THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SKIING IN LECH, AUSTRIA — Navager

Welcome to Lech; the stylish and sophisticated sister of St. Anton. This all-around 5* ski resort has much to rival its popular and better-known neighbour. In the heart of the Arlberg, now the largest connected ski area in Austria and one of the top 5 ski regions in the world,

Lech is a traditional Austrian ski resort with a cosmopolitan town, lively bars & excellent restaurants. The village has plenty of shopping opportunities, but you might need to max out the credit card because of the pressure to conform to wearing beautiful ski clothes …. or not! People watching in the main street of Lech is an activity in & of itself.

Lech is also part of the fabulous Ski Arlberg ski region & in one of the snowiest parts of Austria. On a powder day during the storm, you may well find yourself alone on the slopes, which makes Lech a powder hounds delight.

Whilst the sophistication of Lech is apparent, it doesn’t overpower the long-established charm of the town & excellence of the ski experience.

Skiing in Lech is one of the better places in the Arlberg area for mixed abilities, with a nest of blues and reds just one lift away from the centre of Lech. For beginners skiing in Lech, the Schlegelkopf can take you halfway up the mountain to wide-tree-lined pistes, and if you plan your route thoughtfully you can wind back through Oberlech and enjoy a gluhwein at the Burg Ice Bar on your way.

For more advanced Lech skiers, the Arlberg region is your oyster! There’s enough skiing to not ski the same piste twice, even after a couple of visits! With an early start, you can make your way to St. Anton by driving or lifts, ski back through Stuben & Zurs, and finish with a short drive back to Lech in time for the apres. Alternatively, for the very enthusiastic skiers, you can attempt the Run of Fame, an 85km circuit running through the entire cradle of Arlberg.

HOW TO GET THERE

The ski resort and town of Lech-am-Arlberg are 120 km west of Innsbruck & 20km from the legendary town & ski resort of St Anton. The town of Zurs (& its associated ski area) is 5km south of Lech, with Zug 3km to the west. Other nearby villages include Oberlech & Stubenbach.

Travelling by train

The closest two rail stations are Langen am Arlberg and, on the Tyrolean side, St. Anton am Arlberg. Many regional and long-distance trains arrive and depart here every day so that you can start your holidays in the mountains in a flexible, environmentally friendly way.

Trains from Zurich to Arlberg’s two stations depart every two hours (journey time: around three hours). Trains from Vienna depart every hour (journey time: around six hours), and trains from Munich depart every two hours (journey time: around three hours and fifteen minutes). Take bus no. 91 or 92 to travel from the station to your final destination – a well-deserved holiday. There are also several private shuttle services, such as the Arlberg Express, which will take you from the surrounding airports to Lech Zürs at affordable rates.

Langen am Arlberg railway station: 15 km from Lech Zürs | regular taxi and bus service (line 91) | transfer time approx. 20 minutes

St. Anton am Arlberg railway station: 20 km from Lech Zürs | regular taxi and bus connections (line 92) | transfer time approx. 30 minutes

From Germany: During the winter season, a direct Railjet service runs on Saturdays from Munich to the Arlberg. Departure in Munich is at 2:30 pm and you will arrive at the Arlberg in just 3 ¾ hours.

From Switzerland: There is also a direct train from Switzerland to the Arlberg every few hours. You can take the Railjet from Zurich at 6:40 am and will arrive in St. Anton at 09:01 am. From there, they can easily continue their journey by bus (line 92) or taxi to Lech Zürs and experience a full day on the slopes. Return journeys start at 9:00 am from St. Anton every 2 hours.

Airport: Gateway airports to Lech are Innsbruck (INN) – 120km, Zurich (ZRH) – 196km & Munich (MUC) – 248km.

Driving: Driving to Lech from the north via Warth is not possible in winter due to seasonal road closures.

