Hochzillertal Ski Resort Austria
Hochzillertal ski resort is a popular freeride destination above the towns of Kaltenbach & Fügen in the Zillertal valley of the Tyrol. It delivers some delectable Austrian alpine goodness. Close to the world's best ski city, Innsbruck, Hochzillertal has all the ingredients for a superb ski holiday.
The interlinked ski region of Hochzillertal-Hochfügen-Spieljoch has a combination of a super-modern lift system, huge skiable vertical, family friendliness, wonderful restaurants, awesome places to stay in the valley & on the mountain, plus freeride powder terrain to keep even the biggest snow snobs (i.e. me!) very happy.
Pros & Cons for Hochzillertal Ski Resort
Pros
- Huge skiable vertical.
- Ultra-modern & efficient lift system.
- Short lift lines.
- Excellent range & length of on-piste trails for all levels.
- Loads of super freeride off-piste terrain, including trees.
- Typically fun Austrian après ski.
- Ski-in ski-out accommodation on the mountain & loads of options in the valleys.
- Good value lift pass price linked with the other Zillertal ski resorts.
- Easy public transport access from Innsbruck or Munich by train/bus & ample free car parking for day trippers right at the lifts.
- Wonderful child-minding facilities (incl for very young babies), at incredibly reasonable prices.
Cons
- Low elevation base areas in the Ziller valley are often devoid of natural snow early & late in the season, with runs relying solely on snowmaking (if in doubt just download on a gondola).
- A few of the major on-piste trails get very busy on weekends & can be bumped up accordingly.
- Vehicle traffic in the Zillertal can be bedlam at the start & end of the week/weekend (take the train, or if driving, leave and/or arrive late/early).
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- No strong, central village & the two major villages in the valley are spread out away from the lift bases.
- With so much on offer in the region, you may never want to leave the Zillertal.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Any ski resort with a skiable vertical of nearly 1,800m, longest run of 11km, a total of 112km of trails and 51 ski lifts is nothing to be sneezed at! Split between two distinct sectors, most of the lifts & the best terrain resides above Kaltenbach & Aschau-im-Zillertal from Hochzillertal to Hochfügen. The separate Spieljoch sector is comparatively smaller with only 21km of trails & ski routes, and is not lift connected to the resort of the terrain, necessitating a bus ride up to Hochfugen to access the real 'goods'!.
Terrain wise, novices are well-catered for in the mountain station area above Kaltenbach, and the base area around Hochfuegen. Intermediates can range far and wide across the entire resort on typically wide, impeccable Austrian pistes. (Note that toward the end of the day, some runs funnelling back toward the mountain station above Kaltenbach can become quite busy & bumped.) Advanced riders will love the off-piste chutes from Wimbachexpress, the steeps under the Wedel chair & Zillertal Shuttle gondola, plus the expansive lift-accessed backcountry terrain in the high valley above Hochfügen. The longest run in the Zillertal valley is the 11km, 1,800m vertical drop from the top of the Wimbachexpress down to Aschau-im-Zillertal. It requires a bus/train shuttle to get back to the lifts in Kaltenbach.
The trail map gives only the barest hint of the off-piste freeride terrain available. See the Hochzillertal-Hochfügen-Spieljoch-Fügen ski trail map below.
The 41 ski lifts at Hochzillertal-Hochfügen are a procession of modern high-volume chairs & gondolas, plus loads of novice, children & family friendly surface tows and conveyors. A further 11 lifts operate in the neighbouring Spieljoch-Fügen sector. We loved that the last lift installed before we visited, the high altitude Wimbachexpress gondola, serves mostly advanced off-piste & freeride terrain from its top station. a worthwhile backcountry jaunt is to wander across to 2,442m Wimbachkopf, ski powder down to the Zillertaler Höhenstraße, and then skin back into the resort.
Once on the books was the final piece in the local puzzle; a proper lift connection between the Hochzillertal/Hochfugen and Spieljoch-Fügen sectors with a wind stabilised 3S tri-cable 28-person gondola called the Top of the Alps. it looks to have disappeared from the planning documents, but it is one to watch for.
Lift Pass
All single day lift passes are valid in the ski areas encompassed by Hochzillertal-Hochfuegen-Spieljoch. All multi-day lift tickets of 2-days duration or more are a Zillertal Super Ski Pass & are valid in the other Zillertal (Ziller valley) ski areas of Mayrhofen, Hintertux Glacier & Zillertal Arena. All are connected by train or free ski bus, making the valley a ‘one stop shop’ for a huge ski holiday.
Check out the Zillertal ski resorts accessible on the Zillertal Super Ski Pass below.
Where is Hochzillertal Austria?
Hochzillertal is in the Zillertal (Ziller valley) of Tirol (Tyrol) state, Austria. The ski resort is either 51km (Fügen), 58km (Kaltenbach) or 65km (Hochfügen) east of Innsbruck. By rental car it takes about 50min to reach Fügen from Innsbruck airport, slightly longer for the other villages.
Closest major international gateway airports are Munich (MUC) & Zurich (ZRH), with the airport at Innsbruck (INN) providing access from flights within Europe & the UK only. Travel to the Zillertal is easy by road or rail from all airports. Munich airport is only 165km (2hr) drive north of Kaltenbach at the base of Hochzillertal.
