Ski Passes in Austria 2011

As with other recently published studies (as we reported), the magazine “Konsument,” which compared ski-pass prices in 80 ski regions in Austria, has reached the following conclusion: Ski-pass prices have risen considerably in recent years.

Comparing current ski-pass prices at ski resorts in Austria with those from the 2006/2007 ski season leads to a clear conclusion: Almost no Austrian ski resort has been content with a price increase of less than ten percent. At many ski resorts in Austria, price increases have been nearly twice as high as the inflation rate. This increase is particularly true of smaller ski resorts in Austria.

The editors of the magazine “Konsument” found a clear example of rising ski-pass prices at the ski resorts of Stuhleck and Semmering/Zauberberg: At these two resorts, day passes have risen over the past four years by 14.5 percent (in the Stuhleck ski region) and 14 percent (Semmering/Zauberberg), respectively.

The lowest family ski-pass prices for the 2010/2011 winter sports season were found in the Zahmer Kaiser/Walchsee ski region in Tyrol. Here, a six-day family package for two adults, one child, and one teenager costs just under 290 euros and gives them access to around 25 kilometers of slopes.

Skiing is getting more expensive in Europe—this is also confirmed by a study by the magazine “Konsument.” So, in the 2010/2011 winter season, more than ever before: take your time, compare carefully, and only then book.