Schladming vs Ski amadé: Which Is Better?

By Best:in Editorial Team · Updated September 2026

As of September 2026, this is not a true either/or: the Schladming 4-Berge-Skischaukel sits inside Ski amadé. Schladming gives 123 km of lift-linked pistes on four mountains served by 43 lifts. Ski amadé bundles 25 ski areas and up to 760 km across five regions, but those kilometres are not connected. Day tickets stay regional; passes from 1.5 days unlock the whole network.

Is Schladming part of Ski amadé, or a rival to it?

Schladming is a member, not an opponent. The Schladming 4-Berge-Skischaukel links Hauser Kaibling, Planai, Hochwurzen and Reiteralm into 123 km of piste with 43 cable cars and lifts, and it sits inside the Schladming-Dachstein region of Ski amadé. Ski amadé is the pass alliance above it: five regions, 25 ski areas and up to 760 km of slopes on 260 to 270 lifts.

So the real question is scope. Buy a Schladming day ticket and you ski one connected circuit plus the neighbouring Schladming-Dachstein mountains. Buy a Ski amadé pass of 1.5 days or longer and Gastein, Hochkönig, Großarltal and the Salzburger Sportwelt open up too. Those 760 km are not skiable end to end, as the operators themselves state, so extra kilometres mean extra driving.

How do the two options compare on the numbers?

Schladming 4-Berge-SkischaukelSki amadé
ScopeOne lift-linked circuit of four mountainsPass alliance of 5 regions and 25 ski areas
Piste kilometres123 km, all connected Up to 760 km, not connected
Connected terrain on one circuit123 km without ski buses or detoursLargest single linked area is smaller than the network total
Lifts and cable cars43 260 to 270
Piste difficulty split47.3 km blue, 67.3 km red, 8.4 km black Published per ski area, not as a network total
Altitude range750 m to 2,015 m640 m to just under 3,000 m across member areas
Day ticket validityWhole Schladming-Dachstein ski region Limited to the regional ski area of purchase
Network-wide validity thresholdReached once the ticket runs longer than one day From 1.5 days upwards
Adult day pass, 2025/26 online early bookingEUR 69.50 to EUR 81.50 Set by each member ski area, no single network day rate
Season cardCovered by the network season card ALL-IN Card White, valid 10 Oct 2026 to 2 May 2027
SnowmakingPart of the network system covering about 684 km 90% of piste area, about 684 km, over 4,000 devices
Night skiing3 km floodlit run 33 on Hochwurzen, lights off at 23:00 Offered by individual member areas, evening ticket required
Mountain huts56 More than 250

What does each ticket cost, and when does network access start?

Pricing follows the validity rule. For winter 2025/26 the Planai and Hochwurzen adult day ticket was listed at EUR 69.50 to EUR 81.50 in online early booking, with the ticket office charging more, and that day pass also covered Hauser Kaibling, Reiteralm, Fageralm, Galsterberg and Ramsau am Dachstein. Day tickets across Ski amadé work the same way: each member area sets its own rate and the ticket stays inside that region.

Anything longer changes the picture. Tickets valid for more than one day are accepted on every Ski amadé lift, and the threshold quoted by member operators is 1.5 days. The ALL-IN Card White 2026/27 covers 10 October 2026 to 2 May 2027. Repeat buyers from the 24/25 or 25/26 seasons get a loyalty bonus of EUR 100 for adults, EUR 50 for U25 and EUR 30 for youths and children. Online cancellation cover costs EUR 3.00 per day per pass.

Which option suits families, beginners and mileage hunters?

Beginners and families do well on the Schladming side of the ledger. Of the 123 km, 47.3 km are graded blue, and Wollis Kids Park at the Hauser Kaibling valley station spreads a platter lift and three magic carpets over 24,000 m2, two of the carpets free of charge. The 1,460 m XXL Funslope adds tunnels and jumps for children who are past the nursery stage.

Mileage hunters lean the other way. A 6-day Ski amadé pass opens 25 ski areas and up to 760 km, and the member regions reach almost 3,000 m, which matters in a warm December. Within Schladming-Dachstein alone there are seven ski mountains and roughly 171 km on 82 lifts, or about 222 km on 99 lifts once the Schneebären Card areas are counted.

How do you decide between a Schladming base and a Ski amadé tour?

  1. Count your ski days first

    One or two days points to a regional ticket, since a day pass is capped at the region where you buy it. Three days or more moves you past the 1.5-day threshold, where the pass becomes valid on all Ski amadé lifts, so the wider network costs you nothing extra to unlock.

  2. Decide whether you will drive

    The 4-Berge circuit connects Hauser Kaibling, Planai, Hochwurzen and Reiteralm with no ski bus and no detour, and there is parking at the Planai gondola base. Reaching Gastein or Hochkönig from Schladming means a car or train transfer, because the network's 760 km are not linked on snow.

  3. Match the terrain to your group

    Check the split before booking: 47.3 km blue, 67.3 km red and 8.4 km black in Schladming. Strong skiers chasing steeps and high altitude will find more in Gastein or on the 640 m to nearly 3,000 m spread of the wider region.

  4. Book the pass early and add cover

    Ski amadé day and multi-day passes go on sale from the start of September, and the online early booking bonus prices below the ticket office. The cancellation guarantee costs EUR 3.00 per day per pass and allows cancellation up to two days before validity starts.

  5. Plan one evening on Hochwurzen

    Run 33 is floodlit for 3 km and the 10-seater Gipfelbahn Hochwurzen at Rohrmoos carries skiers up in the evening. Lights go off at 23:00 and a separate evening ticket is required, so it is not covered by a standard day pass.

What mistakes do people make, and what are the alternatives?

Three errors recur. First, treating 760 km as one circuit: it is a pass total spread over five regions. Second, buying a day ticket and expecting network access, when only tickets above one day qualify. Third, quoting Wikipedia's 167 km and 81 lifts for the four mountains when the operators publish 123 km and 43 lifts for the connected circuit.

If connected mileage is the priority, Snow Space Salzburg inside the same pass offers 210 km in one area, and the SuperSkiCard stretches to 2,840 km across SalzburgerLand and neighbouring provinces. For a comparison against a different network, see Schladming against Ski Arlberg or Obertauern. Note also that the Dachstein Glacier is a sightseeing destination on the Schladming day pass, not a ski area.

Which options rank highest?

1.

Schladming 4-Berge-Skischaukel

Four mountains (Hauser Kaibling, Planai, Hochwurzen, Reiteralm) link into 123 km of continuous piste with 43 lifts and 56 huts, all on one ticket and reachable without a ski bus. The mix is 47.3 km blue, 67.3 km red and 8.4 km black, with a vertical from 750 m to 2,015 m and a 7.7 km longest run. Night skiing runs on the 3 km floodlit slope 33 on Hochwurzen until 23:00.

Best for: Short trips and skiers who want everything lift-linked

Official website See full facts
2.

Ski amadé

Five regions, 25 ski areas and up to 760 km of piste on 260 to 270 lifts, with about 684 km (90% of piste area) covered by snowmaking. The catch is continuity: the network is a pass alliance, not one circuit, and day tickets are limited to the regional ski area you buy them in. Access to everything starts at 1.5-day tickets, and the ALL-IN Card White 2026/27 runs 10 October 2026 to 2 May 2027.

Best for: Week-long stays and skiers willing to drive between areas

Official website See full facts

How is this ranking computed?

  • Connected, ski-in-ski-out terrain: 30%
  • Total piste kilometres available on the pass: 25%
  • Pass value and validity rules: 20%
  • Snow reliability and snowmaking: 15%
  • Ease of access without a car: 10%

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