Headed to the Gasteinertal for my third visit chasing a snowy forecast in late January 2024. I had been enjoying some stellar exploration in Switzerland, but a warming trend had me pushing east. It never ceases to amaze me how much colder it is in Austria. Where in Switzerland the valleys were completely bereft of snow, in Austria it was still white, even if only barely, and at much lower altitude.

Gastein is a fascinating place. Several ski areas under the one pass, it combines a sense of history & tradition with incredibly modern, integrated infrastructure, intertwined with memorable skiing & riding for all abilities. Whilst there are numerous villages & towns to stay in, we always prefer Bad Gastein, simply to its liveliness, diversity & excellent transport links. The transport side of the equation is less important if one has a car, but on this occasion I did not.

Coming in by train to Bad Gastein from Switzerland via Salzburg and stepping out directly to the hotel is a joy. Having the Stubnerkogel gondola lift just across the road/rail doesn’t hurt either. With a last-minute booking, I stayed at the Euro Youth Hotel & Krone, a pleasant and affordable mix between a hostel & hotel. Basic, but with comfortable & functional facilities, this is a place for anyone that cares less about the hotel and more about the skiing. The breakfast has enough elements to cater for a ski-touring lunch as well! Shame the convivial looking bar wasn’t open all season, but maybe that will change in future. The hotels proximity to the ski lifts, a massive supermarket, bars & restaurants, ski bus stop & the train station is unparalleled. And the price point is exactly what we are after when on a long tour.

The only problem with last minute accommodation bookings is that Saturday nights can often be unavailable. So I needed to change locations for my last night in the region and wandered up to Alpenpension Haslinger. Turned out to be a good room in a wonderfully quiet location, with a free ski bus stop nearby, plus the fantastic Schafflinger Alm restaurant just a stroll away.

Whilst I am happy to ‘slum it’ on a ski trip, for lots of people a weeklong ski holiday needs to include some high-end accommodation - fair enough. Each to their own I say. Bad Gastein has long been a centre for ‘Grand Hotels’, mainly on the back of the health-spa industry going back over a century ago. But in recent times several have fallen into disrepair and the old centre of Bad Gastein had the appearance & feel of decline. Thankfully, since my last visit, many of the buildings are fully renovated and alive again. Badeschloss Hotel (first established in 1791) and Straubinger Grand Hotel were certainly looking the goods, although the stark presence of a modern high-rise building juxtaposed behind the original Badeschloss Hotel does make one wonder at the folly of humans!

When in Austria, I love eating the local cuisine. Some visitors deride it, but I adore all things knödel, rösti, brat, kartoffel, kraut & schnitzel. In Bad Gastein, and indeed all through the valley, there are so many great restaurants producing delicious, hearty local fare. One of the best, and with the rustic décor to match, is Schafflinger Alm. Welcoming atmosphere, speedy service and the sort of food that sates a hungry skier at the end of a long day, it is my favourite dinner eatery in the region and well worth the walk or bus ride from the town centre to get to it.

True to the forecast, it did snow during my extended stay. My intentions to ski powder at Sportgastein were dashed due to high winds and avalanche danger leading to the Gasteiner Alpenstraße being closed for 2-days in a row ……. then me getting sick once it opened and taking a few days off. Bugger! So instead, on the worst weather day, when the upper lifts of Bad Gastein- Bad Hofgastein sector were closed as well, I jumped on the free bus and checked out Dorfgastein-Großarltal.

And what a fascinating exploration it was. One thing to remember about skiing from Dorfgastein is that often, there is very little natural snow around the base. Fear not, the upper mountain and valley trail usually have plenty of cover. Case in point was my visit here. Warm in the valley, good powder up top leading down to hard pack in the middle, and slushy springlike fun to the valley terminal. Any beginner skiing the 8km top to bottom from Fulseck to the base got exposed to the full gamut of snow types.

A few things I liked about Dorfgastein were the lack of people skiing off-piste, the range of top to bottom pistes for all abilities & the numerous mountain huts dotted all over the resort. I skied some wonderful powder on the backside of the Fulseck summit. There is loads to explore in the sector, but it required time that I did not have to do it fully. The lift system has few relics and is being thoroughly modernised. The newest lift was installed for season 23/24 and is a top to bottom 2-stage gondola called Kieserlbahn I & II. I was told by the locals that the benefit of the new gondola is that it finally provides a useful, efficient return option from the Grossarltal back into the Gastein side of the hill. The swanky modern bar-restaurants at the new top & bottom stations are not to my liking, but it does provide a point of difference to all (about 15) of the more traditional mountain huts in the resort. A quick wander through parts of Groβarl village revealed a fair share of luxury 4-star hotels, all located conveniently near the two gondola bases. It looks to be far larger and busier than what one will experience at the small, relatively quiet, Dorfgastein village.

Negatives were few, but chief among them is the low altitude and lack of natural snow at the ski area base in Dorfgastein, the limited high alpine terrain, and the Fulseck gondola having ski racks that don’t fit fat skis. Quibbles in the greater scheme of things, but also important in a ‘warm’, variable winter season.

Overall, Grossarltal-Dorfgastein is a delightful place. Definitely something for everyone, although freeriders will need to use their imagination if visiting for the first time. And with more on-mountain huts & après ski fun than any ski resort should be allowed to have, your day(s) will always end full of cheer.

The following days were spent plopping about on the backside of Stubnerkogel above Bad Gastein and familiarising myself with the off-piste around Schlossalm above Bad Hofgastein. Traversing skiers right at the start of Kleine Scharte will get you into some steep freeride under the gondola. From Hohe Scharte, traverse left into a broad alpine valley for fresh turns down to the Brandner Hochalm hut (closed in winter), and then traverse out to the right on a summer trail back to the Scharte descent. Glorious. The modern gondolas and integrated valley stations (with transport, storage, rental, retail & food/beverage) are what is needed for such a popular destination, but it still a delight to experience as a visitor. The lift pass price is at the higher end of the market in Austria, but you do get what you pay for.

