Skiing in Austria - Jan 2022

Dept of foreign affairs say antigen test for over 6 to enter Germany unfortunately.

Is that the bar with the igloos then it was open last weekend

Thought it was in Westendorf

In Salzburg airport FFP2 is compulsory and if you don't have one they bring you to the vending machine to get one.

In Mayrhofen at the moment, they're compulsory everywhere indoors and on all ski lifts although not really enforced on chairlifts. Enforced on gondolas though.

COVID passes checked at airport, buying lift pass and in bars in evening time. Weren't checked in hotel and in restaurants and bars on the mountain they seem to assume if you're up there you've already been checked.

Everything on the mountain is open. No wood apres ski but the stadl has a good bit of music. Most bars are open, table service as far as I can see. Ice bar is closed. Harakiri is only open Thurs to Sunday I think - closed tonight anyway. Scotties is open as normal no restrictions on standing or ordering at the bar.

Everywhere closed at 10 sharp.

Tip - mask tucked inside your balaclava worked for me. Outside it became kind of knotted up in helmet / balaclava, and is also harder to manipulate without taking gloves off. If its in the balaclava you can just pull the balaclava up and down as you enter the lift areas.

I found them pretty sound about it in general. You definitely need it up at or queueing for gondolas or at mid-station when doors open, but we managed multiple laps of the same quiet chairlift without putting it on as no queue and they knew we were together.

In general was a lot less hassle than I thought, and no checking of certs on the mountain, I assume they take it you have it to buy the pass so no need to check again.

Any changes to covid protocols in the resorts for February? I saw Austria dropped the need for a negative test on entry regardless of vaccination status for the UK and a few other countries, was wondering if anything else was changing along with this.

I think we'll see more changes across Europe in the coming while but unfortunately the strictest countries (excepting Ireland) will probably be the slowest to unwind, and that includes the three main ski destinations of Austria, Italy and France

You're a very informative poster on the Winter Sports forum but please don't call that cheesy Austrian apres ski music "techno".

Thanks in advance 👍️

It came up before alright 😅

I was in Ischgl a few weeks ago and didn't hear any of those tunes once. It's the way forward 👍🏻

You know what ? I’m even looking forward to some of that !

I'm 99.999% sure this is correct. We are also travelling on the 19th, but to Zell am See, with 12yo(double jabbed), 15 yo(double jabbed) and 17yo(double jabbed and boosted). I have booked a Randox at Dublin Airport PCR to allow entry to Austria for the 12yo and 15yo. They will not need the ninja pass in austria which is used for access to services (bars, restaurarants and the all important ski lifts!) On 25th January I emailed the Austrian health authorities who run the ninja pass for clarification, I include their reply with my original email below:

Pretty sure booster has not been approved for use in the under 16s in Ireland.

I'm sorry, its a personal decision obviously, but the idea that people are boosting their kids in order to meet ridiculous entry requirements in Austria is bonkers. Everyone in Austria is going to be exposed to COVID over the coming months whether visiting child skiers have zero or eleven jabs. Its utterly pointless. Too late for people who've already booked but I hope other people consider voting with their feet, Switzerland as I understand it now have zero entry requirements, Spain is still treating Covid cert as 9 month validity and will let anyone in with an antigen, masks are gone outside and covid certs abandoned in Catalonia at least. Countries who carry on like Austria (and I appreciate they're in a bit of a bind because of a relatively low vax uptake) need to feel the effects of their policies or they'll keep them in place.

Just an idea for people shopping around to avoid this nonsense.

(I say this as someone who recently skied in Austria, to my shame!)

That's correct and they don't need masks on the lifts either

Any issues or tips to be aware of flying into Munich but heading onto Austria with a family of vaccinated adults but with a couple of unvaccinated over 6s. Is the negative pcr test still the only requirement.