Lessons (2008/09 prices)

St. Anton prides itself on teaching skiing to all levels and has two ski schools, Skischule Arlberg with over 300 instructors and Skischule St. Anton with 60 instructors. This is the home of the Arlberg Method, the standard for ski instruction throughout the world. The school classes form in amazing numbers each morning at the base of the Gampen. Lech and Zürs also have 300 instructors, with classes forming at the base of the Schlegelkopf lift, in Oberlech and in Zürs. Ski school prices are approximately the same throughout the region.

If you can swing it, hire a private instructor for at least a day. One contributor noted, “In less than five minutes and without having to look back at me once, my instructor pinpointed my many bad habits. We spent the rest of the day hammering them out of my system. In the process, I easily skied slopes I’d have thought twice about before. And I lost my American-bred fear of mass mogul fields after I learned the right techniques for attacking them.”

Ski school prices for Arlberg:

Private lessons (per day and per person) cost €156 for two hours; €195 for three hours; €234 for fours hours; €273 for five hours and €312 for six hours, with €20 per each additional person. Advanced skiers might enjoy the "GROSSE ARLBERG TOUR" which is a six hour trip. Route: St. Anton - Valluga - (Pazültal) - Zürs - Zug - (Madloch) - Oberlech - Lech - Zürs - Stuben - Albona - (Maroi) - St. Anton. The tour costs €31, with €20 per each additional person. Five hours of heliskiing (guide and helicopter not included) costs €273, with €20 per each additional person..

Group lessons are €61 a day; €145 for three days.

Snowboarding lessons for one day is €63, lessons for three days cost €146 and a snowboard college for five days will run €200.

The cross-country ski school prices are the same as for Alpine lessons. Also ask about special family and senior rates.