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A skier beneath the Gletscherjet 4 gondolas at Kitzsteinhorn, backed by snowy Alpine peaks.
Explore / Kitzsteinhorn / Destination Guide

KITZSTEINHORN

📍Kaprun, Salzburg, Austria

🏞️ Scenic Cruiser👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Cruiser🟢 Beginner Friendly5 Days on Epic☀️ Year-round destination

Photo: Daniel Frank · CC0 · Photo details

⬇️
Vertical drop
7,421 ft*
🗻
Skiable terrain
540 acres*
❄️
Avg snowfall
236 in*
🚡
Lifts
24
☀

Another season up here

BEYOND WINTER

Glacier sightseeing, hiking, mountain biking and guided nature tours.

Explore summer activities ↗Make a mountain escape →

PINZGAU, SALZBURGERLAND

The Kitzsteinhorn is the Salzburg region's only glacier ski area, rising to 3,203 m above the town of Kaprun in the Pinzgau valley. Together with the ...

THE REGION

The Kitzsteinhorn is the Salzburg region's only glacier ski area, rising to 3,203 m above the town of Kaprun in the Pinzgau valley. Together with the Schmittenhöhe above Zell am See, it forms the Zell am See-Kaprun ski region offering terrain from glacier heights to lakeside runs. The glacier guarantees snow from October through June — one of Austria's longest seasons.

The area combines high-alpine glacier skiing with the charm of Kaprun, a traditional Pinzgau village at 786 m. The panoramic views from the Gipfelwelt 3000 viewing platform — spanning the Grossglockner, Austria's highest peak — are extraordinary. Modern cable cars whisk skiers from valley floor to glacier in minutes.

THE LOCAL SCENE

Kaprun blends Salzburg mountain tradition with a modern outdoor sports vibe. The village retains its Pinzgau character — traditional wooden farmhouses, a medieval castle (Burg Kaprun), and a community rooted in alpine farming. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road nearby is one of Europe's great scenic drives (summer only).

GETTING THERE

Zell am See is the rail gateway for Kaprun. Plan the onward bus or transfer around your starting lift. A village start uses the Maiskogelbahn and the 3K K-ONNECTION when both are running. For a glacier day outside the connecting lift’s season, use the operator’s directions to the Kitzsteinhorn valley station.

WHEN TO GO

The glacier and lower Maiskogel slopes have different operating windows. For an early or late trip, check the glacier pistes as well as the lift you plan to use from town. An open sightseeing lift to TOP OF SALZBURG gives access to the viewpoint and may operate when the ski route you want is closed.

BEYOND THE SLOPES

The region offers much more than skiing. Here's what else to explore:

🏔️

Gipfelwelt 3000

Outdoor

Panoramic viewing platform at 3,029 m with views of the Grossglockner and over 30 three-thousand-meter peaks

🧘

Tauern Spa

Wellness

Modern thermal spa complex with indoor/outdoor pools, saunas, and treatments overlooking the Kitzsteinhorn

🎭

Burg Kaprun

Culture

12th-century castle ruin above Kaprun hosting cultural events and offering valley views

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Zell am See ice arena

Family

Choose a public skating session at the indoor rink. For lake skating, use only a designated area that local authorities have opened.

🍽️

Kaprun Alpine Cheese Tasting

Dining

Visit local dairy farms and taste Pinzgau alpine cheeses paired with regional wines

WHERE TO STAY

Tauern Spa in Kaprun has a large pool and sauna complex with a public bus stop at the entrance. Hotel Kaprunerhof has an indoor pool and includes a ski-area transfer in selected packages. Carpe Solem ZOE offers apartment kitchens and separate family and adult spa areas. For a smaller stay, Pension Sonnhof has balcony rooms, breakfast and a ski cellar. Junges Hotel Zell am See is a lakeside hostel farther from the glacier, so plan the morning connection before choosing it.

THE FOOD SCENE

Plan a mountain lunch at Gletschermühle beside the Alpincenter. Down in Kaprun, Dorfstadl serves Pinzgau cooking in a former bakery with a tiled stove and wood-lined dining room.

