Tauplitz Ski Resort Austria
Tauplitz ski resort is reputedly a powder snow magnet that defies its relatively low altitude in the Steiermark (Styria) of Austria. Close to gorgeous Salzburg, it is easily accessible via a spectacular railway line via Lake Hallstatt & the freeride haven of Krippenstein. With mid-winter snow bases often exceeding 4 metres, Tauplitz should be on any powder hunters’ radar when the storms are rolling in from the north, just be aware of the potential weekend crowds that can descend upon this hill though!
Pros & Cons for Tauplitz Ski Resort
Pros
- Huge amounts of natural snowfall & a deep winter snowpack in the upper mountain sector.
- Authentic Austrian Alps villages & ski resort.
- Skiable vertical of over 1,150m on-piste, with valley trails to the base villages.
- Quality on-piste trails for all abilities of skiers & snowboarders.
- Affordable single & multi-day lift pass price & inclusions.
- Ski-in ski-out accommodation available.
- Public transport access by train from Salzburg is excellent to either Tauplitz or Bad Mitterndorf.
Cons
- Incredibly busy on weekends, particularly in Tauplitz village base & the top of the Tauplitzalm Alpenstraße at Hollhaus.
- Off-piste terrain is cut in half by the Tauplitzalm Alpenstraße, creating short(ish) skiable verticals of less than 400m.
- Relatively low elevation terrain, all below 2,000m altitude.
- Low elevation villages may not have natural snow for much of winter.
- Tauplitzalm Alpenstraße is a private road so anyone contemplating driving to the base of the lifts at Mitterstein will need to pay a toll, but it is free for anyone with a lift pass.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Much of the alpine terrain is sunny & south-facing.
- Smallish amount of skiable terrain may be an issue for longer stays, but other nearby mountains can be visited as well (Krippenstein, Loser Altaussee etc.).
- No high-end 5-star accommodations!
- Accommodation can be difficult to get in Tauplitz.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Tauplitz ski resort may not be the world’s highest or largest, in fact it is anything but. However its 1,150m of skiable vertical are known far & wide to attract masses of snow during particular storm cycles from the north. Despite low (ish) base elevations, the entire vertical can be skied into both valley villages. The skiable terrain is a little strange though, mainly due to the topography of the upper mountain plateau around Tauplitzalm and the fact that it is split in half by the Tauplitzalm Alpenstraße (Alpine Road)(more on that in the 'Where is Tauplitz' section below).
For freeriders the best terrain by a country mile is the sector on the 1,965m Lawinenstein above the Tauplitzalm Alpenstraße. Steep open alpine bowls and interesting tree routes lower down in larch & pine offer superb powder day turns. Shame the skiable vertical off-piste is only 400m (ish). Try to be first to lay down a track on the East slope-Krallersee marked ski route (number 23b on the trail map).
Check out the ski trail map for Tauplitz below.
Lift Passes
Multi-day ski lift passes (from 1½days) are part of the Schneebären Card, providing unlimited access to four other local ski areas including Riesneralm, Planneralm, Loser Altaussee & Kaiserau.
See here for the Schneebären ski resorts map.
[AdListings collection="Europe" category="Austria Tauplitz" subcategory="Tauplitz Guiding"]
Where is Tauplitz Austria?
Tauplitz ski resort is in the central Austrian state of Styria, around 100km by road (1½hr drive) southeast of Salzburg. The nearest villages are Tauplitz & Bad Mitterndorf, with each accessible by valley trail. Trains make the journey on a regular basis to both Tauplitz & Bad Mitterndorf, with part of the line including the route to the tourist ‘honey pot’ that is Hallstatt.
The closest major international airports to Tauplitz is Munich (MUC). The Vienna (VIE) airport is another potential option, as is Salzburg (SZG) or Innsbruck (INN) (if travelling from within Europe or from the UK).
From Munich airport, the region is 300km by road southeast. Travel time is approximately 3½hr. By train the travel time is around 5½hr to 6hr and requires numerous changes along the way via central Munich & Salzburg. Whilst the train is the recommended mode of travel in this area of Austria in order to POW (Protect Our Winters), those unwilling to undertake long rail journeys should look at a private transfer for all or part of the journey. Private transfers can be particularly efficient & good value if in a group of 3 or more people.
Search & book here for all private transfers to Tauplitz & Bad Mitterndorf.
The rail journey to Tauplitz is to the train stations at either Tauplitz or Bad Mitterndorf. The Tauplitz railway station is 1½km down the hill from the village centre. The station at Bad Mitterndorf is closer to the village centre of the same name, and is a walkable distance to/from local accommodation. Buses link the stations to the villages.
Salzburg to Tauplitz is usually less than 3hr journey by rail or slightly longer by combination bus/rail. Whilst this is twice as long as by car, the trip is comfortable & the outdoor surroundings in the later stages are spectacular. Vienna International Airport is from 4 to 4½hr by train to Tauplitz, depending on the route. From Innsbruck , Tauplitz is less than 5hr by train.
Search & book here for train tickets to Tauplitz.
If hunting out a sneaky powder day from Salzburg, driving a rental car is easy from the city. Parking in the resort village of Tauplitz is free and ample, but on a busy day, one can end up quite a distance from the chairlift base. For the Bad Mitterndorf sector, the Tauplitzalm Alpenstraße must be used to get up to the lifts at Mitterstein.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Austria ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Austria page.
Tauplitz Accommodation
Tauplitz ski resort has three main accommodation location options, both in the valley & mid-mountain. At around 1,650m altitude on a forested alpine plateau, Tauplitzalm has several excellent ski-in ski-out hotels for an authentic Austrian Alps’ mountain experience. There are several lodging options, but the simplest are either Hotel Hierzegger or Hotel Alpen Arnika.
Below, via chairlifts & a valley run, the pleasant village of Tauplitz provides a multitude of hotels, apartments, holiday rentals & farm stays. At less than 900m elevation, the snow can be minimal in the village for parts of winter, but snow-making guarantees the valley trail. For ski-in ski-out apartments next to the valley trail on the edge of the village try the modern Downhill Lodge Tauplitz, and for a more traditional hotel stay the Hotel Tauplitzerhof is located in the centre of town, opposite a stop on the free ski bus.
Further away, but still connected by a valley trail from the mountain, Bad Mitterndorf offers a larger town with a wide variety of hotels, many of which come with expansive pool & spa facilities. From Bad Mitterndorf, the ski area is accessed by free ski bus (for anyone with a valid ski lift pass!) up to the Mitterstein gondola base, 5km away by road. or one can drive their rental car there, however a toll is payable to drive up the Tauplitzalm Alpenstraße to Mitterstein or Hollhaus at Tauplitzalm. Try any of the following for authentic Austrian Alps service: Hotel Kogler, SCHÖNIS-Landhotel or the central Hotel Post.
Search & book here for all Tauplitz ski accommodation.
Ski Rentals
Ski & snowboard rentals are available from our local partners in Bad Mitterndorf, a free ski-bus ride from the lifts at Tauplitz ski resort, and close to the local train station. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Tauplitz Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Review
The Powderhounds attempted to review Tauplitz in January 2022 but were turned off by an incredible volume of people on a sunny weekend. We will return in the coming season for a mid-week powder day - fingers crossed! Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how Tauplitz 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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