So here we go, nearly there. After 2 long years the day has finally arrived when I can finally travel and go skiing again! Though still a bit to go through yet. Fly out to Melbourne tonight, then onto Dubai and Vienna. Previously this would have all been pretty routine stuff for me, but it all feels just a bit different this time around. Keep wondering if I have missed something. Won't be satisfied until I actually get to Vienna.
Trip Report Heinz in Austria 2022
- Thread starter Heinz
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Join the conversation with a better online communityFirst step completed. Checked in at Adelaide airport for flight to Melbourne. Airport relatively busy for the times, but fortunately only a handful with international connections. Check in was quite slow as the girl had to double check the entry conditions for Austria - she wasn't just taking my word for it. Quick check of Vax passport, then all the rest was the old familiar routine, apart from the mask wearing.
Current info is that there is no test requirement for transit in Dubai.2nd step completed. Checked in at Melbourne for Emirates flight. Was a bit chaotic but all good, just a bit spoilt from previously being able to fly international from Adelaide - much more civilised.
You can officially travel from Aust to Austria via Dubai with no Covid test at all as long as you are triple jabbed. We did it two weeks ago. Note that 80% of skiers continues to wear their FFP2 masks on Gondolas in the week after March 6 when Austria dramatically loosened their Covid restrictions. In the following week, I'd say 30% continue to wear. Getting on the 65 person Rufikopf cable car out of Lech involves squeezing (full contact) into a room with all your fellow travellers, then a lift, then the cable car, with plenty of unmasked talking. Busy cable cars are the great Covid incubators.Just arrived into the organised chaos of Dubai airport. Have about 3 hours till Vienna flight. Will most likely do a few laps of the terminal. The 13 hour legs from Oz to Dubai are never much fun.Feels a bit better after a stretch of the legs. For reference the walk of the combined length of terminals B & C is about 20 mins one way.
Yes, I always do that - and drink the whole bottle of mineral water!
Yeah not a fan of the airport itself or the long trip there, but the big payback that makes it worth all that is the relative proximity to Europe which gives you a big choice of destinations including Vienna so you avoid have to transfer in one of the big Euro hubs like Frankfurt, Paris or London.
Though you can usually get a direct from Singapore to useful for skiing destinations, eg Milan, Zurich, Munich, Vienna etc.......Checked in at the boarding gate just now, just a standard passport check, no mention of vax passport at all.
It is all confusing, heard chatter from few other passengers from the previous flight. Some had got RA tests some PCR. It is a matter of it all depends on a bunch of stuff, Vax status, final destination etc. Also some talk of some form which I never heard of before. I guess that all depends on something.Now at Vienna airport station with my bags waiting for the train.
Change of trains at Wien Hbf now have bit more time. Always the anxious wait for luggage which took maybe 20 mins. Passport control was fairly quick and not even any check of Vax cert. Guess they assume that is all done at departure point. Installed Sim card while waiting. Then another long queue to get train tickets, got the time I planned as I did allow a reasonable time gap. Already met my first Ukranian refugee, she asked what was in my ski bag.
It is good to be back!
Not getting to Salzburger land just yet, but close - Haus im Ennstal.In short triple vaxed heading to Austria via Dubai is no drama at all. No test or forms required and only place Vax cert was actually checked was on departure from Australia.So after a taxi, 3 flights and 3 trains (no buses) in about 36 hours after leaving home I have made it to my apartment in Haus im Ennstal. All 3 flights and trains were quite full. A bit tired but very happy to be here.
what sim card are you using.....I'm heading to France in May and need to get a couple for myself and Ms TonesterChange of trains at Wien Hbf now have bit more time. Always the anxious wait for luggage which took maybe 20 mins. Passport control was fairly quick and not even any check of Vax cert. Guess they assume that is all done at departure point. Installed Sim card while waiting. Then another long queue to get train tickets, got the time I planned as I did allow a reasonable time gap. Already met my first Ukranian refugee, she asked what was in my ski bag.
It is good to be back!
36 hours of travel < 7 days home quarantine
Austria is the only place I've skied in the world where I'd be quite happy to get off the plane, turn around and go straight back. No other place does this to me.
Cake coffee and more cake and you’re a slave to anyone.
For me:
- catch train to resort town
- Walk to accommodation to stretch legs / get rid of jet lag
- Catch free ski bus to lifts
- ski - eat - drink - ski
- catch free ski bus back to accommodation
- rinse and repeat
- catch train out
Never had a bad meal in Austria, struggle to remember having 1 decent meal in Oz ski resorts.
