Skiing near Vienna is a day trip by train: Semmering was 1 hour 15 from Wien Hauptbahnhof at best last winter, then 10 minutes by shuttle bus to the lifts. Stuhleck is bigger, with 26 km of slopes, and about 1 hour 50 away; both rent skis at the lift. That puts a ski lift closer to Vienna than the Salzkammergut, where the fastest train to Bad Goisern alone takes about 3 hours. But these low mountains rely on snowmaking, so check the snow report the evening before.
What is the closest ski area to Vienna? 7 options by train and bus
The closest slope is the Hohe-Wand-Wiese, inside the city, which has plastic mats for beginners and is reached by U4 and bus. The closest ski areas, St. Corona, Semmering and Mönichkirchen, are about 75 minutes to 1 hour 30 away by train and bus. Last winter the lifts ran from 28 November, when Semmering opened, until 6 April at Stuhleck and the Hochkar. To see what else each of those months offers in the city, read the best time to visit Vienna, month by month.
| Ski area | From Vienna | Adult day ticket | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semmering | From 1 h 15 + shuttle | €56.50 (2025/26) | Night skiing, 14 km |
| Stuhleck | About 1 h 50 | €67 region ticket (2026/27) | A full day on 26 km |
| Mönichkirchen | Under 1 h 30 | From about €35 (2025/26) | 13.5 km, 3 chairlifts |
| St. Corona | 75 min from Meidling | Floodlit evenings | |
| Hochkar | 1 h 30 + 2 buses | About €34 to €51 (2025/26) | Height: about 1,800 m |
| Annaberg | 2 h 30 by train | About €35 to €50 (2025/26) | Easy practice slopes |
| Hohe-Wand-Wiese | U4, then bus 450 | A first try, no snow needed |
Sources: Semmering trains and shuttle, 2025/26; Semmering prices, 2025/26; Semmering slopes; Stuhleck prices, 2026/27; Stuhleck by train; ski areas by public transport; ski areas and prices, December 2025; Lower Austria ski areas.
Semmering is the easiest choice for a first ski day, because a shuttle bus meets the trains and it also has night skiing. Stuhleck has nearly twice as many slopes, and the Hochkar is the highest ski area in Lower Austria. The Hohe-Wand-Wiese is good for a first try on plastic mats, but it is not a full ski day.
How long is the train to Semmering? 1 hour 15, then a 10-minute shuttle
From MINT, our apartments by the Naschmarkt, the best connection on last winter's timetable ran like this:
- 07:50: leave MINT for Wien Hauptbahnhof, which is a short U-Bahn ride or about 30 minutes on foot by our estimate.
- 08:24: train from Wien Hauptbahnhof, at Bahnhof Semmering at 09:39.
- 09:47: shuttle bus from the station, at the lifts at 09:57.
- 16:00: the lifts close, after about 6 hours on the slopes.
At weekends a 07:26 train reached the lifts by 09:06 with the shuttle, and the earliest train, at 06:32, took 2 hours. Railjets stop at Semmering about every two hours, with regional trains in between, and at weekends fast direct CJX9 trains run out in the morning and back in the afternoon. A new timetable starts on 13 December 2026, so check the times when you book.
The train ride is less than half the 3 hours the fastest train needs to Bad Goisern, in the Salzkammergut. For other winter trips, see our guide to day trips from Vienna.
The shuttle cost €5 for adults, €3 for children and €1 for skis or a board in 2025/26. Book it by 16:00 the day before on +43 660 800 88 22. Last winter it ran from 14 December, on Saturdays and Sundays and every day of the Christmas and semester school holidays.
Semmering's ski area is the Hirschenkogel, also called Zauberberg Semmering, with about 14 km of slopes. Last winter it ran from 28 November to 15 March, daily from 09:00 to 16:00, and an adult day ticket cost €56.50, plus a €3 keycard deposit. Its 2026/27 dates and prices were not yet published on 14 October 2026, but Stuhleck's €67 adult day ticket for 2026/27 is valid here too.
Is Stuhleck worth the longer trip? 26 km of slopes, about 1 hour 50 away
Stuhleck is worth the longer trip if you want a full day on more slopes. It has 26 km of slopes, nearly twice Semmering's, and its lifts run between 782 m and 1,774 m. In January 2026 the trip from Vienna took about 1 hour 50 by train and bus. Take a train to Mürzzuschlag and walk 3 minutes to the bus station. The ÖBB Postbus to Spital am Semmering stops right at the Stuhleckbahn valley station.
