Saalbach & Hinterglemm: A Thrilling yet Delightfully Laid-Back Alpine Escape

• LOCAL AREA: Saalbach & Hinterglemm
• CONNECTED AREA: Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn
• SEASON START & END: Late November to early April
• SKI ALTITUDE :
  • Local resort 786m – 2,096m / Vertical Drop 1,310m
  • Connected Area 768m – 3,029m / Vertical Drop 2,261m
• PISTES:
  • Local Resort: 270 km of slopes: 140 km blue / 112 km red / 18 km black
  • Connected Area: 408km
• LIFTS:
  • Local Resort: 70 lifts: 29 cable cars / 22 chair lifts / 19 t-bar lifts: Capacity of 123,886 people/hour
  • Connected Area: 121 state-of-the-art cable cars and lifts
• SNOW: 90% slopes with snowmaking / 970 snow cannons / 364 mobile snow cannons / 211 snow lances / 14 reservoirs / 77 snow groomers
• LIFT TICKET PRICES: For prices see Online / Tip: Junior XPLORE CARD The Super-Saturday-Ticket for all youngsters / Ski ALPIN CARD- combination ticket including the Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See and the Kitzsteinhorn Kaprun, in addition to the extensive skiing area of the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn.
• CROSS COUNTRY SKIING: Nordic Park Saalfelden- 150km of cross-country trails / Saalbach & Hinterglemm- 12km / Fieberbrunn & Pillerseetal valley- 100km.
• LANGUAGE: German
• AIRPORT: Salzburg -86km / Innsbruck -150km / Munich -208km
• TRAIN: Maishofen-Saalbach (14km) / Zell am See (18km)→ Direct bus connection (bus 680) from both train stations to Saalbach & Hinterglemm
• SKI FACTS:
  • !NEW! Guest Mobility Ticket: One for all – FREE public transport ticket for all guests in SalzburgerLand!
  • 60 local mountain huts
  • Steepest Slope: 80% gradient (Zwölferkogel North Run)
  • Longest Slope: 7kmShortest gondola in the world: 236m (12er Express)
  • Venue of the 48th FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Saalbach 2025
  • The largest ski circuit in the Alps: The Challenge “Ski your limit” – 65km of downhill runs, 32 lifts, 12,400 metres of altitude difference. The ski circuit in the “Home of Lässig” can be skied by good skiers in around 7 hours (breaks not included). The longest of the renowned ski circuits.

Saalbach & Hinterglemm, the Towns

There are alpine valleys that charm, some that dazzle and a rare few that seem determined to sweep you off your ski-booted feet entirely. Saalbach & Hinterglemm belong firmly in the latter category. Located in the Glemmtal valley, stretching from east to west in Salzburgerland, these two neighbouring towns are essentially fraternal twins raised on snow, schnitzel and exceptionally efficient Austrian engineering. Separated by just four kilometres and linked by regular buses, they form the beating heart of the colossal Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn, an area that could quite genuinely keep any skier or snowboarder entertained until the end of days.

Where Saalbach thrives on high-spirited après ski and late-night revelry, Hinterglemm offers a gentler, more refined tempo, its quiet streets and elegant spaces appealing to families and those who enjoy a little more tranquillity. Saalbach, meanwhile, makes room for everyone from affluent globetrotters to backpacking ski bums who roll out of a hostel and onto a chairlift. Together they create the “Home of Lässig”, an area known for laid-back alpine living and seventy mountain huts serving food you’ll remember long after the snow has melted.

Saalbach & Hinterglemm, where to stay

For our base in Saalbach & Hinterglemm, we chose the excellent Oberschwarzach Hotel & Bauernhof in Hinterglemm, a ski-in ski-out haven that blends alpine charm with polished hospitality. It is the sort of place where you look out of your window and immediately feel compelled to put your boots on, mostly because the pistes are temptingly close. Our apartment was vast, easily suitable for a family of four, and adorned with views that can turn even the grumpiest non-morning person into a sunrise enthusiast.

The food? Almost Michelin in presentation and frequently Michelin in flavour. Every plate arrived looking as though it had been arranged by a chef who enjoys making diners swoon. The spa, complete with new swimming facilities, is decidedly family-friendly, and the hotel even provides a washing machine so you can revive your weary ski underlayers. Practicality and indulgence in one tidy package.

Surrounding the hotel is the family’s beautiful farm, complete with riding stables and a selection of wholesome alpine pursuits which make you feel as though you’ve wandered into a very stylish Austrian pastoral painting.

