You'll have to get the cable car up to the skiing, as Mayrhofen is quite low-lying - but its skiing is certainly not!
One of Austria’s best ski resorts, Mayrhofen offers a hefty range of snow-sure skiing for beginners (and other abilities!).
It’s part of the Zillertal Valley, which is home to 4 separate ski areas within close distance of each other and has a charming Austrian feel to its historic town, which was once a traditional farming village.
A well-organised resort with top ski schools, Mayrhofen is a good pick for beginners - with plenty of shopping and other activities to explore when you’re not on the slopes.
Read on for more information about how Mayrhofen is an excellent ski resort for beginners.
(All prices and information are reflective of the 24-25 season).
In this beginner's guide, we answer:
Is Mayrhofen a good resort for beginners?
Mayrhofen has a strong selection of ski schools to help you learn the ropes, with lots of pretty skiing to tackle once you’re confident enough to move on from the learner slopes - the resort is packed full of 43 blues and some nice easy reds that you could approach by the end of the week if you’re feeling ready.
There’s some great après-ski to enjoy - including at the Ice Bar or the Arena Nightclub - although there are also plenty of quieter spots in town to enjoy if you’re part of a young family, such as at the ice rink, cinema or swimming centre.
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St Anton is also a good resort for beginners - particularly those who want a very lively après experience!
Where to stay in Mayrhofen if you’re a beginner
You’ll want to be based near one of the two main gondola stations - either the Ahornbarn or the Penkenbahn. The former is great for absolute first-timers as it takes you up to an area almost exclusively for beginners, whereas the latter takes you to the main ski area, where everyone else goes - although there are also nursery slopes up here, too.
Pension Kumbichlhof is a 7-minute walk to the Ahornbarn station, while Landhaus Mayrhofen is only 6 minutes away. Both are bed and breakfasts and are located in the quieter part of town. That being said, the town centre is still only about a 5-minute walk away, so evening meals won’t be an inconvenience.
If you're looking for somewhere a bit closer to all of the action, you could try the half-board Sport and Spa Hotel Strass - this is a 6-minute walk from the Ahornbarn station and is found right in the centre of town. It’s one of the most popular hotels in Mayrhofen, and is home to an après-ski bar and nightclub.
The Strass is also literally next door to the Penkenbahn gondola station (so is just a 1-minute walk).
It’s important to note though, that Mayrhofen is a relatively small and compact town (as far as ski resorts go), so you can walk from the northern end of town to the Penkenbahn station in only about 10 minutes, and therefore 16 minutes to the Ahornbarn, which is down the southern end.
Much of Mayrhofen is suitable for beginners and intermediates
Is Mayrhofen suitable for a first-time family ski holiday?
There is a range of family-friendly accommodation in Mayrhofen, with an obvious choice might being the Hotel Neuhaus, which has a children’s playroom with toys, as well as its own games room, bowling alley and billiards room. You can also get babysitting (on request) at a fairly cheap rate within the hotel.
Hotel Berghof is also a good choice - particularly for those with older children. This one’s got a games room with pool and video games, as well as indoor squash and tennis courts.
It’s a beautiful town in a very pretty location and has a peaceful atmosphere. There are plenty of restaurants and cafés (including tasty pizza takeaways which should be popular with the kids), as well as pretty walking trails around the woods.
You can do all the classic winter ski resort activities - think tobogganing, snowshoeing, snow tubing and skidooing - while in the coldest months of winter, the town’s outdoor tennis courts get converted into an ice rink for all to have fun on. There’s also the Erlebnisbad swimming centre, with some slides and nice pools, while you can also visit the cinema, which shows English films.
Traffic is slow in the town and follows a one-way route for the majority, making Mayrhofen a pleasant environment for a ski holiday.
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France is also a top place for newbies to learn - check out our beginner's guide to Val d'Isère.
Beginner skiing in Mayrhofen
The best place to start is on the Ahorn side of the resort. You’ll have to take the Ahornbahn gondola to the top, but don’t worry, as there’s a practice area by the gondola station with a magic carpet, and button lift where newbies can learn the essentials, or you can get some practise in if you’ve skied before.
After this, there are some very gentle and wide blue runs which are ideal for beginners. The Blue 4 one is particularly nice, as it winds gently through the trees below - make sure you get the chairlift up at the bottom of this though, otherwise you’ll be faced with a black back down to town.
There’s also a FunRide in the Ahorn area which is suitable for beginners, where you can practise your new skills in an enjoyable environment.
You can also try the Penken side of Mayrhofen’s ski area. This is the ‘main’ side, with loads more skiing on offer, and found at the top of the Penkenbahn gondola. At the top station of this, there’s a magic carpet and several other lifts, with a very easy gradient to learn the ropes - known as the “Übungsland Penken”, or "Exercise Land Penken" in English.
If you take the Kombibahn gondola up after the Penkenbahn gondola (pretty much next to each other), then you’ll reach the Lärchwald Exercise Area, another good spot for beginners. Just a bit further on is the Pepis Kinderland - an area for children to learn to ski.
All of these spots are in pretty close proximity, and should be well signposted.
