🇦🇹 Austria · Tyrol / Salzburg

Zillertal Arena

150 km of piste
2500 m top altitude
Night skiing

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Altitudes: 580m - 2500m
Km of piste: 150 km
Lifts: 52
Lift pass / day: 60-70€
Airport: Innsbruck (~1-1.5h)

Austria · Tyrol/Salzburg · 580m - 2,500m · 150 km of pistes · 52 lifts · 4 resorts

Summary

Zillertal Arena is the largest ski area in the Zillertal valley: 150 km of pistes and 52 lifts connecting four villages — Zell am Ziller, Gerlos, Königsleiten and Hochkrimml — across the border between Tyrol and Salzburg.

With a layout favouring intermediates (88 km of reds, 59% of the total), it’s a sporty but accessible domain, ideal for skiers wanting to progress. It’s integrated into the Zillertaler Superskipass, allowing you to combine with Mayrhofen, Hochzillertal, Hintertux and other valley areas on a single regional lift pass.

Technical details

Detail	Value
Ski area	Zillertal Arena
Km of pistes	150 km
Difficulty	50 km easy · 88 km intermediate · 12 km difficult + 3 km routes
Altitudes	580m - 2,500m
Vertical drop	1,920m
Lifts	52
Snowpark	Yes (Arena Snowpark Gerlos + funparks)
Night skiing	Yes (selected pistes)
Glacier	No (but altitude up to 2,500m)
Season	December – April

The resorts

Resort	Altitude	Character
Zell am Ziller	580m	Main base, access by Zillertalbahn
Gerlos	1,250m	Centre of the area, snowpark
Königsleiten	1,600m	Altitude, ski-in/ski-out
Hochkrimml	1,640m	Salzburg, quieter

Why ski here

1. 150 km with mostly red pistes 59% of the pistes are intermediate — ideal for skiers wanting to improve technique. Neither too easy nor too extreme.

2. Zillertaler Superskipass The regional lift pass lets you combine Zillertal Arena with Mayrhofen (Penken/Ahorn), Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach, Hintertux (glacier) and more. Regional total: ~540 km of pistes.

3. Access by Zillertalbahn The picturesque Zillertal train connects Jenbach (main line) with Zell am Ziller. From the train station, a direct cable car to the pistes.

4. Tyrol-Salzburg crossing The area straddles the state border. Gerlos and Königsleiten are in Tyrol; Hochkrimml is in Salzburg. Different landscapes, same lift pass.

Pistes and highlights

Kreuzjoch (2,500m)

The top of the area. Panoramic views over Zillertal and the Salzburg Alps. Long red descents.

Arena Snowpark (Gerlos)

A flagship snowpark of the Zillertal. Kickers, rails, boxes for all levels.

Königsleiten – Hochkrimml

Quiet connection between the two parts of the area. Intermediate pistes with good north-facing exposure = reliable snow.

Zell am Ziller – Rosenalm

Family-friendly zone with wide blues. Rosenalmbahn cable car from the train station.

Accommodation

Type	Approximate range
4-star	100-220€/night
3-star	70-140€/night
Apartments	50-110€/night
Guesthouses/Zimmer	40-80€/night

Gerlos and Königsleiten for ski-in/ski-out. Zell am Ziller for more village life and train access.

Après-ski

Moderate and family-oriented. Without the intensity of Ischgl or St. Anton.

Dorfstadl (Gerlos) — Lively bar-restaurant
Umbrella Bar (Königsleiten) — Après-ski terrace
Tyrolean restaurants in all villages

How to get there

Route	Approx. time
Innsbruck (INN)	~1-1.5h
Salzburg (SZG)	~2h
Munich (MUC)	~2.5h
Train: Zillertalbahn	Jenbach → Zell am Ziller (~50min)

Giora’s note

I haven’t skied here personally. Profile based on verified sources.

Zillertal Arena is ideal for intermediate skiers wanting variety in the Zillertal: 150 km of its own + access to the regional Superskipass (~540 km). Combinable with a day on the Hintertux glacier or Mayrhofen pistes.

Strategy: 5-7 nights. Base in Gerlos (centre of the area) or Zell am Ziller (train access). 3-4 days in Zillertal Arena, 1-2 days exploring other Superskipass areas.