The Kitzbühel – Kirchberg ski area is considered to be a single entity, with guests of one of the resorts gaining access to all the slopes and entertainment centers of the region. The elevation difference in the resort area is about 1,074 meters, and there are more than 145 km of slopes of varying difficulty available to vacationers. Despite the fact that there are no “green” slopes in the resort area, some “blue” slopes are perfect for beginners, and the most experienced athletes have a choice of more than 20 km of “black” slopes. The large ski area is served by 55 lifts, most of which are chairlifts and tow lifts. Also, for the convenience of vacationers, the resort has 8 cable cars and one gondola lift.

The most lively and crowded area of the resort area remains Hahnenkamm, dominated by medium-level slopes, the most interesting and attractive of which is Streif Familienabfart. For athletes who prefer to ski in the evening, the illuminated Jochberg-Wagstaettlift slope is perfect. The longest slope of the Kitzbühl – Kirchberg resort area, Pengelstein Sud, is 6.8 km long, and its advantages can be appreciated by athletes who have already mastered the basics of skiing. Experienced skiers should pay attention to the “black” slope Schwarzkogel, which is considered the most difficult in the region. Its length is about 3.5 km, and the height difference is 970 m, respectively.

Cross-country skiers will also not have to spend long choosing a suitable place to relax, they have about 120 km of high-class trails to choose from. Many of them pass through picturesque forests, so a lot of positive emotions from skiing are guaranteed. The longest cross-country ski trail is Kitzbuehel – Aurach, it is 14 km long and is suitable for beginner skiers.

The resort also offers excellent conditions for snowboarders who have long loved the Kitzbuheler Horn area. It is here that a large-scale fan park with many training areas and a high-class half-pipe is located, in addition, snowboarders have several wonderful open slopes. The main distinguishing feature of this area, which attracts snowboarders from all over the world, is the natural half-pipes. Professionals claim that training on them is strikingly different from those that can be carried out on artificial structures.

There are several types of ski passes available to holidaymakers, the exact cost of which depends on the season. In high season, the cost of a one-day pass for an adult will be about 47 euros, for teenagers there is a 25% discount, and for the youngest travelers a 50% discount is offered. For travelers who want to save money, it is best to buy a ski pass for several days. The cost of a pass for an adult for 6 and 13 days in high season will be 233 and 381 euros, respectively.

Kitzbühl 2019: how to get there, where to stay, what to see

Kitzbühl area in summer

How to get to Kitzbühl

Kitzbühl is the oldest ski resort in Europe, located on the border of Austria and Germany, which is located at an equal distance from Salzburg and Innsbruck. Kitzbühel is famous for its developed infrastructure for skiing (even serious sports events are held here), as well as the atmosphere of a general holiday, the place is considered quite atmospheric.

Contrary to popular belief that Kitzbühel is an elite resort, and there is no democratic rest here, after all – this is a myth, and the prices here coincide with the prices at any other ski resort in Austria. The conditions for rest here are both exclusive and quite democratic. In addition to the skiing and snowboarding component, you can relax in Kitzbühel in the thermal complex, in numerous cafes, restaurants and shopping, in addition, Kitzbühel is considered an ancient town, which means that you can find many attractions typical of Europe here.

You can get to Kitzbühel from Salzburg, Innsbruck and Munich. These are the three nearest cities that have their own international arrival airports. Direct flights to Munich fly several times a day all year round, and there are direct flights to Salzburg and Innsbruck in the winter. You can find all flights to these cities on the search engine sites Aviasales, Buruki and others. Then from these cities you can get to Kitzbühel by public transport, taxi, transfer or rented car.

Kitzbühl

You can get to Kitzbühl from Salzburg and Innsbruck in similar ways. Direct trains run from Salzburg train station to Kitzbühl, the journey time will be 2 hours 5 minutes; from Innsbruck there are both direct trains (less frequent) and trains with a transfer at Wörgl station, the total journey time varies from 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 40 minutes, depending on the duration of the transfer. You can check the schedule and buy tickets online at the Raileurope railway service. You can get to Kitzbühel from Salzburg Airport by transfer or taxi in just 1 hour, and from Innsbruck Airport even less. Traveling by taxi or transfer will be more convenient than by public transport, if you are carrying equipment or a large amount of luggage.

You can get to the Kitzbühel resort on your own if you have an international driving license. You can rent a car at both Munich and Salzburg airports, as well as Innsbruck airport. You can book a car in advance on specialized services, for example, on Rentalcars, Autoeurope, Economybookings and other similar ones (relevant for the winter period, when the option is in great demand and the desired car may not be available on site). Salzburg and Kitzbühel are connected by highways No. B21 and B178 (the distance is about 83 km); Innsbruck and Kitzbühel are connected by highways No. A12 and B170 (the distance is 91 km). The roads along the route are high-speed, you can move along them quickly and comfortably.

