Pettneu am Arlberg
Pettneu has more of our Arlberg homes than anywhere else. It is a farming village on the valley floor, around ten minutes' drive below St Anton, with ski buses up to Nasserein and the main lifts. In winter a cross-country trail follows the Rosanna river along the valley floor. In summer the Schnann gorge walk, with ladders and footbridges, starts a few minutes away. Innsbruck airport is around an hour by car.
Best for: Skiers who want St Anton's lifts without St Anton's prices or noise
Not for you if: You want to ski back to your door: from Pettneu it's a bus or car ride to the lifts.
St Anton am Arlberg (with Nasserein and St Jakob)
St Anton is the main base for Ski Arlberg, the linked area that runs through St Christoph and Stuben to Zürs, Lech and Warth-Schröcken. The Galzig and Nasserein gondolas start in the village, and the steep runs off the Valluga made the resort's name. St Anton is on the main Arlberg railway, with direct trains from Zurich and Innsbruck. Innsbruck airport is around an hour away by car.
Best for: Strong skiers, off-piste groups and anyone who wants après-ski
Not for you if: You're a nervous beginner or want quiet evenings in peak weeks: the runs are steep and the slope-side bars are loud.
Flirsch and Strengen (lower Stanzertal)
Flirsch and Strengen are small villages lower down the Stanzertal, where prices drop and the pace slows. The Rosanna river runs along the valley floor, and summer paths climb to alpine pastures on both sides. Landeck, with supermarkets and a mainline station, is around ten minutes from Strengen. Pettneu and St Anton are further up the same road, and Innsbruck airport is about an hour away.
Best for: Families on a budget who want Landeck's shops close by
Not for you if: You want lifts on the doorstep: St Anton is a 15 to 20 minute drive up the valley.
Schröcken and Lech (Warth-Schröcken and Lech Zürs)
Schröcken is a small village at the head of the Bregenzerwald, below the Hochtannberg pass. Its lifts are part of Warth-Schröcken, known for heavy snowfall, and the Auenfeldjet gondola links Warth to Lech, so you can ski across to Lech Zürs and on round the Arlberg. Lech itself is the upmarket end, with grand hotels and very few homes on our site. Friedrichshafen and Zurich airports are around one and a half to two hours away.
Best for: Deep snow and the quieter, smarter side of the Arlberg
Not for you if: You want to drive round to St Anton in winter: the Lech to Warth road is closed, so Schröcken is reached from the Bregenzerwald side.
Dalaas and the Klostertal (Vorarlberg)
Dalaas is a village in the Klostertal, the valley that climbs from Bludenz to the Arlberg on the Vorarlberg side. The Sonnenkopf, a smaller family ski area above Klösterle, is a short drive up the valley, and Stuben, with lifts into Ski Arlberg, is around 20 minutes. Bludenz, with shops and a station, is about 15 minutes the other way. Zurich airport is around one and three quarter hours by car.
Best for: Families who want a smaller ski area and quick motorway access
Not for you if: You plan to ski St Anton daily: it is around half an hour away through the Arlberg road tunnel.