The closest I got to skiing Sportgastein on this trip was checking out the backcountry descents from Ankogel & Mölltal Glacier on the southern side of the range. It is tasty indeed and will draw me back for sure.The Gasteinertal (Gastein Valley) is certainly not the quietest (or cheapest) ski region in Austria, but it is far from the busiest (or most expensive). One will notice the crowds in some key locations on the mountain by mid-morning, on the buses if the weather is poor and upper lifts are closed, and in parts of Bad Gastein after-hours. But if everything is open and one knows where to go, there is plenty of terrain, minimal lift queues and long, quiet descents for every snow-sliding ability & proclivity.

Overall. the Gastein ski region provides a consistent, stellar ski experience.

See our thoughts about the region’s pros & cons on our Gastein overview page.

Made a flying visit to Bad Gastein whilst on a road trip across Austria. Our previous visit to the town was in late March a few seasons ago, and even though there was fresh snow across the mountains, the valleys were green. This time in mid-January, it was beautifully clear & cold, with natural snow from top to bottom.

A fantastic place for an extended ski holiday, the terrain, lifts & infrastructure are absolute first class. The diversity from the freeride terrain of Sportgastein, the big mountain skiing above Bad Gastein on Stubnerkogel and Schlossalm plus the family friendly Dorfgastein provide plenty enough variety for an extended stay. The train and bus connections make getting around easy, allowing a visit without a rental car.

The bemusing part of Bad Gastein is the 'old town' with its numerous 'Grand Hotels'. Cold, shaded & gloomy in mid-winter, the impressive waterfall crashing through its centre provides the only activity in an otherwise deserted part of the town. Buildings are derelict and awaiting renovation ........ or demolition! There are signs of renewal, but it will be a few years off yet. We suggest staying at the Hotel Goethehof - a fantastic place to stay & eat, located in the centre of Bad Gastein, just across from the train station and Stubnerkogel valley station.

When the snow is fresh and the temperatures cold, Gastein has something for every powder hound & groomer hound alike!

Aside from carrying some knowledge of the spa town traditions & past glories of Bad Gastein, we arrived in the Gasteinertal with very few expectations. Our visit was in late March & whilst it was green in the lower valleys, a good drop of fresh snow covered the mountains above 1200m. With a solid snow base still on the ground, the fresh snow was a wonderful surprise, adding to a ski resort full of wonderful surprises.

We took the early morning car train from the south, loading up at Mallnitz in short order for the 15min transit through the mountain to Bahnhof Böckstein, a few km from Bad Gastein. Such a grand way to arrive at a ski resort! Free parking at the shiny new Stubnerkogel car park in the heart of Bad Gastein was a wonderful surprise. Extremely low crowds on a clear(ish) powder day was another wonderful surprise (you may note a theme here!).

The combined Bad Gastein – Bad Hofgastein is the heart of the resort. The lift infrastructure is first class. New gondolas & base terminals with all the requisite services & facilities plus integration with parking & public transport make the start of the day a dream. The 1440m skiable vertical on the Bad Hofgastein side is a real skier’s treat. There is everything for everyone. The off-piste trees into Angertal are sensational, as is the opposite side up to the Stubnerkogel. Some excellent mountain restaurants & non -ski activities like a high-altitude suspension bridge and lookouts round out a terrific ski & snow experience – even at the end of the season. Such a wonderful surprise! The area’s only fault is that it isn’t lift connected to the two other main ski zones. But that’s truly quibbling as there is enough free public transport to get the job done easily if required.

Driving back through Böckstein and onto the Gasteiner Apenstraße to Sportgastein is illuminating. After showing our valid ski passes at a toll booth (costs otherwise!) the road transits a lengthy tunnel before emerging out into a stunningly beautiful alpine valley surrounded by high mountains & wearing a full, deep winter mantle – a wonderful surprise! Sportgastein is in a world apart from the other Gastein ski areas. The high base & summit provide superior snow quality & quantity, but in austere surrounds. No accommodation, just the lift base & attached facilities, a separate bar-restaurant, a large car park & a broad valley perfect for the myriad of cross-country ski trails & winter walking paths etched on its surface.

The skiing at Sportgastein is outstanding & a wonderful surprise! Over 1100m vertical, there are well-spaced trees down low, a few top to bottom groomers & a broad top to bottom off-piste. At the Kreuzkogel summit (2686m), access to countless north-aspect freeride routes down towards Böckstein are available & appear deliciously good. We ran out of time to do them, but they look to be Austrian skiing at its absolute finest. The return to Sportgastein or Bad Gastein is by free ski bus at the exit points on the road some 1400 vertical metres down.

The town of Bad Gastein is full of intrigue. From the massive waterfall running through its centre to the myriad grand hotels sprouting from the sides of the valley, it is one the strangest ski resort villages we have ever encountered. But we mean strange in a good way. This strange includes that it is quirky, different, visually impressive & challenging all at once. We adored it! Plenty to do and see too. Thermal baths are everywhere, loads of bars & restaurants, some good shopping opportunities, history & walking.

Failed to ski Dorfgastein on this trip. Whilst we don’t require any encouragement to return to this magnificent ski valley, the need to ski Dorfgastein will be our excuse! We expect it be as wonderfully surprising as the rest of the valley.

We would recommend Gastein to anyone that wants to ski a world class resort with a strong local identity & traditions, plus loads of wonderful surprises. In other words, we recommend it to everyone! Come to Gastein, hit the slopes & step on the gas for a seriously good ride.