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Table of Contents:
How to get to Kaprun from Munich
How to get to Kaprun from Salzburg
How to get to Kaprun from Innsbruck
When to travel to Kaprun
Kaprun is a relatively small resort town, more like a village, but at the same time it has a huge ski potential. Firstly, Kaprun is part of the European Sports Region; secondly, the climatic and natural conditions of the resort are such that snow is guaranteed here from December to April incl., which means that the ski season here lasts longer than any other Austrian resort; thirdly, there is a glacier in the closest surroundings of Kaprun, so the resort, in addition to the usual trails for beginners and intermediates, has several very difficult trails for pros, as well as a fan park and natural half-pipes. Thus, we can say that Kaprun is an ideal place for a winter ski holiday. At the resort there are no too noisy public places; Kaprun is famous for its cozy, almost homely vibes.
After some research, I decided to put together information I have previously found out and create a complete guide on how to organize a holiday in Kaprun. I figured out how to get to the town, where to stay & what to do there. I really hope this detailed information will help you plan your trip to Kaprun.
You can visit Kaprun any time of the year. While in winter Kaprun is well-known as a ski resort, in summer it becomes a perfect place for hiking, sightseeing and relaxing among inspiring natural landscapes. The ski season lasts from December until April incl.; the hiking season lasts from May to October incl.
How to get to Kaprun
Where do you fly into to get to Kaprun? Of the major cities in Austria, the closest to the resort of Kaprun are Innsbruck (142 km) and Salzburg (109 km). These cities can be reached by both direct and connecting flights. In addition, you can get to Kaprun from the German city of Munich (176 km). You can find the current flight timetable to Innsbruck, Salzburg or Munich on Aviasales booking service and other ones. Then from these cities you can get to Kaprun by public transport, by taxi, by transfer service or by rented car.
How to get to Kaprun from Munich
By public transport: Getting from Munich to Kaprun by public transport is not very convenient, as you need to make several changes along the way, but it`s possible though. First you have to take a train to the Austrian resort of Zell am See, and then take a regular bus to Kaprun. In total, the travel time by public transport is about 4 hours. You can check the timetable and buy tickets online at the Raileurope booking service. The public bus lines, running between Zell-am-See and Kaprun, are buses # 660. They run every 15-30 minutes during the day. The carrier is Postbus.
By transfer service: It takes quite a long time to get to Kaprun by public transport, so some tourists choose more convenient and faster means of transport; they often take a taxi or order a transfer service. In this case, the travel time is about 2 hours 40 minutes. In addition, there is no need to make changes along the way. You can order a transfer in advance on specialized services such as Kiwitaxi, Intui.Travel and some others. Based on my experience, I can recommend both services. For sure, there are a lot of other taxi services available at the airport.
By rented car: Car rental in Munich can also be a convenient option to get to the ski resort. You can rent a car both in Munich and at the airport upon arrival. Remember, that the car rental option in Munich is extremely popular. You can book a car in advance via various online services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and the other ones. The distance between Munich and Kaprun is about 175 km, and the travel time is approx. 2,5 hours. The route # A8 leads from Munich to Kaprun (see on the map). Please note that you may need to register a cross-border insurance when renting a car, because Munich and Kaprun belong to different countries – Germany and Austria respectively.
How to get to Kaprun from Salzburg
By public transport: From Salzburg to Kaprun, you can also take a train to Zell am See and then a regular bus; the total travel time is approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. You can check the train timetable and buy tickets online at the Raileurope booking service. To my mind, it is a very helpful online service when planning upcoming trips around Europe. I personally use it very often and it helps me to compare different available train options which I can sort by duration of the trip, departure and arrival points, changes, price, etc. The public bus lines, running between Zell-am-See and Kaprun, are buses # 660. They run every 15-30 minutes during the day. The carrier is Postbus.
By transfer service: By car transfer you can get there 2 times faster; the travel time is about 1 hour 20 minutes. Transfer services such as Kiwitaxi and others operate along the route. This option is very convenient if you are traveling with a lot of luggage or, for example, with ski equipment. The advantage of a transfer over an ordinary taxi is that the driver will already be waiting for you by the time of your arrival, and there will be no need to look for a car upon arrival.