WHERE TO STAY

Lech is without doubt Austria’s most luxurious ski resort, but at the same time, is wonderfully understated. There is very little of the glitz of St Moritz or the showiness of Gstaad. There are a number of excellent five-star hotels, all of which are still family-run. A big plus is that, in many cases, you can ski straight to the door (a rarity in most Swiss and French resorts). The Gasthof Post is a landmark hotel; impeccably run by the same family for generations.

The spa and pool areas were recently revamped to a stellar standard, and a swim in the outdoor panorama pool overlooking the Omeshorn is an unmissable treat after a hard day on the slopes. The Kristiana is also excellent, and though a short trek up a hill is involved, the fabulous food and warm atmosphere are big enough draws to justify it. The newest, and the flashiest hotel is the Aurelio (owned by Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska), which has a sensational spa and a highly-rated Gault Millau restaurant.

My personal favourite, however, is the Arlberg Hotel – it offers unparalleled views over the River Lech on one side and the slopes on the other, and the Schneider family remember every returning guest’s name.

About Lech

Lech is a wonderfully atmospheric village and provides a great diversity of slopes for all grades of skier and boarder, but with more focus on the beginner and intermediate skier than its party neighbour St Anton offers. It is a chocolate-box Alpine village, awash with high-quality hotels, luxury ski chalets and restaurants. With access to the neighbouring resorts of Zürs and St Anton, Lech makes up a part of one of the world's best ski domains.

Although many luxury ski chalets remain, some old traditional chalets that have been renovated into luxurious hotels and restaurants are set on either side of the river that winds through the centre of the resort, past a stunning central church. Lech regulars tend to be rich, famous and/or royal yet the resort remains refreshingly unpretentious. Oberlech is a tiny cluster of hotels above Lech accessible only by skis or cable car which runs until 1 am daily.

Lech has spectacular skiing and is situated in the heart of Austria’s biggest ski area. It is a beginner and intermediate skiers paradise with local skiing links to neighbouring Zurs, making it an ideal location for families. For beginners, there are some great learning areas on the edge of Lech and also Oberlech, just above the main village. For intermediates the choice is almost limitless – there are 255km of immaculately groomed blues and reds in the Ski Arlberg.

Oberlech, perched above Lech and accessible only via the 80-person Bergbahn cable car (or skis), is another picture-perfect throwback to a simpler time.

The winter ski season in Lech Zürs am Arlberg usually opens at the end of November. Click here for a full list of winter ski opening times throughout Lech.

RESTAURANTS

With the multitude of interconnected lifts and pistes comes an outstanding array of mountain eateries and even more award-winning gourmet restaurants in Lech. There are some excellent mountain and village restaurants serving a mixture of international cuisine alongside traditional Austrian fare.

Skihütte WOLF – Begin the day with a hot chocolate and cake or soup at Skihütte WOLF. A contemporary building at the top of Petersboden serves sweet treats, coffees, and healthy lunches to fuel your day.

Balmalp – At 2,100 m Balmalp is a well-deserved pit-stop. This 360, three-story restaurant has stunning views out across the mountains. Serving wood-fired pizzas, salads and pasta, and with an outdoor bar blasting apres music, it’s the perfect place to warm up.

Auenfelde Hutte – You can head across the Auenfeldjet gondola and ski over to Saloberkopf for one of the most traditional Austrian experiences you’ll ever have. Picture lederhosen, apple strudel and bratwurst all under one roof at Atauenfelde Hutte.

Fux – At the bottom of the home piste, you’ll find the avant-garde Fux, a Euro-Asian restaurant, jazz bar & lounge, where the food is as exquisite as the views from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Rud-Alpe – A top spot for a mountain lunch in Lech. With stunning scenery surrounding the authentic alpine hut, it’s the perfect welcome on a cold day. Expect a great range of traditional dishes done exceptionally well. You can also enjoy the views from the outside terrace, perfect for a bluebird!

Schneggarei – For those who take on the famous White Ring circuit in the Arlberg should be rewarded with a well-deserved stop at Schneggarei. A unique building with a unique concept and serves up classics such as great pizzas, schnitzels and strudels. Another great option on this circuit is Trittkopf BBQ Station offering BBQ delights at high altitudes with unrivalled views.