APRÈS & NIGHTLIFE

On the Kaprun side, Maisi Alm has a winter après-ski bar beside the MK Maiskogelbahn. Stay for a drink on the terrace or head into town for dinner at Dorfstadl.

INSIDER TIPS

  • 💡Choose a clear day for the TOP OF SALZBURG viewing platform and check the last return lift.
  • 💡Put Schmittenhöhe on a separate outing or allow for a valley transfer between ski areas.
  • 💡Stay in Kaprun for an evening at Tauern Spa. Check the spa’s admission arrangements before leaving the mountain.

DESTINATION FACTS

Nearest Town
Kaprun
Population
3,100
Elevation
3,029m / 9,938ft (top station)
Timezone
CET (UTC+1)
Currency
EUR
Language
German

LIVE WEATHER

Real-time conditions for planning your Kitzsteinhorn trip

❄️Snow Depth🌨️Precipitation💨Wind🌡️Temperature☁️Visibility

Powered by Ventusky — opens in new tab

Learn to read ski weather maps →

GETTING THERE

✈️
SZG
Salzburg Airport
About 1–2 hours
✈️
INN
Innsbruck Airport
About 2–3 hours
✈️
MUC
Munich Airport
About 2–3 hours

Approximate planning ranges; allow extra time for winter conditions.

OVERNIGHT STAYS & CAMPERVANS

Sportcamp Woferlgut in Bruck is a designated camping base for the Zell am See–Kaprun area. It offers powered pitches, a chemical-toilet disposal station and a paid winter shuttle to the Areit and Maiskogel lifts. Pool and wellness access is an extra for camping guests.

Designated stay details ↗

Book a designated overnight place for your vehicle and dates. Day parking does not provide permission to camp.

Sources & planning context

Historical planning figures · Figures marked * come from earlier references and may differ from current resort figures.

Other names · Kitzsteinhorn Kaprun, Kaprun Glacier, Kitzsteinhorn Maiskogel

Local recommendations are editorial guidance. Travel times are approximate and depend on your route and conditions.

Typically mid October to late May

A broad planning range from the historical guide, conditions permitting. Use the operator’s schedule for your travel dates.

Official schedules & conditions ↗
Schedule source ↗Official resort ↗
Summer and winter destination
Yes
Source ↗ · Oct 25, 2026
Beyond winter
Glacier sightseeing, hiking, mountain biking and guided nature tours.
Source ↗ · Oct 25, 2026
Official website
https://www.kitzsteinhorn.at/en/
Source ↗ · Oct 27, 2026
Lifts
24
Source ↗ · Oct 27, 2026
Base elevation (ft)
About 2520
Source ↗ · Oct 27, 2026

Historical mountain figures awaiting field-level confirmation: Vertical drop (ft), Skiable area (acres), Runs, Reported average snowfall (in), Summit elevation (ft).

Individual listings retain their own sources and check dates. A source check covers only the named details; it does not confirm availability. Snowfall averages describe climate, not a forecast.

Kaprun to the glacier by gondola ↗The village cable-car route travels via Maiskogel and Langwied. TOP OF SALZBURG is a sightseeing destination. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Kitzsteinhorn piste map and open facilities ↗The operator lists slopes separately from lift operations, including Alpincenterpiste. Glacier and Maiskogel operations depend on conditions. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Zell am See public skating ↗The region distinguishes its indoor rink from designated outdoor skating sites. Public sessions depend on the calendar. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Designated Lake Zell ice access ↗The local tourism office identifies a specific designated area and publishes a separate opening status. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Carpe Solem ZOE Kaprun ↗Kaprun hotel with rooms, suites and apartments with kitchens. Family spa and separate adult rooftop spa with infinity pool. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Austrian National Tourist Office – 2024 summer news ↗Former Hotel Toni became the KAPOOM pop-up hotel in 2023. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Carpe Solem – KAPOOM to ZOE Kaprun ↗Operator identifies the conversion of KAPOOM to Carpe Solem ZOE at the same address. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Junges Hotel Zell am See ↗Youth hostel on Lake Zell. Single, double and multi-bed rooms have private bathrooms. Breakfast is included. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

TAUERN SPA Kaprun – your 4*S resort in Salzburger Land ↗TAUERN SPA describes its 4*S resort at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, standard rooms and suites plus nature and garden rooms, and a 20,000m² spa with 12 pools and 10 saunas and steam rooms. Bus 660 stops at the entrance and hotel guests receive the Salzburg guest mobility ticket. · Checked Oct 27, 2026. This check covers these details only.

