Season at a glance
estimated from history + 15-season mediansSafest weeks to book: 1 Jan - 15 Mar (30 cm+ base in 14+ of the last 15 seasons)
Today (15 Aug) is off-season - the bar above shows the coming season, opening ~5 Dec (est.).
Snow history, 2011-2026
full area, mid-stationBars: share of the last 15 seasons with a 30 cm+ base at 1,350 m by the 15th of each month. med = median depth on that date (dashed line). Recomputed 10 Jul 2026 from the Open-Meteo archive.
Conditions & forecast
15 Aug 06:42| Elevation | Snow depth | 7-day snow | Temp (day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top · 2,000 m | 0 cm | 0 cm | - |
| Mid · 1,350 m | 0 cm | 0 cm | +27° / +15° |
| Valley · 750 m | 0 cm | 0 cm | - |
Avalanche: no bulletin issued - the avalanche services publish daily bulletins in winter only.
Forecast: Open-Meteo · updated 15 Aug 2026, 06:42 CEST. Temperatures are modeled at mid-station.
The mountain
OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap, ODbL.jpg)
European piste grades: blue easy · red intermediate · black advanced.
Zell am See is a lakeside town in Austria's Salzburg province, sitting at around 750 m on the shore of Lake Zell beneath the Schmittenhoehe mountain. Its ski area rises to roughly 2,000 m and is known for panoramic runs looking out over the lake and the glaciated Kitzsteinhorn nearby. Snow reliability is helped by the resort's link to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier at neighbouring Kaprun, which reliably extends skiing at both ends of the season.
Tickets, passes and lessons are sold by the resort itself - we link, we don't resell.
Live webcams
via Windy.com · refreshed ~10 minWebcam imagery: Windy.com webcams, refreshed about every 10 minutes. Tap a webcam to watch it live on Windy.com.
Getting there
nearest airport: Salzburg (SZG), 80 km| Option | Door to door | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private transfer · from Salzburg (SZG) | 1 h 15 min | fixed / vehicle | Driver meets you at SZG arrivals; fixed price per vehicle, luggage and ski gear included. reserve a private transfer to Zell am See |
| Rental car · from Salzburg (SZG) | 1 h 15 min | rental + fuel | 80 km from Salzburg. Winter tyres are legally required in season; approach roads are kept clear. |
| Train + bus · from Salzburg (SZG) | 2 h 09 min | budget option | bus 260 to Zell am See Hallenbad (0 changes). |
| From Innsbruck (INN) | 2 h 15 min | varies | 148 km by road. Often the cheaper flight; budget the extra driving time each way. |
| From Munich (MUC) | 3 h | varies | 205 km by road. Often the cheaper flight; budget the extra driving time each way. |
Plan your trip
Hotels and apartments near the Zell am See lifts.
Arriving before the seasonReserve rental gear ahead - typically 20-45% below walk-in shop prices.
Arriving before the seasonSki schools and private instructors, bookable by the day.
Arriving before the seasonWinter-sports cover including piste rescue and kit.
Arriving before the seasonThe transfer link goes to TransferBnB, which we operate. Partner links for the other slots arrive before the season.
Common questions about Zell am See
Is Zell am See open in early December?
Historically the snow is there: in 10 of the last 15 winters Zell am See had a 30 cm or deeper base at mid-mountain (1,350 m) in the first half of December, with a median depth of about 45 cm. The lifts themselves open ~5 Dec (estimated). (15-season record, computed 10 Jul 2026)
How high is Zell am See?
The base sits at 750 m and the lifts reach 2,000 m, with most skiing around the 1,350 m mid-mountain level.
How do I get to Zell am See from Salzburg Airport?
Salzburg (SZG) is the nearest airport at 80 km, about 1 h 15 min by road. Public transport takes about 2 h 09 min with 0 changes. The full comparison, including other airports, is in the Getting there table above.
When does the 2026/27 season start at Zell am See?
Zell am See has not confirmed its 2026/27 dates yet. Based on past seasons we estimate opening around 5 Dec and closing around 6 Apr; both dates are estimates until the resort announces. (season dates checked 15 Aug 2026)
How reliable is the snow at Zell am See in January?
Very: in 14 of the last 15 winters there was a 30 cm or deeper base at mid-mountain throughout January, and the median mid-January depth is about 76 cm. (15-season record, computed 10 Jul 2026)
Nearby resorts
Data on this page: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), GeoSphere Austria (CC BY 4.0), OpenSkiMap (ODbL), avalanche.report / EAWS (CC BY 4.0). Every number is dated where it can go stale - how the verdicts are computed.