Skiing in Schladming: Winter Holiday Guide to the Schladming Ski Area

The Schladming ski resort is located in Styria (Steiermark), Austria. It’s known as the Schladming 4-Mountain ski area, because it stretches across four mountains: (1) Hauser Kaibling, (2) Planai, (3) Hochwurzen, and (4) Reiteralm.

With 123 km of well-prepared pistes, served by a modern fleet of cableways, the 4-mountain Schladming ski area is a great destination for a ski holiday in Austria. It’s also part of the greater Schladming-Dachstein ski region, which has 230 km (143 miles) of slopes, 77 modern lifts, and 100 ski huts. 

Skiing in Schladming has many advantages. It’s a perfect destination for intermediate skiers, as most ski slopes are red (intermediate). There are several areas to explore. Schladming is easy to reach by train. The ski area is peppered with 100 inviting ski huts. And, the vibe is laid-back, friendly, and down-to-earth.

The main disadvantage of the Schladming ski resort is the low-altitude, so snow quality can be poor as you near the valley. If there isn’t sufficient snow at lower elevations, getting between the Planai and Hochwurzen mountains isn’t very seamless.

The town of Schladming is the main gateway to the Schladming-Planai ski mountain. 

Base yourself in Schladming for the greatest convenience, especially if you’re traveling without a car. If you stay in the town center – TUI BLUE Schladming (midrange), Boutiquehotel Stadthotel brunner (luxury), or JOHANN Schladming (luxury) – you’ll be walking distance to the Planai Gondola, various ski rental shops, many restaurants, and après-ski venues. 

If you want a ski-in ski-out experience, you could stay in Krummholzhütte (budget ski-in ski-out hut on Hauser Kaibling / no car access), Hotel-Restaurant Planaihof (midrange ski-to-door hotel in Planai), Gästehaus Mirzl (midrange ski-to-door B&B in Hochwurzen), Apart & Suiten Hotel Weiden (luxury ski-to-door hotel in Hochwurzen), Hotel Schwaigerhof (luxury ski-to-door hotel in Hochwurzen), or Almwelt Austria (luxury ski-in ski-out chalets in Reiteralm).

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Schladming Ski Map

In this Schladming ski map, the town center of Schladming is marked in yellow. The 4 ski mountains of the resort are all marked in different colors.

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Why Ski in the Schladming Ski Resort

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Accessible by Public Transit

The Schladming ski resort is easy to reach by train. 

From Vienna, it’s only a 4-hour train journey to Schladming. From Munich, it’s a 3:30 transit journey. 

The Schladming train station is walking distance to the town of Schladming (10-15 minutes). However, if you’re carrying a lot of equipment, or it’s snowing, it’s best to take a taxi to your hotel. You can also check bus connections, but from our experience, buses aren’t that frequent. 

If you are traveling by train, we recommend staying in the town of Schladming. 

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Convenience and Ease

After a long hiatus, Kati and I decided to plan a ski holiday over Christmas. We chose Schladming, for several reasons: accessibility with transit, the town’s proximity to the ski resort, and overall convenience. 

We wanted an easy and stress-free experience. 

We stayed at TUI BLUE Schladming, which is located just steps away from the Planai Gondola. By staying so close, we didn’t have to walk far with cumbersome ski boots and heavy ski equipment. 

Furthermore, we were walking distance to everything we needed: restaurants, train station, hotel, ski pass ticket office, ski rental shop, main gondola to ski resort, etc… 

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Extensive Ski Area 

As previously stated, the Schladming ski area encompasses the ski mountains of Hauser Kaibling, Planai, Hochwurzen, and Reiteralm. This is the Schladming – 4 Berge Skischaukel resort, which is the most significant ski area of the Schladming-Dachstein ski region. 

It’s not possible to see the whole ski area in a day, or even two days. You need three, or four days.

The first day, we concentrated our time in Hauser Kaibling and Plainai, the two “eastern” mountains of the resort. The second day, we skied in Hochwurzen and Reiteralm, the two “western” mountains of the resort. 

Though Planai and Hochwurzen are connected by a system of gondolas and chairlifts, it takes a long time to navigate between Hochwurzen and Planai on skis.

