schladming ski resort
Schladming is one of Austria's 'undiscovered' ski resorts. Perhaps if it was in the Tyrol rather than Styria and maybe 500m higher overall, then it would be in all the travel company ski holiday brochures.
As it is, the four ski mountains make up one of the top advanced intermediate ski areas in the country and keen skiers will make their own efforts to get to the Schladming-Dachstein ski resort.
The Ski World Championships held in 2013 have increased visibility for the area and the yearly night slalom World Cup race has grown in popularity and now attracts thousands of visitors.
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Last updated: 01.09.23
quick schladming facts
Schladming is located in a long valley - the Ennstal - in the northwestern corner of the province of Styria not far from the border with Salzburg.
Schladming resort is situated at 745 metres above sea level, an altitude which is relatively low but the north-facing ski slopes generally ensure good snow conditions.
The winter season in the Schladming ski area generally starts in November but depends on snow conditions.
The end of the ski season in Schladming is usually planned for mid-April.
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Location: 8970 Schladming - Styria - Austria
Schladming is - like many mountain resorts - a former mining settlement. Here the workings for copper, lead and silver date back into the Middle Ages and Schladming was originally granted its town charter in the 14th century.
The Schladming-Dachstein region is located in the Enns valley between the Schladminger Tauern range (where the Schladming ski slopes are located) and facing the Dachstein range to the north. At the western end of the valley the motorway offers good connections to Carinthia and Salzburg while, a little bit further away to the east, the junction at Liezen offers motorway access to the provincial capitals of Graz and Linz.
The construction of the railway line through the valley in 1875 influenced the birth of mountain tourism and in the 1950s the first ski lift was built on the Planai.
The ski area has long had a strong presence in competitive racing and the first downhill was held on the Planai back in the 1970s with the Ski World Championships following in the next decade.
Despite that the resort, similarly to the resort of Serfaus in the Tyrol, never quite gained the popularity on the English-speaking market that rival and arguably less attractive resorts have achieved.
However the visibility has been boosted once more by the holding of the World Championships for the second time in 2013, as well as with the continuing popularity of the annual night slalom World Cup race which brings thousands of visitors to the town.
Schladming doesn't offer Tyrolean village charm, but intermediate and advanced skiers who are looking for a variety of long challenging runs should make it one of their top choices - perhaps the best way to define it (although the inhabitants would shudder at the description) would be a 'French-style' Austrian ski resort!
Schladming is a medium-sized town with plenty of hotel (and other) accommodation. Those looking for a quieter location can always try the smaller settlements of Haus im Ennstal and Rohrmoos
More information about accommodation in Schladming
Schladming can boast four mountains with good top-to-bottom ski runs as well as one of the most prestigious ski races on the calendar. It deserves to be rated among the best ski resorts in Austria.
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information about skiing in Schladming
Schladming is quite a way from the more popular winter areas of the Tyrol and Salzburg. But nevertheless it has good motorway connections to nearby airports offering a choice of destinations.
More information about getting to Schladming
Why choose Schladming for your ski holiday...
- top to bottom runs
- north-facing slopes
- access to town for independent skiers
What are the drawbacks...
- low altitude of town and top stations
- town not particularly attractive
- lack of choice in package holidays
View over the Schladming ski area