Where is 3 Peaks Dolomites Italy?

3 Peaks Dolomites ski resort is in the northern Dolomites of Italy, close to the Austrian border.

The 3 Peaks Dolomites are 170km north of Venice & 144km south east of Innsbruck in Austria. 3 Peaks ski resort (a.k.a. Drei Zinnen) and its main town of Sesto (a.k.a. Sexten) is easily accessible via public train and bus.

Once in country, the train is the best (& recommended) transport method to the ski resort from Innsbruck, Munich & other Dolomites locations (like Bolzano & Brunico). Rental car is the quicker option from Venice, but a car is not necessary once there.

Flights to 3-Peaks-Dolomites Ski Resort

3 Peaks Dolomites ski resort can be accessed via a variety of airports. Depending on your origin, Innsbruck (INN) airport is the best option, but not necessarily practical for many international travellers. Venice (VCE) & Munich (MUC) airports provide better flight options for powder seekers from the Americas, Asia, Africa & Oceania.

Other airports that can be linked to 3 Peaks Dolomites via train include: Salzburg (SZG) & possibly Verona (VRN) (for European and UK travellers); plus Milan Malpensa (MXP) (for non-European/UK flight origins).

To search for a great deal on a flight to Innsbruck, Venice or Munich, use one of our recommended flight search engines.

Flights into Innsbruck Airport

Innsbruck airport is serviced by flights from northern Europe, Scandinavia, and UK origins. Flights numbers and options increase during the winter season. If travelling to Europe from overseas, the best connections to Innsbruck are available from Amsterdam, London, Frankfurt, or Vienna. The airport is conveniently located close to the centre of Innsbruck and is easily licked to Munich by train if required.

The Innsbruck city centre and central bus & train station is a 20min bus ride from the airport via the Route F bus at the terminal. Taxis offer an alternative.

Flights into Venice (Marco Polo) Airport

An alternative to Milan for skiers and snowboarders flying into the Dolomites from most origins (including the USA, Canada, Australia, Middle East etc.) is the Venice Marco Polo airport.

Venice is preferred airport if skiing at the Dolomites ski resorts of Cortina d’Ampezzo, Arabba Marmolada or Civetta. Transport from Venice Marco Polo to 3 Peaks ski resort is best via car rental. Journey time is around 2½hr. If staying in Venice, trains from Venezia Santa Lucia station go via Venezia Mestre where they link up directly to 3-Peaks via Verona, Bolzano and Fortezza. Journey times are in excess of 6hr.

An interesting way to spend a night or two in Venice is to take a vaporetto (water taxi) directly from the airport across Laguna Veneta (Venetian Lagoon) into Venice.

Flights into Munich Airport

Munich international airport is rated as one of the world’s best. It receives a vast number of flights every day from worldwide destinations.

Munich airport is well served by efficient train transport which link quickly with train services to ski hubs like Innsbruck and hence on to 3 Peaks Dolomites. Take the S8 line from the main terminal (trains every 10min) to the major Ostbahnhof for trains direct to Innsbruck and 3-Peaks. Travel time is 2½hr.

At least major car rental companies are available at Munich airport; however, the vehicles may not be set up for winter driving (i.e. snow tyres, chains), and one may be better served hiring a car closer to the ski destination. Driving time to 3 Peaks is around 4hr. Search & book car rentals here.

Airport & Hotel Transfers

Private, shared & group transfers are available to/from all airports and hotels to/from 3 Peaks Dolomites & Sesto. Whilst train is the best mode of travel to the area, if in a group of 3 or more people, or you simply cannot overcome your fear of riding public transport, a private transfer will do the trick.

Search & book all airport transfers to Sesto & Drei Zinnen.

Train & Bus Transport

Train is the recommended method to reach the 3 Peaks Dolomites ski resort, however most rail journeys to the resort from airports will involve several train changes.

The train station with direct access to the 3 Peaks Dolomites ski lifts is called Versciaco (a.k.a. Vierschach). For skiers staying in the town of Sesto (a.k.a. Sexten), the appropriate train station is San Candido (a.k.a. Innichen). At S.Candido train station, change to the route 446 bus for Sesto.

To reach Versciaco station, whether from the north (Austria) or south (Italy), all passengers will need to change at Fortezza (a.k.a.Franzenfeste). The route 100 train run regularly between Bolzano and Innsbruck via the Brenner Pass. All services stop at Fortezza. From Fortezza, the route 400 train travels to Versciaco via Brunico.

As a gateway city to 3-Peaks-Dolomites, Innsbruck is part of any journey to the ski resort from the north. Luckily for skiers and snowboarders, Innsbruck is perfectly served by train services from all over Austria and Europe. It is easy to journey by train to Innsbruck from Germany or Switzerland and then transfer to a train for 3 Peaks Dolomites at the Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof (Hbf or central station).

The rail journey from the east of Austria has all trains to Versciaco coming via Lienz.

If staying in Venice, trains from Venezia Santa Lucia station go via Venezia Mestre where they link up directly to 3 Peaks via Verona. Journey times are more than 6hr.

In winter, services every 30min run between the beautiful town of Brunico (a.k.a. Bruneck) and Sillian, stopping at Kronplatz ski resort and 3-Peaks along the way. The route 400 train service opens up a variety of accommodation locations including Dobbiaco.

Search & book train tickets from Munich & Innsbruck to Versciaco or Innichen via Fortezza.

Driving to 3 Peaks Dolomites & Sesto-Sexten

The 3 Peaks ski resort and town of Sesto - Sexten is a 2½hr drive north of Venice. From Innsbruck the drive is via the Brenner Pass and takes about 2¼hr. Leaving the A22 motorway near Fortezza, it is necessary to take the at times narrow SS49 road all the way San Candido-Innichen via Brunico. The single lane road is a major connector between Italy & south-west Austria. It is, on occasions, incredibly congested, particularly on weekends. patience is required, but thankfully the distance to travel is only 60km.

If starting at Munich airport, the 290km journey is full of interest as it goes through the Kitzbuhel, Kals-Matrei and Sillian ski resorts via Lienz & the Südportal Felbertauerntunnel (which has a small toll). Journey time is a respectable 4hr and could be part of a fantastic ski safari road trip if one returns via Innsbruck.

The route from Venice is straight north via Belluno to Padola. Whilst the ski lifts at Padola are included in the 3-Peaks lift pass, the town is 19km drive from the main resort centre at Sesto. The lovely drive on the SS52 goes over the Kreuzberg pass and drops into Sesto, giving one a fantastic view of nearly all the ski terrain along the way.

For hints, tips & warnings about driving to Italian ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Italy page.

Car Rental & Hire

All the major airports and cities have car hire available, however for many skiers and snowboarders Innsbruck is the most convenient place to rent a car. Check prices, as locations away from the airport are sometimes cheaper. Ensure the hire car comes with snow tyres and/or snow chains (bare minimum). All-wheel drive or 4WD vehicles offer the safest driving experience.

Search & book a car rental.

Nearby Ski Resorts

The close Dolomites ski resorts like Plose, Gitschberg-Jochtal & Kronplatz are accessible by train. Other Dolomiti Superski resorts including Cortina (bus from Dobbiaco) & Alta Badia (bus from Brunico) open huge skiing possibilities. Sillian in Austria is the closest ski resort to 3 Peaks and is best accessed via the train (or off-piste if you are game!).