cloud, swap it with an earlier day and ski instead, or drive to Hallstatt. Go up first thing, since the cable car runs 8:00-16:20 and the attractions close at 15:15, and keep the Ramsau trails for the days the glacier is shut.
The ski bus runs from the Schladming station and the Planai base to the glacier lift in Ramsau, 17 km and about 27 minutes by road. It is free with a ski pass, but only if you carry ski or similar gear. The ski pass operator suggests spending a ski day on the glacier, yet the glacier operator publishes no ski-pass discount, so treat the ride as a separate ticket. On the glacier the operator lists cross-country skiing, ski touring and winter hiking, not groomed alpine pistes.
The glass gondola climbs 1,000 m in a few minutes toward the Hoher Dachstein, the highest mountain in Styria at 2,995 m, and the mountain station was rebuilt, with a new glacier restaurant and a Sky bar. In summer 2026 the combi ticket (ascent, descent and attractions) cost 73 EUR for an adult. Winter prices are not published, so check at the ticket office.
The Dachstein Skywalk is a viewing platform over the 250 m sheer face of the Hunerkogel, and the operator calls it one of the most spectacular in the Alps. The new Dachstein Stairway to Heaven has twelve steps to a glass pedestal.
Both depend on the weather: with cloud you see white. Check the glacier webcam before you go up, and wear warm clothes, as the mountain station is at about 2,700 m.
The Dachstein Ice Palace, made in 2007, lies six meters inside the glacier, three minutes' walk from the mountain station, with carved figures, ice pillars and a crystal dome. From there the suspension bridge, the highest in Austria, crosses to the Stairway to Nothingness: 14 narrow steps down to a glass platform with a 400 m drop.
These attractions have their own ticket. Summer 2026 prices were 13.50 EUR for an adult, and winter hours run from 9:00 to 15:15, and the cable car runs 8:00 to 16:20. The operator suggests about two hours for the whole visit. Dogs are not allowed.
The new glacier restaurant at the mountain station has a 280-degree view and a large terrace, and the Sky bar on the top floor looks at the south faces of the Dachstein. Breakfast, brunch and lunch are served at 2,700 m.
Order a Kaiserschmarrn if you did not on day two, or a Wiener Schnitzel with a view. Prices are those of a mountain restaurant at the top of a cable car.
Ramsau am Dachstein is the Nordic center of Austria. It has 20 routes, more than 100 km of classic trails and over 70 km of skating trails when snow permits, and four cross-country schools with rental. The season starts on 6 November 2026 at the stadium, snowmaking and snow farming cover selected trails, and the stadium trail and the Märchenwiese are for beginners. The FIS Nordic Combined World Cup comes here in December.
A day ticket is 21.50 EUR at the standard rate. Children up to their 15th birthday are free, and skiing without a ticket costs a 188 EUR fee. The operator also advertises the longest glacier cross-country trail in the world on the Dachstein itself, a reason to bring the skinny skis on a glacier day. Ramsau is also the village where the TV series Die Bergretter is set.
Back in town for the last night, eat what you skipped. Try a Sachertorte, the dense chocolate cake with apricot jam from Vienna, if a café has it, and an Obstler (fruit brandy) to finish. Both are Austrian classics rather than Styrian ones, but the town's cafés serve them.
Walk the Hauptplatz once more before you leave.
What did not fit in five days, and what is worth a sixth or seventh.
The town museum is in the Bruderladenhaus of 1661, built for sick and injured miners, and it shows the mining past and the peasant uprisings of the Reformation. The 2026 listing gives opening hours only from 16 June to 8 October and none for winter, so call before you count on it for a day when the lifts are closed by wind.
Getting there: In the old town, on Talbachgasse, a few minutes' walk from the Hauptplatz
From two days the pass is a Ski amadé pass with 760 km of pistes and 270 lifts in 5 regions. Altenmarkt is the nearest of the other regions, if you want more terrain.
Getting there: 30 km, about 35 minutes by car
The lakeside village in Upper Austria gave its name to the Hallstatt culture of the Early Iron Age and is a UNESCO World Heritage site, listed in 1997 with the Dachstein and Salzkammergut cultural landscape. It is crowded in summer. As an alternative to the glacier day, it is the better choice if the Dachstein is in cloud.
Getting there: 79 km, about 75 minutes by car; check winter bus links
Mozart's city is the easy city day. See 5 Days in Salzburg for the plan.
