Fabulous ski slopes, amazing landscapes, glacial expanses, thermal springs and endless meadows – all this offers vacationers the Austrian region of Zillertal.
Fügen is a small ski resort in Austria, located at the very beginning of the Zillertal valley at an altitude of 550 meters above sea level. The resort itself, together with the neighboring Fügenberg, forms an ancient town of the same name, located among magnificent landscapes, a glacial kingdom, alpine meadows and stunning ski slopes, which today is one of the popular ski resorts. The resort areas are Mount Spieljoch and Hochfügen, which are full of a variety of slopes for skiers and snowboarders of all stripes.
The ski season opens here in December and lasts until the beginning of May.
How to get there
The closest airports to Fügen are Innsbruck (40 kilometers) and Munich (130 kilometers). The nearest train station is Jenbach (13 kilometers).
Skiing areas and lifts
In the Austrian Fügen, the skiing area is located from 550 meters above sea level to 2,050 meters. Thus, the height difference from the lowest to the highest point is 1,450 meters, which is a good indicator for this region. The main skiing area is dominated by “red” trails of medium difficulty. The total length of marked trails in this resort is 51 kilometers, of which the “blue trails” extend for 12 kilometers, the “red” trails – for 32 kilometers, and the most difficult “black” trails – for 7 kilometers. These slopes are served by 19 lifts, of which 12 are towpaths, 5 chairlifts and 2 gondolas (funiculars). In addition to the ski slopes, Fügen has an excellent snow park with a half-pipe and snow figures, as well as 35 kilometers of high-quality cross-country ski trails, including 9 kilometers of high-altitude trails.
The resort is especially good for beginner skiers, as the trails are quite wide and well-groomed. In general, the predominance of red slopes, which are distinguished by their steepness, is emphasized. The most interesting of them are the trails running parallel to the tow lift No. 6 and the trail on the descent from Onkeljoch. A decent black trail can be found on Hochfügen. There are also cross-country ski trails with a total length of 35 kilometers.
Slope map of Fügen
Skiing prices in Fügen
At the Fügen resort, vacationers can purchase one of several types of ski passes. Ski passes differ not only in the number of days of skiing (one, two, three …, 21), but also in the coverage of the territory. You can buy a ski pass only for the lifts of the Fügen resort or immediately purchase a “super ski pass” for all lifts in the valley. The cost of such a two-day pass is 97.5 euros for adults, 78 euros for teenagers and 44 euros for children. The cost of ski passes for the Fügen ski areas is about 45 euros per day for adults and 23 euros for children. When purchasing a ski pass, vacationers are charged a refundable deposit of 2 euros, which will be returned in exchange for an undamaged plastic lift pass card.
For those tourists who do not yet have their own equipment, rental points operate in Fügen. The most popular is Sport 2000 Unterlercher of the international network. This rental offers equipment from the best world manufacturers. In addition, the resort has rental shops Sport Stock, Skiverleih skiCHECK, Schischule Kostenzer Fügen. The average cost of one day of renting a ski set for adults is 16 – 35 euros, depending on the category of equipment. A children’s set will cost 9.9 euros per day. You can rent a snowboard set for a day for 27.5 euros for adults and 9.9 euros for children. The necessary equipment can be booked in advance on the official website of the rental point.
By the way, those who will take private or group lessons at the resort’s ski schools can count on discounts at equipment rental points. There are several schools on the slopes in Fügen that offer both individual and group lessons in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, and snowboarding. In addition, the schools have instructors who specialize in teaching children winter sports. The cost of one group lesson is about 60 euros, and six lessons will cost 155 euros. For children, the price of group lessons is 59 euros for one lesson and 154 euros for six days. Snowboarding lessons are a little cheaper – about 50 euros for one lesson and 126 euros for six days. If you study with an instructor individually, such lessons will cost about 53-59 euros per hour, 105-115 euros for two hours and 189 euros for the whole day (four hours). In Fügen, as in a number of other resorts in Austria, you can only get a foreign-speaking trainer for individual lessons. It is very difficult to get a foreign-speaking specialist for group lessons. However, local instructors have extensive experience in teaching practically without words, using gestures and personal example, so the problem of a language barrier during training usually does not arise.
While parents conquer the snowy mountain peaks, children can have fun with their peers in one of the kindergartens on the slopes. One of the most popular in Fügen is the Zwergerl Club kindergarten, which accepts children from three months to 7 years old. Staying in the kindergarten can be hourly (6 euros per hour), half a day (21 euros) or a full day (31 euros). The Skischule Aktiv kindergarten is popular due to its transfer service, i.e. children are picked up from the hotel and brought back to the hotel after their stay in the kindergarten.
Accommodation and food
Fügen has a huge number of different hotels, guesthouses, apartments and chalets, which can accommodate up to five thousand guests.
When choosing accommodation options in the Fügen resort, tourists usually focus on hotels located near the lifts or near the ski bus stops. One of these options is the Appartement Abendstein 4 * hotel, two kilometers from the lift and next to the free bus stop. The cost of living in the hotel is from 89 euros per day. The Haus Markus hotel is also a good budget option (82 euros per day). For 115 euros you can rent apartments in the Alpenhaus Pfitser, while the best hotels in Fügen include the four-star Sport Und Wellnesshotel Held Fugen (from 190 euros per day).
Worthy representatives of three-star hotels are: Landhaus Zillertal, Edelweiss, Central, Sonne Haus Romantik and other hotels, the prices for a double room in which do not exceed €65-80 per day.
In local restaurants you can order the most ordinary French fries, omelette or scrambled eggs. But still, the original cuisine of Fügen is worth getting to know, at least in general terms. In addition, local chefs follow the formula “simple, tasty, satisfying” and are not too fond of adding a lot of seasonings or exotic ingredients.
You can relax after an active day on the ski slopes in an excellent place called Pizz Pub, where not only guests of Fügen, but also residents of the city like to visit. The hall is decorated in a royal style, the lounge bar pleases with a pleasant relaxing atmosphere, and the wine list pleasantly surprises with its variety. In addition, gourmets will appreciate the signature cuisine, and young people – fun après-ski entertainment. The Billard Treff bar near the Fügenerhof hotel is famous for its excellent music and soulful atmosphere, while one of the loudest and most incendiary is considered to be the Kosis-Fun-Food-Bar, where themed parties are held and musical groups perform.
Entertainment in Fügen
For those who want a variety of sports in this mountainous area, there is an indoor swimming pool, an outdoor ice rink, tennis courts, bowling alleys, toboggan and hiking trails, paragliding and climbing courses.
Landmark places and cultural objects include: the Zillertal Railway, built at the beginning of the 20th century; the organ in the Gemeindehaus, on which the young Mozart played; the Heimatmuseum, a local history museum; the medieval churches of Maria Himmelfahrt and Marienbergkirche; Bubenburg Castle, where Alexander I and Franz II met in 1822, and the Cheesemaking Museum.
In addition to active and cultural recreation, Fügen, with its variety of bars and discos, also has a very rich evening life. Of particular note are such establishments as Planeta and Life, where a bottle of beer will cost around €3, and a can of soft drink will cost €2.5.
