Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria

This is one of the top destinations for cross-country skiers as it has 220km of trails, and elevations from 1100 to 2700m with varying levels of difficulty. The high-alpine, year-round ski area on the Dachstein glacier (2700m) features four different lifts and up to 18km of tracked glacier XC trails that serve, in autumn especially, as a training centre for Nordic sports teams, and also hosts the Dachstein Sky Walk, the Ice Palace, a suspension footbridge, along with many other unique attractions.

Getting to Ramsau am Dachstein by Air

You can fly with  British Airways and Easyjet to the following airports:

 

  • Salzburg (90 km)
  • Graz (179 km)
  • Linz (155 km)
  • Vienna (299 km)
  • Munich (259 km)

 

Bus Connections to Ramsau



There are regular services via Flixbus:

 

 

Further transport options here:

 

 

Train connections to Ramsau 


From Salzburg to Schladmin and then catch the bus or taxi to Ramsau.

Ski bus information


Buses run up and down the valley and you will fine the online bus timetable here.

Ski map information
Ramsau am Dachstein cross country ski map
Ramsau stadium cross country ski map
Cross Country Ski Tracks Pricing

 

  • 1/2 day - Normal rate - €11.50 Wintercard - n/a
  • 1 day - Normal rate - €15.00 Wintercard - €11.50
  • 2 day - Normal rate - €22.00 Wintercard - €18.50
  • 3 day - Normal rate - €27.00 Wintercard - €23.50
  • 4 day - Normal rate - €31.00 Wintercard - €27.50
  • 7 day - Normal rate - €37.00 Wintercard - €33.50

 

Purchased at your accommodation or the local Ski Willy stores.

Ramsau Cross Country Ski Routes



There are large maps and sign posts at intersections along the routes. These are numbered numerically, e.g. F1, Q, V etc and are more easily seen on the paper map as a way of navigating a route rather than the circled numbers shown below for various tracks. You can check on track conditions and open trails here.


  • 1 - Sonneloipe (The Sun Track) - 15km

    If you are staying at the Fereinhotel Knollhof you can start this track from right outside the back door, just by the Bergkristall lift. Otherwise start it at the stadium.

    The marked on the map as Route 1 (yellow circle)

  • 3 - Leitenloipe - 12km

    A round tour departing from the stadium.

    Marked on the map as Route 3 (dark green circle).

    The route covers Stadium - Kreitseiler - Rosegger - Herold - Kulmberg - Kulmberg Süd - Kulmberg -  Herold - Rosegger - Kreitseiler - Stadium.

  • 4 - Kulmloipe - 13km

    A round tour departing from the stadium.

    Marked on the map as Route 4  (orange circle).

    The route covers Stadium - Kreitseiler - Helpferer - Rittisser - Moosegghäusl - Kobaldhof - Schneeberger - Stocker - Friener - Burglehner - Deutlhauser - Alpenbad - Rupmoos - Billa - Walschenke - Stadium

  • 5 - Dachsteinrunde - 31km

    A round tour departing from the stadium.

    Marked on the map as Route 5 (black circle).

    Stadium - Kreitseiler - Helpferer - Rittisberg - Walcherhof - Fischteich - Halseralm - Greimelbacher - Rittisser - Moosegghäusl - Kobaldhof - Schneeberger - Stocker - Märchenwiese - Stocker - Friener - Kulmberg South - Kulmberg - Herold - Rosegger - Kreitseiler - Stadium

  • 6 - Verbergloipe - 4.5km

    A round tour departing from the stadium.

    Marked on the map as Route 6 (dark blue circle).

    The route covers Stocker (N) - Schneeberger (P) - fairytale meadow - Stocker and you will need to join the start at routes leading from D1, R or S.

  • 7 - Steirerloipe - 5.5km

    Marked on the map as Route 7 (mauve circle).

    This route covers Greimelbacher - Moosegghäusl - Greimlbacher and can be combined with several other routes. If you are getting to the start point at V from the Stadium, follow the route C1, Z, B1 and onto V.

  • 12 - Weltcup Loipe - 2.5km

    Follow in the footsteps of the World's top athletes. Leave the stadium and follow the route marked on the map as Route 12 (dark purple circle).


  • 15 - Ramsau Round - 11km

    A round tour departing from the stadium.

    Marked on the map as Route 15 (light green circle).

    The route covers Stadium - Kreitseiler - Rosegger - Herold - Kulmberg - Kulmberg Süd - Kulmberg -  Herold - Rosegger - Kreitseiler - Stadium.

  • Dachstein Glacier - 5km

    Take a day trip  up to the 18km long groomed trails on the Dachstein Glacier, at 2,700 metres above sea level, a short journey from the Ramsau resort.


  • Other trails

    There is a description of other trails in the Ramsau area here.


    Refer to the map for other options.

