Kirchberg ski resort guide Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Kirchberg
Overview
Kirchberg ski resort is a compact village within the Kitzbüheler Alpen carousel, one of the largest ski areas in Tyrol.
The village sits at 832m at the junction of the Brixental and Aschauer valleys. Its very pretty and a typical Austrian alpine ski resort that is coming out of the shadows of its chic and internationally recognised neighbour Kitzbühel.
Après-ski
Kirchberg has a very lively apres-ski scene attracting a younger crowd than Kitzbühel. There are many cafes, bars and restaurants around the village centre catering for all tastes. The après-ski typically kicks off in the mountain bars such as the popular Schneebar Oberkaser, before heading back into the village. The Londoner and Kuhstal bars get very busy with their live music and late night DJs.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 832m |
| Top lift | 2366m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 179 |
| Longest run | 7 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 2 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✔ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Lively & Fun |
Kirchberg Ski Areas
KitzSki Carousel
The ski area sits between the Kitzbüheler Horn and the Hahnenkamm, providing 179kms of pistes plus another 36kms of off-piste itineraries for advanced skiers. There are 4 main sectors...
- Hahnenkamm sector
- Resterhohe sector at Pass Thurn
- Pengelstein sector
- Kitzbuheler Horn
Kirchberg has its own mini ski area on Gaisberg hill. There is one red and one black piste served by a chairlift and both pistes have floodlighting for night skiing.
SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser - Brixental
Kirchberg also has easy access (ski bus) to Skiwelt, Austria's second largest carousel with 284kms of lift-linked pistes taking you around the Wilder Kaiser ski resorts such as Ellmau and Soll.
The ski area is very well suited to beginners and intermediate skiers as most of the trails are graded green and blue meaning you can cruise around the whole area without fear of getting stuck on more advanced terrain.
Beginners
Kirchberg offers many beginner slopes for with gentle slopes for easy learning. A practise area for beginners and children is located right in the centre of the village with free lifts. The valley runs are all great for beginners as the pistes are wide and gentle.
Intermediate
Pass Thurn is tailor made for intermediates with lots of cruising blue and red runs. There are also a few short black runs and a couple of off-piste itineraries for the more advanced.
Advanced
There are 14 black pistes across the KitzSki carousel including the famous Streif run on the Hahnenkamm that is used for FIS World Cup races. Unpartrolled off-piste itineraries are popular with advanced skiers and there are 36kms of trails on the carousel.
Ski touring is also very popular in the Windautal valley which branches off from Westendorf - hire a local guide to get the very best of this incredible valley.
Cross-country
In Kirchberg and through the Brixental valley is a network of cross-country trails catering for skating and classic cross-country. The Brixental cross-country ski trail connects the villages of Brixen, Kirchberg and Westendorf. Its just short of 18km long with a vertical elevation of 227m and takes around 3 1/2 hours to complete.
Snowboard
The snowpark in Kirchberg is situated at the Kitzbuheler Horn ski area. It is suitable for beginners to pros. The park is constantly being redesigned, built and shaped offering new challenges throughout the season.
Things to see & do
- Tobogganing
- Snow shoeing
- Aquarena complex at Kitzbuhel
- Sleigh rides
- Ski touring
- Outdoor ice skating
Children
All the ski schools in Kirchberg teach children from the age of 4 to ski. For non-ski kindergarten, the Krabbelstube day-care centre accepts children from the age of 1. For the evenings, babysitters can be booked through the Tourist Office.
Our view on Kirchberg
Kirchberg is a popular ski resort with extensive local skiing around the KitzSki carousel and with options for skiing the 284km Skiwelt circuit. With a lively apres-ski scene. short transfers from Innsbruck and excellent beginner and family facilities, Kirchberg offers value for money and a good alternative ski resort to Kitzbühel.
