The Lech and broader Ski Arlberg region was so good in 2024 compared to many other places in the Alps that I visited twice. On both occasions I stayed in Lech. Why? Because it’s a lovely snowclad town surrounded by fabulous mountains and provides a vibe halfway between boisterous St Anton and quiet Stuben-Zurs-Zug-St Christoph (take your pick). Lech also has far fewer off-piste powder hunters than St Anton, plus its central location has stellar access to super-sweet inbounds & outbounds freeride terrain. And that last bit is an important factor for us.

On both occasions I stayed in the discreet part of Lech on the Rüfikopf side of the village near the medical centre and the sheltered Flühen learn-to-ski area. There are loads of comparatively well-priced lodging options in this quiet sector of town, and it is just a short stroll to nearly every ski lift base. I had the pleasure of scoring a last-minute room at the boutique Alpenland Hotel. Such a wonderful atmosphere, gracious hosts, lovely guests & fine dining. Couldn’t recommend it more highly. Good luck getting in though. Second time round, accommodation options were a little more limited and I opted for the Lech Hostel. Prior to staying here I didn’t even know there was such a thing. That’s the best kind of research possible! Shared bathrooms, but quiet, respectful guests, and the chance to self-cater in the small, shared kitchen was great for a few nights booked at the last minute in peak season.

Whilst our primary reason for going anywhere is hunting powder, I had a few missions to complete as well. The mission on the first visit was to spend a day in the lift-accessed backcountry with our tour partner, Stefan from Guide & Ride. Fantastic day which included a freeride powder descent on the north side of Valluga, amongst other treats. The final run in from the backcountry got us to the lift in Lech-Zurs. There is so much terrain with premium now in this region, and most of it is approachable, at least for the first run, via the comprehensive lift system.

Part of my mission on the second visit was to check out the new Zugerbahn gondola that traverses over the hamlet of Zug in the broader Lech sector. A massive change in the lifting capacity, replacing a tediously slow double chair with a 10-person gondola is future-proofing down ‘in extremis’. The meeting point of several ski routes, winter walking trails & cross-country ski trails, Zug feels like a world away from the rest of the Ski Arlberg. It is a place for anyone seeking splendid isolation, but still within a short bus ride of Lech. There are numerous fine lodging options. There are numerous fine lodging options, most located such that one can ski from them down to the gondola base in the morning. During the day, the café at the Stäfeli is a lovely, friendly place to have a break. Note though that it is a long walk up the hill from the gondola lift base, so probably only an option if coming into Zug on the bus, or skiing in down ski route #178.

A quick glance at the trail map for Lech and it appears to be heavily weighted to beginner (blue) slopes with very little for advanced riders (on-piste anyway). Whilst in part that’s true, there is a whole lot more here than meets the eye, and exploration is the key. The many marked ski-routes in the sector are generally groomed and appropriate for lovers of advanced on-piste. And then for off-piste, well the sky is the limit.

For all the joys you will experience skiing at Lech there are still some annoyances. The ‘frontside’ pistes under the Schlegelkopf I & II chairs might be ok in the morning for beginners, but they soon bump up ferociously to be quite the challenge after lunch. There are also a few old double chairs still in Lech (including the Schlegelkopf I, Schlosskopf & Rotschrofen), and when busy, they detract from the experience of skiing here. There are plans for their replacement in coming seasons, which is good news for anyone keen to go, go, go! If you find the champagne-sipping set annoying (each to their own!), then you need to look away after 3pm when walking along Lech’s main street as the bars are full of them. As an alternative to the Tannbergerhof or Krone bars, prop yourself in a mountain hut bar within a ski descent of the town, or try one of the many small hotel bars throughout the town until you find a good one.

On the eating front, when not getting fed with incredible multi-course meals (as part of half-board) at the Alpenland, or self-catering at Lech Hostel, I took the opportunity to dine (& drink) at the wondrously traditional Hus Nr.8 Restaurant & Bar. The staff, food, drink & atmosphere is excellent, and I am ever thankful to them for accommodating me when they were actually booked out. If on a budget and fully self-catering, the local Spar supermarket is well-stocked for all requirements.

I travelled to the region by train & bus for both visits. The first time I came from Switzerland by train to Langen-am-Arlberg station and then caught the local bus to Lech. The railway station at Langen-am-Arlberg has been renovated in recent times. If it is cold outside and there is a need to wait for a bus or train, the heated waiting room is comfortable and the toilets perfect. The second trip to Lech was again by train to Langen-am-Arlberg, but from the Innsbruck direction. Seamless connections with minimal wait times were the order of the day. Whilst I find travel by train to be a mostly satisfying experience, I would caution against using the EC trains that head to long-distance destinations like Bratislava and such. I have found them to have far too many unruly, rude, and drunk passengers in second class. If looking to use EC trains, book a seat in first class. It is possible to get to Lech by train and bus via St Anton too, but I have found the Langen-am-Arlberg option to be less crowded and more pleasant.

Another pleasing aspect of Lech is the network of free local buses (the blue ones!). It doesn’t matter where one is staying, a regular bus connecting you to the lifts or center of town will not be far away.

