Zürs am Arlberg Ski Resort

Zürs in Austria is the best of the 'Ski Arlberg' resorts for Powderhounds (i.e. discerning skiers & snowboarders!). A small, intimate village high up a mountain pass, Zuers offers an exclusive Austrian ski holiday experience without the noise & crowds of its close neighbour Lech.

The lifts of the Zurs ski resort originate right in the centre of the village, so the access to excellent terrain is incredibly convenient. For a few years now, Zuers has been lift-linked to neighbouring Stuben, St Christoph & St Anton via the Trittkopfbahn & Flexen gondolas allowing access to the entire Ski Arlberg interconnected ski area.

From a pure ski experience perspective, Zürs had the least to gain & most to lose by connecting to St Anton. A quiet piece of skiing paradise, Zurs has awesome lifts, on & off-piste terrain, plus a limited number of skiers….. at least until 10ish when the horde starts descending from the bookends that are busy Lech & St Anton.

Pros & Cons for Zürs Ski Resort

Pros

• Wonderful lifts, facilities & terrain for everyone, but particularly intermediates, & advanced skiers.
• Extensive off-piste freeride terrain is only limited by one’s imagination (& the weather!).
• Snow sure - all terrain over 1,750m with exceptionally good snow quality.
• Incredible lift-accessed backcountry terrain where, despite the large crowds in the region, untracked powder can be found for days & weeks after a snowfall.
• Great après ski activities.
• Excellent restaurant & bars.
• Good value lift pass price for the range & diversity of lifts & terrain.
• Abundance of ski-in ski-out accommodation available.
• Central location within Ski Arlberg makes it the perfect place to explore the entire interconnected skiing area.

Cons

• Terrain is nearly exclusively above tree line so can be challenging in low visibility.
• Accommodation in the village books out quickly & can be expensive.
• A few long flat traverses and trail connections which may present difficulties for snowboarders (i.e. you may have to walk).

Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)

• Small, relatively isolated village may not appeal to everyone (but we think it’s fabulous).
• As per above, whilst there are bars & restaurants aplenty, after dinner entertainment is limited.
• Straight-forward access by bus from St Anton train station or by car over Flexen Pass if the road is in good condition, not so straight forward in heavy snow & high avalanche danger conditions.
• Lech is only a short bus ride away.
• Epic Pass is now conditionally valid here!

Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain

Zurs ski resort is interlinked via lift pass, piste & a high-quality lift system with the entire Ski Arlberg ski region. Ski Arlberg gives access to an eye watering 85 lifts, 305km of piste & some of the world's best off-piste freeride terrain.

Check out the ski trail map for Zuers & the interlinked Ski Arlberg Region below.

Zürs & Ski Arlberg Trail Map

Zurs caters superbly to on-piste groomer lovers, with the offerings for beginners generally better than the terrain at Lech ski resort. Extensive intermediate terrain allows for long ski journeys like the White Ring. Over 22km & 5,500m vertical, the White Ring links the ski areas of Zurs, Zug, Oberlech, Lech, Stubenbach before returning to Zurs, providing an excellent overview of the ski terrain for first time visitors. The journey can get busy & knowing its route well can ensure that one deftly avoids it! Ski the circuit once to get your bearings in this sprawling ski area and then go seek your own private sidecountry powder stash.

Advanced skiers & snowboarders can ride the endless off-piste. With fewer people than at nearby St Anton & Lech, powder hounds have half a chance of scoring some fresh lines, particularly early in the day or during times of low visibility.

The Zurs ski resort also provides some fabulous off-piste routes for experts that like couloirs and gnarly lines. A mountain guide should be hired if in any doubt about your ability to safely navigate the terrain.

Recent ski lift improvements near Zurs were for season 21/22 and included a new 10-seat gondola to replace the old chairlift out of Zug, plus a 6-seat chairlift replacing the old Madloch 2-seat chair. Other old chairlifts in the Ski Arlberg region are being steadily replaced. The most recent is the Albonabahn 1 double chair in Stuben. It is being replaced by an 8-seat gondola....... how very Arlberg of them!

Snow & Weather

Zuers inhabits one of the most consistent snowfall areas in Europe, let alone Austria. Warth Schröcken to the north-east has a claimed annual snowfall average of 11m, St Anton to south-east has 7m & Damüls to the north-west has 10m. You do the math! The base altitude at Zurs is the second highest (1,716m) in the Ski Arlberg region (after St Christoph), so has better snow quality for longer.

Lift Passes

Zürs' lift pass is the Ski Arlberg Pass, which is also valid in the resorts of St Anton (incl. Stuben & St Christoph), Lech & Warth Schröcken, plus neighbouring Klösterle/Sonnenkopf.

For international guests, the Vail Resort's Epic Pass is now valid for use on the lifts with strict conditions. Epic Pass, Epic Australia Pass & Vail Resorts lifetime Pass Holders receive three complimentary days of skiing & riding at Arlberg ski resorts when they stay a minimum of three consecutive nights at a participating Arlberg resort lodging property. Eligible resorts include St Anton, St Christoph, Lech, Zurs, and Stuben. Epic Pass Holders must book at least three consecutive nights of lodging at a participating resort lodging property to redeem their three complimentary lift tickets. This offer is valid once per season. Lodging must be booked directly with the participating property to qualify for this benefit. Minimum night stay may vary by lodging property. If the property requires more than three nights, guests will still only be eligible for three complimentary tickets. The participating property will deliver lift tickets to the Pass Holder upon confirmation of their Epic Pass card.

Where is Zürs, Austria?