The closest major train station to Hochzillertal is Jenbach from where the Zillertalbahn chugs its way up the valley to Fügen & Kaltenbach. The 32km long Zillertal Railway (Zillertalbahn) runs regularly on every day of the ski season from Jenbach railway station all the way through to Mayrhofen. Public buses also make the journey, but less regularly & with less dignity! Understand that the train 'stations' along the Zillertalbahn line are rudimentary. At Kaltenbach ‘station’ you are stepping down onto the most minimalist of ‘platforms’ and then crossing tracks to the waiting ski-bus (or walk) to the gondola valley station.
Search & book all train tickets to Jenbach, Fügen & Kaltenbach.
Anyone that has an aversion to sharing transport with the great unwashed (it’s true that I can smell a bit on a train after a good day in the snow!), consideration should be given to getting a private transfer. Private transfers are a fast & efficient way to get to the skiing from the airport, a major city, or (heaven forbid!), a major train station. They are also cost effective for groups of 3 or more people.
Search & book all private transfers to Hochzillertal.
Hochzillertal Accommodation
Down in the Zillertal, the two main centres for ski region are the towns of Kaltenbach & Fügen. Higher into the mountains the most ideal location to ski the resort is Hochfügen. All three have direct ski lift & trail links. The small village of Aschau-im-Zillertal has ski trails leading to it from the resort, but no lift link back up. A free ski-bus connects all the villages. Anyone with a car can comfortably stay anywhere as the free car parks near the lifts allow simple access to the slopes.
Away from the villages, there are a few isolated (at night anyway) mountain hotels above Kaltenbach that provide the quintessential Austrian ski experience. The Berggasthof Platzlalm is near the top station of the Kaltenbach gondola & has commanding views across the valley. Minimum 3-night stays provide enough time to sample the entire resort without ever setting foot in the valley.
Kaltenbach is the most central valley town to Hochzillertal. With all services & facilities, a Zillertalbahn train station, plus a plethora of accommodation options, Kaltenbach can be a good place to stay. Base facilities & ski lift access to the entire resort is only a short walk, drive or bus ride away from any accommodation. For the best combination of convenience, price & comfort, try the Explorer Hotel Zillertal, located just near the train 'station' and a short stroll from the Hochzillertal gondola base.
Search & book all Kaltenbach accommodation.
Fügen is the second choice of the main valley villages. Whilst it has similar services & facilities to Kaltenbach (including a Zillertalbahn railway station), the lift access from the edge of town ends up too distant from the better parts of the resort and requires a ski bus ride to get the good bits in Hochfügen. Regardless, accommodation is generally more affordable here, so it makes some sense. Look at the Hotel Kohlerhof located right near the Spieljoch gondola valley station in the centre of town.
Search & book all Fügen accommodation.
For a true snow village experience, Hochfügen is the prime location for an overnight stay. A number of stellar hotels are within this isolated valley surrounded by peaks, lifts, ski runs & a huge car park (which is fantastic for day visitors!). Stay at the Hotel Almhof or similar.
Search & book all Hochfügen ski accommodation.
One of our favourite ski villages in the Zillertal is lively Mayrhofen. Travel by train or bus is possible to get to Hochzillertal.
Family Friendly
Great news for visitors with very young children. Hochzillertal has child-minding (kindergarten) facilities for babies as young as 6 months for incredibly affordable rates. Called the Zwergerl Club, it is located at the main Mountain View gondola station (1,760m) above Kaltenbach. Be sure to book the day before (until 4pm) by contacting the Zwergerl Club by phone (Tel. +43 5283 28745) or at the tourist office (Tel. +43 5288 62262).
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available in several Hochzillertal villages. Powderhounds partners have convenient ski & snowboard equipment rental locations in Hochfügen & Fügen. Receive a discount when you search & book via ourHochzillertal Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
An amazing number of ski guides & instructors ply their trade in the Zillertal region & ski resorts at Hochzillertal, Mayrhofen & Hintertux Glacier. A good mountain guide can make all the difference to an off-piste powder day in an unfamiliar ski resort or backcountry area. For options, see our Hochzillertal Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Nearby Ski Resorts
Hochzillertal is in the heart of a major Austrian ski region (….. the entire country is a major ski region!!). Skiing all year round at Hintertux Glacier, the classic terrain at Mayrhofen, & the enormous Zillertal Arena are lift pass linked with Hochzillertal (Kaltenbach)-Hochfuegen-Spieljoch (Fügen). All the Innsbruck ski resorts are close. Same goes for Alpbachtal Wildschönau. The massive ski areas of Ski Welt & Kitzbühel-Kirchberg are only a train ride away. What an awesome country to ski & snowboard.
Review
The Powderhounds last reviewed Hochzillertal in March 2019 (strangely enough under a bit of sufferance) and found it to be a fantastic skiing area full of freeride adventure opportunities and great traditions, but still with the family friendly modern lifts, pistes & facilities one comes to expect from the best Austrian ski resorts. We are due to return this coming season for an extended stay. Read our review by clicking the review links above (if on mobile) or in the left column (if on desktop).
See how Hochzillertal-Hochfügen 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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