 Poster: A snowHead
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@RedandWhiteFlachau, yes, Webcams look very nice this morning  Cannons running full blast also ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Timberwolf, In Flachau they're on from the FIS start on the HM run upwards.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Hi @RedandWhiteFlachau, and @holidayloverxx, just looking at accommodation for the week of 13-20 Dec that accept 2 dogs. You recommend Schladming and Flachau but we have found Grossarler Hof in Grossarler, do you think it is wise to stray from the larger Ski Amade towns so early in the season? Any recommendations in Schladming or Flachau please?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Snowmadmum, I do t know ow the hotel or the village and no idea what the skiing will be like early skiing but I personally dislike Grossarl. Dorfgastein over the other side has better runs IMO but you ski both sides of the mountain. @RedandWhiteFlachau will know it better than me, I've only been a couple of times.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Snowmadmum, Grossarl is a great place to ski but an intermediate skier will do the lot in a day or so. There's a new gondola that takes you to the top of the mountain and that has a fabulous restaurant at the top. From there you can drop down into Dorfgastein. If you want, it is then a short free bus ride up to Bad Gastein. I assume that with two dogs you'll have a car, so it's about 20 mins from Grossarl down the valley to Alpendorf, where you can access the whole of Snowspace.
But, I'd opt for Flachau as a base that week. There will be more open in the village and it's the easiest place to get around the Ski Amade resorts. Have a look at the Flachau Tourist office site (at link). There's loads of places available. I don't know what type of accommodation you're looking for, but they're all good. Pick one and then phone them up to ask about pets. Most pensions won't have a problem but may ask for an additional cleaning fee (we do). You could also call the Tourist Office direct, I'm sure they will know.
https://www.flachau.com/en/
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks so much @holidayloverxx, and @RedandWhiteFlachau, yes we will have a car. My original plan has changed as (non-skiing) partner and dogs joining daughter and me. Therefore I am looking for a quieter location, good dog walks and more wellness than previously planned. I appreciate we will drive or bus to access other piste areas. Going to bite the bullet and commit. As ever, thanks for your advice and perspective.
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@Snowmadmum, Have a look at Altenmarkt or Radstadt as a base. Lots of great walks by the river and the Therme Amade. https://www.thermeamade.at/
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If you’ve got a car and a non skier you could take a drive from your chosen base up the Gatein valley, drop off the non skier at the huge Alpentherme (I think about €30 for the day - big outdoor thermal pools, spas etc) in Bad Hofgastein while the skiers carry on up the valley to the high and spectacular runs in Sportgastein. You’d probably need an early start from somewhere like Flachau but might be worth a look.
Gastein is famous for its wellness and has some good skiing but it’s not particularly good if you want to get around the rest of Ski Amadé. There’s enough skiing to keep most people interested for a week though.
Anyway, just a few thoughts if you wanted a more ‘wellness’ biased area to satisfy non skiers.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks @@japes1275, I love planning so will definitely take a look at your suggestions and others
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Sorry, and I will also post this on a more relevant thread but any recommendations for a vet in Ski Amade to provide the tapeworm treatment? I am just googling and contacting but always good to hear of someone with personal advice.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Can someone offer some best options for where to base ourselves in the Ski Amade area:
- Two adults, two children:7 & 11 year old
- Intermediate/advanced adults, kids been 3 times and are confident
- We are taking the train in to the region (Radstadt) and taking bus out to Salzburg airport Saturday - Saturday last week Feb 2026, so relying on public transport
- Would like the kids to have half day ski school Mon-Fri
- No apres ski required
- Good access to ski school
- Access to good ski hire
- Child friendly hotel (half-board) walking distance to lift
- As we will be travelling light, some access to conveniences
Any advice would be very much appreciated!
Many thanks
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@nickgreenway, Welcome to Snowheads. That week is going to be busy but your key driver is budget. How much do you have to spend on your HB? If you let me know that, we can advise from there. There's everything from high end to budget options but I'd start by recommending basing yourselves in Flachau or Wagrain.
