The Skiers' Guide to Ischgl

Known as the Tyrolean adventure paradise, Ischgl merges the glamour of St Moritz and the partying of St Anton to create a picture-perfect, baroque ski town with world-class infrastructure and a lively après scene to boot. Sitting in the Paznaun Valley and close to the eastern border of Switzerland, Ischgl forms part of the extensive Silvretta Arena ski area. The area boasts over 239km of pistes, spanning the Austrian-Swiss border for some multi-country skiing. The resort sits at an impressive 1,377m with slopes reaching up to 2,872m, ensuring reliable snow conditions throughout the season.

While Ischgl has a reputation for being an intermediate and above ski resort, beginners shouldn’t be put off completely. There is a large beginner area, although it is higher up the mountain and is sometimes either tricky to get to or icy depending on the conditions. A relatively high altitude ensures decent snow throughout the season, while world-class snowmaking keeps everything skiable. With a new lift (on average) added every year since 2000 (including a lot of heated ones,) the resort can disperse the crowds pretty quickly. One Snomad community member even added that “the longest we queued for during our week was one minute.”

Ultimately, Ischgl is perfect for quick, efficient access to slopes and brilliant après ski. With an overall rating of 4.60/5 from our Snomad community, Ischgl consistently ranks among the top European resorts. It particularly excels in lift efficiency (4.82/5), groomed runs (4.73/5), and has earned a stellar reputation for its après-ski (4.72/5), which many users consider the best in Austria.

The resort is easily accessible with a relatively short transfer from Innsbruck Airport, making it convenient for international visitors. One Snomad community member noted: "The resort is easily accessed from Innsbruck Airport with a short transfer time."

The slopes of the Silvretta Arena ski area span from the southeast of Ischgl towards Samnaun over the border. Several lifts climb up from the town itself, granting access to the peaks of Greitspitze at 2872m, Palinkopf at 2864m and Idjoch at 2760m. There is a network of enjoyable blues and smaller lifts around the Idalp area, with further blues and reds from Viderjoch.

The entire area is very well groomed, but lower slopes can get busy if the upper slopes are closed due to weather. When returning to town, the hot tip is to opt for runs 5 or 1A as quieter alternatives to route 1. The Snomad community states the resort is easy to navigate with plenty of slopeside restaurants.

Intermediates will love the entire Alp Trida area, while those seeking something more challenging will find exactly that off Greitspitze and Palinkopf. Aside from blues and reds, there are plenty of blacks and freeride opportunities. If you’re equipped with the right knowledge and equipment (or even better, a guide) there is ample opportunity to hop off the trail and explore fields of fresh powder. According to our resort reviews, even 2 or 3 days after a big dump there are still plenty of fresh tracks to be made - even under some of the main lifts! If freeriding is your religion, head up the E5 Piz Val Grondabahn for instant access to a huge untracked area.

During your stay, it’s a must-do to ski on the Swiss side too. Follow the long Smugglers Run for a scenic route into Samnaun, but beware of the relatively flat ending to get to the cable car. You’ll also be able to take advantage of duty-free shopping while in Samnaun, so be sure to take a backpack to return safely with your loot. Alp Tarida is a great place to base yourself just before the descent down into Switzerland and is known to be a good intermediate area.

The modern lift system includes 7 gondolas/cable cars, 25 chairlifts, and 13 drag lifts, creating one of the most efficient networks in the Alps.

Our users consistently praise the resort's lift infrastructure. As one advanced skier mentioned: "The lift system is the best I've come across," while another pointed out the "state of the art lifts" where "nearly all chairlifts have a bubble and a majority are heated."

The terrain caters brilliantly to intermediates (4.50/5) and advanced skiers (4.68/5), though there are good options for beginners higher up. A user who is an intermediate snowboarder said: "Only red slopes leading down to the village which difficult for beginners. So beginners take the cabin lift down. But there are plenty of blue slopes higher up the mountain."

For experts (4.61/5), the Piz Val Gronda cable car opens up extensive freeride areas. The resort also scores well for off-piste opportunities (4.05/5) with "plenty of fresh tracks to be made even under some of the main lifts," according to one expert skier. The powder zones (4.08/5) are particularly good after fresh snowfall.

Snowboarders (4.86/5) will find Ischgl extremely welcoming with its terrain parks (3.80/5) getting positive reviews. An advanced snowboarder highlighted: "The park is for more advanced riders, has a cool airbag where you can practice what you're scared to practice on actual jumps."

Ischgl is a hotspot for foodies and the Austrian locals are incredibly welcoming and friendly. Bringing together elements of Austrian, German, Swiss, French and Mediterranean cuisine, you’re guaranteed to find exactly what you’re craving. On the slopes, most of the restaurants are built with efficiency, ease and large capacities in mind. For a more characterful lunch stop, Paznauner Taja Lodge serves regional and international delicacies in a classic mountain hut before turning up the music for sun-soaked après. Rest assured that you’ll find the perfect pitstop, but be careful about where you are country-wise - that 13-euro bowl of pasta in Austria costs 35 in Switzerland.

