Return of winter fun and fans to the Arlberg

Last updated on 04.01.2022

St. Anton am Arlberg/Tyrol: Season Overview 2021/22

When the lifts and cable cars of St. Anton am Arlberg/Tyrol commence operations for the new winter season, holidaymakers can once again glide up to the perfectly groomed slopes of the world’s fifth largest ski resort. A total of more than 300 kilometres of marked runs and 200 kilometres of back-country terrain make the return of winter pleasures in the birthplace of alpine skiing a veritable late-year highlight for every snow enthusiast. The Tyrolean Arlberg region has always exuded an inimitable charm with its combination of pure mountain sports and passionate holiday hosts, from the “cosmopolitan village” of St. Anton on the banks of the Rosanna River, through the Stanzertal valley with the communities of Pettneu/Schnann, Flirsch and Strengen. St. Anton am Arlberg will host top-class events once again in the 2021/22 season, including the Women’s FIS European Cup, the “New Orleans meets Snow” music festival and iconic ski race, “The White Thrill,” on the last weekend of the winter season. The safety of our guests, however, is even more important than the undeniable pleasures that skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, tobogganing and winter hiking bring. Information on current protective measures can be found here. Tip: those travelling environmentally friendly by rail can get off the train right in the centre of St. Anton am Arlberg. www.stantonamarlberg.com

Highlights and Dates in Winter 2021/22

New winter adventures in a pack – On the road with the huskies
In the 2021/22 season, the Austrian region of St. Anton am Arlberg will offer guided husky tours for the first time in cooperation with Wild Paws Adventures. On Monday and Friday mornings, holidaymakers with and without kids will accompany the strong character dogs on foot or on skids through the spectacular winter landscape of the Tyrolean mountain village. The sledge rides start at 9 am (1 to 1.5 hours), the walks at 11 am (1.5 hours). Registration at info@wildpaws.at or tel. +43 664 2300592.

Women’s FIS European Cup – 27th/28th January 2022
After the world’s ski racing elite competed on the Karl Schranz racecourse in St. Anton am Arlberg at the Audi Women’s FIS Ski World Cup 2021, budding female talents are now looking forward to one of the world’s most challenging racing slopes with eager anticipation. They will head to the Tyrolean village to compete at the FIS European Cup on 27th and 28th January 2022. These races also offer locals and guests the opportunity to see future ski stars in the making.

New Orleans meets Snow – 8th to 10th April 2022
From 8th to 10th April 2022, the “New Orleans meets Snow“ Festival will get everyone dancing in the streets, bars and mountain huts of St. Anton am Arlberg from 11 a.m. onwards – be it up on the mountain or down in the valley, in street shoes or ski boots. Austrian musician and cabaret artist Markus Linder is the initiator of this concert series, which brings the Mississippi to the Rosanna with sounds ranging from jazz to rhythm and blues to funk. Under his direction, the Marching Band traditionally grooves through the St. Anton pedestrian zone on Friday and Saturday (8th/9th April). Admission to all concerts is free.

The White Thrill – 23rd April 2022
The ski season in St. Anton am Arlberg traditionally ends with a spectacular race. On 23rd April 2022, the legendary “White Thrill” downhill race will have participants’ muscles screaming in protest, when 555 athletes from all over the world hurtle simultaneously down nine kilometres of unprepared slopes to the valley after a mass start from the Valluga Ridge. Olympic ideals and great ambitions provide an eclectic mix here, as some contenders have their sights on a medal, while others enjoy the hullabaloo at a more leisurely pace.

Special Offers & Packages

“In the Nightjet to the snow” – Comfortable and climate-neutral
The Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) will again offer special combined tickets for guests from certain regions in winter 2021/22. Holidaymakers can travel comfortably from Hamburg, Düsseldorf, Amsterdam, Vienna or Graz to St. Anton am Arlberg without traffic jams. The Nightjet combi-ticket includes the train journey (there and back) in the ÖBB Nightjet including seat reservation, 3 to 6-day lift pass and transfer to the desired hotel in the Tyrolean mountain village. kombitickets.railtours.at

Ladies First – winter well-being on the Arlberg
Upgrade for your skiing holiday: female winter sports lovers enjoy some very special benefits in and around St. Anton am Arlberg from 8th to 29th January 2022. Ladies can look forward to an attractive programme with an array of special perks and discounts for spas, shopping, restaurants and on the slopes as part of the “Ladies First” weeks. St. Anton am Arlberg tourist office has a personal “Ladies First Book” and a small welcome gift ready for every lady staying in in St. Anton, Pettneu, Flirsch or Strengen.

