Where is Lech, Austria?
Lech is in the Arlberg region of Vorarlberg state in western Austria in one of the snowiest parts of the Alps.
The Lech ski resort is 120 km west of Innsbruck & about 190km east of Zurich. The legendary ski resort of St Anton is only 20km away. The villages of Zurs, Oberlech and Zug are in close proximity to Lech am Arlberg village, all linked by local buses.
Access from the north via the Lechtal (Lech valley) is closed in winter.
Travel & Flights to Lech
Travel to Lech from overseas is best via the major international gateway airports of Zurich (ZRH) or Munich (MUC) - both are fabulous. The comparatively minor airports at Innsbruck and Friedrichshafen are great for those travelling to Lech from European or UK flight origins.
Zurich and Innsbruck provide the most convenient train transfer connections to Lech.
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Airport & Hotel Transfers
Private transfers are the quickest & simplest method of travel to Lech. Alternatively, one can take the train to St Anton and be picked up for transfer from there. Search & book all private transfers to Lech.
Train & Bus Transport to Lech Ski Resort
Train connections from Zurich, Innsbruck & Munich airports are possible to Lech's closest train stations, Langen am Arlberg or St Anton am Arlberg. The Langen am Arlberg train station is 17km south of Lech via Zurs. Taxis are available at the train station to get you to your Lech accommodation. From St Anton, the number 92 bus connects to Lech via St Christoph & Zuers, providing a better alternative. If getting a bus in the afternoon from St Anton, be sure to board at the train station to avoid getting mixed up with the returning ski crowd jostling to get on at the nearby main bus terminal (located across the road from the station).
Zurich airport is a short 10min train ride from central Zurich, where train connections to Langen am Arlberg are available (direction Innsbruck).
Innsbruck airport is a 20min bus ride from the city centre and central train station on the Route F bus at the terminal. Taxis offer an alternative. Regular trains then run to Langen am Arlberg & St Anton.
Munich airport is well served by efficient train transport which link quickly with train services to ski hubs like Innsbruck. Take the S8 line from the main terminal (trains every 10min) to the major Ostbahnhof for trains direct to Innsbruck and change to go onward toward St Anton & Lech. Travel time is around 4hr.
Search & book train & bus transport to Lech, St Anton (or Langen am Arlberg).
Driving to Lech
All road access to Lech in winter is from the south due to the winter closure of the Warth to Lech road from the north. The trip is usually ‘plain sailing’ to Stuben or St Anton from the west or east via motorways, but the 1,773m Flexen Pass, just before Zürs, can be challenging in some winter weather conditions. It is occasionally closed due avalanche hazard during high snowfall events.
Lech is about 2½hr from Zurich via the A1 or A3 and only 1½hr from Innsbruck via the A12. Once there, most Lech hotels provide parking spaces (many underground) and there are also public parking areas on the outskirts of the villages.
If hiring a car to travel to Lech am Arlberg, then plan your trip well. The roads can become congested particularly on the weekends before 10am & after 2pm. Where possible avoid the sections of Feldkirch-Lech and Imst-Lech during these times.
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For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Austrian ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Austria page.
Getting Around the Arlberg Region
Lech and Zurs are only 5km away from each other, but there are various options to get around and between the villages if you don’t have a car or aren't taking the ski lifts. The ski bus travels between the villages of Lech, Oberlech, Zug and Zurs during the day and there is a James bus service in the evenings. Of course, it’s possible to ski and snowboard around to the villages during the day, or alternatively there are plenty of taxis waiting for a fare (but not one that's fair!).
If staying in Oberlech, there is a bus service that runs all day (until 7pm) every 15 minutes between Oberlech Schlossle and Lech Rufiplatz. The Bergbahn cable car is open from 7am to 1am.
Nearby Ski Resorts
St Anton ski resort is 20km from Lech. The ski areas of Zurs and Zug are also near Lech, but it’s a matter of whether you consider these separate ski resorts or all part of the same ski area. All are part of the Ski Arlberg lift pass area and are connected by a series of new gondolas. The snow magnet ski resorts of Warth-Schroecken (also part of Ski Arlberg) and Damuels-Mellau are nearby as is the smaller Sonnenkopf. The 13 fun resorts of Ski+City lift Pass area near Innsbruck are a short train ride away to the east.