Lech is the true centre of Ski Arlberg and best placed to experience the entire region. All the accommodation in & around Lech is top-class, because it wouldn’t survive otherwise! If you can find accommodation to suit your budget, then it makes a perfect base for a great ski holiday. Enjoy!

You can see our thoughts on the pros & cons of the ski resort via the Lech overview page. For info on the broader interlinked ski region see our Ski Arlberg overview page.

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Lech is about as classic of an Austrian Alps ski town as you can get it. The rich and famous have always gone there. The Beckhams have been there. Princess Diana was there. But I probably went for different reasons… I visited there for one week in February of 2024.. and let’s get this out of the way right off the bat: Lech is awesome. Sure, I was fortunate with the powder, but even if I hadn’t been I still think I would have enjoyed myself immensely. The town is cool and you definitely get the rich and famous see-and-be-seen vibe, although a tad more subdued than at some of the other like-minded places I’ve been. Apres ski is also decent, but far more subdued than at, say, neighboring St Anton. Restaurants book out a week in advance, a slight nuisance if you’re feeling like a fancy meal and have to settle for pizza cause you can’t get a table anywhere. Accommodation is also a bit on the expensive side. I stayed at Apart Hotel Laurus, one of the more affordable places, but still a far cry from cheap. But none of that really matters. At least it didn’t for me. I went there to freeride. And boy did I.
I booked a freeride/ski touring guided trip for a week through Ride & Guide. It’s a great deal where you ski with a group (up to 8) for a day and where the group size may vary from day to day depending on how many signs up. Stefan was an amazing guide, and it seemed like powder could be found regardless of conditions. I had initially planned to go somewhere else, but Stefan convinced me to come to Lech instead on a promise of great snow this time of year. That promise was definitely kept. Where other parts of the Alps have struggled with snow conditions this season, Lech boasted a healthy four meters at higher elevations. And the quality of the Arlberg snow is insane. Where, as an example, Colorado powder can sometimes get too fine the Arlberg powder is just perfect. Period.
The Ski Arlberg area is insanely massive. I stayed in Lech, but I also visited Zurs, Zug, St. Anton, etc. My review is therefore more for the entire region in some sense. But not entirely. When we went to St. Anton to ski Valluga (a really cool freeride run that is only available with a guide, you don’t get on the last gondola without one..), the St Anton slopes looked like an ant-hill with all the skiers. It was insanely crowded, much like Vail or Park City in the US. Lech is not like that. Slopes are uncrowded, despite being a fairly well visited area. And a majority of the skiers are beginners, meaning that the offpiste terrain is mostly left untouched. The freeride group joked that we wear helmets, airbags, have beacons, etc to stay safe, but the riskiest part of the day is the bottom of the mountain when all the beginners are heading back down. Stefan was able to find powder every day, even the first day I was there when it hadn’t snowed in days, all it took was some touring. But then it started snowing. And snowing. We ski toured one more day, but the rest of the time the terrain we went to was lift accessible. Aside from Valluga, I highly recommend skiing Stierfall if conditions permit. Many of the freeride runs in Lech are fairly chill, but Stierfall is a notable exception.
So yeah, highly recommend Lech to anyone looking for uncrowded slopes and powder that can last for days, all available of course as long as you’re willing to pay a slight premium on accommodations. And do get a guide if you can. The area is so massive it’s easy to get lost. As for most ski areas, the “obvious powder” gets tracked out quickly, but given the shear size of Lech/Arlberg a guide will find you untracked snow for days after a snowfall.
So yeah, please don’t read this review. Please don’t go there. I want this secret to myself. But if you do, flying in to Zurich is convenient and the Arlberg Express bus is only 55EUR and has you in Lech in sub 2.5 hrs.
Check out the recap video for whatever I wasn’t able to explain by words… 😊
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I spent three ski seasons working as a dishwasher in Lech in the 1990s so that I could free ski. I had fantastic memories of the place and when I visited in Jan 2019 I was so excited but also worried that I'd put the place on a pedestal. As the days approached leading to our arrival the snow forecast was incredible. In the end most of the European ski resorts were having the most snow they had seen in decades. There was so much snow that we couldn't get in the first day as Flexen Pass was closed. When the pass opened the next day it was still dumping in Zurich. We got there and they had about 1.5 metres of snow. Our first day of skiing was a minus 10 bluebird day with thigh deep powder. The place just kept on giving as we got another metre plus in the following days. I had my kids with me and couldn't afford ski in ski out accommodation so we stayed in a beautiful pension in Stuebenbach. Buses run every 10 minutes and there are a couple of restaurants near by. We had 12 days skiing and the kids had 5 days ski school (Oberlech ski school). They made friends and were pushed hard by the instructors. They had a ball! I got a ski guide one day alone and managed to get freshies all day as the snow had finally settled and the avalanche danger fell from the maximum 5, meaning endless off piste was suddenly accessible. I had skied loads of the off piste in the 90s but needed someone to ski with. I highly recommend a guide if you can afford it. Our unit had a kitchen so we ate breakfasts at home and ate out for dinner about half the time. Lech isn't cheap but it is worth every penny!!!
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One of the world's greatest ski areas is Ski Arlberg Austria. And smack bang in the middle of it all is Lech. Whilst its reputation would have you think Lech is unapproachable to anyone that doesn't own a Maserati, the reality couldn't be further from the truth. The traditional village retains its original architectural lines & the skiing, whilst busy at times, retains its reputation for perfect piste & deep freeride powder.