Getting there: About 90 km, 1 hour 15 minutes by car; Schladming station is on the Salzburg-Graz line
The small family areas are not linked to the four mountains. The Rittisberg above Ramsau opens on 4 December 2026 (local day pass 58.50 EUR), the Galsterberg in Pruggern on 4 December (63-74 EUR) and the Fageralm on 18 December. The tourist board lists all three among the Ski amadé mountains, and children born in 2021 or later ski free there in 2026/27. Smaller, quieter and good for a sixth ski day.
Getting there: Ski bus to Ramsau and the Galsterberg; Fageralm is not on the ski bus stop list, check before you go
Styria's capital has an old town on the UNESCO list. See 5 Days in Graz.
Getting there: About 170 km, around 2 hours 15 minutes by car, also on the Salzburg-Graz line
The food here is mountain food: cheese, dumplings, pancakes and strudel in the huts, schnitzel and beef in the valley, and a regional cheese you will not find elsewhere.
Small dumplings tossed with cheese and fried onions. The tourist board lists them with strudel as what to eat in the ski huts, and in the Ennstal the cheese can be the local Steirerkas.
Where to try it: Any ski hut at lunch, ordered with a green salad.
A protected regional cheese from the Enns valley. It matures for three weeks and turns grey-brown, marbled, crumbly and sharp. It appears in Steirerkasnocken, on bread, in soups and in Steirerkrapfen.
Where to try it: Alpine huts and regional restaurants; the tourist board lists producers.
Torn-up fluffy pancakes dusted with powdered sugar and served with plum compote. It is the standard hut dessert and is made to share.
Where to try it: Every ski hut; Tauernalm at the Hochwurzen valley station is a good stop.
Thin pastry filled with spiced apples, raisins and breadcrumbs. The dough should be thin enough to read a newspaper through, and it is best warm with vanilla sauce.
Where to try it: Ski huts and cafés in the old town.
Bread or potato dumplings, served as a side or a main in broth or with sauerkraut, a staple across Alpine Austria. The Speckknödel with bacon is the heaviest version.
Where to try it: Huts and inns; ask for the Tagesgericht.
Austrian mac and cheese: soft egg noodles layered with melted mountain cheese and crispy fried onions. The mountain version of the dish that Kasnocken echo.
Where to try it: Any hut with a proper kitchen.
A thin veal cutlet, breaded and fried golden. It should hang over the edge of the plate. A good valley dinner after a hut lunch.
Where to try it: Traditional inns in town, such as the Gasthaus on the Hauptplatz.
Boiled beef served with apple horseradish and chive sauce, said to be Emperor Franz Joseph's favorite meal. A restaurant dish rather than a hut dish.
Where to try it: Traditional inns; order it where the menu is short.
Austrian fruit brandy, distilled from apples and pears. It is the digestive after a heavy meal.
Where to try it: Huts and inns; sip it, do not shoot it.
Austrian coffee with steamed milk and a little foam, close to a cappuccino. The coffee house habit is protected by UNESCO as a cultural tradition.
Where to try it: Cafés in the old town, with a glass of water on the side.
A dense chocolate cake with apricot jam, created in Vienna in 1832 by Franz Sacher. Not a Styrian dish, but every café serves it.
Where to try it: Cafés in the old town.
The classic amber lager of the Schladming brewery, made alongside a BioZwickl and a white beer. A good match for hut food.
Where to try it: The brewery tasting, or any inn in town.
Pick the mountain you will ski most, or the town. The ski bus links them all.
Best for: First-timers who want evenings out and the Planai gondola
The Planai base and the station are both a short walk, and the restaurants, bars and the Hohenhaus Tenne are on your doorstep. The catch: it is the loudest base, and the Nightrace week and the Ski Opening weekend fill it.
Best for: Families and Hochwurzen fans
A quiet side valley with the Hochwurzen Gipfelbahn and the toboggan run on your doorstep. The catch: you need the ski bus or a car for the town and evenings.
Best for: Hauser Kaibling skiers who want parking at the lift
A market town with the Kaibling gondola, a kids' park and parking. The catch: it is a few minutes from Schladming, so nights out mean a bus or a taxi.
Best for: Reiteralm skiers and a calm base
The Reiteralm valley station is here, on the main road west of town. The catch: you are away from the town's restaurants.
Best for: Cross-country skiers and walkers
The Nordic center of the region, with the glacier lift nearby. The catch: the alpine ski areas are further away, reached by ski bus.
In Map Drop the countries of Europe fall one at a time and you drop each into its place - Austria is one of the pieces.
The practical stuff that makes the first day in Schladming easier.
