Sustainable Winter Holidays in Austria's Ski Resorts

Tom Almhütte, young people
Winter sports, clear mountain air, impressive panoramas - winter and skiing holidays in Austria's Alps are legendary. How does a sustainable winter holiday work?

If you want to stay close to nature, there’s plenty you can do: Tips for eco-friendly transport, climate protection, and pioneering regions.

Clean snow

Tip #1: Choose sustainable ski resorts

Skiing in the Zillertal Arena
Das Bild zeigt eine Schneekanone im Skigebiet Dachstein West im Einsatz.

Sustainable winter holidays are possible! Over 120 climate and energy model regions are moving towards a greener future, with a focus on conservation, climate neutrality, and sustainability.

How sustainable are ski resorts with snowmaking systems?

Snowmaking is often a sensitive topic, but Austria's ski regions have invested heavily in pioneering, sustainable snowmaking technologies.

Around 90% of the energy used for artificial snow in Austria comes from renewable sources like green electricity and solar power. Importantly, snowmaking doesn’t compete with drinking water needs. Strict guidelines ensure controlled water use, with no additives allowed. Meltwater is returned to nature, so water is used, not consumed.

Sustainable ski resorts

What makes Austria's cable cars sustainable?

Reduced energy consumption through modernisation: The cable car industry has already reduced energy usage by 20% over the past 10 years. Nassfeld ski resort is a prime example.

Use of green energy: Renewable energy sources are prioritised, as seen in regions like the Zillertal Arena.

Self-generated energy: Many areas, such as Ischgl with its Silvretta cable car, power their lifts entirely with 100% green energy from Austria.

Integrated mobility: Less individual traffic thanks to easy train access to cable cars, like the car-free route to the Vienna Alps.

Pioneers and visionaries lead the way! Trailblazers include Snow Space Salzburg, Wagrain-Kleinarl in SalzburgerLand, and the Tirol region of Wilder Kaiser.

Spend the night sustainably

Tip #2: Book environmentally certified accommodation

Österreichisches Umweltzeichen

A responsible way of life (especially) continues during winter holidays. If you want to make sure your hotel or guest house uses environmentally friendly energy sources and organic food, operates culturally and socially responsibly, and meets other sustainability criteria, we recommend looking out for the following four certifications:

  • Hotels with the Austrian Ecolabel take measures to protect the climate and contribute to safeguarding our livelihoods. High quality and environmental friendliness are key criteria to receive this certificate.

  • Bio-Hotels are committed to ongoing ecological development. They regularly undergo independent organic inspections.

  • Green Key is an eco-certificate for hotels, among others, and is based on strict criteria regarding sustainability management and sustainability training for staff and suppliers.

  • The EU Ecolabel is the EU environmental label recognised in all member states of the European Union and awarded to all kinds of products and services.

  • Farm holidays is a prime example of sustainable travel to support ecology, regionality and socio-cultural aspects

Hotels with environmental certification

What makes a sustainable hotel?

  • They operate environmentally, socially and culturally friendly

  • Focus on seasonal, regional, organic food

  • Well thought-out energy concepts

  • Measures to save resources

  • Systems for water reuse

  • Engagement in regional communities, culture and traditions

  • Natural materials for furnishings and textiles

  • Bioclimatic construction criteria (e.g., good insulation)

  • Low CO₂ balance sheet

  • Needs of guests, locals, and nature are aligned

Environmentally-friendly arrival & departure

Tip #3: Take the train to your winter holiday

Skier in front of a Railjet

Starting your winter holiday in a climate-friendly way also means travelling by train. Many Austrian ski resorts and winter regions in the Alps are very well-connected by train from London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam via Eurostar and Austrian Federal Railways ÖBB. To go the "last mile" (transport from the train station to your hotel), you can often use shuttle buses, hotel cabs or public transport.

By train to Austria's winter regions

Car-free at your destination

Tip #4: Travel eco-friendly within the ski resort

COVID19 safety measures in skibuses

When travelling to your ski destination by train, the following questions will naturally pop up:

  • How do I get to the hotel from the train station?

  • How do I get around the ski resort without my own car?

The Austrian answer is by shuttle bus, hotel-run transfers, local public transport, and electric car. Many larger ski resorts aim to reduce individual transport by offering an extensive public transport network. In most cases, free use of ski buses is included in the ski pass. Your hosts will happily inform you about all the option to move around within the ski resort with minimum carbon footprint.

Soft mobility: The best connections in the ski resorts

Lower Austria: Semmering-Rax: Public transport network - shuttle service and expansion of existing VOR lines (lines of the Verkehrsverbund-Ost region) by the valley bus.

Upper Austria: Pyhrn-Priel-Hinterstoder: Valley buses and trains - quick transfer from the train station to the accommodation.

Styria: In Styria, many areas are easily accessible by public transport.

Carinthia

Tirol

  • Wilder Kaiser: Green travel initiative, expert advice on how to get to the destination, free transfer within the resort.

  • Shuttle service: Four Seasons Travel, to manage the "last mile" within Tirol, from/to the airport and train station shuttle, also available for excursions.

SalzburgerLand

Vorarlberg: Public transport: ski buses and trains - modern, comfortable, high-frequency routes (ski buses included in multi-day ski pass)

Rent or buy

Tip #5: Rent ski equipment (look out for eco-labels)

Skifahren

You chose the sustainable ski resort, booked the climate-neutral hotel and your train tickets for the journey? If you plan your winter holiday with a sustainable mindset, be as consistent when it comes to ski equipment and ask yourself:

1. Do I really need new equipment? Sustainability means to use the existing stuff until it loses function or is no longer safe.

2. What is there to consider when buying new? Buy from manufacturers with high eco-standards: climate-friendly, recyclable materials, cooperation with environmental organisations, transparency and fair conditions in the manufacturing process.

3 What are the advantages of renting? Renting ski equipment saves production resources, guarantees the most modern, best-maintained seasonal models and makes your luggage lighter.

Experience a winter idyll

Tip #6: Enjoy mindful winter activities

Snowshoe hiking with National Park Ranger in the Hohe Tauern National Park

If you've always associated winter holidays in Austria with skiing or snowboarding, you will be amazed at how much fun it can be to simply unstrap your skis and boards: There are many ways to enjoy beautiful mountains and winter landscapes in a more gentle, off-piste way.

Mindful winter holidays

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