Tip | If you’re staying in Schladming and you want to access Hochwurzen and/or Reiteralm, take a taxi, or bus to Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen gondola valley station in Rohrmoos, the village above Schladming, in the morning. 

From the Schladming-Planai bus stop, it’s only a 10-minute taxi, or 20-minute bus ride to the Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen valley station. This will save you so much time. 

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Laid Back Atmosphere

We love the Schladming-Dachstein region, because of the overall vibe and atmosphere. There’s nothing pretentious about Schladming. 

The locals are genuinely cheerful and kind. We always feel very welcome.

This overwhelmingly positive impression has been confirmed again and again over the years. Kati skied in Schladming in her childhood and young adulthood. And, we’ve hiked extensively in the Schladming-Dachstein region.

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Dreamy Views of the Dachstein Mountains

The 4-mountain Schladming ski area stretches across the northern Schladminger Tauern range. That means that when you ski in Schladming, you’ll have sweeping views of the Steirisches Ennstal Valley, flanked by the Dachstein mountains. 

The Dachstein massif, which forms part of the Northern Limestone Alps, is one of the most impressive mountain ranges in Austria. 

Reiteralm offers the best alpine views. 

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Schladming Ski Ticket / Ski Pass 

Consult schladming-dachstien.at for the most up-to-date ski ticket pricing. 

If you’re planning a longer ski vacation in Schladming, you can also ski in the neighboring ski regions of Salzburger Sportwelt, Grossarltal, Hochkönig, and Gastein.

These five ski regions are part of the greater Ski amadé network, which boasts 760 km of slopes and 270 ski lifts. If you’re planning a multi-day ski trip, you could potentially buy the multi-day Ski amadé ski pass, which gives you access to all these regions.

From a practical standout, the Ski amadé pass only makes sense for those traveling with a car. The transit between the ski regions isn’t frequent enough to make this a viable option for those traveling without a car. 

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Schladming Ski Rental

There are several ski rental shops in Schladming. 

We pre-booked our ski equipment at Bründl Sports Planet Planai located on the ground floor of the Planai gondola valley station. 

Pre-booking ski equipment is helpful, if you’re traveling to Schladming during the holidays, or other peak times. It also saves time, because you submit all your relevant data re: measurements, experience, etc… 

The whole pick-up process was easy and efficient. The guys working there were extremely patient and in a good mood. I didn’t like the pre-ordered ski boots, which wasn’t a problem. I tried on another model and switched them out. 

Tip | Many hotels in Schladming have partnerships with ski rental shops. Ask your hotel if they provide any rental discounts in specific shops. 

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Schladming Après-Ski 

Love it, or hate it, après-ski is part of ski culture in the Austrian Alps. 

Après-ski, which means “after skiing,” is an umbrella term for post-ski socializing activities. In Austria, it’s associated with drinking and partying in ski huts, or in ski towns. 

Schladming is home to the largest après-ski disco in Europe: Hohenhaus Tenne. 

You can also partake in the après-ski scene in various ski huts and bars in town, including Schafalm Planai, Hoo-Ruck Alm Rohrmoos, Almrausch Planai, and more… 

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Schladming Restaurants 

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Die Tischlerei

Die Tischlerei serves innovative and cooked-to-perfection Styrian cuisine with international influences. Guests can choose between three set menus (Vegetarian, Fish, or Meat), or order from the à la carte menu. 

We ordered the vegetarian set menu and the “Wald und Wiese” (Forest and Meadow) set menu. Everything was superb. The “Barbarie Entenbrust” (duck breast) was particularly excellent. We didn’t want dinner to end. 

The service is impeccable. The atmosphere is fine without being too stiff. 

Don’t leave Schladming without eating here. 

Reservation | Needed. You can reserve a table on dietischerlei.co.  

Address | Roseggerstrasse 676, A-8970 Schladming 

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Brunners Gasthaus & Bar & Kaffeehaus

Stadthotel Brunner is a modern boutique hotel and restaurant centrally located on the main town square of Schladming. 