Mountain Media Center – ski holidays to go
Whether attached to your chest, as an extension of your arm, or mounted in classic style on your helmet: from the end of January to mid-April 2022, holidaymakers will once again be able to capture their skiing fun in St. Anton am Arlberg with the latest camera models and free of charge. The pros from Mountain Media Center then edit the recorded sequences and transform them into a personal video with soundtrack, which is available to download or view on YouTube. The daily “Sun & Snow Report“ for the Tyrolean region also makes use of the roughly one-minute clips.

Snowman Ticket – season ticket for 10 euros
Children up to the age of 8 years, (born in 2014 or later) can ski throughout the St. Anton am Arlberg ski resort all winter long for just 10 euros with the “Snowman Ticket”. Young skiers are able to look for hidden forest inhabitants and playfully learn the FIS skiing rules together with the ski school mascot, Hoppl the Hare, along the Hoppelweg Trail. Despite its sporting reputation, the holiday region with 130 kilometres of blue runs and many designated nursery slopes, is also well geared up for younger skiers: It is with good reason that kids who have learnt to ski on the slopes of St. Anton am Arlberg are considered to be particularly confident downhill skiers.

Skiing and alternatives

Alpine wellness on winter hiking trails
Crunching snow under your feet, a pleasant mountain climate and altitude training all rolled into one: winter hikers have 80 kilometres of winter walking trails to choose from in and around St. Anton am Arlberg. There are various options, such as the Verwall recreation area with the Wagner Hut, a hike to Almfrieden Mountain Guesthouse (1,530 metres) above Pettneu or between the mountain stations of the Galzig and St. Christoph cableways. If you fancy sampling the inimitable experience of a rustic snowshoe hike through snow-covered landscapes, you should book the services of a trained guide.

More variants with the new Schindlergratbahn cable car
Thanks to the Schindlergratbahn cable car, choices offered by the St. Anton am Arlberg ski area have grown since the winter of 2019/20. The highlight: guests decide before they go up whether they want to get into a cabin for “experts” or “families” in the gondola lift with unique panoramic views. While the doors open for experienced skiers at the height of the former top station, those who remain seated will reach the new terminus 420 meters further northeast, where downhill runs such as Schindlerkar, Mattun or Valfagehr await. Thanks to this ground-breaking innovation in the birthplace of alpine skiing, winter sports lovers gain not only piste diversity, but also enhanced comfort.

Run of Fame ski circuit – in memory of the Arlberg legends
St. Anton, together with St. Christoph, Stuben, Lech, Zürs, Warth and Schröcken form Austria’s largest inter-linked ski area and the fifth largest in the world. Holidaymakers can discover Arlberg’s incredible skiing dimensions along the spectacular “Run of Fame” ski circuit. No matter where you access this ski tour – information boards and signposts that honour local skiing legends inform skiers about this 85-kilometre-long route and its 18,000 metres in elevation difference. The mountain station of Flexen cable car between Stuben/Rauz and Zürs also houses a “Hall of Fame”, where visitors can experience historical moments and Arlberg ski stars in a free exhibition.

Places and possibilities

Wagner Hut – meeting point in the Verwall Valley
The new Wagner Hut looks forward to receiving visitors in the Verwall valley near the village centre of St. Anton am Arlberg. The inviting inn is a popular meeting point for locals and visitors in St. Anton am Arlberg, who explore the local recreation area of Verwall on snowshoes or cross-country skis. In addition to two dining lounges, a winter garden and terrace, the Wagner Hut has seminar and conference rooms. Opening hours in winter: daily from 10 to 17 hrs.

