Sölden Ski Resort Austria
Soelden ski resort in the Ötztal (or Oetz valley) is Austria's largest standalone skiing area, plus has both the country's longest skiable vertical & longest ski trail. Be prepared for the word BIG to be thrown at you when visiting Sölden. A visit to the Austrian Tyrol is probably not complete without even a short visit here.
Everything about the resort is big. Expansive terrain over 2,000m elevation, 147km of piste trails, 2 glaciers, skiing from late September to May, three peaks over 3,000m, huge beginner ski areas & a vast off-piste make Sölden an intriguing ski area to visit. To make it even bigger, every lift pass of 3 days duration or longer is valid in all the resorts in the Oetztal.
A caveat though. By its very nature (read on!), it may not appeal to everyone, particularly discerning Powderhounds & their families, but on its day when the powder is cold & deep and the crowds stay on the piste, Solden is an absolute freeriders heaven.
Pros & Cons for Soelden Ski Resort
Pros
- Modern lift system, directly accessible from two major points in town.
- Extensive piste terrain for beginners & intermediates.
- Superb quality snow up high.
- Vast & challenging freeride terrain.
- Includes one of the world's best lift accessed, freeride mountains - Gaislachkogl.
- Loads of ski-in (& several ski-out) accommodation options.
- Long ski season - usually from late September to May.
- Longest ski trail in Austria - 15km.
- Biggest skiable vertical in Austria.
- Numerous valley trail options all the way into town.
- Stupendous viewpoints.
- Vibrant après ski and nightlife.
- Several good restaurant options in town & on the mountain.
Cons
- Extremely busy.
- Limited on-piste for advanced riders.
- Major piste trails can become dangerous at certain times of day.
- The lower parts of the valley trails can be quite technical (& dangerous) as the day wears on.
- Town has numerous (& unnecessary) tawdry strip clubs.
- Accommodation in town & ticket window lift passes are at the expensive end of the spectrum for Austria.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Sölden is a large, busy town with full services & entertainment available.
- Main lifts open at 8am - make sure you are there for it.
- Excellent bus services throughout the valley allow for lodging options beyond the town, but the buses can get crowded in the morning.
- For day-trippers with a car, there is great parking near the lift bases (including undercover), however it is no longer free (but the fee is ok).
- A BIG resort, where everything is BIG!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Soelden ski resort is an engorged behemoth that skites about how big it is. It’s true. Two glacier ski areas. Skiing for nearly 8 months of the year. Biggest skiable vertical & longest run in Austria. Modern & efficient ski lifts. Interesting (& huge) off-piste. The list goes on. And yet, Sölden doesn’t quite tick all the ‘big’ ski resort boxes. Perhaps it is just that there are too many people on the pistes. This is especially noticeable on the journey to and from the very popular Rettenbach & Tiefenbach Glaciers.
Check out the ski trail map for Solden below.
In fresh snow & with a deep snow-pack, the resort has much to offer the powder hound. The off-piste & freeride terrain is vast & will provide plenty of action for all levels of powder rider. The pick of the area's freeride terrain in good visibility is any of the multitude options from the top of 3,058m Gaislachkogl, but there are numerous other zones that are surprisingly bereft of freeriders during the midweek 'off-peak' times. Long freeride descents of over 1,000m vertical are possible via steep alpine chutes & bowls. Light trees appear at the lower elevations.
Another highlight for us is the après ski safari options on the mountain, particularly in and around the Heidebahn chairlift. More sedate than St Anton or Kitzbühel, it is nonetheless a fabulous boozy ski journey on a sunny day, in undeniably spectacular surrounds.
For anyone wanting to ski the best of the resort, being at the valley station of the Gaislachkogl gondola before 8am is the way to start. This sector has overall far less skiers, high quality lift and the best off-piste terrain than the high glaciers & the Giggijoch sector.
Snow & Weather
Sölden is one of Europe’s most snow-sure ski resorts. A high annual snow fall is coupled with most terrain being above the 2,000m mark. Terrain is generally north & east facing so avoids the worst of the sun’s rays without being ‘in the dark’. During many winter storms, snow quality seems better at here than at nearby Obergurgl Hochgurgl, mainly due to its terrain aspect relative to prevailing winds.
Lift Passes
Day tickets at Sölden during high season (or locally known as 'Top' season) are amongst the most expensive in Austria when purchased on the morning from the ticket window. If purchased online at least 5 days prior to use, a standard day lift pass can be up to 22% cheaper - a huge saving! The pricing is further separated by the time of year & includes (from lowest to highest priced): 'Pre-season' (Sep/Oct), 'Autumn' (Oct/Nov), 'Spring' (May), 'Low' (Nov/Dec & April), 'Main' (early to mid-Dec, early Jan to mid-Feb & mid-Mar to end April), and 'Top' season (Christmas/New year & mid-Feb to mid-March).......phew!