4* Hotel Kaprunerhof, Kaprun ↗The family-run four-star Hotel Kaprunerhof is in Zell am See-Kaprun with panoramic views of the Kitzsteinhorn. It has an indoor pool, spa area and sun terrace. Current 2026/27 winter packages list gourmet board and, on selected packages, complimentary transfer to the ski area; the wellness area includes a pool, saunas and whirlpool. · Checked Oct 27, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Pension Sonnhof ↗A family-run Kaprun guesthouse with breakfast, balcony rooms and mountain views, plus free parking and a lockable ski cellar. · Checked Oct 29, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Kitzsteinhorn ski schools and rental directory ↗The resort lists Ski Dome Oberschneider at Nikolaus-Gassner-Straße 21 in Kaprun with phone +43 6547 8232. It also lists Hartweger’s as a separate local school. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Oberschneider Kaprun Ski School ↗Ski Dome offers child and adult ski and snowboard programs, groups, private lessons and family coaching. Certain products specifically bundle equipment. Its teaching locations include Kaprun, Lechnerberg and the glacier. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Bründl Sports Flagshipstore Kaprun ↗The town flagship is at Nikolaus-Gassner-Straße 4 and lists +43 50 83 88 150. It offers sports retail and race ski and boot services. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Bründl ski and race boot fitting ↗Bründl identifies the Kaprun flagship as its specialist location for personal ski and race boot adjustments. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Bründl Kaprun locations ↗Bründl distinguishes its town flagship from its online rental pickup locations at Maiskogelbahn and the Kitzsteinhorn Alpincenter. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

SPORT 2000 Kaprun rental directory ↗SPORT 2000 lists Sport Glaser at Sigmund-Thun-Straße 20 in Kaprun for ski, snowboard and cross-country rentals, with online booking by date. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Kitzsteinhorn Freeride Monday ↗For winter 2026–27, Ski Dome Oberschneider takes beginner freeride bookings and meets at Ski Dome II, Langwied. Hartweger’s takes advanced bookings and meets at Alpincenter InfoService. Participants need confident piste skills and safety equipment. Advanced guests need some backcountry experience. Lift tickets and rental gear are separate. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Kitzsteinhorn · Gletschermühle Restaurant ↗Gletschermühle Restaurant Alpine Cuisine with a View. at 2,450 meters above sea level. ingredients from regional partners. Menu Winter 2026/27. next to the Alpincenter at 2,450 m. fireplace lounge. · Checked Oct 27, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Zell am See-Kaprun · Dorfstadl ↗Grainer family restaurant in a former bakery, Kellnerfeldstraße 15, Kaprun. Pinzgau cooking, a tiled stove, wooden walls and antiques. Winter dinner service is listed from December 2026. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

Zell am See-Kaprun · Maisi Alm ↗Maisi Alm beside the MK Maiskogelbahn in Kaprun has a terrace, a menu of Pinzgau dishes and a winter après-ski bar. · Checked Oct 31, 2026. This check covers these details only.

  • Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski-season announcement ↗

    Glacier skiing actually began October 10, initially only selected slopes. Operations expand with conditions; closing date not verified.

  • Summer on the Kitzsteinhorn ↗

    Glacier sightseeing, hiking, mountain biking and guided nature tours.

  • Kitzsteinhorn company profile ↗

    The first-party Kitzsteinhorn company profile page states the asserted mountain facts. Metric source values are stored in the site's rounded imperial display units.

  • Kitzsteinhorn — Winter 2026–27 Press Information ↗

    The current overview defines the represented Kitzsteinhorn–Maiskogel–Lechnerberg ski-resort range from 768 metres; 2,520 feet is the rounded conversion.

SEE YOU UP THERE.

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