There is nothing better than skiing in the Arlberg at Lech during a blinding blizzard in March. The slopes are deserted, the powder unsullied & life is good. With the wind howling & snow blowing horizontally, all lifts were still running & face shots were the order of the day. The generally well-heeled Lech establishment seemed to be cozied up in front of the fire in their chalets or sticking to the few tree lined groomers whilst we were striking gold in knee deep goodness. The freeride routes off the old Zugerberg lift, the pleasing intermediate pitches off the back of the Zuger Hochlicht, advanced routes off Kriegerhorn & anything open on the Rüflkopf were all brilliant. Ski Route 241 had the deepest snow of the day. Had to follow it marker to marker between gasping for breath as unseen face-shots clogged my throat. Sadly, not much of a day for photos.

The next day dawned gloomy, but the sun arrived mid-morning (along with the hordes of fair-weather skiers after a day of cabin fever!). The sun provided a clear indication of the breadth of the side & backcountry available at Lech. We barely delved into any of it. A longer stay is required. Instead, we snuck across to Warth Schröcken for lunch. Skied some wonderful fresh lines, then returned to Lech via the connecting gondola. Such is life at Ski Arlberg.

Even though we were staying up the valley in gorgeous Zürs, we wandered through Lech extensively to get a sense of the place. It is a lovely pedestrian friendly ski village. It may have a high-end reputation, but what major ski resort doesn’t? We found it welcoming & accessible. There are plenty of chalets & apartments in the quieter parts of town that are well served by local buses, even though walking is just as easy. The après ski in the heart of town is great fun with the Hotel Krone being the best of them along the river. Without a doubt though, if one has the dollars, staying up the hill in Oberlech would be the way to go during a long stay. Access down to town is via winter walking tracks, taxis buses or cable car. Oberlech is quieter at night & has far & away the quickest access to the slopes on a powder day via the Petersboden six-seater. And just to make sure that it doesn't feel to high falutin, Oberlech still has active farms with cows in the shed, right next to the ski runs.

And whilst I think about it. How many places in the world can you ski as many lifts, trails & routes in one day for a lift pass price of a measly €56? Do the math in your currency then compare it to skiing in the USA, Canada, Chile, Argentina, NZ or even Japan. Lech will win. Accommodation may be a little pricey in some parts, but the lift price, food & drink are all excellent value.

Everyone must visit the Arlberg to ski Lech & its close relatives at least once in their skiing & snowboarding lives. Once you do, you’ll be back for more.
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Ripping place to ride. Not as busy as St Anton. Awesome for a family ski holiday (thanks Dad!)
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I visited the Arlberg region in Austria for 2 weeks in February 2014. The area itself is massive, bigger than anything I’ve ever skied before (Japan, NZ and Aus.) I skied for 10 days and each day was a new area with different runs, you definitely need a lot of time to fully explore the place and I can see why people keep coming back here year after year! I had heard/read a lot about how expensive skiing can be in this region and I found that for the most part this was not the case. There are countless options for accommodation, ranging from the inexpensive budget motel, to the + $5,000 euro a night luxurious chalets, and the same was for food/drinks/hire equipment. If you wanted to eat at a fantastic fancy restaurant with amazing service you can, but you pay for it. Alternatively eating at a cheap café or bakery is just as easy and viable and I often ate amazing food for about $15-$20 AUD a meal. Overall the holiday was far cheaper than I anticipated and much cheaper than Aus/NZ.

Having skied the infamous Japan powder before I did notice that the snow in Austria is generally not as light or as dry, but still very nice to ski. Being such a large area, there are obviously large variances in the height of different runs. Lech village is at 1,300M, whilst some areas (Rendal, Valluga) have runs above 2,800m. So as you can assume, the snow quality can vary greatly between areas. We had days when it was pouring rain in the villages, but dumping snow up high. The same can be said for weather conditions, visibility can be horrendous in one place, but over the ridge in another area it’s a bluebird day. It’s just a matter of knowing where to go in what conditions and this is what makes skiing the Arlberg so fantastic. The grooming of the slopes is perfect, and the amount of off-piste terrain is literally endless. Combining this with amazing food (and drinks!), modern and comfortable lifts and the stunning vistas, the Arlberg region is a must visit destination for any snow lover.

(Tip: get up early and try and catch the first lifts up. Most ski schools don’t get on the mountain until about 10am so you can literally have the mountains to yourself!)
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Lech and the surrounding ski areas provide some great cruisy groomers to travel from one lunch spot to the next drinking hole. 

The lack of steep groomers is one limitation, but the off-piste is fun when the snow conditions are good.
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