Saalbach & Hinterglemm, The Skiing

Saalbach & Hinterglemm is made for intermediate and advanced skiers who like to roam; however, Hinterglemm has a large learning area for the little ones, adding to the family vibe in this location. The pistes stretch endlessly, an invitation to explore ridge after ridge until you lose track of which mountain you’re on and precisely how many strudels you have consumed. The lift system is one of the best in the world, featuring many modern rapid chairs with heated seats and lift stations equipped with modern conveniences that put many city facilities to shame.

The south-facing slopes are glorious with copious amounts of choice, winding their way through the forests, great for snowy white out days, though late-season skiers should remember to ski early in the morning and then head to the north side for the afternoon.. Top tip: look to the north-west if you want to know what weather is heading your way, a trick that seems so simple you’ll wonder why you ever trusted a forecast.

Some blue pistes here are a touch steeper than expected, providing little surprises for beginners, while certain reds edge dangerously close to being black depending on the conditions of the snow. Red piste 40, for example, can certainly be thrilling at times, but is wonderfully long and rarely crowded.

Where to Eat on the Mountain

If you only manage one meal in the mountains, make it at Weiser Alm, a rustic dream of stone, timber and soft textiles. It is the kind of place that makes you mentally redecorate your own home before the starter arrives. The farm-fresh ingredients, including dairy from their own cows, elevate every dish.

The Vienerschnitzel is airy, crisp and just perfect. The Tiroler Gröstl is comfort food at its finest, and the Kaiserschmarrn arrives with that ideal combination of fluffy interior and crisp exterior; and for those travelling without skis, you can reach it by simply ascending the Reiterkogelbahn.

A gentle reminder: cash is king in many mountain huts, so do carry some euros.

For Beginners

Hinterglemm offers excellent nursery slopes, wide open and confidence-building. For the next step, the blue piste number 10 from the Unterschwarzachbahn is ideal, and from there you can graduate to the many long, forgiving blue pistes that wind their way around the valley.

For Intermediates

This is your kingdom. The endless pistes and fast, efficient lifts mean you can clock up an impressive distance with very little effort. Don’t miss the Schattberg’s 1000 metre descent, especially the playful blue piste #2a.

For Experts

While black pistes are limited, those that exist are superb. Many of the reds may satisfy your hunger for challenge, too. Test yourself on Schattberg’s red piste #1 followed by the black piste #1a, a combination that will leave you feeling rather pleased with yourself. Be sure to tackle the legendary FIS World Championship piste on the Zwölferkogel in Hinterglemm, a slope that has humbled many and rewarded even more.

Ecology & Sustainability:

• The region is pursuing climate-neutrality with a long-term “Green Road” strategy that spans energy, mobility, waste, infrastructure and guest services, aiming to create a sustainable value chain for mountain tourism.
• Guests are encouraged to arrive by public transport, and since May 2025, overnight visitors receive the “Salzburg Verkehr Guest Mobility Ticket” via the region’s app, granting free use of all regional public transport (buses, regional trains, local railways) across the federal state.
• Electric-vehicle charging infrastructure continues to expand across Saalbach & Hinterglemm; public charging points are available near main roads, car parks, valley stations, and at many of the hotels and accommodations.
• The tourist service centre uses a rooftop photovoltaic installation to generate clean electricity; surplus energy feeds into a local energy community (EEG), so power is shared among other buildings in town, boosting local energy efficiency and sustainability.
• Cable-car and lift companies have adopted renewable energy and energy-saving practices: snow groomers and service vehicles run (at least in part) on renewable fuel (HVO100 a plant-based fuel), dramatically cutting CO₂, particulate matter, NOₓ and other emissions compared with conventional diesel.
• Snowmaking is managed responsibly: technical snow is produced using only spring, rain or meltwater (no chemicals), and water is returned to the natural cycle; the systems are designed to avoid competition with drinking water needs. Storage ponds and snow-management practices also contribute to soil protection and flood-risk mitigation.
• Snow-grooming and piste-maintenance use modern, efficient technology: GPS-based snow-depth measurement, and in some machines, even laser-based LiDAR allows targeted snow management, reducing the amount of snow needed and cutting down on energy and water use by around 20%.
• The resort supports “green events”: when organising major events (for example, the upcoming world-class winter sports events), organisers follow recognised sustainable-event standards (e.g. ISO 20121) and guidelines, emphasising regional suppliers, waste separation, local venues and minimising environmental impact.

Final Thoughts

Saalbach & Hinterglemm offer an intoxicating blend of boundless skiing, welcoming hospitality and Austria’s unshakeable dedication to quality. Whether you’re chasing adrenaline, schnitzel or a long hot soak at the end of a snowy day, the valley provides it with an effortless sense of style. It is laid-back yet lively, peaceful yet exhilarating and unmistakably alpine in all the right ways.

Pack your skis, pack some cash and pack an appetite. The Home of Lässig awaits.

For more information, visit Saalbach & Hinterglemm