By rented car: There are several rental offices at the Salzburg Airport at once, so tourists can rent a car and get to Kaprun on their own. Salzburg and Kaprun are connected with motorways #A10 and #B311. The distance is 110 km and the travel time is approx. 1,5 hours (see on the map). If necessary, you can book the desired car class in advance on specialized services such as Discover Cars, Economybookings and other similar ones. I often use both services and I can say they have a convenient search and a lot of individual settings that help find out the best suitable variant. To rent a car, you need to have a passport, an international driver’s license and a bank card to pay for the services. Take a note that to drive on Austrian roads, you need to buy a toll sticker. You can either buy a sticker from a local tobacconist, as well as online.
How to get to Kaprun from Innsbruck
By public transport: From Innsbruck, you can get to Kaprun by public transport in the same way. First, you need to take a train to Zell am See, and then to take a bus from Zell am See directly to the resort. You can check the timetable and buy tickets online at the Raileurope ticket service. In my opinion, it is a very useful service for planning trips in advance. The public bus lines, running between Zell-am-See and Kaprun, are buses # 660. They run every 15-30 minutes during the day. The carrier is Postbus.
By transfer service: You can also take a taxi car upon arrival or order a transfer service in advance; the travel time by taxi or transfer service is about 2 hours. Such transfer services as Kiwitaxi, Intui.Travel and others operate along the route. This option is very convenient if you are traveling with a lot of luggage or, for example, with ski equipment. The advantage of a transfer over a taxi is that the driver will already be waiting for you by the time of your arrival, and there will be no need to look for a car upon arrival.
By rented car: Innsbruck car rental offices also can be found both in the city and at the airport. You can book a car in advance on specialized services, for example, on Discover Cars, Economybookings and other similar ones. Innsbruck and Kaprun are connected with highway # A12; the distance is 143 km (see on the map). The travel time is about 2 hours. Take a note that to drive on Austrian roads, you need to buy a toll sticker. You can either buy a sticker from a local tobacconist, as well as online.
Where to stay in Kaprun
Kaprun is a small village, therefore, there is a limited number of accommodation places here. Based on my research, mainly these are apartments or small hotels. As there are not so many offers for accommodation in Kaprun, it is recommended to make a reservation in advance, preferably a few months before the date of your travel, otherwise there may simply be no free places left.
You can stay in Kaprun in one of the hotels, which are 3-star and 4-star options, made in a typical Tyrolean style and equipped with everything you need. As online booking services provide tourists reviews, I found out that the vast majority of local hotels offer breakfast included in the price, free private parking for those traveling by car and free Wi-Fi. Some hotels have their own wellness and spa areas to relax after a busy day. Thus, we can say that the hotel infrastructure of Kaprun is developed at a high level, despite the small size of the resort itself.
A cheaper option to stay in Kaprun is to rent an apartment. There are quite a lot of apartment-hotels in the village that offer studios or apartments for living. The main difference between renting an apartment and staying in a hotel room is that the apartment does not have such an option as included food. But the apartments are equipped with their own kitchens, which have all the necessary household appliances for cooking on your own.
If you plan to ski in the European Sports Region, then in addition to Kaprun, you can also stay in neighboring towns, for example, in Zell am See (6,5 km), Piesendorf (4 km), Uttendorf (15 km), Maishofen (10 km) and others.
After some research, I discovered that the popular accommodation options in Kaprun include, in particular, the following hotels:
Lederer`s living 4* is located in the center of Kaprun. There is a restaurant, a spa area, rooms of different categories, including family rooms, buffet breakfast, free parking, ski storage, etc. at the hotel;
Avenida Panorama Suites Kaprun by Alpin Rentals 4* – this aparthotel with rooms of various categories has a terrace with mountain views, a spa area, included breakfast, free private parking, free Wi-Fi, etc.;
Tauern Spa Hotel & Therme 4* – the hotel has a spa center with indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, baths, a fitness room, a massage cabinet, a children’s pool with water slides. The hotel offers rooms of various categories; the type of offered food is breakfast or half board. Free parking, ski storage facilities are also available at the hotel;
Verwohnhotel Votters Sportkristall 4* is located in a quiet picturesque area. There is a spa center with an indoor pool, sauna, steam bath and hydromassage. Some rooms have balconies with mountain views. Breakfast, free private parking and free Wi-Fi are also offered to the guests of the hotel;
Das Alpenhaus Kaprun 4* is located in the center of the resort. There is a spa area with indoor and outdoor pools, a sauna, a gym, as well as a terrace, a restaurant. The hotel offers rooms of various categories. Breakfast or half board is also offered;
Avenida Mountain Resort by Alpin Rentals 4* – this guest house offers apartments with a kitchen area. There is a spa with indoor pool and a sauna, a restaurant, free private parking, a terrace, wireless internet at the hotel;
Hotel Martini 3* has a quiet location and offers its guests a sauna, a terrace, free parking and the rooms of different categories, including family rooms. Breakfasts, ski storage, free wi-fi are also provided.
