Pitztal Glacier Skiing: Stunning Alpine Views & Dining

In December I headed up to ski the Pitztal Glacier with a group. After four full days of skiing I can recommend this resort. It’s a perfect spot if you want a shorter, intense ski trip and to avoid large crowds.

Parking

Parking is free and located right at the entrance to the train that takes you up to the glacier. There’s plenty of space, so you don’t need to worry about not finding a spot if you arrive a bit later.

Lift passes

Lift passes for the Pitztaler Gletscher can be bought at the ticket office or online. You get a discount when you buy online.

Currently (in 2026) the tickets show options like “4 in 5 days.” The name is a bit misleading — basically it means you can take one rest day and still use the pass for up to five days. You can also use the pass in the neighboring Rifflsee area.

Tickets can be purchased on the resort’s official website, which you’ll find at the end of the article.

Entrance and the Gletscherexpress (the train that takes you up to the glacier and back)

The entrance is located right on the hill above the parking lot.

A train takes you up. The ride lasts about 8 minutes. The train is busiest in the morning after 9:00 and again from around 15:30, when people start heading down.

If you’re traveling with a group, I recommend sticking together when passing through the turnstiles. Otherwise the turnstile might block you due to train capacity, the group can get split up, and you may have to wait roughly 15 minutes for missing members to get up to the glacier.

Slopes and lifts

The slopes are comfortably skiable all day and you generally won’t run into many moguls or heavy snow (unless you choose to go off-piste). Still, I recommend heading out in the morning. In the afternoon parts of the slope can get worn into icy patches, so runs can unexpectedly become slippery, and as the sun fades it gets properly cold on the glacier.

In general the runs are shorter, but you can link them in many different ways to avoid repeating the same route. Most runs aren’t steep and allow for relaxed skiing — spending the whole day on them isn’t overly demanding or dangerous. As for the lifts, there are practically no queues and waiting times are minimal.

I picked the routes down according to where the sun was shining. After all, it’s glacier skiing, and when there’s an inversion or it’s cloudy you’ll get cold fairly quickly while waiting for someone in your group or taking a break on the slope.

Food and drink

You’ll find a restaurant at Pitztaler right by the train entrance.

They offer a wide range of food and drink. You can sit outside or inside. Keep in mind that indoor seating fills up very quickly during the lunch rush.

The wait is worth it — nothing beats a dumpling with plum jam, a schnitzel with fries, something nice to drink, and a moment to sit and enjoy those mountain panoramas.

Weather

On the Pitztaler’s official website you can find weather information. It’s a good idea to check the weather in advance so you don’t end up skiing in fog, for example.

We were there in December. If you get beautiful weather with sun all day and clear skies, I definitely recommend staying until 16:00 — you’ll see a stunning sunset!

Official Pitztaler website: https://www.pitztaler-gletscher.at