Web Cam at the Ski Stadium
Cafes on Cross Country Routes


Places to eat are shown on the map as huts, and are a mixture of cafes, hotels etc. They are not open every day but your hotel or tourist office should have information on closed days.

Where to Stay in Ramsau am Dachstein


There are many choices of accommodation in Ramsau but our preferred choice is -

Ferienhotel Knolhof

Ferienhotel Knollhof

Ramsau 71

8972 Ramsau am Dachstein

Email - office@knollhof.at

www.knollhof.at

www.facebook.com/ferienhotelknollhof

Thomas Walcher at the Ferienhotel runs the perfect place for cross country skiers to stay. It is located just in front of the Bergkristall ski lift, but don't let that put you off. It is a beginner slope and tends to be used by small children looking like penguins as they find their ski feet!



The cross country ski trail starts right there too on the Sonnenloipe (Sun) Route 1 (yellow circle) which runs left and right across the valley. In fact you can ski direct to everywhere right from the hotel as a track also joins the toboggan run that leads  to the stadium.

The Ferienhotel has a good ski room for your ski storage and waxing, although you might want to bring a clamp or two to supplement the 1 profile that is there. It's a big enough area with seats where you can put your boots on and plenty of plug sockets.



Room rates are very competitive and the hotel offer half board. They do have a lunch time menu if you are around the hotel at that time, or want to pop back to swap skis, with an excellent pizza choice as well as lots of other options.



The breakfast buffet will keep you fuelled for the day, and there is a lovely selection of cakes at afternoon tea to keep you going before the three/four course dinner in the evening.



I think you would find it hard to find another hotel as friendly as the Ferienhotel that also offers the easiest access onto the løipe to be able to ski straight from the hotel to anywhere in the Ramaus area.

Here is a video of a group warming up for their day's cross country ski training.

Buy your winter card at the hotel and to get a discount on the cross country ski track rates, as well as local attractions.

Cross Country Ski Rental/Retailers


There are three Ski-Willy outlets in Ramsau just to confuse you, so we nicknamed them Little, Bigger and Biggest. You can pre-book your equipment, but make sure you know which one you are picking the kit up from.

 

  1. Ski (Little) Willy -  Nordic test centre at the langlauf stadium - Open in season
  2. Ski (Bigger) Willy (Sport 2000) - Nr. 259, Ramsau-Ort, West 259, 8972 Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria, +43 (0)3687 81 000-50. Open Monday to Friday 09.00 - 12.00 and 15.00 - 18.00, Saturday 09.00 - 12.00. Sundays and Holidays - Closed.
  3. Ski-Willy, Ramsau Schildlehen +43 (0)3687 81 000 Open Monday to Saturday 08:30 - 18:00, Sunday: 09:00 - 17:00

 

It does depend when you arrive as to which shop is best to hire from.


Little Willy does not hold a massive amount of stock, but it is very handy as it's situated in the stadium.

The Bigger Willy has a reasonable choice if not arriving on a Sunday and is also close to the stadium if you get trouble with bindings etc. It is situation on the right hand side of main road as you drive in from the Salzburg side.

The Biggest Willy is a 10 minute walk back down the road as you enter Ramsau from the Salzburg side. It's not as convenient to pick kit up from here, but they do have the largest selection. If you are staying at the Hotel Knollhof you can ski directly from the hotel to this store and you will find they have some good sale bargains.


There is also an Intersport almost directly opposite the Bigger Sport 2000 Willy on the main road through Ramsau.


Supermarket


There is a large supermarket in Billa which is about a 10 minute walk along the main road through the centre of Ramsau. You can also reach this by skiing route 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 from the station East to Billa at the end of the day to stock up on provisions.

Cross Country Ski Races


For the last few years the Tour de Ramsau has been a   Euroloppet race  which takes place in the 2nd weekend of January each year. It is the only major event of it's kind in Europe, and comprises night sprints, classic and skating over three days, and the new addition of the mini Tour de Ramsau which is of shorter distances.


This is the Tour de Ramsau Facebook page.

Mini Tour de Ramsau 10K Classic

Mini Tour de Ramsau 10K Classic profile

Tour de Ramsau 30K classic

Tour de Ramsau 30K classic profile
View more

Tour companies who feature Ramsau

LRNSC have a club trip to Ramsau with tuition and participation in the Tour de Ramsau races in January 2023. Click on the logo above to find out more information.


And take a look at the video produced in a previous trip to Ramsau to give you a flavour.

Tourist Office | Resort Information | Twitter | Facebook



The Ramsau Travel Information, is located at - Ramsau 372,  8972 Ramsau am Dachstein 

The website is: https://www.schladming-dachstein.at/en/ramsau-am-dachstein/      Email: info@ramsau.com

Tel. +43 3687 818338



This is the Ramsau Facebook page.