Obertauern Ski Resort

Resort Overview

Last updated: 24.08.2026

Obertauern at a Glance

Obertauern is Austria’s answer to the high-level purpose-built resorts of the French Alps. Its brightly-coloured hotel facades and some unusual cartoon character names for its hotels sometimes give the resort a feeling of being in a theme park on snow.

But, as always in Austria, the accommodation and facilities are top class and, behind the facades of the newer mega-hotel complexes it is still possible to glimpse the settlement which grew up to serve visitors and traders travelling over the pass.

And, of course, the quality of the snow and access to the pistes are just as good as in those concrete purpose-built rivals on the other side of the Alps.

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1630 -

2315 m

100 km

(

1630

2315

ft)

(

100

mi)

Elevation

Piste length

Ski lifts

Romantic / Scenic

Apres Ski

Beginner Skiers

Is Obertauern Right for You?

Best for

high altitude non-glacier skiing

ski-in ski-out accommodation

good transport connections for a high resort

Not ideal for

no real resort atmosphere

in bad weather the location at the top of the pass is fairly bleak

About Obertauern Ski Resort

The route over the pass dates back to Roman times and settlements were built here back in the Middle Ages to aid those travelling in the mountains. Road races were held in the 1920s and the first skiers started to arrive – in those days, the only way up into the mountains was by foot.

The first lifts were built in the 1950s and from then on the resort saw an expansion of both the skiing infrastructure and the accommodation possibilities. Since then the resort has seen a boom in overnight stays and in construction of facilities and lodging.
More Information More information about Obertauern hotels & other accommodation

The main attraction is, of course, the altitude. In a country where many of the ski areas are fairly low-lying, the ski-in ski-out experience and snow-sure conditions offer something a little bit different. And while many of the higher resorts in other alpine countries can offer the altitude, few can compete with the combination of access, hotels and ski area.

The skiing is not particularly difficult, but it is eminently suitable to intermediate skiers who are looking for comfortable groomed skiing and plenty of options for a week’s skiing holiday.

The access to such a high-altitude resort is also surprisingly easy, with an impressive motorway heading north to Salzburg and south to Villach within easy reach of Obertauern.