Visitor reviews for Kaprun Ski Resort

Kaprun Ratings

Overall: 4.1. Based on 17 votes and 28 reviews. Vote

Snowsure: 4.8

(1) Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing, (2) is often closed due to a lack of snow, (3) occasionally suffers from a lack of snow, (4) rarely suffers from a lack of snow, (5) Kaprun is snowsure even in the poorest seasons.

Variety of pistes: 4.1

(1) The ski runs are featureless and unvaried, (3) the ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week, (5) Kaprun has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain.

Off-piste: 3.6

(1) No off-piste worth mentioning, (2) off piste is out-of-bounds, (3) some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days, (5) a vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days.

Scenery: 4.4

(1) An ugly resort in a bland setting, (3) average mountain views and resort, (5) a spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town.

Access: 4.3

(1) At least one overnight stop, (2) requires a whole day, (3) requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns (4) arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon, (5) there is a main airport within an hour of Kaprun.

Public Transport: 4.2

(1) There are no buses or taxis to Kaprun, (3) there are slow or infrequent buses / trains available, (5) getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections.

Accommodation: 4.7

(1) No places to stay in/near Kaprun, (3) a few places to stay in the resort, (5) a wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets.

Cheap Rooms: 3.9

(1) No budget accommodation available, (3) just one or two hostels so book ahead, (5) several cheap hostels and pensions available.

Luxury Hotels: 4.6

(1) No luxury accommodation available, (3) just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead, (5) several up-market hotels in Kaprun.

Ski in/Ski out: 3.5

(1) The ski area is located far from any accommodation, (3) a free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip, (5) Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available.

Childcare: 3.8

(1) There are no child care facilities at Kaprun, (5) the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche.

Snowmaking: 4.2

(1) Kaprun relies entirely on natural snow, (3) there are just a few snow cannons, (5) there are snowmaking facilities on all pistes.

Snow Grooming: 4.5

(1) There are no snow groomers at Kaprun, (3) occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state, (5) all the runs at Kaprun are groomed daily.

Shelter: 3.5

(1) there is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut, (3) there are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close, (5) Kaprun is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close.

Nearby options: 4.4

(1) If snow conditions are poor at Kaprun, it will be poor everywhere nearby, (3) there are good alternatives within an hours drive, (5) other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions.

Regional rating: 4.4

(1) Kaprun usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region, (3) has average conditions for the region, (5) usually has the best snow conditions in the region.

Lift Staff: 4.6

(1) The staff at Kaprun are rude or unhelpful, (5) lift staff at Kaprun are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help.

Crowds/Queues: 3.4

(1) the resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues, (3) it is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays, (5) it is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare.

Ski Schools: 4.5

(1) No ski schools available, (2) one or two ski schools but local language only, (3) a few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors, (4) plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available, (5) excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors.

Hire and Repairs: 4.9

(1) Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex. (3) there are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance, (5) good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible.

Beginners: 4.1

(1) Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard, (3) a few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week, (3) Vast areas of gentle terrain.

Intermediates: 4.4

(1) No intermediate terrain at Kaprun, (3) intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days, (5) vast areas of cruising runs.

Advanced: 4.2

(1) Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders, (3) enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste, (5) Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week.

Snow Park: 4.2

(1) Not even a kicker at Kaprun, (3) average sized park quite well looked after, (5) huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails.

Cross-country: 3.5

(1) There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Kaprun, (3) there are some cross country trails available, (5) the area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails.

Luge/Toboggan: 3.2

(1) No designated luge or toboggan runs, (3) there are toboggan runs that open quite often, (5) Kaprun has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages.

Mountain Dining: 4.3

(1) Nowhere to buy food by the pistes, (3) some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive, (5) there is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets.

Eating: 4.3

(1) Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop. (5) A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants.

Apres-Ski: 3.9

(1) Nothing to do, not even a bar, (3) there are a few bars in the resort but nothing special, (5) clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere.

Other Sports: 4.4

(1) No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts, (3) resort has just a small public swimming pool, (5) resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool.

Entertainment: 3.9

(1) Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here, (3) the non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week, (5) the resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports.