In the resort, you’re truly spoilt for choice. From luxurious and ornate-looking restaurants to the town’s very own branch of Burger King, there’s something for everyone. Fine dining highlights include Genussrestaurant Sunna, the restaurant in the Salnerhof Hotel and Restaurant Stuva.

For hearty local fare, Kitzloch and Alt Paznaun Dorfcafe boast both cosy surroundings and delicious dishes. Pizza and pasta lovers should head to Restaurant Trattoria.

Ischgl scores highly for eating out (4.50/5), with a variety of options both on the mountain and in town. The resort offers everything from functional mountain restaurants to fine dining establishments.

Not only is Ischgl world-renowned thanks to its impressive lift infrastructure, it also has a reputation for some of the best après in the world. Whether you want slopeside Europop beneath the afternoon sun or dancing dirndl girls and endless beer - this is the place for you. There are lots of places to choose from, but the standout selection is Paznauner Thaya, Schatzi Bar, Trofana Alm, Kitzloch, Hexenküche and Kuhstall - or Champagne Hutte if you’re looking for that ultra VIP experience. Just keep in mind that if you’re drinking on the slopes, the main run back down into resort is often carnage - you might be better off getting the Silvrettabahn or the Fimbabahn back down.

Our users confirm that Ischgl's après-ski (4.72/5) scene is legendary The resort combines on-mountain parties with vibrant in-town nightlife, creating an atmosphere that appeals to a wide range of visitors.

An intermediate skier described it as "the best resort for apres ski ever," while others point to specific venues: "Head to places like Kuhstall or Trofana Alm after skiing for some incredible parties that list into the morning hours."

The après starts early on the mountain, with one user noting: "Everybody should experience mountain side bars pumping out Euro Pop at least once on the trip. They are banged out from lunchtime until late afternoon."

Other popular spots mentioned by our community include Schazi Bar, Trofana Alm, Kitzloch, Hexenküche, and Paznauer Taja. An advanced skier summarized: "Ischgl offers the perfect combination of great apres ski and beautiful pistes. I would highly recommend to especially young skiers/boarders who enjoy a booming night life."

It's worth noting that après isn't just for younger visitors - the scene accommodates all ages, as one user pointed out: "Compared to St Anton where it is more of a young crowd, this resort seems to accommodate all ages."

With a strong rating for family friendliness (4.17/5), Ischgl works well for family holidays despite its party reputation. The resort's excellent ski school quality (4.52/5) makes it ideal for children learning to ski.

Ischgl prides itself on the many different on and off-slope activities it provides for families. There are several fun zones across the mountain and children under 17 can get discounted lift passes. In terms of non-ski family activities, there are the usual adventures of tobogganing, ice skating and snowshoeing plus Bavarian curling, Fat bikes, indoor tennis and spa activities.

Keep in mind though that things tend to get a little rowdy from 3 pm onwards thanks to the popular après scene - to avoid this, opt to stay in one of the quieter, family-run hotels off the main strip and enjoy a spa environment instead.

One intermediate skier shared: "I had such a great experience with the ski school there which really gave me the extra confidence I needed to tackle my first black runs." Another user described it as a "really lovely family resort with great optional apres."

The resort provides good facilities for non-skiers too, as one community member mentioned: "Fantastic lifts and some nice walking paths out of the town." Another highlighted: "We also visited the silvretta therme, a short walk through a tunnel for us, it's a new beautiful leisure center where we had a massage 10/10 but you can swim outside and use a sauna."

Families should note that the routes back to the village can be challenging for beginners, but the option to take gondolas down makes this manageable.

Ischgl offers excellent accommodation options (4.64/5) ranging from luxury hotels to self-catering apartments. The majority of accommodation is upscale, reflecting the resort's premium positioning.

An intermediate skier noted: "Town lively with many bars and restaurants, lots of options on accommodation - 5-star hotel to self-catering apartments." The quality of accommodation consistently receives praise, with many properties featuring wellness facilities.

Most accommodation is conveniently located with good access to the lifts. One user mentioned: "The lift stations up the mountain and they get busy early... best to avoid Silvrettabahn up and walk across town for Fimbabahn bubble."

The accommodation options cater to different budgets despite the resort's high-end reputation. As one expert skier observed: "I've stayed in a variety of hotels and accommodations there and each one is perfect all at different price ranges."

Ischgl is recognised as the largest climate-neutral ski area in the Alps, with a strong focus on sustainability through renewable energy, efficient infrastructure, and carbon offsetting. Just some of the resort’s environment and sustainability efforts include:

• Silvrettaseilbahn AG, which operates the ski lifts and facilities, uses 100% green electricity, primarily in the form of locally generated hydropower.
• Geothermal energy is used throughout the resort, notably to heat the impressive Silvretta Spa.
• Digital solutions like GPS-enhanced grooming and precise snow-depth measurements help to reduce emissions.
• Partnering with Climate Partner to measure and reduce its carbon footprint across ski lifts, restaurants, snowmaking, and grooming equipment.
• Waste management and energy conservation throughout the hotels, bars and restaurants in resort.
• Free shuttle bus throughout the resort.