Solo traveler is well catered for. Japan does have better cakes though.
Previously had got an A1 travel sim on arrival in Austria, but this time trying one from simcorner.com in Australia. It is 30 days and uses a UK number which doesn't concern me much as I use data and WhatsApp to chat with rels anyway. Got 2 of them as they can't be extended, so just need to swap out after 30 days. Install was pretty easy, just need to allow about half an hour for it to get done.
I was looking at sim corner. The UK number doesn;t bother me for the same reasons. I just need data access
Better, as in cost or utility?
The appeal of getting one before departure is that it means one less thing to faff around with when you land. As it is, we need to get our sanitation pass once we land (assuming the same rules will apply in May).Have a great time @Heinz . I might have to make some Speckknoderl to go with reading your report.
Zirky's. This is the view of theDachsteinKampspitze from my balcony just now.
edit. Only see the Dachstein once you get closer to Schladming.
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Day 1 done, was really good to out skiing again, seemed hard to believe at times. Took it carefully. Legs tired in the afternoon from lack of condition, then also felt sleepy with the jet lag kicking in or maybe it was the beer at lunch. Very nice weather, sunny and a very mild +3C. Having a rest now.
Our Austrian ski trip is coming to an end with the last ski day tomorrow. Brilliantly efficient ski bus system in Austria but I can't do it. Every OS ski trip we do, regardless of country, has a hire car.
Only had the one day here, but I believe in general there is a pretty good base in Austrian resorts, so I think you'll be fine. I plan to be briefly passing through Alpendorf myself a bit later.
I skied Hirschkogel mountain today at Alpendorf. It and all the Salzburger Sportwelt areas are well covered despite what will be no snow for 5 weeks at the end of the month.
Will be interested in how you go with that sim Heinz. Wifey and I both got one with the UK number (and we are both here in Austria). It works well for data. However, I have not been able to successfully call a single number with it - my wife and I can't telephone each other and I have not been able to make a call to an Austrian number. We can Whats App/ face time each other and people back in Aust.
I had been meaning to contact simcorner.com but it never reached the top 5 things to do in a day until now and we only have 1.5 days left.
BTW, I'm just down the road from you in Eben Im Pongau at the moment. Thankfully the Sahara sand storm has passed for your first day skiing and the after effects aren't as bad over here as the western Alps.Last edited:Sat March 19 - Hauser Kaibling
First ski day of the trip and first for over 2 years so I was certainly looking forward to this but at the same time quite cautious. Fine, sunny day temps around 3C. Took it very carefully to start with, almost pinching myself that I was actually doing this again. First time I have had a 2 year gap of no skiing for over 40 years. Got dropped off at the gondola by the apartment owner. Being a Saturday it was quite busy but the crowds dissipated reasonably quickly, the Ski huts were already being well occupied by 10am.
Stayed on Hauser Kaibling the whole time, got to the cross over point to the Planai, but opted to leave that for another day. Pistes were generally pretty firm, softening up lower down later in the day, but all in good coverage all the way to the valley. The apartment is a shorter walk to the old Tauern gondola. It had occurred to me that I had never used this one on previous trips. I went down to check it out and then understood why. It is an ancient 2 stage cable car that only takes a max of 6 people standing, and you need transfer to another halfway up. And worse, it is in a crap location, there is no direct run to it. There is a trail (1B) from just above the newer gondola, but from the end of that you have another walk uphill to get to it.
Stopped off for a nice Backhendlsalat and a beer for lunch. Then back out into it. The legs were starting to feel it - lacking a fair bit of ski condition. A bit later was also feeling rather sleepy - the jetlag was kicking in. Had a couple more runs then took the 1B trails down again to Haus village and a 5-10 min walk back home.
And Covid rules? What Covid? I only saw a handful of mask wearers all day, none at all in the gondola. Although I hear that it will be made mandatory in gondolas again later this week due to increasing numbers.
Registered my skipass in skiline as usual. Summary for today:
7,424 vert.m., 35 downhill distance, 17 lifts, 333 minutes fun
Shower and quick lie down, woke up 2 hours later.
In relation to sims, I use Giffgaff which can be used in Europe albeit with a UK number. You can call giffgaff numbers for free! I get mine sent to Australia so I can set it up on my way over.
