Ischgl and the Arlberg: distance, route and a ski day from Stuben

The distance from Ischgl to the Arlberg: the route from Stuben

Stuben lies at around 1,400 metres at the Vorarlberg foot of the Arlberg pass. Ischgl lies at 1,377 metres in the middle of the Paznaun, a side valley in Tyrol. On the map that is not far. But the road goes round the outside of the mountains, almost as far as Landeck.

The table shows the distances from the Ski Hotel Mondschein to the places on the way. The times apply without traffic and on dry roads. In winter it is wise to allow a little more.

The figures come from a route calculation based on OpenStreetMap. The map below this section shows the same route. On the day itself, check the road conditions in the morning, as they change quickly on pass roads.

The route via St. Anton and Pians

Over the Arlberg pass to St. Anton

From the hotel you drive up to the top of the pass and down via St. Christoph to St. Anton am Arlberg. That is around 14 kilometres. The pass road is cleared in winter, but in heavy snowfall snow chains may be required at short notice, or the road may be closed.

If the pass is closed, there is the Arlberg road tunnel from Langen to St. Anton. You pay a separate toll for the tunnel.

On the S16 through the Stanzertal

From St. Anton you follow the S16 Arlberg expressway down the valley through the Stanzertal, past Pettneu, Flirsch and Strengen. A vignette is required on expressways in Austria, so buy one before you set off, digitally or as a sticker.

At Pians into the Paznaun

At Pians you turn onto the B188 Paznaun valley road. Right at the valley entrance you see the Trisanna bridge of the Arlberg railway, a good 80 metres high above the gorge. At the eastern end of the bridge, Wiesberg castle stands on a rock. Then the road follows the Trisanna up the valley, through See and Kappl to Ischgl.

Everything about getting to Stuben itself, by car, train or plane, is on our page getting to the Arlberg.

Without a car by train and bus to Ischgl

The nearest station to Stuben is Langen am Arlberg, around three kilometres away. From there trains run via St. Anton to Landeck-Zams. At Landeck-Zams station, bus 260 runs into the Paznaun villages every 30 minutes according to the tourist board.

With a change and waiting time, you are on the road much longer than by car. For a ski day the train and bus route is rather slow. For a trip without skis it works, for example to the Alpinarium in Galtür.

You can see the current timetable from the Tyrol transport association (VVT) and ÖBB. Check the last bus in the evening in particular.

The Silvretta Arena Ischgl and Samnaun

Ischgl shares its ski area with Samnaun in Switzerland. According to the operators, the Silvretta Arena has 239 kilometres of runs and 46 lifts. Skiing is between 1,377 and 2,872 metres.

• Season 2026/27 in Ischgl and Samnaun: 26 November 2026 to 2 May 2027.
• Samnaun is duty-free. On the Schmugglerrunde, the smugglers' circuit, you ski across the border in three variants: Gold is the hardest, Silver and Bronze are easier.
• By winter 2026/27 three new eight-seater chairlifts with weather hoods and heated seats go into service: Höllboden, Sassgalun and Höllkar.
• The Idalp at around 2,300 metres is in the middle of the ski area. On Easter Sunday, 28 March 2027, the Top of the Mountain Easter Concert is held there from 1 pm.

Your Ski Arlberg pass is not valid here. For a single day you buy a day ticket for Ischgl and Samnaun, also online in the ticket shop. If you ski several days in the Paznaun, take the Silvretta Ski Pass. It is also valid in Galtür, Kappl and See and is available for 2 to 14 days.

The villages of the Paznaun

The Paznaun runs south-west from Pians to the Silvretta. Four municipalities lie one after another in the valley, each with its own ski area.

See and Kappl

See is the first village in the valley and the closest to Stuben, around 42 minutes by car. Kappl follows a few kilometres further on. You ski both areas on one ticket. The operators describe them as family-friendly, with sunny runs. In Kappl you ski above 2,000 metres.

Ischgl

Ischgl is the best-known village in the valley. This is where the lifts into the Silvretta Arena start. At the start of the season there is a big concert in the village, and at Easter and the end of the season the concerts are held up on the Idalp. Ischgl is also known for its après-ski.

Galtür

Galtür lies at the head of the valley at 1,582 metres. The Silvapark focuses on families, with 45 kilometres of runs in six sectors up to 2,295 metres, plus around 80 kilometres of cross-country trails. On 23 February 1999 an avalanche struck the village. Today the Alpinarium, a museum, is built into a protective wall 345 metres long and 19 metres high.

Beyond Galtür the Silvretta High Alpine Road crosses the Bielerhöhe into the Montafon. It is closed in winter, and then there is no direct route from here to Vorarlberg.

A ski day in Ischgl from Stuben

A day in Ischgl fits nicely into the middle of a ski week on the Arlberg. Allow around two hours in the car, there and back. To make it worthwhile, set off early.

• Leave Stuben at around 7.15 am. The Silvrettabahn, the Fimbabahn and the Pardatschgratbahn open at 8.30 am.
• Vignette and snow chains in the car, and check the road conditions in the morning.
• It is best to buy your day ticket in advance in the Ischgl ticket shop.
• If you want to ski the smugglers' circuit, start in the morning. Bronze runs mostly on blue pistes.
• Until 27 March the last ride up is at 4 pm and the last ride down at 5 pm; from 28 March each is half an hour later. If you ride down at 5 pm, you are back in Stuben at around 6.30 pm.

If it is snowing heavily in the morning, the drive over the pass will be hard going. Then first check lifts and slopes live to see what is open on the Arlberg. On a day like that you are often better off staying on the Albona.

For a shorter version, drive only as far as Kappl or See. To Kappl you save around ten minutes each way, to See around twenty. The ski areas there are smaller, though.

Arlberg or Ischgl: two different moods

The Arlberg is considered the cradle of alpine skiing, and Stuben am Arlberg is linked with pioneers such as Hannes Schneider and Willi Walch. The village has stayed small to this day, and it is quiet here in the evening.

Ischgl goes for size and a full programme: concerts on the Idalp, après-ski after the last lift. If that is what you are after, it is the right place.

The two combine well. You stay in Stuben, ski the Arlberg during the week and take one day for Ischgl. In the evening you are back in a house where guests have been coming in since 1739.

Back in Stuben: the evening at the Mondschein

The Ski Hotel Mondschein 1739 is at Hannes Schneider Promenade 9, a three to four minute walk from the Albona I lift. Your car stands in a free outdoor space or in the underground garage.

With half board we serve the Chef's Choice every evening, a four-course menu with a choice of main course. Guests have been stopping at the Alte Gaststube since 1739. Below the house lies the 17th-century wine cellar, and afterwards you move on to the bar and fireside lounge.

The Chef's Table has eight seats and a set menu, in the 2026/27 winter season from Friday to Monday from 7 pm and by reservation only. Falstaff rates it with 95 points in 2026. All the restaurants are under food and drink at the Mondschein.