Zürs-am-Arlberg (Zuers or Zurs!) is in the Arlberg region of Vorarlberg state, western Austria, only 15km northwest of St Anton & 5km from Lech. The awesome city of Innsbruck is 115km to the east, less than 1½hr drive in a rental car with favourable road conditions. Zurich Switzerland, and its excellent airport, are only 190km (a little over 2hr drive) to the west. Just after the village of Stuben, the road heads up to 1,773m Flexen Pass before arriving in Zurs. The pass remains open in most weather thanks largely to a series of tunnels & avalanche mitigation works on the road between Flexen Pass & the village.

The best gateway airports are Zurich (ZRH) (200km), Innsbruck (INN) (120km), & Munich (MUC). The quickest mode of travel to Zurs is by direct private transfer from the airport. Search & book private airport transfers to Zurs.

Public transport via train & bus is quite convenient from Zurich, Innsbruck, or Munich. Travel to either St Anton or Langen am Arlberg Bahnhof (station) is via the main Innsbruck-Zurich line. Trains to St Anton offer more convenient direct connections from the major airports. The trains are met at St Anton station by the route 90 or 91 buses, or at Langen, the route 750 bus. Both services travel to Zuers over the spectacular Flexen Pass in 20 to 30min. The buses continue to Lech. If you are lucky, the bus ride may even include some après ski music & disco lights! Yep, welcome to the Arlberg...

Search & book train tickets to St Anton & Langen am Arlberg. Buy bus tickets from the driver.

Zürs Accommodation

Zurs is unashamedly a resort village. Largely a collection of around 20 ski-in hotels, it provides only basic services & a few shops, but Lech just a few minutes down the road, that is not a problem. Each hotel is worthy of a night's stay - there is not a bad bed in the village! Each also has its own (usually excellent) bar & restaurant, so one is spoilt for choice in that regard. Additionally, the village has a bakery, ski rentals & retail, a small, mixed business chemist/food market/knick-knack plus a few boutique clothing stores. If you scent the sweet tang of bovines in town, you are correct. There is a massive cow shed between Sporthotel Ezian & the main gondola base station. Gotta love that sort of alpine authenticity, even in a high-end resort village.

Search & book all Zuers ski accommodation.

The Zürs hotels range from plucky 3-stars to over the top 5-stars, with the most luxurious being Thurnhers Alpenhof, Sporthotel Lorünser & the Zürserhof hotels.

The Hotel Flexen was the last of the classically traditional, ski-in ski-out, affordable 3-star hotels in Zurs, complete with original creaking stairs to old & new rooms alike. A convivial environment; the food, excellent staff and customer service provided one of our best stays in Europe. The location helps, but the feel of the original building in the cradle of skiing with like-minded people is something special. For better or worse, the hotel was demolished and totally re-built, supposedly opening again in December 2021, but it appears everything has not gone to plan! A real shame.

In the meantime, try the nearby Hotel Edelweiss for the most affordable beds in the village or the excellent Sporthotel Enzian (located next to the now vacant Hotel Flexen site). Another fabulous Zurs option, and also one of the more affordable hotels in the village is the highly rated Bed & Breakfast Hotel Guggis. The Hotel Ulli provides yet more great Zuers service, location, food & rooms.

Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding

Ski & snowboard rentals are available in the village, but a great value option if you know your size is to rent online prior to arrival having your gear delivered to your accommodation. No fuss, no time lost, no push & shove in a rental shop. Receive a discount when you rent via the listing below.

Getting a lesson or having a mountain guide can increase the enjoyment factor of skiing Zurs & its vast surrounding mountains & terrain toward St Anton & Lech. There are numerous ski lesson & mountain guide options in Zurs & the nearby Ski Arlberg resorts which will help find the best untracked powder in the region.

For detailed information & booking options, see our Zuers Ski Lessons & Guiding page.

Zürs Restaurants & Nightlife

There are about 20 Zurs restaurants, most of which are within the local hotels. Most visitors to Zuers will have half board (breakfast & dinner) included with the room. Expect the finest food & service at all the hotels. Quality is of the essence, with some of the restaurants earning international acclaim. The Zurserhof Hotel Restaurant & the quaint Chesa restaurant are highlights.

The nightlife in Zurs certainly doesn’t rival that of St Anton (or Lech), but the après and after-dark entertainment is still reasonably vibrant. There are numerous bars that range from quiet cocktails bars to more happening pubs for Austrian beer drinking. The Bergwerk bar seems to be the place for après. Having a drink outside is great if you have a Glühwein or four to keep you warm. Into the evening the Zurserl Pleasure Lounge is the place to be seen and for a dance. For us, the simple pleasures at Karls Craft Bier & Snacks are more to our style. It is the most economical place to eat & drink in Zurs. as a bonus the is often live music in the evening and the crowd can be quite lively. How very un-Zürs!

More Reasons for a Zürs am Arlberg Ski Holiday

Zurs caters to a more discerning crowd than the general holiday makers at St Anton. If you don’t need the après ski of St Anton or the family friendliness of Lech at your doorstep, head to Zuers Austria for a deluxe ski holiday experience at the best resort in the Arlberg. Zurs also makes a fantastic central base for anyone wanting easy, early access to the best ski slopes & freeride terrain in the region.

Review

The Powderhounds visited Zurs in 2017, 2019 & returned in mid-February 2024 to see what it was like to be skiing here during the busiest time of what turned out to be a 'difficult' season when it came to snow & temperatures. We reckon it to be one of the best ski areas in Austria when combined with all the backcountry terrain of Ski Arlberg. The compact village in a high snow zone with ski lifts close to all accommodations is an absolute winner. We will definitely return. See the Reviews page for more photos & light comic relief!

See how Zürs & the other Ski Arlberg resorts compare 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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