Winter Walks: 3.6

(1) Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails, (3) a couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails, (5) extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities.

Ski Pass Value: 3.8

(1) A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available, (3) the ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts, (5) ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area.

Value (National): 3.9

(1) Overall, Kaprun is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money, (3) overall represents average value for money, (5) overall offers the best value resort in the country.

Value (Global): 4.1

(1) Overall, Kaprun is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world, (3) overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries, (5) internationally the resort offers excellent value for money.

Show all 35 ratings

February 07, 2019
Alison from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
We have been coming here for 4 years now and it just gets better. 2019 season here we come! So much to do, so many ski areas within 5 minutes or max 30 mins from Kaprun center if you want a change: Zell am See, Saalbach- Hinterglemm and Kaprun. This is a lovely village with great restaurants and bars plus lovely people. Zell close for nightlife if wanted (the bars in Kaprun can be pretty lively). Always snow sure with the glacier (Kitzsteinhorn). We love a day on Maiskogel and with the new gondola it's easy for non-skier and beginners (no manoeuvring off the chair lift - lol). Agree with others that it's more beginner-intermediate. But that's what I am and I ski with a replaced hip so I avoid blacks anyway as I don't want anything too challenging :)
February 21, 2016
Howard Beanland from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
We had a week's skiing basing ourselves in Maishofen which is between Zell am See and Saalfelden. We bought the Salzburg Super Ski Card which is only about 15 Euros more than the standard pass for Saalbach/Hinterglemm and is excellent value as it gives access to Kaprun, Zell, Saalbach, the whole of the Ski Amade area, Kitzbuhel and about a dozen other resorts. We had one day at Kaprun and one day at Zell. Kaprun is very good for intermediates and good beginners. However, make sure that you go there when the wind is not blowing hard. There were no queues at the bottom of the mountain, but if the higher lifts are closed because of wind (which they were on and off all day when we were there) then the queue for the Gletscherjet 2 becomes very long. If you can put up with the T bars the runs on either side of the Kitzlifte are wide and will flatter your technique; great cruising territory. The trip to the summit (and museum) is well worth it for the view. One drawback in that the only easy piste back to the gondola mid station gets really busy during mid/late afternoon and many beginners would find it quite difficult. If you're going to Zell and using the Areitbahn, get there early i.e. before 9 a.m. This was the longest queue we experienced all week; about 45 mins to the top of the mountain. However, once up, the queues dissipate as people spread out and there's plenty of easy cruising. Black run 9 is a soft touch, although the blacks lower down towards the resort tend to be a bit icy. It was fairly busy when we were there so many of the blues and most of the reds have pretty big bumps on them by mid afternoon. As it faces more or less due south, piste 4 back down to the Areitbahn car park gets heavy by late afternoon. In summary, the Kaprun/Zell combination probably have just enough to keep a competent intermediate happy for a week.
November 30, 2015
Nick Russill from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
I've just returned from Kaprun after a couple of days spent taking advantage of the superb snow conditions following recent heavy snowfall. The resort has come on a lot since I last visited around ten years ago and the addition this year (2015) of the new Gletscherjet 3 + 4 lifts mean much less time spent queueing; spectacular views all the way up to 3000m.
December 28, 2013
Bob from Ski Qatar Qatar
We've been going to Kaprun since 2000 and love it! Wonderful friendly locals make the visits better each year. Skiing is inexpensive compared to France, Switzerland & USA. We find the hotels and restaurants reasonable when compared to many European resorts. We also enjoy visiting Kaprun during the summer for hiking and biking the many trails in and around Kaprun. A true year-round resort.
July 25, 2013
Bob from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Not great, ok apres.
March 24, 2013
