Arlberg

The Arlberg is where alpine skiing was invented, and more than a century later it is still the most complete ski holiday in Austria. Austria's largest connected ski area links a handful of villages that could hardly be more different in character, from the hedonism of St Anton to the quiet, moneyed calm of Lech am Arlberg, and between them they hold the finest concentration of luxury ski chalets in the country. Whether you want a fully catered chalet with a private chef or a contemporary apartment a few steps from the lift, this is where Austria's best is.

The Resorts of the Arlberg

Five villages carry the chalets, and the difference between them matters more here than in most ski areas.

Lech and Oberlech

Lech sits at 1,450m beyond the Flexen Pass and has one of the best snow records in the Alps. Lech am Arlberg trades in laidback luxury rather than display, and it holds the finest concentration of chalets in the area: a small number of genuinely exceptional properties alongside a good choice of contemporary apartments, in a village that stays calm in the evening. Oberlech, on the shelf above, is car free and reached by cable car, which makes it a favourite with families.

Zürs

Higher again at 1,720m and smaller than Lech, Zürs is barely a village at all: a short row of hotels and chalets, a lift on either side, and snow that arrives early and stays late. It suits guests who want to ski hard by day and see nobody at all by night. The first drag lift in Austria was built here in 1937.

St Anton

St Anton is the most iconic ski resort in the Austrian Alps, thanks to its combination of natural beauty, world class skiing and a famously hedonistic apres ski scene. It is the largest of the villages, the best connected by rail, and the one that keen skiers return to year after year. The chalets here run broader in style than in Lech, from traditional to sharply modern.

St Christoph

St Christophsits at 1,800m on the pass, the highest of the villages and the birthplace of the Ski Club Arlberg in 1901; it remains where Austria trains its ski instructors. It is a quiet base with seamless access to the whole area, and suits guests who want the skiing without the evening noise.

Luxury Ski Chalets in the Arlberg

Austria's top end chalet stock is smaller than France's and it clusters here, which is exactly what makes it feel exclusive. Lech holds the piste side properties that guests book a year ahead, Zürs and St Christoph offer the same standard with fewer neighbours, and St Anton spreads the widest range. Catered chalets am Arlberg come with a private chef and host and, in many cases, a driver, which matters more than usual in an area where the best restaurant may be in the next village. Self catered chalets and apartments are unusually strong here too, because the mountain dining is worth building a week around. Browse our luxury catered chalets and ski in ski out chalets, view every property in the area using the button below, or widen the search to our full collection of luxury ski chalets in Austria.

Skiing the Arlberg

One of the largest connected ski regions in the world and Austria's largest ski area, with 305km of marked pistes, around 200km of off piste terrain for freeriders and a modern lift system that makes the mileage easy. Families will appreciate the many practice areas for little ones and beginner skiers, as well as the fun parks and race courses. Intermediates get the length and variety to cross the whole area in a day. Experts get what the Arlberg is really famous for: the Valluga at 2,811m, its north face descent that may only be skied with a guide, and a freeriding culture that treats a powder morning as a civic duty. Two set pieces are worth planning a day around, the 22km White Ring circuit above Lech and Zürs, and the Run of Fame, which crosses the whole area and back for around 65km.

Getting to the Arlberg

Innsbruck is the closest gateway at roughly an hour and twenty minutes, with Zurich around two and a quarter hours, Friedrichshafen under two and Munich around two and a half. The Arlberg's real advantage is the railway: St Anton has its own station on the main line, so you can travel from London by train and step off within walking distance of your chalet, which is rare in the Alps and increasingly the way our guests prefer to arrive. Lech and Zürs are a short transfer on from there over the Flexen Pass. Our Ski Specialists will map the easiest route for your party.

Arlberg Ski Holidays: Your Questions Answered

Which Arlberg resort has the best luxury chalets?

Lech, without much argument, and it is the reason the Arlberg holds Austria's finest chalet collection. Zürs and St Christoph offer a similar standard in quieter surroundings, while St Anton has the broadest choice and the liveliest village. Our Ski Specialists will happily talk through which fits your group.

Can I book a catered chalet in the Arlberg?

Yes, and Austria's catered chalet stock is concentrated here. Expect a private chef, a host and often a driver, with menus arranged around your party. The best properties are booked a season ahead, so early enquiries pay. See our luxury catered chalets for what is currently available.

Is one lift pass valid across the whole Arlberg?

Yes. The Ski Arlberg pass covers every village and lift in the area, St Anton through to Lech, Zürs, Warth and Schröcken, which have all been linked since the Flexenbahn opened. There is no reason to buy anything narrower unless you are a beginner staying put for a few days.

How big is the Arlberg ski area?

It is Austria's largest, with 305km of marked pistes and around 200km of off piste terrain served by the same lift system. The scale is only half the story; the other half is that a single pass connects villages an hour apart by road but twenty minutes apart on skis.

What is the White Ring?What is the White Ring?

A 22km circuit linking Lech, Zürs, Zug and Oberlech, skiable in a day by any competent intermediate, and the subject of an annual race that has been running since 1958. It is the classic Arlberg outing and the best possible introduction to the area's geography.

Is the Arlberg good for families?

Yes, particularly Lech and Oberlech, where the ski schools are excellent, the nursery slopes sit right by the village and Oberlech's car free setting removes the usual worry. Many of our family ski chalets here have the pools and spas that make an afternoon off the hill easy.