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Many thanks @RedandWhiteFlachau.
Our budget is flexible as we've had a cr*p year, and so want to find the best option in terms of food, comfort, child suitability and distance to lifts - I guess between £1-£1.5k each (x4) including ski pass (I have been browsing SunWeb who include passes).
Will that last week of Feb be busier than the previous week (14th-21st, which looks like half-term in Southern Germany)?
I was initially looking at Schladming (not knowing much of the area), so its interesting that you mention Flachau & Wagrain...
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Fri 28-11-25 11:39; edited 2 times in total
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You know it makes sense.
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@nickgreenway, That last week if February will be better than the previous three, which are also Austrian school holidays.
I think Schladming would be a reasonable shout. You could take the train directly there from Salzburg. It's on the same line from Salzburg as Radstadt. But I don't know Flachau or Wagrain, so it could be that @RedandWhiteFlachau's suggestion is better.
My son and I had our very first ski lessons on the Rohrmoos at Schladming. The lift station is Planai West and is in the town (walkable with ski gear from the train station). https://www.bergfex.com/schladming-planai/
You could certainly do worse than Schladming.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@phillc, That's useful info - certainly the train access is useful as we will have had a long journey in from Nuremberg.
Many thanks
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Poster: A snowHead
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@nickgreenway, I've been a regular in Flachau over the years, and have stayed in Wagrain a few times as well, and visited Schladming on a couple of occasions for day trips. Flachau and Wagrain are the obvious places to stay, but not so easy to access by train since it needs a bus or a taxi from Altenmarkt for Flachau, or St Johann for Wagrain. All are 4.5 to 5.5 hours from Nuremberg on the train, with a couple of changes.
All three offer good skiing but in a slightly disjointed way - from Flachau, you can reach much of the Snowspace area on skis, but there are some significant kinks in the system to join up the separate areas, e.g. the G-Link between Flachau and the Grafenberg slopes in Wagrain and down to Alpendorf is a peak to peak cable car taking about 10 minutes to cross, while the Panorama Link from Flachau to the Flachauwinkl/Kleinarl slopes is another 10 minute trip in a gondola over an exposed ridge so there is some risk of the link being closed and you needing a bus back if the wind picks up significantly. Between Flachauwinkl and the access to Zauchensee at Highport is a shuttle bus ride, so you could be waiting 5-10 minutes for the bus. That said, it's an excellent area and one of my favourites, and both links are new since I first visited 15+ years ago so it is much better than it used to be.
Schaldming on the other hand is a single town, and a rather industrial one at that despite having a nicer historic core, but even then the slopes are in three distinct areas strung out along the valley with no on-piste links between them, plus the standalone Dachstein glacier on the other side of the valley. If you had a car and wanted to visit all of the areas and include some of the smaller options like Fageralm, Galsterberg and Radstadt that would be a good option, but without a car you'll likely be limited to the main Planai/Hauser Kaibling and Hochwurzen slopes, which are all a bit samey.
Accommodation near the lifts is clearly more expensive, and at this point may be fully booked for February. However, the ski buses are regular and reliable, and kids at 7 and 11 should be able to cope with those easily. In all 3 towns, conveniences such as a supermarket, chemist, etc are nowhere near the lifts as the lift is on farmland outside of the town centre. You can be convenient for the lift, or convenient for the shops, but not both. With half board you may never need to visit the town centre, and if you want a swimming pool, being in a hotel which has one is advised - Wagrain and Schladming have decent pools on the edge of town (Wagrain's is close to the Flying Mozart lift), while Flachau has nothing in the town, but the Therme Amade is within 5Km and worth the trip out.