Brunners Gasthaus & Bar & Kaffeehaus serves delicious Austrian specialities as well as a selection of Ayurvedic, alkaline, vegetarian and vegan dishes. 

Stadthotel Brunner never disappoints with the quality of their cuisine and service. 

This is also a great place to stay in Schladming. Check rates and availability. 

Reservation | Recommended. 

Address | Hauptpl. 14, 8970 Schladming

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das Friedrich

Das Friedrich, open since November 2023, is the passion project of two young locals, committed to sustainability and regionality. 

The modern, yet rustic Das Friedrich restaurant serves Mediterranean cuisine with an emphasis on wild-caught, sustainable fish. 

We ordered the Fischsuppe (fish soup), Tagliatelle mit Trüffel (truffle pasta), and Beiriedschnitte vom Rind (Beiried cut of beef). 

The fish soup and truffle pasta were quite good, but not sensational. The “Beiriedschnitte vom Rind” was to-die-for. 

Reservation | Recommended. 

Address | Martin-Luther-Straße 31, 8970 Schladming

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Where to Stay in Schladming for Skiing

The main places to stay in Schladming ski area are Schladming Town Center (gateway to the Planai mountain), Rohrmoos (gateway to the Hochwurzen mountain), Pichl (gateway to Reiteralm mountain), or Haus im Ennstal (gateway to the Hauser Kaibling mountain). 

The Schladming ski area is also studded with ski-to-door hotels, including:

Hauser Kaibling Mountain | Krummholzhütte (budget / no car access), or Natur- und Wellnesshotel Höflehner (luxury)

Planai Mountain | Hotel-Restaurant Planaihof (midrange) Posers Bergwelt (midrange), and Hotel Schröckerhof (midrange).

Hochwurzen Mountain | Gästehaus Mirzl (midrange), Apart & Suiten Hotel Weiden (luxury), and Hotel Schwaigerhof (luxury)

Reiteralm Mountain | Basecamp Reiteralm (midrange) and Almwelt Austria (luxury)

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Schladming Town Center: Planai Ski Mountain Base

Stay in Schladming if you’re traveling without a car. Everything you need is within walking distance: ski shops, Planai gondola, hotels, restaurants, and bars. There’s a bus stop directly next to the Planai gondola valley station, which is convenient if you want to take a bus to Rohrmoos (base of Hochwurzen), or the train station. 

Midrange | TUI BLUE Schladming is situated across the street from the Planai gondola valley station in Schladming. The location is unbeatable. Guests can safely store their ski/snowboard equipment in the hotel’s ski room, where there are lockable ski racks as well as boot dryer racks. We were extremely satisfied with our experience here. The rooms were spacious and comfortable. The staff is extremely hardworking and motivated (beyond excellent). There’s even a rooftop wellness area with a large infrared sauna, steam sauna, and outdoor Finnish sauna. Private garage parking available (reservation needed, extra fee). 

Luxury | Stadthotel Brunner is a stylish boutique hotel and restaurant, set on the main square of Schladming, a 5-minute walk to the Planai gondola valley station. We stayed in Stadthotel Brunner on a previous trip and really enjoyed the lovingly-prepared breakfast, delicious restaurant, and rooftop spa area. Guests have access to a ski storage space. Outdoor parking available.

Luxury | JOHANN Schladming is a newly renovated luxury hotel in the town center of Schladming, a 4-minute walk to the Planai gondola valley station. This standout hotel has a bar, à la carte restaurant, wellness area (3 saunas), rooftop swimming pool, gym, and private parking. 

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Planai Mountain

Midrange Ski-to-Door | Hotel-Restaurant Planaihof (Ski-in Ski-out) is located atop the Planai mountain at 1820 meters above sea level, directly on the ski slope. Rooms are simple, but clean and adequate. This ski-in ski-out hotel is located next to the Hopl ski school. This hotel is accessible by car. 

More ski-to-door hotels: Posers Bergwelt (midrange) and Hotel Schröckerhof (midrange).

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Rohrmoos: Hochwurzen Ski Mountain Base

Rohrmoos is the village situated on the high plateau above Schladming, at the base of the Hochwurzen ski mountain. Many of the hotels in Rohrmoos are ski-to-door. 

