St Johann Ski Lifts & Lift Passes
The St Johann ski area is served by a total of 17 lifts, though more than half of these are surface lifts and there is a need for greater investment to ensure access can be spread more evenly across the ski area.St Johann Ski Lifts
Access to the mountain is channelled through the Harschbichl cable car – a stone’s throw from many of the resort’s hotels and a ten minute walk from the main square. The lift is the focal point of the ski area – so can become busy during peak holiday periods – and provides direct access to the highest point on the piste map, 16 minutes and 943 vertical metres from the lift base station.
The Bauernalm is the resort’s other cable car, reconnecting advanced skiers to the heart of the ski area after a run down the long Saureggabfahrt black run. There are a total of four chairlifts in the St Johann ski area, the most significant of which are the Penzing and Jodlalm lifts which carry intermediate skiers around the central network of red runs. The other two chairlifts operate lower down the mountain and are mostly intended to serve the resort’s nighttime tobogganing and floodlight skiing.
The left of the ski area is dominated by the Eichenhof t-bars. The continuing presence of these long and inconvenient lifts hinders the resort and deters skiers from enjoying the pistes on offer in the Eichenhof region. There is a recognition of this and the resort is gradually making progress in securing investment and gaining the permissions needed to replace these t-bars with a new and more efficient alternative.
There are three free practice lifts for beginners spread across the ski area, and there is free access to night skiing on Wednesday and Fridays via the Hochfeld lifts.
St Johann Lift Passes
Due to the size of the ski area lift passes solely for St Johann are only offered for between half a day and two days. A day pass costs €39.50 in peak season or €19.50 for children (during the 13/14 season).
Visitors staying for more than two days have a choice between three major lift passes. The cheapest option is the Schneewinkel lift pass, which is priced at €206 for six days and offers access to 170km of pistes across a number of nearby ski areas including St Johann, Oberndorf, Steinplatte and Fieberbrunn. This is a popular option among families looking to explore the many discreet areas within reach – by car or bus – of St Johann, and freeriders planning a visit to Fieberbrunn.
The two other, more extensive, alternatives are the All Star Card, giving access to 1,000km of skiing locally, and the 2,500km Salzburg Super Ski Card, both priced at €241 for 6 days in the 13/14 ski season.