Expert tips

SAVING MONEY

It is easy to access bigname resorts and terrain from small villages, saving on accommodation. Stay in sleepy Pettneu am Arlberg (a 15-minute bus ride from St Anton) for Ski Arlberg. Find inexpensive digs in Innsbruck (a 15-minute, €2 bus ride from the airport) and buy a Ski Plus City Pass, which gives free public transport and access to 13 ski areas and 22 museums and attractions (from €136 for two days; ski-plus-city.com).

FAMILY FRIENDLY The country’s resorts are well set up for children. In family-friendly areas like SkiWelt Wilder KaiserBrixental, tiny tots are kept safe with chairlifts that use lasers and hydraulic controls to adjust their height. While all resorts offer free lift passes for kids skiing with a paying adult, the maximum age can range from 6 to 16. Ask a tour operator or travel agent for advice on the best deals for your age group. Note that the use of helmets for children aged up to 15 is statutory in some regions, including SalzburgerLand

GET OFF THE BEATEN TRACK

Dive deep into off-theradar Austria with a week-long guided Kitzbüheler Alpen Trails (KAT) Ski Tour. Combining ski touring and resort lifts and staying in hotels and mountain huts, skiers travel from tiny Kelchsau through the rugged Windautal and Spertental valleys to Kitzbühel before continuing through Aurach to Fieberbrunn (from €1,890/£1,625), including half board, guided skiing and lift passes; kitzbueheler bergfuehrer.at).

LIFT PASSES

With so many interlinked ski areas, the choice of lift passes is bewildering. Cost-saving options for novices include restrictedaccess beginner lift passes and single-resort passes. Many areas also offer five-in-seven day passes, ideal for taking a day or two to explore non-ski activities. Travel early and/ or late in the season for cheaper lift tickets.