Across Austria, lessons are typically all day - some variation around 10 to 12 in the morning, a supervised lunch in an alm, and then 1-3 in the afternoon - and most kids lessons are based on Sunday-Friday, so looking for Mon-Fri and half days will be possible, but is likely to be more difficult because the group could be at the top of the mountain for lunch and the instructor can't deliver one kid back to the valley. If you're concerned about not having skiing time with them, make an effort to start at 8:30 and get them going for an hour before heading for the lessons, and then pick them up at 3 and ski to the end of the day with them if they (or you  ) have the energy to do so. They'll integrate with the rest of the group so much better, and will improve markedly - to the extent that half day lesson attendees will likely keep being bumped back a group as the others are getting twice as much tuition and practice per day.
Ski schools and ski hire are never a problem in Austria - both are easily accessed and high quality, though the cost reflects this.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@ousekjarr, Hauser Kaibling / Planai / Hochwurzen / Reiteralm are all linked via pistes and lifts. Of those four, I personally prefer Reiteralm. It also somehow feels a little less crowded in peak times. Hauser Kaibling and Planai particularly can be a right pain at the really busy times. I've had 20 minute waits in lift queues in the past (between Christmas and New Year).
The Talstations (bottom lift station) for Planai are right in the middle of Schladming town. Planai West is a little further away from the very centre than Planai Stadion, which is practically next to a bunch ski rental shops and restaurants. I do agree that Schladming isn't a chocolate box Alpine village, but it's not horrible either. In that area, I think Radstadt center is probably nicer.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| nickgreenway wrote: |
Many thanks @RedandWhiteFlachau.
Our budget is flexible as we've had a cr*p year, and so want to find the best option in terms of food, comfort, child suitability and distance to lifts - I guess between £1-£1.5k each (x4) including ski pass (I have been browsing SunWeb who include passes).
Will that last week of Feb be busier than the previous week (14th-21st, which looks like half-term in Southern Germany)?
I was initially looking at Schladming (not knowing much of the area), so its interesting that you mention Flachau & Wagrain... |
Schladming and Flachau both require a free bus from the the nearest station, so there's not much in it. Sunweb is a cracking option, their chalets in Flachau are very smart but they're all Self-Catering I think. The best family hotel in Flachau is probably the Hotel Centrale but there are so many to choose from. I still think Flachau is the better option from what you've said so far. Not much to choose between the weeks in February, they're all busy.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@ousekjarr, there is a Spar 2 minutes walk...or less...from Grafenberg lift in Wagsrain and one virtually opposite the main Planau lift, it might be a Spar but definitely a supermarket
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Hi snowheads - Work is taking me to Altenmarkt in the new year and I'll have a couple of days free to ski. It's the first week of January so I suspect Austrian schools are still on holiday. If you had two days in Altenmarkt where would you drive to/get a bus for to see the best of the area? I'm a reasonable piste skier, not looking for off piste. Will probably have a car but happy on a bus too. Thanks in advance
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@grumpygargoyle, I would get the bus from Altenmarkt up to Zauchensee but Flachau isn’t far but not sure about buses there from Altenmarkt as I’ve always had a car.
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@grumpygargoyle, There's a postbus from Altenmarkt directly to Flachau which is quick and easy, and fairly regular - see https://maps.app.goo.gl/TpFsAc2TRaSNE1bh8 or the Wagrain bus gets fairly close to the Starjet lift - https://maps.app.goo.gl/F58UA1s9sUQpCVQq7
However, none of the lifts are directly on the Postbus route - in all 3 cases, you'd have a short walk to the lift, or if you were feeling particularly lazy you could get off on the main street and then wait for a ski bus to get dropped directly at the lift.
Zauchensee is a good shout for a decent day out, but if you wanted to get across to Wagrain then starting from Starjet in Flachau makes much more sense as you'd be getting a bus to Zauchensee anyway.
The first week in January is usually fairly quiet, so no queues, good snow conditions and likely fresh snow.
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Thank you both, if work and weather plays ball I'll do a day in Zauchensee and a day from Flachau! I'll be sure to provide a snow report. Thanks again
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@RedandWhiteFlachau, 12 peaks tour sounds great, a bit like the smugglers route in Ischgl.
