Skiing in Kitzbühel: Everything you need to know

It’s been 2 years since my last ski trip and, oh, how I had missed the mountains! This year, 14 of us headed to Kitzbühel, Austria – home to the famous Hahnenhamm alpine ski run – for 5 days of skiing. A smaller group of us previously skied the Stubai Glacier, and after the hilarity of that trip, I knew I couldn’t miss out.

Situated roughly 50 miles east of Innsbruck, the KitzSki resort boasts 233km of terrain with a variety of runs to suit all abilities. We stayed in Kirchberg, a small town less than 5 miles west of Kitzbühel, and enjoyed glorious conditions and empty pistes.

If you’re looking to go skiing in Austria, Kitzbühel is definitely a resort to visit!

How to get to Kirchberg

Kitzbühel can be easily accessed from Munich, Salzburg, and Vienna. However, I would suggest flying to Innsbruck and making your journey from there. From the airport, head to the main bus stop just outside of arrivals. Take the F bus from Innsbruck Flughafen to Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof. You need to buy a ticket (2.70€ pp) at the machine prior to getting on the bus and validate it once onboard. The journey is roughly 15 minutes, takes you through the city and stops just outside the train station.

Next, purchase a ticket from Innsbruck Hauptbahnhof to Kirchberg in Tirol (one-way is 18€ pp). In total, the train journey takes 1.5 hours with a short change at Wörgl, the main interchange at the bottom of the valley. Before you know it, you’ll be in the heart of Kirchberg, especially if you buy a crate of beers before boarding the train! If you’re staying in Kitzbühel you’ll change at Wörgl too, and it takes only 30 minutes from there.

Where to stay 

We stayed at the Haus Alpenblick on Reither Gasse. This family-run guest house hosts 24 rooms across 4 floors and is run by New Zealander’s Chris and Emma who have owned the chalet for 20 years. The guest house is ideally situated a 5-minute walk from the centre of Kirchberg. Plus, you’ll find the nearest bus stop at the end of the road which takes you to the slopes in roughly 10 minutes.

The en-suite rooms are clean, breakfast is provided and there’s a homemade 3-course meal every evening served at 6:30pm. Portions weren’t quite big enough to feed the masses in our group and some courses were a game of “guess what you’re eating”. However, the highlight was certainly the slow-cooked rack of ribs on our final night. My days chalet hosting have definitely made me appreciate having dinner cooked for you after a long day of skiing!

Due to Covid, we were their main guests for the week. But, as they were filming some promotional videos for the guest-house, we got to enjoy a night of Glühwein by the bonfire – a welcome treat.

Otherwise, there are plenty of options in the town from hotels, BnBs, self-catered accommodation and apartments.

Where to hire equipment 

There are a number of ski hire shops in the resort, but we pre-booked ours at Skiverleih Kirchberg. They have plenty of equipment and provide friendly service at reasonable prices. They had our large group in and out in 30 minutes, although it could have been quicker if we’d found the right ski shop in the first place! From there, you can hop on one of the regular buses outside and head straight to the lifts – easy.

Where to eat on the mountain 

Rohrerstadl (Hut 58)

Our first day of skiing had us cruising around the Pengelstein (1938m) area and down blue runs no. 30 and 31. Here, you’ll find Rohrerstadl, a great little hut in the sunshine where you can watch the cable car pass overhead. They offer less traditional Austrian food, such as burgers and pizzas, but you can get a wurst (sausage) and chips, all for a reasonable price. All 14 of us managed to fit around a couple of booths and it was a great opportunity to see how everyone’s ski legs were coming along.

Bruggeralm (Hut 8)

If you’re venturing across the S Bahn cable car (D9), which links the mountains, you’ll find Bruggeralm at the side of the piste on run no. 61. Perfect for a quick coffee or lunch stop, it’s sat in the sunshine where you can watch fellow skiers down the piste or up the chairlift. Heads up, this restaurant is cash only – thankfully someone in the group was able to sub me.

Moseralm (Hut 2)

In dire need of a hot chocolate and a chill in the sun? Head to Moseralm for a perfect suntrap just off run no. 70b. The girls and I stopped here after an intense morning of skiing as we aimed to conquer the furthest runs in the resort. When you’re ready to get going again, make sure to avoid run no. 76 which is a snowboarder’s worst enemy – the dire road run that’ll have you polling for your life!