What to do in Kaprun
Kaprun is part of the united European Sports Region, which means that the opportunities for winter sports here are very extensive. There are 138 km of ski slopes in Kaprun, 57 km of which are easy slopes, 50 km of medium difficulty and 31 km are difficult. The altitude difference is 2,200 meters; cross-country skiing and tobogganing are also available. You can find half-pipes and 3 snowboard parks here too. By the way, Kaprun has some of the best conditions for freestyle skiing.
In addition, the resort has all the related services, including ski schools, a family fan park, ski lifts, ski equipment rental, special tourist shuttles, Alpin Center and much more. The Kitzsteinhorn glacier is also open for skiing, where snow lies all year round. Ski passes start at 54 EUR/day for an adult and 27 EUR/day for a child.
During the summer season, Kaprun also offers a wide range of activities from popular hiking to extreme sports such as rock climbing, trekking, paragliding, canyoning and much more. Horse riding, tobogganing (summer and winter) and trekking are also very popular. At any time of the year in Kaprun you can relax and unwind in the local wellness center called “Optimum”. Here, in addition to the pool, there is an area of saunas and Turkish baths, a massage area, a solarium, a jacuzzi and much more. I visited some thermal spas in Europe and can definitely recommend such a nice activity to try.
There are several other spa centers in the village. For example, TAUERN SPA Zell am See, located in Kaprun, offers such entertainment as 11 swimming pools, 11 saunas and steam rooms, a children’s area, an entertainment program, restaurants and bars on site. I examined and collected some information for visiting and here it is:
- The spa complex is open daily from 9 am until 9 pm;
- The entrance fee for adults starts from 32 euros for 3 hours and from 18,50 euros for children;
- There are various family and other combined tickets.
You can also relax in the spa center in the neighboring resort of Zell am See, where the Zell am See Leisure Center complex is located. In addition to the standard services such as a swimming pool, a sauna and a relaxation area, the center offers water gymnastics courses, a children’s area, a Finnish sauna, an infrared cabin, a herbal bath, a lounge bar, and water slides.
- The price starts from 17,60 euros for adults and 9,50 euros for children.
Kaprun also has a limited number of restaurants and bars, but for an active nightlife, it is better to go to neighboring Zell am See, while Kaprun is more suitable for a relaxing family holiday or for sightseeing of scenic natural beauty. In my point of view, Kaprun is an almost ideal place for families and for those who look for peace and quiet.
Take a note! When going on a trip to Austria, do not forget to take out travel insurance, which is useful for receiving a tourist visa and for solving emerging medical problems when travelling in another country. You can purchase insurance via online services, for example, via EKTA and others. You can choose from different modes, including quiet, active or extreme rest.
Photo above the article: Arne Müseler
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Julia is an experienced traveller, BA in International Relations and Languages and true lover of planning trips in advance. Learn more about the author…
Thanks for such a detailed guide on our options. We love the area around Kaprun and Zell am See.
Kaprun looks beautiful year round, but especially in the winter! It’s great to know there are so many ways to get there and options depending on how you like to travel.
Kaprun looks like another great spot to visit in Austria. It must be be a fascinating ski destination with a glacier close by. Such great activities to draw us at any time of year. We would definitely want to visit Optimum for a relaxing treatment!
Great tips for visiting Kaprun, especially about booking accommodation well in advance, as options are limited.
This town looks amazing for skiing and snowboarding. My family would love it, especially the harder terrain on the glacier.