I've never skied in the area before but am visiting first week of March with some long time ski buddies. We will have a car and are staying in Bischofshofen. Probably heading to different areas each day.
Anyone got suggestions for "must visits". We are all experienced skiers and will ski anything Piste based.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wagrain today
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@DJL, If the weather is good, start with the Hochkonig and get your legs in. Really easy wide red pistes and follow the Konigstrail from Mulbach to Maria Alm and back. Second day, head to Alpendorf and ski the 12 peaks from West to East (and back). For an easy 3rd day, go past Alpendorf and up the valley to Grossarl/Dorfgastein. Then pick and chose the best bits or go further by popping down to Reiteralm and skiing the Schladming slopes.
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Another recommendation for Konigstrail, RWF mentioned it when I asked last year. We did it from Dienten and although we didn’t manage the whole route due to the weather turning in the afternoon, we had an amazing morning skiing over to Maria Alm and back on quiet mid week pistes.
I’ll have a look at doing the 12 peaks this coming January though it might be a bit too much from Gastein.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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For a fast skier how long would Zauchensee to Alpendorf take assuming no major lift queues? I know there is short bus and a few link lifts just trying to get my head around actual scale as piste maps don’t always give the best gauge on what it’s like on the mountain
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Ldj226, from Zauchensee it's about 2.5 hours if you went there directly on every lift and without delays. I did the 12 Peaks in 2022 starting from the car park in Zauchensee at 08:30, and was in Alpendorf at 12:15 having covered the peaks in the Zauchensee sector first. The uplift out of Zauchensee in that direction was at 09:30, there was a 5 minute wait for the bus to Flachauwinkel, then I took the piste down to Kleinarl and back up, and I was at the G-Link at 11:15. Another 7 minute wait for the crossing, then I was on the Wagrain/Grafenberg side, and bounced across to the Alpendorf valley run to arrive at 12:15 with no detours.
Overall, that was a 8:30 day, 39 miles skiing, 12900m vertical. Here's my record from SkiTrax:
And as you can see from the graphs, lunch was optional that day... we had a couple of stops for refills, of about 5 minutes each. One of them was a large coke and Mars bar - ordered them, downed the coke, paid and left, and ate the Mars bar on the next lift. The return lift to Zauchensee closed about 10 minutes after we got on it, so we cut it pretty fine.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Ldj226, I've done the complete 12 Peaks (out and back) in 3.5 hours, most of which was lift time. A more realistic estimate, assuming base to base Zauchensee to Alpendorf, is around 2.5 to 3 hours.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Well almost first lift - once a replacement lift pass was purchased!!!
The Panoramabahn has opened since - the challenge needs to be repeated.
Ange.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Salzburg Airport Arrivals. I'm sure most folks are aware by now, but for those arriving at Salzburg Airport with Non-EU passports, you now have to go to one of the new ETIAS/Visa machines and get a ticket BEFORE proceeding to the immigration desk/line. There are airport staff on hand to help you. This doesn't apply to those with Austrian residency cards.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for the heads up! Does this make it faster or slower than it used to be? I’ve queued out the door the last couple of years 
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My Ski amadé Friends card arrived yesterday. Five weeks till I get to use it, can't wait!
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@MajorQ, make sure you claim your €15 discount on ski servicing. Be aware that bus drivers won't necessarily recognise it as a lift pass for free travel. I find..rubbish German.. es is ein skipass auch ...works
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @MajorQ, make sure you claim your €15 discount on ski servicing. Be aware that bus drivers won't necessarily recognise it as a lift pass for free travel. I find..rubbish German.. es is ein skipass auch ...works |
Many thanks for this advice!
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@MajorQ, Your accomodation provider should also give you a visitors card when you register. This is valid for free transport on all regional services within Salzburgland.
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FAQ