The €67 adult day ticket for 2026/27 covers Stuhleck and the Hirschenkogel, but the opening date was not yet published on 14 October 2026. Last winter the lifts ran from 08:30 to 16:00 and the season lasted until 6 April, three weeks longer than Semmering's. The night slope did not run in 2025/26, so for an evening on the slopes, go to Semmering.
Which ski area near Vienna has the most reliable snow? Hochkar and Stuhleck ran to 6 April
Last winter the Hochkar and Stuhleck both ran until 6 April, three weeks after Semmering closed. The Hochkar, at about 1,800 m, is Lower Austria's highest ski area, billed as its most snow-sure, with 19 km of slopes. It still opens only when the snow allows, usually from early December to early April; last winter it opened on 5 December.
Getting there takes two buses after the train. An hourly Railjet, with a change at Amstetten to the R58, takes about 1 hour 30 to Waidhofen an der Ybbs. From there, bus 640 or 164 runs to Göstling, and bus 643 runs daily up to the lifts. Some weekend trains run direct from Wien Westbahnhof, which is about 27 minutes on foot from MINT by our estimate. Day tickets are priced by date: about €34 to €51 last winter.
3 more ski areas, from 75 minutes away
Mönichkirchen-Mariensee is under 1 hour 30 away. Take the REX92 from Wien Hauptbahnhof to Aspang Markt, then bus 371, which goes up three times in the morning and comes back four times in the afternoon. It has 13.5 km of slopes on three four-seater chairlifts. Last winter it opened on 6 December, with lifts from 09:00 to 16:00 and day tickets from about €35.
St. Corona am Wechsel is about 75 minutes from Wien Meidling, by the REX92 to Aspang and then bus 369. Meidling is about 51 minutes on foot from MINT by our estimate, so take the U-Bahn there.
Annaberg has 12.5 km of slopes, with easy practice slopes. Bus 169 runs there daily from Vienna with no change, to the Annaberg Reidlkehre stop, and the train via St. Pölten takes about 2 hours 30. Day tickets have no fixed price and change daily in the online shop; last winter they ran from about €35 to €50.
Is there skiing in Vienna itself? 2 beginner slopes
Yes: Vienna has two small slopes for beginners. The Hohe-Wand-Wiese, in the west of the city, has had skiing for more than 100 years. Its T-bar lift closed some years ago, and it now runs on plastic matting and a conveyor belt that work without snow. From Kettenbrückengasse, about 2 minutes from MINT on foot by our estimate, the U4 runs to its last stop, Hütteldorf, with no change. Bus 450 leaves there every 15 minutes for the Hohe Wand Wiese stop. Skis are not allowed on the bus, so rent them on site.
The Dollwiese is a gentle city slope for children, beginners and sledging, with a conveyor belt of about 100 m. It opens from December to March, from 12:00 on weekdays and 10:00 at weekends and on holidays, until dark. It runs only when there is enough snow: on 23 February 2026 the belt was stopped for lack of it, so check the city's page on the day.
Skiing from Vienna without a car: 5 things in your favour
- Semmering has two rental stations, one right next to the valley station, Stuhleck has several and Mönichkirchen rents at the valley station, so you can travel without skis.
- Semmering lit 13 km of slopes for night skiing from 18:00 to 21:00 last winter, on Thursdays to Saturdays in most weeks and daily from 25 December to 10 January and 29 January to 21 February. St. Corona has floodlit evenings.
- The ÖBB Erlebnisticket Wintersport combines the train fare and a Stuhleck ski pass in one online booking, for less than both bought separately.
- At the Hochkar, children under 6 ride free with a paying adult (confirm for 2026/27), and a child's 2026/27 day ticket at Stuhleck costs €33.50.
- The Hochkar, Annaberg and Mönichkirchen have no fixed day-ticket price, and booking earlier costs less, so check each resort's online shop before you go.
3 things that can spoil a ski day from Vienna
- These are low mountains, about 1,800 m at the highest. Semmering runs 94 snow guns and two storage ponds, and Stuhleck closes pistes after hours to make snow, so check the snow report and lift status the evening before.
