Zell Am See Zell AM See - Kaprun, Austria

Extended Review

Our comprehensive Zell Am See skiing review from January 2020.

Extended Ski Area

Zell Am See is connected both to Kaprun and Saalbach-Hinterglemm (also known as Ski Circus). All three areas are included on your lift pass, the Alpin-Card, and there's a short (free) bus ride connecting them up. The new ski lifts connecting through to Saalbach-Hinterglemm ski area were built for the start of the 2019-2020 ski season. This new extended area gives you over 400km of pistes with a whopping 121 ski lifts serving 225 separate pistes!

For Beginners

There is also a beginners area with a covered magic carpet lift at the AreitXpress mountain station. Unlike lots of other ski resorts, most of the easiest runs are actually higher up the mountain. There are bubble lifts that beginners can take up and down to get to their areas, and it means even a complete novice gets to experience the feeling of skiing right up at the top of the mountains with incredible views all around.

For Intermediates / Advanced

Zell Am See is heaven for the competent skier. The large connected ski area gives everything from meandering-below-the-tree-line skiing to wide open high altitude glacier skiing. Challenging north-facing reds, to sun-soaking cruisey blue runs, there is something to keep you entertained every day at all levels. Factor in the excellent lift infrastructure, mountain restaurants and lakeside views and you are in for a treat! You can find out more about skiing on Zell Am See on the official website, or take a look at our Zell am See Skiing Review.

Night Skiing

Skiing at night! What? Yup! There is a night slope just above Zell Am See. It is open every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday during the Winter season. It's a great opportunity to try something a little different (and magical) while on skis. Access to night skiing is included as part of the "Alpine Card" lift pass. Go for the skiing, stay for the views!

Zell Am See Town

Historic Town Centre

Zell Am See is an old and storied town rich in culture and history. The fact that it is also a world class ski resort only adds to its charm. It's a very old village, and has been a tourist haven long before the arrival of skiing. It's worth a wander to the lake shore to see the Grand Hotel sitting in pride of place on the water's edge. Zell am see is also a popular summer destination.

Hotel Heitzmann is perfectly located at the edge of the car-free centre of the town. On your doorstep you'll find an array of bars, cafés, restaurants and shops. The Romanesque style church, just 200m from the hotel, is the focal point of the town. Lit up at night it makes a wonderful sight, with parts dating from the 1500s.

Après-Ski

Austria is famous for its Après-Ski, and Zell am See is no exception. You'll find plenty of bars on your doors step open each afternoon ready to welcome skiers back from the slopes. The bars start about 30m from the hotel door. Some resorts do their Après-Ski on the mountain, and some in the village. Zell am See is definitely the latter, with everyone heading into the village for their post-ski drinks. For the competitive people, you can try your hand at the uniquely Austrian game where you each take a turn trying to hit a nail into a large piece of wood using the chisel side of a hammer. Whoever gets the nail fully in, using the least swings, wins. A wonderfully frustrating bar game when, like me, you miss the nail completely half the time...

For those looking at their first ski holiday, a quick note on apres-ski. Partying happens early in ski resorts - normally in that gap after skiing and before dinner. You'll find bars choc-a-block with revellers at 5pm, then empty by 8pm when everyone wanders home for dinner.

Lake Zell

You cannot talk about Zell Am See without talking about the lake! The picture postcard views and coupled with its amazing history only add to the charm. For winter visitors one of the most important questions is "Does it freeze over?" ANd the answer is...... Yes, sometimes! Every few years the lake does freeze over. It usually happens after a prolonged period of cold dry weather. The tourist office will let you know if it's safe to walk on the ice. If it's safe, it's an easy walk from one side to the other.

You walk all the way around the lake. It takes 3 to 4 hours, and is (unsurprisingly) a flat route. There's a walkway right on the lake shore for large parts, then in sections you'll be walking on the roadside just stepped back from the lake. If you fancy a day off skiing it's well worth the walk, or alternatively just an hour's stroll after skiing along the lake shore offers magical views.

Fun Fact: Ferdinand Porsche (yes that Porsche) used to race his cars on the lake in the winter back in the day. His family still have a strong connection to the town, with their own mountain retreat there (including a large car garage), and also Porsche designed the Schmittenhohebahn telecabine.

Events

I've been very impressed by the range and quality of events and non-skiing activities Zell am See has to offer. I've been to a lot of ski resorts, and Zell am See has the best offerings outside skiing that I can recall anywhere.

The Snow Show

Most resorts do a Torchlight descent, but Zell am See have taken this up to the next level. Their snow show includes people doing back-flips off a giant ramp, using the piste as a giant projector screen, ski instructors covered in leds lights to make them look like skiing robots, giant flame towers, skiers attached to parachutes (called speed riding so I'm told) and a piste basher, just to name some of the stunts involved. I watched it from the rooftop bar of the hotel, but if I went back I'd go to the slope-side itself to watch it up close as it was truly spectacular.

Ice Hockey

A great night out! The local team, EK Zell am See, have a game most weeks through until early February starting at 7 or 7.30pm (you can find their official website here - in German). Tickets are bought at the door and are available from two hours before the game. If you've never been to a ski resort ice hockey match, it's a great fun night out and all of 200m from the hotel. They play in the same complex at the big swimming pool.

Swimming complex

I was very impressed with the new swimming complex in Zell am See. A lovely way to ease the legs after a day on the mountainside. Saunas, a big pool with diving boards, slides, even heated floors. It's not cheap though at €14.90 to get in. You can find more information here and see their official website here (in German)

Other Events

There are a lot of events happening in and around Zell Am See during the winter months. There is something for everybody with both skiing and non-skiing related events being held across the resort. Here is a sample of what's on offer:

A full list of all the events happening in Zell Am See.

Free guided Walks

Zell am see has some of the best offerings for non-skiers. If you look at the piste map, all the lifts marked in green are accessible to pedestrians, which is most of the lifts. There's not only the walk around the lake, but there's many other routes higher up the mountain too. One I can recommend is doing a lap of the lake at the top of the cityXpress bubble lift. The tourist office also offers free guided walks each week.

Getting to Zell Am See

If you are flying to Zell Am See then we would recommend you fly into Salzburg (SZG) airport. Salzburg airport is 73 kilometres from Zell Am See and has a transfer time of about one hour thirty minutes. This is the airport almost everyone who flies in takes. Transfers from Salzburg or Munich can take the form of a bus, taxi or train depending on your preference.

Munich airport (MUC) can also be used. It is 200 kilometres away but it is not the preferred airport as there are fewer transfer options available. Innsbruck airport (INN) is also an option, it is 145 kilometres away.

Recommended Transfer Route: A company called Holiday Shuttle is a great option. They operate 7 times a day from Salzburg and Munich airports. So long as you book a few days ahead and provide the hotel address it is a proper door to door service. You will save by booking a return ticket as the cost is 89 euros per seat return. To book please check their website at www.holiday-shuttle.at

By Train: You can take a train from Salzburg main train station to Zell Am See. It takes about 2h 10m. You must first get a line 2 bus from the airport to the train station. From the train station you take one of the Regional Express trains to Zell Am See.

By Taxi: A private minivan style taxi can be gotten for about €150 one way for the vehicle. These can usually fit between five to seven people.

By Bus: You can get a bus number 260 directly from Salzburg Airport to Zell Am See. It has many stops along the way but it actually works out being slightly faster (1h 45m) than taking the train.

Top Tip: If you are getting an evening flight home you can get an early morning train to Salzburg and spend the day there exploring the beautiful old world city.