Buy the pass online before you go, since early booking prices depend on the season and demand. The keycard deposit is 3 EUR. Years of birth decide the price: children 2011-2020, youth 2008-2010 (both need a photo ID), adults 2007 and earlier. Multi-day tickets are valid only on consecutive days, and a lost or forgotten ticket is not replaced.
With a valid ski ticket, and only if you carry ski gear, the ski bus is free between the four valley stations. The night ski bus is not covered by the day ticket. The ski bus also runs to Ramsau, the Dachstein glacier lift and the Galsterberg. It stops at Schladming station, the Planet Planai valley station, the WEST winter sports center, the Hochwurzen lift, and the Hauser Kaibling and Reiteralm valley stations.
On Planai and Hochwurzen all slopes are closed daily from 17:00 to 8:00, when groomers work, some with cable winches (Hauser Kaibling closes 17:30 to 8:30). Entering them is life-threatening and is monitored by a security service. The one exception is the World Championship downhill on Planai (17:00-18:00 at your own risk).
Weekends, Christmas and New Year and school holidays are busiest. The Ski Opening concert is 11-12 December 2026, the Nightrace is expected on 26 and 27 January 2027 (check the date on the organizer's page), the Styrian Semesterferien are 15-20 February 2027, and Serbian primary schools in central Serbia are on winter break 31 December 2026 to 15 January 2027, with a February break 15-19 February 2027.
Austria is cash-oriented, but most restaurants take cards; carry some cash for small huts. Tipping is common at 5-10%: say the full amount including the tip when you pay, and ask for the bill with zahlen, bitte.
Marked runs are secured; everything beyond them is not. Read the avalanche bulletin daily. The Alpine emergency number is 140, and 112 works everywhere. Helicopter mountain rescue is not covered by the European Health Insurance Card, so take travel insurance.
Smoking has been banned in restaurants, bars and cafés since 2019. German is the local language, and staff deal with foreign guests all winter, but a Grüß Gott goes down well. Plugs are the European two-pin type, 230 V.
Austria is in the Schengen area, so the usual Schengen entry rules apply. ETIAS, the planned EU travel authorization for visitors who do not need a visa, has no confirmed start date: check the official EU page before you book.
Yes. The four mountains take four ski days, one each, and the fifth day is the glacier or Ramsau. If you ski hard, the Ski amadé pass opens more terrain from the second day.
The 4-mountain area has 123 km of pistes, 50 lifts and 56 huts, from about 745 to 2,015 m. The tourist board's 222 km figure is for the whole Schladming-Dachstein region with nine mountains.
Yes, for families and gentle skiers. Children born in 2021 or later ski free on all four mountains in 2026/27, and the ski schools and rental shops sit at the valley stations, so book lessons ahead in school holidays. The Planai Märchenwiese, the Wollis Kids Park, the Reiteralm Kinderland and the Hopsi Winterwonderland are children's areas, and the resort says blue runs have a gradient of at most 25%.
Not by altitude, since the area starts low. Hauser Kaibling and Reiteralm say 100% of their slopes can be covered with artificial snow, and no figure is published for Planai and Hochwurzen. Mid-winter is the safer bet, and early December and late March mean fewer open lifts.
The 2027 Nightrace is expected on 26 January (night giant slalom) and 27 January (slalom), per the organizer's ticket page and the World Cup calendar. Dates can change, so confirm before you book.
Go to the Dachstein glacier (25 December to 29 March, closed Tuesdays from 12 January), ski cross-country in Ramsau, or drive to Hallstatt, about 75 minutes away. The Stadtmuseum is a bad-weather option only if it is open: no winter hours are published.
A day pass is 81.50 EUR at the ticket office in the main season, a 5-day pass 391.50 EUR. That is less than the top Austrian names; see the price comparison. Lodging and the Nightrace week cost the most.
Austria is in the Schengen area, so the usual Schengen entry rules apply. ETIAS has no confirmed start date. Check the rules for your passport before you book.
Find Schladming on the map, learn the flag and check how much you really know about Austria.
270 km of mostly blue and red pistes in one valley, with an après-ski scene that starts before the lifts close. Four ski days and a day off.
Bases: Saalbach, Hinterglemm, Leogang
The Harakiri, a sunny Ahorn and a glacier up the valley. Four ski days, one off, and the pass question answered.
Three summits over 3,000 m and two glaciers in Sölden, a quieter, higher area in Obergurgl. Four ski days and a spa day in the Ötztal.
Bases: Sölden, Obergurgl
Austria