- Standard train fares rise 3.5% on average from 13 December 2026, when the new timetable starts, so check prices and times before you travel.
- The Semmering shuttle must be booked by 16:00 the day before, and the buses at Mönichkirchen, St. Corona and the Hochkar run to a timetable, so note the last one back.
Where to stay for a ski day: 2 minutes from the U4
MINT's five apartments are by the Naschmarkt, about 2 minutes on foot from Kettenbrückengasse by our estimate. The U4 there runs to Hütteldorf for the Hohe-Wand-Wiese with no change. By our estimate, Wien Hauptbahnhof is about 30 minutes on foot and Westbahnhof about 27 minutes on foot. The Semmering, Stuhleck and Mönichkirchen trains leave from Hauptbahnhof, and the weekend trains towards the Hochkar from Westbahnhof. If Semmering is your only plan, a bed by Hauptbahnhof saves the walk.
If there are two or three of you, the Double MINT has 55 m² and sleeps 3; a family of four needs the MINT Artisan or the Penthouse. Stays are two nights minimum. Check-in is from 15:00 and check-out by 11:00. Luggage storage is free before check-in and after check-out. Check dates and book.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest ski area to Vienna? Inside the city, the Hohe-Wand-Wiese has a beginner slope on plastic mats, reached by U4 and bus 450. The nearest ski areas, St. Corona, Semmering and Mönichkirchen, are about 75 minutes to 1 hour 30 away by train and bus.
How much is a day ski pass near Vienna? Last winter an adult day ticket cost €56.50 at Semmering, and Stuhleck's adult ticket for 2026/27 costs €67, also valid at Semmering. The Hochkar, Annaberg and Mönichkirchen price by date, from about €34 to €51 last winter.
Do I need to bring my own skis? No: Semmering, Stuhleck and Mönichkirchen rent skis by the lifts, and the Hohe-Wand-Wiese rents on site. That matters on bus 450 to the Hohe-Wand-Wiese, which does not take skis.
Is there night skiing near Vienna? Yes: last winter Semmering lit 13 km of slopes from 18:00 to 21:00, on Thursdays to Saturdays in most weeks and daily from 25 December to 10 January and 29 January to 21 February. St. Corona has floodlit evenings too, but Stuhleck's night slope did not run in 2025/26.
Is there always snow near Vienna? No: these are low mountains, and Vienna's own Dollwiese stood idle on 23 February 2026 for lack of snow. Semmering and Stuhleck make their own snow, so check the snow report and lift status the evening before.
When does the ski season near Vienna start in 2026? The 2026/27 opening dates were not yet published on 14 October 2026. Last winter Semmering opened on 28 November, the Hochkar on 5 December, and Annaberg and Mönichkirchen on 6 December.
Can you ski near Vienna with young children? Yes: the Hohe-Wand-Wiese and the Dollwiese are beginner slopes inside Vienna, and Annaberg has easy practice slopes. At the Hochkar, children under 6 ride free with a paying adult; confirm this for 2026/27.
Sources
Our team checks the dates, prices and figures on this page by hand against official sources.
- Winter shuttle and trains 2025/26, Semmering (PDF)
- Getting there, semmering.at
- Operating hours and prices, winter 2025/26, Semmering Hirschenkogel
- Skiing and snowboarding, Semmering Hirschenkogel
- Slopes and lifts, Semmering Hirschenkogel
- Price list 2026/27, Stuhleck
- Getting there by train, Stuhleck
- Operating hours 2025/26, Stuhleck
- Night slope, Stuhleck
- Ski rental, Stuhleck
- Stuhleck ski area, Styria tourism board
- Skiing by train, Falter, January 2026
- Winter trips by public transport, VOR
- Ski areas at a glance, Lower Austria tourism board
- Ski areas near Vienna, 1000things, December 2025
- Flexible day-ticket prices, vienna.at, November 2022
- Ski tickets, Hochkar
- Offers and prices, Annaberger Lifte
- Dollwiese ski slope, City of Vienna
- U4 line, Wikipedia
- Fares from 13 December 2026, ÖBB press release
- Austria by rail, Hallstatt.net
Last updated: October 2026. Christian, Host & Founder, MINT @Naschmarkt.