Visit the Arlberg in a rolling living room
Camping at ground level, a stylish road trip or some time out in alpine lodge ambience: St. Anton am Arlberg offers the very best conditions for holidays in mobile accommodation. Only a few kilometres from the “cosmopolitan Village” of St. Anton am Arlberg, you will find two ideally situated 4-star campsites in Pettneu. In addition to classic camping, ArlBerglife Ferienresort offers apartments and three stylish lodges of 60 square metres each with kitchen, flat-screen TV, private garden and private sauna. All 145 pitches at Camping Arlberg are equipped with a multifunctional private bathroom in the biological 8-square-metre wooden house. Regular bus services shuttle from Pettneu to St. Anton am Arlberg.
 
arl.park – indoor sports centre in St. Anton am Arlberg
Tennis, squash, bowling, climbing, bouldering: active holidaymakers can let off steam all year round at the ultra-modern arl.park sport and climbing centre in St. Anton am Arlberg. Highlights include the many climbing possibilities in varying levels of difficulty, including 80 square metres of bouldering facilities and 70 climbing routes. The adjoining trampoline hall extends the facilities to an area of no less than 1,000 square metres with 14 jumping fields, airtrack floor jumping mats and bagjump airbags with freefall tower.

arl.flow –new home for the yoga community
The yoga community in St. Anton am Arlberg has grown significantly in recent years, thanks not least to the international Mountain Yoga Festival. Local and vacationing yogis now have their very own room for their sessions at arl.flow in the Karl Schranz Stadium. In addition to courses for beginners and advanced students in various styles, the programme also includes children’s yoga, meditation and relaxation sessions.

Arlberg WellCom and Co. – relax with views of the peaks
Peace-seeking winter holidaymakers can relax tired muscles and regenerate in the soothing waters of Wellnesspark Arlberg Stanzertal in Pettneu, or at Arlberg WellCom, Centre for Wellness and Communications in St. Anton am Arlberg. The complex is also used regularly as a venue for sporting and international events. Moreover, numerous hotels in the Tyrolean holiday region offer guests wellness and therapeutic treatments.

Environment and services

St. Anton am Arlberg has been an official KLAR! Model Region (Climate Change Adaptation Model Regions for Austria) since 2021 and its commitment to environmental protection includes various ecological projects and measures – ranging from alternative energy generation and waste disposal, to nature-friendly piste maintenance. The recently constructed local heat distribution network went into operation in autumn 2020, which saved no less than 5,000 tonnes of heating oil in its first year of use.

Arlberg electricity makes St. Anton self-sufficient
The independent power supply in St. Anton am Arlberg is a unique project. In 2005, the Kartell power plant was expanded and put into operation together with its eponymous lake, which holds around eight million cubic metres of water and generates around 33 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. The entire storage volume of the Kartell Lake is used again by the existing Rosanna power plant, making St. Anton am Arlberg self-sufficient in power supply since 2006. Moreover, the municipality operates a wood chip fired biomass heating plant, which is designed to supply up to 80 residential units. The plant is also connected to a solar system for heating water.

Chemical-free artificial snow – cleaner than nature
A total of 88 percent of the slopes in St. Anton am Arlberg have artificial snow-making facilities. The snow crystals that cannons blow into the ski area are even cleaner than natural snow, because they consist only of drinking quality water and air. These strict regulations, which forbid the use of any chemicals in snow-making operations, apply to the whole of Tyrol. When the melt water from artificial snow then flows into streams and rivers in spring, it simply returns to its natural origins. The stream water in turn supports energy production down in the valley, which is used again the following winter, for example in snow-making operations – a perpetual environmentally friendly cycle. According to the principle of “as much as necessary, as little as possible”, the piste grooming machines record the exact snow depth in real time through an integrated GPS system and thus help with even more effective, environmentally friendly snowmaking operations.
 
Leave your car at home – take the train straight to the village centre.
St. Anton am Arlberg in Tyrol is an attractive destination for rail travellers from all over Europe. The mountain village is a Railjet station, with seven direct connections a day from Vienna and Zurich. St. Anton am Arlberg Tourist Board also use the local railway station ticket office as a Service Centre. In addition to classic ticket sales, the station functions as an additional tourist office with guest advisory and other services. Thanks to the cooperation with ÖBB, the Tourism Association is able to provide even more professional and personal service to arriving visitors. Overnight guests don’t need a car to reach their destination throughout the entire holiday region: buses shuttle regularly to and from all districts and the surrounding regions in the Stanzertal Valley. Those staying directly in St. Anton am Arlberg can make the most of the convenient location and access everything on foot anyway.

Overview of the preliminary winter dates:

08.-29.01.2022 “Ladies First” Feel-Good Weeks
27.-28.01.2022 Women’s FIS European Cup
05.-12.02.2022 Ski-Club Arlberg Week
08.-10.04.2022 „New Orleans meets Snow“
23.04.2022 “The White Thrill”
24.04.2022 End of the Winter Season

Details subject to change!