Innsbruck or Salzburg?
Our resort data lists Innsbruck first for six Austrian resorts and Salzburg first for four.
| Airport | Resorts that list it first |
|---|---|
| Innsbruck (INN) | Ischgl, Lech, Mayrhofen, Obergurgl, Sölden, St Anton am Arlberg |
| Salzburg (SZG) | Kitzbühel, Obertauern, Saalbach Hinterglemm, Zell am See |
Munich appears as an alternative for seven of the ten, and Zurich and Memmingen for the Arlberg resorts and Ischgl.
How far are the resorts from the airport?
These are the figures the resorts publish on their own sites.
| Resort | Distance the resort gives | Other airports it lists |
|---|---|---|
| Mayrhofen (Zillertal) | Innsbruck 50 km | Salzburg 150 km, Munich 170 km |
| Saalbach Hinterglemm | Salzburg 90 km | Innsbruck 160 km, Munich 220 km |
| St Anton am Arlberg | Innsbruck about 100 km | Friedrichshafen about 130 km, Memmingen about 170 km, Zurich about 200 km |
| Ischgl | Innsbruck 100 km | Friedrichshafen about 170 km, Memmingen about 190 km, Munich about 230 km, Zurich about 235 km |
Getting there by train or bus
- Mayrhofen: the Zillertal tourist board gives the Four Seasons Travel shuttle from Innsbruck, Salzburg and Munich airports, or a train to Jenbach and the Zillertalbahn, which runs every half hour to Mayrhofen.
- St Anton: the village is a Railjet stop, with seven direct trains a day from both Vienna and Zurich, and the station is in the village.
- Ischgl: take the train to Landeck-Zams; bus line 260 runs every half hour from the station into the Paznaun valley.
- Sölden and Obergurgl: the Ötztal Shuttle can be booked from Innsbruck airport's terminal or from the station into the Ötztal.
- Saalbach Hinterglemm: the Saalbach Airport Shuttle runs from Salzburg and Munich airports. Guests staying in Salzburg province get a Guest Mobility Ticket at check-in for public transport in the province.
Driving in Austria at Christmas
Austria's motorways need a vignette, and winter tyres are required from 1 November to 15 April when roads are wintry, with snow chains as an alternative. Our driving guide has the details and sources. A hire car collected at Innsbruck or Salzburg is on Austrian roads from the start.
Christmas in Austria
In Austria 25 and 26 December are both public holidays. On 24 December, a Thursday in 2026, shops may open from 6:00 to 14:00, and Tyrol lets grocers in its season resorts open on some holidays. Our catered or self-catered guide sets out the opening hours.
Booking Christmas week from here
The links below give flights from London on Kiwi.com, car hire at the airport and Expedia's flight + hotel search for 19–26 December 2026, for each resort named here. Chalets are on each resort page. Prices and availability are on the partner's site; we do not quote them.
Sources
- Zillertal — Innsbruck 50 km, Munich 170 km, Salzburg 150 km; Four Seasons Travel shuttle; Zillertalbahn every half hour from Jenbach
- Saalbach Hinterglemm — Salzburg 90 km, Innsbruck 160 km, Munich 220 km; Saalbach Airport Shuttle; Guest Mobility Ticket
- St. Anton am Arlberg — airport distances; Railjet station with seven direct connections a day from Vienna and Zurich
- Ischgl — Innsbruck 100 km and other airports; Landeck-Zams station; line 260 every half hour
- Sölden — Ötztal Shuttle from Innsbruck airport terminal or the station
- Chalet for Christmas resort data — transfer airports listed on each Austrian resort page, checked 25 September 2026
- Chalet for Christmas guides — driving to the Alps at Christmas (Austrian vignette and winter tyre rule, oesterreich.gv.at) and catered or self-catered (Austrian shop hours on 24 December and the 25 and 26 December holidays)