Good to know also is that lift passes of 3-days or greater duration are also valid in the nearby ski resorts of Gurgl (Obergurgl-Hochgurgl), Hochoetz-Kuhtai & Vent.
For more info on ski lifts, terrain, snow, trail maps & passes, see our Skiing & Snowboarding Sölden page.
Where is Sölden Austria?
The Soelden ski resort rises over the town of the same name in the Ötztal (Oetz valley) of the Austrian Tyrol. The best gateway cities & airports are Innsbruck (INN) (85km by road to the northeast) & Munich (MUC) (around 230km north).
Aside from Sölden, the next major towns north the start of the valley are Längenfeld (14km by road) & Oetz (31km to the north). A further 7km north, Ötztal Bahnhof provides train access from Innsbruck, Munich or Zurich. Bus services run at least 35 times per day up the valley from Ötztal Bahnhof to Soelden & beyond. Buses run every 15min during the busier times of day. Journey time from Innsbruck by public transport is generally less than 2hr. Search & book train tickets to train tickets to Ötztal Bahnhof.
Driving to Solden is easy via the motorways to the Oetz valley. The drive up the valley is not at all challenging, but there are alot of speed cameras & traffic police! The once plentiful free parking (including undercover) at Soelden for day trippers is now paid parking. Rates are not too outlandish though.
For those not keen on public transport or driving to Sölden (& for reasons of value & efficiency), we recommend looking at a private transfer - at least from Ötztal Bahnhof & particularly if in a group of 3 or more people.
Search & book all airport/private transfers to Sölden.
Once in Sölden, the multitude of local free ski buses will get you anywhere you need to go.
For more information about travelling around the Austrian Alps in winter, see our Travel to Sölden page.
Sölden Accommodation
The town of Sölden is a sprawling mass lining the busy main road heading up the Oetz valley toward Obergurgl. Aside from on the fringes, it has lost most of its traditional ambiance but is certainly functional. If looking for a traditional Austrian ski village then Solden may not be for you. The upper areas of Hochsölden & the small Innerwald, Unterwald & Ausserwald at the top of the funicular provide options to move above the town. Below in town there are some exceptionally well-located hotels right next to the most important lift for powder hounds - the Gaislachkogl gondola. Position does come with a price though. Expect to pay above the average for any accommodation in town. Just 3km to the north of town, the hamlet of Kaisers, regularly linked to Solden by the route 60 bus, has some superb accommodations in a true rural setting, and is the closest thing to a quiet Austrian village. Kaisers also has Solden’s best supermarket near its entrance, an excellent M-Preis.
Search & book all Sölden ski accommodation.
If one has their own transport, alternative places to stay include up the valley in Obergurgl Hochgurgl, or down the valley at Längenfeld (near the awesome Aqua Dome) & Oetz - a Powderhounds favourite based on price, access to ski resorts, lack of crowds & good places to eat.
For detailed information on the best accommodation, see our Where To Stay in Sölden page.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available in convenient locations near the ski lifts & throughout the villages of Soelden & Hochsölden. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Soelden Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
An incredible diversity of ski instructors, ski schools & guides work their craft in the Soelden ski resort & Oetztal. To narrow down the field, search & book private or group lessons & mountain guides with the best providers Sölden Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Nearby Ski Resorts
Beyond the sprawling Sölden, the Ötztal (Oetz valley) has two other major ski resorts. At the start of the valley, Hochoetz is accessible directly from the major valley town of Oetz as well by ski bus from the excellent Kühtai ski resort higher up. In the opposite direction at the top of the valley near the border with Italy is Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, one the most snow sure non-glacier ski resorts in Austria. In the next valley west, the Pitztal (Pitz valley), the superb Pitztal Glacier and Hochzeiger ski resorts provide a quieter alternative to the Oetztal. From the Ötztal railway station, depending on whether you choose left or right, a short train ride will get you to Innsbruck or St Anton. Visitors to the Tyrol are spoilt for choice.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Sölden in 2018 & 19 with mixed results. We revisited in late February & again in March of 2024 and enjoyed incredibly good powder days with very few others riding the off-piste. We think that Sölden is hell on earth on the piste, but potentially heaven off the piste. We rate the Gaislachkogl sector as one of the best lift accessed ski mountains in the world. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read our fearless postulations!
See how Soelden 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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