Rachel from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Just returned from a week in Kaprun and we absolutely loved every minute of it. We have been to a few places in Austria and this was our favourite by far. We are snowboarders beginner/intermediate and the slopes were fantastic. The weather was perfect, lots of snow and more sunshine. For me (beginner) the Schmittenhohe (Schuttdorf 5 mins away) using the Areitbahn 1 to 1st station then the chair lift on the right was the perfect blue slope to improve my skills, while my partner could go off at times and ride the red and blue runs further up. Kaprun itself is the friendliest place we have been to in Austria, the locals can't do enough to help and make you feel very welcome. We loved the lively apres-ski bars in Kaprun at the bottom of the Maiskogel and the Pavilion in the centre, both with great atmosphere, lively crowds and friendly staff. We have decided to get married there next year as we fell in love with the place. Highly recommend Kaprun, a beautiful place with fabulous people and great slopes for beginners through to advanced.
February 02, 2013
Paul BIFFEN from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
Kaprun is a charming Austrian village with a great range of bars, restaurants and easy access to some of the best skiing in Europe. We used the Kitz Residenz top 6 apt which was perfect for our group; highly recommend it. Friendly people and great skiing; guaranteed on the glacier inc spring skiing. Prices are reasonable and much cheaper than France / Switzerland, 3 euros for a coffee or beer pizza for 8 euros. Great for families & groups, both beginners and experienced skiers. Some world class skiing within 1 hour inc Kitzbuhl and only 70 min to Salzburg and the airport.
September 01, 2012
Andrew Smith from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
A charming village with a good choice of accommodation and restaurants. Prices seem surprisingly good value with a large beer costing 3.5 Euros in the town or on the mountain. Whilst not ski in-ski out there is a wide range of skiing from gentle to some serious off-piste. The Kitzsteinhorn offers great powder potential and is as high as any of the top French resorts. We hired a car and paid slightly more for a Salzburger super ski pass. This entitles you to ski lots of different ski areas. Within 30 mins of Kaprun you can access the Saalbach Hinterglemm, Hockenig, Kitzbuhel, and Bad Gastein ski areas! We have just come back from a week in the summer and the options are wider and the scenery breathtaking Great for families or a lads ski trip.
January 16, 2012
Jim from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
If you like buses, you'll love Kaprun! You can't get to any of the slopes without a bus trip unless you are prepared to yomp (in the case of the Kitzsteinhorn - miles) in ski boots. The Dorfbus is the local bus that runs continuously in a circuit - but even a moderate fall of snow seems to prevent that from running - meaning yet another yomp in ski boots. The Kitzsteinhorn glacier offers some good skiing (note that your lift pass only entitles you to one trip a day) but the very top black runs can only be reached by T-Bars; making things a bit more tiring than they need be. If you have children there is a ski-school in the centre (opposite the Tauern Hotel) but when we were there the drag lift was so icy as to make it tricky for even experienced skiers. They really should have had someone pisting it mid-day or at least throwing more snow on it to make things a bit easier for those learning. If you fancy a trip to Zell-am-See (which has a large and, in my view, better ski area with some nice long blacks and reds (and more blues for beginners) you'll need to...catch a bus. Bear in mind though that they can be jammed packed sometimes making it impossible to pick up people waiting at the en-route stops. Get on at Zentrum if you can to make sure you can actually get on! If you want to avoid the hassle - you can order a taxi. Kaprun to Zell-am-See is about 20 Euros; not too bad if you split it between 4 or 5 of you. The roller coaster on the Maiskogel is great fun! Give it a go! All in all - if you are a group of adults - it's worth a visit. The locals are very friendly and helpful (which is needed as the sign-posting in Kaprun is woeful! Not even the bus-stops are obvious when you first get there. If you've been used to ski-in-ski-out you'll be disappointed at the amount of time you spend just getting to the slopes.
January 04, 2012
Andrew Smith from Ski United Kingdom United Kingdom
I visit Kaprun 3 times a year during winter and summer months. The place offers great opportunities for skiing, boarding, hiking, cycling, rafting, golf, and or just relaxing! The area is within 30 minutes easy drive of several other major ski areas: Saalbach Hinterglemm, Gastein valley, Hockning, Rauris, and Kitzbuhel to name a few. Being a key skier there is plenty to do and the Kitzsteinhorn provides great skiing into April and May with regular dumps of powder late into the season when most other resorts have spring snow or are simply closed. The restaurants on the mountain and in the town offer excellent quality and value and the charm of Austria far outweighs anything I have experienced in France or Italy. In the summer swimming in the lake at Zell am Zee or visiting the outdoor pools at one of the many small villages offers another dimension and with the new Spa Centre you can now well and truly pamper yourself and embrace the Austrian spirit of "Wellness". To be honest I cannot think of a better place to visit!