Hotel in the Klostertal on the Arlberg: Stuben, at the top of the valley

The Klostertal: from Bludenz to the Arlberg

The Klostertal runs around 30 kilometres east from Bludenz to the Arlberg. The Alfenz river flows through the valley. It begins up on the Arlberg, where the Rauzbach and Stubenbach streams meet. To the south rise the Verwall mountains, to the north the Lechquellen range. From Bludenz the Silvretta road leads south into the Montafon.

Politically the valley is shared by the municipalities of Klösterle, Dalaas and Innerbraz, plus some districts of Bludenz. Stuben is part of Klösterle, as are Langen and Danöfen. So if you stay with us, you are staying in the Klostertal, just at its highest point, at around 1,400 metres.

The name goes back to 1219. That year Count Hugo I of Montfort gave the chapel of St. Marienthal to the Knights of St. John in Feldkirch. The hospice that grew up there and the village beside it were soon called Klösterle, the little monastery. Later the name passed to the whole valley.

The villages of the Klostertal, from Stuben down the valley

The figures in the table are from the Ski Hotel Mondschein in Stuben. We calculated them with a route planner based on OpenStreetMap, on a clear road. In winter and in snowfall, allow more time.

Langen am Arlberg

For many guests, Langen is the first stop in the Klostertal. The station is at 1,217 metres, on the Vorarlberg side of the Arlberg railway tunnel. All Railjets towards Bregenz and Budapest stop here, plus some Railjets to Zurich, mainly in the morning and evening. The west portal of the road tunnel is also in Langen. From Langen the Arlberg road L 197 climbs to Stuben.

Klösterle

Klösterle lies at around 1,073 metres on the valley floor. The municipality has 653 residents (as of 1 January 2026), including Stuben. You can see the red church tower from the road. Clemens Holzmeister rebuilt the parish church of St. John the Baptist between 1974 and 1976, keeping the tower of the earlier church from 1609.

Wald am Arlberg

Wald am Arlberg belongs to the municipality of Dalaas and has 622 residents. The Klostertal museum is in the village. From Wald the Spullersee path leads over the Böser Tritt to the Spullersee lake and the Ravensburger Hütte. The old Wald station still stands, but trains have not stopped there since May 1999.

Dalaas

Further down lies Dalaas, its centre at about 835 metres on the Alfenz. With Wald am Arlberg the municipality has 1,609 residents. In 1796 Dalaas, like Stuben and Klösterle, got a post station on the route over the Arlberg. Today walks to the Formarinsee and the Freiburger Hütte start here.

Braz and Innerbraz

Innerbraz lies at 708 metres and is the last separate municipality before Bludenz. Braz has the parish church of St. Nicholas. You can no longer get off the train here: Braz station has no passenger service, and the nearest stops are Bludenz and Langen.

The Sonnenkopf ski area in the Klostertal

The Sonnenkopf is the Klostertal's ski area. It lies between Klösterle and Wald am Arlberg, right on the S16 with its own exit. It is not linked to the lifts in Stuben. The Ski Arlberg pass is valid at the Sonnenkopf too, the same pass you ski with in Stuben, St. Anton and Lech am Arlberg. You get down to Klösterle on the ski bus from Stuben.

• Altitude 1,000 to 2,300 metres, more than 30 kilometres of runs
• nine lifts, including the eight-person Sonnenkopf gondola to the top station at 1,840 metres
• the Glattingrat double chairlift up to 2,300 metres, with speed, mogul and intermediate runs
• no snow-making, skiing on natural snow
• a 2-kilometre toboggan run from the top station to the middle station
• the Klostertal ski school's Schneemannland for children aged 3 to 5

According to the operator, the 2026/27 winter season at the Sonnenkopf runs from 11 December 2026 to 11 April 2027. Ski Arlberg itself gives 2 December 2026 as the start of its season, with possible partial operation at first. If you arrive in early December, plan your Sonnenkopf day for the second half of the month.

The trip suits families with small children and anyone who likes skiing on natural snow. If you do not ski, take the gondola up and toboggan down to the middle station. What it looks like on the Arlberg today, with lifts, snow and weather, is on our page Arlberg live.

Getting to the Klostertal via Langen and the S16

By train to Langen am Arlberg

Langen is the nearest long-distance station for Stuben. It is 4.4 kilometres to our houses on the Arlberg road. On request our shuttle collects you from the station. Just tell us your train and arrival time when you book.