We've highlighted the four areas mentioned. The Ahorn Exercise Area is on the far left, while the Penken and Lärchwald Exercise Areas and Pepis Kinderland are towards the top-right.
Where to head when you’re ready to explore Mayrhofen
As mentioned above, the Ahorn side has some lovely blues to explore, and you could try and do as much as you can over here if you’re feeling confident.
Over on the Penken side, you can tackle Pistes 67/67a in the Rastkogel area, which have nice, wide sections.
Horberg areas have some lovely blues, including the very long Blue 11.
The truth is, wherever you go, there’ll be blues that can be tackled, so just explore. Very rarely does a chairlift lead to an area without a blue slope - if you’re unsure, just ask someone.
How much do lift passes cost in Mayrhofen?
A daily pass for the local Mayrhofen area costs €76 for adults from 8am, €61 for “Young Persons” (roughly* 15-18 year olds) and €34.50 for “Children” (roughly* 6-14 year olds).
The price gets cheaper if you opt for a later start time - these include from 11am, 12pm and 2pm.
Those younger than 6 get a free lift pass!
*We say ‘roughly’ as their brackets are done by year, rather than age. In the 24-25 season, for example, Young Persons covers those born in 2006-2009, and Children are 2010-2018. Those born in 2019 and later get free lift passes.
Is there a free lift pass for Mayrhofen?
Apart from the free lift pass for (roughly) Under 6s, there is no free lift pass.
Is there a discounted lift pass for beginners?
No - so make the most of your time there and really get stuck into lessons so you can start exploring the rest of the ski area as quickly as possible.
Are Mayrhofen après bars and restaurants accessible to beginner skiers
The majority of Mayrhofen’s après bars and restaurants are very easily accessible for beginners.
Pilzbar and Elchbar are the key places up in the mountains. These are pretty much next-door neighbours, and found right outside the top Penkenbahn gondola station.
Considering there is no skiing route back to town and everyone needs to take this gondola back down (if on the Penken side of the resort), they have ensured that the terrain is essentially flat, meaning beginners are absolutely fine here.
Aside from these two, all notable après-ski and nightlife is found back down in town - therefore obviously accessible to beginners.
Take a look at our après and nightlife guide to Mayrhofen for all the key details.
How much do ski lessons cost in Mayrhofen?
As Mayrhofen is a fairly established skiing town in Austria, there’s a good selection of ski schools here.
Absolute beginners begin their lessons by getting familiar with equipment and doing very gentle drills on slopes that aren’t steep at all.
Below is a general guide to prices - these could change in peak seasons dates around Christmas and other school holidays. Remember, there are other ski schools in Mayrhofen, too.
| Ski School |
Group lesson per adult |
Group lesson per child |
Private lesson adult (per hour) |
Private lesson child (per hour) |
| Ski Pro Austria |
€75 for 1 day, €200 for 3 days.
3-hour lessons.
|
€75 for 1 day, €230 for 5 days. 5-14 year olds.
3-hour lessons.
|
€85 for 1-2 people.
|
€85 for 1-2 people.
|
| Snowsports Mayrhofen |
€90 for 1 day, €220 for 3 days.
4-hour lessons.
|
€90 for 1 day, €260 for 5 days.
5-14 year olds. 3-hour lessons.
|
€95 for 1-2 people.
€30 per extra person beyond 2 people.
|
€95 for 1-2 people.
€30 per extra person beyond 2 people.
|
| Skischule Mayrhofen 3000 |
€106 for 1 day, €260 for 5 days.
4-hour lessons.
|
€106 for 1 day, €260 for 5 days.
4-hour lessons.
|
€89
|
€89
|
Is there a beginner-friendly snow park in Mayrhofen?
PenkenPark is the snow park which has a small kids area which would be most suitable for beginners. The majority of the snow park is not suitable for beginners though.
There is a winding slalom run which isn’t very steep that you could try - don’t worry about going slow, the fast people will just wait for you to finish before having their own fun.
Overall, is Mayrhofen a good choice for beginners?
Yes, of course!
Beginners of all ages will enjoy Mayrhofen - adults especially, owing to its strong après and nightlife culture.
Young families will also enjoy it though - there are cheap lift pass prices for the children (Under 6s go free!) and strong ski schools and nursery areas. Don’t forget to visit the ice rink and indoor swimming pool to make the most out of your time there.
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Make sure to check out our guide on why Mayrhofen is a great ski resort for even more reasons to go!
Book Your Beginner Ski Holiday to Mayrhofen
If Mayrhofen sounds like it might suit your needs for a beginner’s ski holiday, then we can help you book the perfect trip!
We’re the UK’s largest ski travel agency and have a team packed full of people who’ve done seasons in the mountains. We really know our stuff, and can advise you on where to go, where to stay - and all the little details you’ll need as well.
You can either book online by looking at our best Mayrhofen ski deals, or give us a call on 020 3848 3700. Or if you don’t fancy chatting, fill in our enquiry form and we’ll get back to you with the best advice we can.
If you’ve been put in charge of sorting out a group ski holiday, you might be interested in our group skiing booking guide, which will hopefully ease some of your concerns and frustrations!