In Kitzbühel

Where to stay in Kitzbühel

Since Kitzbühel is considered the oldest resort in Austria, the hotel infrastructure here is well developed, and tourists can find many accommodation options from standard rooms to apartments, guest houses, bed and breakfast hotels, lodges and resort hotels. Pricing also varies depending on the class of accommodation. On the positive side, almost all hotels in Kitzbühel, regardless of star rating, offer breakfast included in the price of accommodation (in some, the category above is also present the option of “half board”), there are free parking for those who drive and other nice little things.

Most hotels in Kitzbühel are made in the traditional Tyrolean style, low and cozy, they are, nevertheless, equipped with the latest technology and have many additional options right on the territory (refers to 4- and 5-star hotels). For example, here you can find swimming pools, spa and wellness centers, fitness rooms, terraces for relaxation, saunas, hydromassage, etc. For those tourists who stay in hotels with less functionality, you can find an entertainment complex in the center of Kitzbühel, where similar services are offered – swimming pools, saunas, relaxation areas, etc.

Despite the clear advantage of the hotel stock, recently in Kitzbühel it has become possible to rent apartments. The apartments here are presented in the form of chalets, that is, they are full-fledged one-story houses that will be at your disposal for the entire period of rest. Renting a chalet is comparable to the price of a room in a five-star hotel, but the chalet is much more spacious. Most often, houses are rented either by families with children or by large companies. You can find apartments in the form of apartments in the towns neighboring the resort, such as St. Johann (8 km), Brixen im Thale (9 km), Jochberg (8 km), Kirchberg (6 km), Westendorf (12 km).

Streets of Kitzbühel

What to see in Kitzbühel

Kitzbühel is mostly a ski resort and partly a snowboard resort, but the town is also busy in the summer, as it is of interest both in itself and in connection with the numerous natural attractions in the vicinity.

Kitzbühel ski resort

In total, in Kitzbühel there are 60 slopes, of which the slopes for beginners are almost 70 km, the average level – almost 80 km, the difficult – 25 km. Guests and tourists are served by 54 lifts (there are chairlifts, towpaths, car-car suspension cable cars, gondolas, ribbons). For snowboarders there is 1 fun park and 2 half-pipes. Travelers who avoid extreme sports can go cross-country skiing in Kitzbühel (the total length of the slopes is about 40 km), go hiking or visit the local water park.

If you are a beginner skier and you do not have your own equipment, then in Kitzbühel there are 3 rental companies and 5 shops where you can buy ready-made equipment. The resort also has its own ski schools, the most famous of which are Skischule Kitzbühel – Rote Teufel, Skischule Element3 and Snowsports Kitzbühel. Classes are held here for adults and children, there are additional courses in slalom, freeride, and snowshoe hikes are organized.

The cost of ski passes varies depending on the number of days and seasonality. The peak season is the Christmas period from December 23 to January 9, during which the cost of a ski pass increases significantly. In the “low” period until December 8 and after April 24, the prices are the most budget.

Skiing in Kitzbühel

Recreation in Kitzbühel

A vacation in Kitzbühel is not limited to skiing and extreme sports, you can also relax here with maximum comfort in one of the spa complexes or aquaparks. Many hotels offer their guests to use their own entertainment complexes and spa areas. In addition, the Aquarena Kitzbühel water park is open in the center of Kitzbühel. So, what does the Kitzbühel water park offer? In essence, it is a multifunctional wellness center.

There is a swimming pool complex with waterfalls, a Turkish hammam, lymphatic drainage, a Kneipp bath, children’s slides for skating, a foot massage area, a children’s room, a terrace, a restaurant. Visiting the sauna is paid separately.

In the summer, Kitzbühl also offers a lot of entertainment. For example, there are 2 golf clubs, rafting and rafting companies, and an adventure center, which, in turn, organizes such exclusive entertainment as paragliding, climbing, paddling, canyoning and much more. Less extreme activities are also available – hiking and cycling.

On the streets of Kitzbühel

The social life in Kitzbühel also does not stop all year round, and the wide variety of restaurants, cafes and bars will not bore even experienced tourists. Here you can find both local Tyrolean cuisine and international dishes, many restaurants are elegantly stylized for a particular cuisine. Contrary to popular belief, not all catering establishments in Kitzbühel have exorbitant prices, many tourists from Ukraine are pleasantly surprised by the democratic price tag and large portions. Among the dishes that are definitely worth trying in Kitzbühel, one cannot fail to mention the Royal omelette, schnitzel and strudel as a dessert. Kitzbühel is also full of small cafes and bakeries where local delicacies are produced.

In general, Kitzbühel offers a traditional winter holiday with established customs, cuisine and entertainment and a developed resort infrastructure. Here you can find everything that resorts traditionally offer related to skiing, starting from classic slopes, parks for snowboarders, various types of lifts and ending with sports-related entertainment, such as a water park, spa areas, shopping arenas and restaurants, cafes, bars.