The small stations in the valley, such as Wald am Arlberg and Braz, no longer have passenger service. Instead, Landbus Klostertal line 720 runs from Bludenz via Braz, Dalaas, Wald, Klösterle and Langen to Stuben. You will find the current timetable with the Vorarlberg transport association. Everything about train, car, airport and transfer is on our page getting to Stuben.

By car on the Arlberg expressway

From Germany, Switzerland and Lake Constance you drive via Lindau and Feldkirch onto the A14 Rhine valley motorway. Then you follow the S16 to the Klösterle/Langen exit. From Tyrol you come through the Arlberg road tunnel and take the same exit. From there it is a few minutes up to Stuben.

The tunnel is just under 14 kilometres long. The stretch between St. Anton and Langen has its own toll; a single trip by car costs €13.00 according to ASFINAG. At the Mondschein Chalet you park right by the house.

By plane

The distances are given by Tourismus Klostertal. From Innsbruck the train to Langen works well, and our shuttle covers the last stretch from there.

The Klostertal in summer

In summer the Ski Hotel and the Motel are closed, and the Mondschein Chalet is open all year. So Stuben remains a base for the Klostertal in the warmer months too. The Sonnenkopf gondola also runs in summer and opens up a hiking area above the valley. From the top station you can, for example, walk down to Dalaas via the Muttjöchle.

• Kaltenberghütte (2,089 m): two to three hours from Langen, Stuben or St. Christoph
• Spullersee (1,826 m) and Ravensburger Hütte (1,948 m): around three hours from Wald am Arlberg, easier with the hiking bus from Lech
• Formarinsee (1,793 m) below the Rote Wand (2,704 m): just over three hours from Dalaas
• Freiburger Hütte (1,931 m): around three hours from Dalaas via the Mustrinalpe
• Ulmer Hütte (2,288 m): an hour and a half from Alpe Rauz

On alpine pastures such as the Klostner Alpe or the Dalaaser Staffel there is fresh milk, a Brettljause platter and Sura Käs sour-milk cheese in summer. In September the farmers of Dalaas and Wald bring their cattle down from the high pastures, and the return is celebrated in the evening.

If you want to get to know the valley on foot, walk the Arlbergweg. From Stuben it follows the Alfenz. From Langen it runs along the old railway line over the Wäldletobel bridge to Klösterle and on to Wald am Arlberg. Tourismus Klostertal reckons on around seven hours for the whole stage from St. Anton to Dalaas.

History on the way over the Arlberg

The Klostertal was a through route as early as Roman times. In 1785 the Arlberg pass road was opened throughout, and in 1796 post stations were added in Stuben, Klösterle and Dalaas. The Mondschein in Stuben has existed since 1739, before the continuous pass road.

In 1884 the Arlberg railway opened. Up to 6,000 workers were employed on its construction, and the railway tunnel between Langen and St. Anton is more than ten kilometres long. The ÖBB Spullersee power station still generates traction power for the Arlberg railway today. For this, the Spullersee was dammed between 1919 and 1925.

On 1 December 1978 the Arlberg road tunnel opened to traffic. Since then the S16 between Langen and St. Anton has gone through the mountain instead of over the pass. Read more about the village on the pass on our page about Stuben am Arlberg.

Hotel in the Klostertal on the Arlberg: which Mondschein house suits you

Arlberg Motel: for ski days on the Albona

The Arlberg Motel in Stuben is right next to the valley station of the Albona I lift. The rooms have FlyingBeds, breakfast is included and the skis go into the ski cellar in the evening. The Motel is open in winter, from December to mid-April. It suits guests who want to be at the lift early and add a day at the Sonnenkopf with the ski bus.

Mondschein Chalet: open all year, with your own spa

The Mondschein Chalet with private spa suites has six suites in three categories, including suites with a private spa, sauna and fireplace. It is open 365 days a year, which makes it your house for hiking days at the Spullersee or the Formarinsee. You park right by the Chalet.

In the evening at the Ski Hotel Mondschein

After your day in the valley, in winter you have dinner at the Ski Hotel Mondschein. You can choose the Alte Gaststube with its tiled stove, à la carte, or the Chef's Table, which begins with an aperitif in the wine cellar. Times and seats are under restaurants and Chef's Table.