Budget | Gasthof Pension Stammerhof is a family-run guesthouse in Rohrmoos near the Kombibahn SunJet ski lift. Breakfast is included. Ski storage and parking are available. 

Midrange Ski-to-door | Gästehaus Mirzl is a top-rated B&B with ski-to-door access and  tastefully-furnished, modern rooms. Ski storage space provided. 

Luxury Ski-to-door / Half Board | Hotel Schwaigerhof is a half-board (breakfast and dinner included in the room rate) hotel with a large spa and heated outdoor swimming pool. Ski storage is provided. You can purchase ski passes at the hotel. 

Luxury Ski-to-door  | Apart & Suiten Hotel Weiden is a laid-back, informal hotel with 34 rooms and apartments next to the ski slope in Rohrmoos. Guests have access to a wellness area with a heated, year-round outdoor pool, 4 saunas, relaxation area, and tea bar. If you find half-board dinners too lavish and cumbersome, you will love their honest smart kitchen concept. This is a hotel for travelers that like flexibility and freedom during their holiday. 

More hotels in Rohrmoos: Hotel Garni Hochwurzen (midrange ski-to-door),  ARX Guesthouse (luxury), Thalers Mariandl (luxury), and Burgfellnerhof – Adults Only (luxury ski-to-door).

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Pichl: Reiteralm Ski Mountain Base

Pichl is located at the base of the Reiteralm ski mountain. If you’re traveling with a car, Pichl is a great base for those that want to explore other ski resorts as well, like Salzburger Sportwelt, or Obertauern. 

Midrange | Basecamp Reiteralm offers beautifully-decorated 1-2 bedroom apartments in Pichl, at the base of the Reiteralm ski mountain. Guests have access to a sauna and ski storage space. 

Midrange | Hotel Brunner Reiteralm is a moderately-priced hotel in Pichl with large rooms, ski lockers, and a nice breakfast. Half board offering is available upon request 

Luxury Ski-to-Door Chalets | Almwelt Austria is located on the slopes of Pichl on the Reiteralm mountain. This chalet accommodation offers suites as well as 1-5 bedroom chalets with private kitchens and an on-site restaurant. The chalet-resort’s spa area is housed in a 2-floor hut. This chalet village is accessible by car. 

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Haus im Ennstal: Hauser Kaibling Ski Mountain Base

Haus im Ennstal is the gateway to the Hauser Kaibling ski mountain. 

Budget Ski-in Ski-out Hut on Hauser Kaibling | Krummholzhütte is a mountain hut on the Hauser Kaibling mountain offering double rooms, triple rooms, quadruple rooms, and 10-bed dormitories. Breakfast and dinner are included in the room rate. This hut is only accessible by cableway (no car access). Take the Tauern Seilbahn Haus im Ennstal gondola up with your luggage and ski equipment. The hut is directly on the left side of the upper station. 

Luxury Ski-to-door | Natur- und Wellnesshotel Höflehner is a 4-star-superior hotel right at the ski slope. This stellar hotel offers a large spa, several pools, on-site restaurant, nature bar, ski rental, and much more. 

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Keep Reading about Winter Travel in Europe

Europe:

• Europe in Winter: Top Destinations

Austria:

• December in Salzburg
• December in Vienna
• January in Vienna
• How to Visit a Thermal Spa in Austria
• Krampus Run: Krampus Parade

Germany:

• Winter in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
• Winter in Cologne

Italy:

• December in the Dolomites

Belgium:

• Winter in Antwerp

Winter Sun Destinations:

• Tenerife Road Trip, Canary Islands
• Tenerife in January
• Gran Canaria Road Trip, Canary Islands
• Malta in February

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Keep Reading About Schladming-Dachstein

If you’re also interested in visiting Schladming-Dachstein in summer, check out these helpful guides:

• Schladming Hiking Guide
• 5 Huts Trail starting in Ramsau am Dachastein 
• Schladminger Tauern High Trail: 5-Day Hut to Hut Hike 
• Filzmoos Hiking Guide

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