Bergrestaurant Pengelstein (Hut 12)

When heading back across the S Bahn (D9), avoid clipping into your skis again. Instead, make the short walk across to the bottom of some stairs. When reaching the top, you’ll be at the Bergrestaurant which has incredible views of the mountains!

Ehrenbachgraben-hütte (Hut 16)

On a snowy day, with minimal lifts open, we found ourselves at the bottom of run no. 19 at Ehrenbachgraben-hütte not once but twice. First to warm up with some hot chocolates and coffees, then to enjoy a self-service lunch. There’s plenty of inside seating and the ease of grabbing the food yourself was ideal.

Sonnenrast (Hut 15)

The white out of day 4 also saw us at Sonnenrast (at the top of the C2 lift) to reunite with others in our group and enjoy more hot drinks and snacks. Sonnenrast is another self-service buffet restaurant with plenty of indoor seating. The multitude of huts across the Kitzbühel resort made skiing from coffee stop to coffee stop very appealing. There’s something comforting about being inside and warm while the snow is flurrying outside.

Gauxerstadl (Hut 47)

Our final lunch stop of the holiday saw us back down run no. 31 (a group favourite piste) for burgers, jacket potatoes and a deliciously cheesy dish. It was an ideal way to finish off the week and the portion sizes were perfect for refuelling.

Skiing Kitzbühel

You haven’t completed skiing in Kitzbühel unless you’ve skied the Hahnenkamm. This annual competition is the second oldest alpine skiing race and maximum speeds of 140 km/h + are reached in the final part of the course called “Zielschusskompression”. Although not for the faint-hearted, as I brutally found out when I lost all grip and terrifyingly slid all the way down head first, it’s incredible to see up close and truly appreciate what these athletes go through. The bruises on my right leg would say otherwise, but still worth a go as you can always take an alternative route past challenging sections.

If you’re up for a big ski day, I’d recommend getting over to the top of Resterkogel (1894m) and skiing no.s 70/a and 77. They’re great undulating red runs with wide pistes and not too steep. Be sure to allow lots of time, especially if you’re staying in Kirchberg, as navigating the lifts back can take time. Similarly, no. 60 was another enjoyable run – wide and empty, with rolling hills to fly down.

The home run back to Kirchberg is good fun too. As long as you take the D1 or D2 lift by 3:45pm, you can ski all the way down to the bottom of the Maierbahm (E1) bubble. From there, you can easily catch a bus or taxi back into town. Most days we had to opt for a taxi as we left the aprés bar too late and had to scramble back home in time for dinner. Nothing brings you closer than trying to pile in as many hungry skiers into a van as possible.

Where to aprés 

Upon heading home, ski no. 16, which then turns into no. 26a, and stop off at the bars along the way. Our daily routine was to first stop at Oberkaser (Hut 59) which boasts good music and a great outdoor seating area perfect for watching the sunset behind the mountains.

Once the sun has dipped and the group has reunited, it’s on to Schialm (Hut 29). Prepare yourself for a concoction of shots – from Blonde Angel to Apple Strudel – where you’ll be shaking the mixture with a beer matt on top before downing and trying to guess what you’re drinking. You’ll be lucky if you can get a table inside, but it’s well worth a visit!

Nightlife

With Covid restrictions still ongoing, there’s currently a curfew across Austria in which everything has to close by 10pm. Although useful for encouraging an early night, it does limit what’s open, especially in a small town such as Kirchberg. However, there are still a few bars to nurse a pint in. If you’re looking for a bar with Guinness and classic English belters, head to Boomerang for a night you won’t remember!

FAQs

Where do I buy a lift pass?

You can buy your lift pass at any of the lift stations. Our 5 day passes cost 293€ for the entire Kitzbühel resort, but there are varying pricing options depending on how many days you’re skiing.

Where can I get a resort map?

You’ll find resort maps in most of the lift stations, ski shops and even some restaurants – very handy to have on you!

Would I recommend skiing in Kitzbühel?

All in all, I’d definitely go skiing in Kitzbühel again. There’s plenty to ski with a variety of pistes, well-serviced lifts and lots of food options on the mountain. Plus, it’s easy enough to get to with good links via trains and you could easily make a long weekend out of this resort. I’m already craving to be among the mountains again!

Interested in working a ski season but unsure what job would suit you? Read my guide on the options available. Or, if you like the sound of being a chalet host but want an idea of what it’s like, read my day in the life account.

For more ski content, follow me on Instagram @ellielwilliams

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