The ski area
KitzSki links the Hahnenkamm above Kitzbühel and Kirchberg with the Pengelstein, Jochberg and the Resterhöhe into one big area of 188 km of pistes and 58 lifts, plus 45 km of marked ski routes. The surprise for first-time visitors is how gentle it is: 102 km are blue, 66 km red and only 20 km black. The slopes are wide, tree-lined and beautifully groomed, and the 3S gondola that swings across the valley between the Pengelstein and Jochberg is an attraction in itself. The Kitzbüheler Horn on the other side of town is a separate, smaller area.
The famous Streif is open to the public outside race week, and skiing it at normal speed gives you a healthy respect for the racers. The altitude is modest, 800 to 2,000 m, but intensive snowmaking and snow farming on the Resterkogel allow the season to start early. In 2026/2027 the Resterkogel opens on 6 November (weekends only), the Hahnenkamm and Horn daily from 28 November, the full area from 11 December, and the season ends on 4 April 2027.
Who is Kitzbühel for?
Kitzbühel is for skiers who want a real town around them: cobbled streets, boutiques, excellent restaurants and a lively but civilised après-ski. The gentle terrain makes it an excellent family and intermediate destination, and Kirchberg is a slightly cheaper base on the same slopes. Experts will find the ski routes and the Streif enough of a challenge for a week, but the area is not steep overall.
Practical
From Brussels it is about 950 km and 9.5 hours; Salzburg airport is 80 km away. Premium-season prices in 2026/2027 are 83 euros per day and 423 euros for 6 days, with cheaper Saver and Super Saver periods early and late in the season. Budget for the town: hotels and restaurants cost more than in most Tyrolean villages.