SKIING & SNOWBOARDING, LIFTS & TERRAIN

The Lech ski & snowboard terrain is well suited to beginners & intermediates. Only one black run graces the pistes but there are several fantastic ski routes & widespread off-piste skiing to challenge the most advanced & expert riders. That said, some of the runs are quite 'under-rated', such as the main 'beginner' run under the chairlift heading back into Lech - it is intermediate at the start of the day & advanced by the end of the day! Most ski routes in the resort get regularly groomed so are as close to piste trails.

Check out the ski trail map for Lech & surrounding interlinked resorts below.

SKIING IN LECH ZÜRS AM ARLBERG. WHAT’S IT LIKE FOR BEGINNERS?

Skiing in Lech Zürs am Arlberg means upping the ante. Vorarlberg’s location on the northern rim of Europe means fresh snow is in abundance every year and the slopes present more variety and may often require a slightly more advanced skill set and confidence.

Skiing in Lech Zürs am Arlberg means skiing in style. While I often felt a little out-of-place as a beginner and without the air of grace of a slightly more upper-class ski vibe (it’s more expensive and thus attracts a slightly more aspiring clientele), I wouldn’t have missed the chance to experience Lech.

This distinct air of pride and air of grace all owes to the place itself – it’s spectacularly magical and immaculate, and deserving of such high esteem. Skiing in Lech means feeling as if you are part of an exclusive club where hidden beauty is available to you.

Even the rest stops and mountain huts perched a little up high are picturesque and retain an air of seclusion. It’s the top end of ultimate ski luxury and the resort ensures to keep it this way. There’s something about its size and accessibility that keeps this delicate balance in check.

SKIING DOWN TO LECH

The slopes of Lech Zürs am Arlberg are a network of dreamy power trails against a crisp blue sky, but that’s not to forget that down below the alpine village packs quite the buzz. While I reached the peaks, it was also fun at the bottom of the mountain.

Lech’s cool, contemporary vibe adds to the mix of what progressive Vorarlberg is known for. Bars within the village buzz with the same atmosphere up high, and in such a small village that’s mixed with seasonal returnees, you can easily jump on board with the homely feel where everyone is welcomed.

The Lech Zürs ski season starts in November all the way till April.

No matter whether you visit Lech in the winter or the summer, you’ll be greeted with some stomach-churning vistas. Overlooking the town from high up in Oberlech (reached by taking the Bergbahnen Oberlech gondola during the winter) you can see over from the Karhorn in the East to the Trittkopf in the West.

All that snow and the blue sky above (Lech benefits from a lot of sunny days throughout the Winter) makes for many days spent on the piste from first until last lifts.

APRES SKI

Winter in Lech Zürs am Arlberg offers numerous cultural and culinary highlights for those who are interested in culture and cuisine. Well-stocked sun terraces and cosy huts and "Alps" invite you to stop for a while. The connoisseurs amongst Arlberg's winter guests will want to take advantage of the reduced-price Sonnenabo ticket for travelling up the mountain and back down into the valley. This way you can easily reach the high-altitude cross-country ski trail and winter hiking trails or just simply enjoy the wonderful view and excellent mountain restaurants.

SKYSPACE LECH

James Turrell is one of the iconic figures of contemporary art, making work that is light-based, often turning 2D projection into 3D reality. Skyspaces combine natural and artificial light to create a spiritual and emotional location for contemplative observation.

“A Turrell Skyspace is a specifically proportioned chamber with an aperture in the ceiling open to the sky. Skyspaces can be autonomous structures or integrated into existing architecture. The aperture can be round, ovular or square.” James Turrell

Lech is where materials, colours, light, sky and earth meet in a new way and unique vision for the viewer to have experienced. Not only the Alpine world can be viewed from a new perspective, but the mystical clearance also intensifies with its changing bright colours and sensual perception of the visitors. The play of light and colours gives the impression of limitless space.