KitzSki's 2026/27 schedule opened the season on 6 November 2026 at the Resterkogel above Pass Thurn, with racers training on weekdays and the public skiing at weekends (kitzski.at, as of November 2026). Regular daily skiing on the Hahnenkamm starts on 27 or 28 November and on the Kitzbüheler Horn on 28 November. The planned end of the season is 4 April 2027, and every date depends on snow and weather.
Kitzbühel is one of the earliest non-glacier ski areas in the Alps to open, but “open” means something very different in November than in February. This page separates opening day from full operation, sector by sector, using only the schedule KitzSki publishes. For how the mountains fit together, see our guide to skiing in Kitzbühel.
You will find other dates online. Some news sites and national tourism lists give different opening days or a later closing date than KitzSki does. We use KitzSki’s own timetable page, and if it changes, that page wins. If you are still choosing a month, our page on when to go weighs up the whole year.
2026/27 season dates at a glance
KitzSki planned to open on 6 November 2026, to run daily on the main mountains from late November, and to close on 4 April 2027.
| Sector | Opens | Daily from | Closes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resterkogel (Pass Thurn end) | 6 Nov 2026 (training Mon–Fri, public skiing Sat–Sun) | Not stated separately | Part of the full link until 29 Mar 2027 |
| Hahnenkamm–Fleckalm | First ski weekend 21–22 Nov 2026 (subject to snow) | 27 or 28 Nov 2026 | 4 Apr 2027 (season finale with Pengelstein) |
| Kitzbüheler Horn | 28 Nov 2026 | 28 Nov 2026 | 21 Mar 2027 |
| Whole linked area (Hahnenkamm–Pengelstein–3S–Jochberg–Resterhöhe) | 11 Dec 2026 | 11 Dec 2026 | 29 Mar 2027 |
KitzSki marks every one of these dates as planned and subject to change, depending on weather and snow. Check the live lift status before you travel, and the snow report for depths.
Why Kitzbühel opens so early
Stored snow, not a glacier.
KitzSki keeps old snow through the summer under reusable insulating material and spreads it again in autumn. In a 2018 press release it explained that about 20% of the stored snow melts over the summer and that it uses shaded, wind-protected slopes for the snow depots (KitzSki press release, 2018, in German). The Resterkogel, at the southern end of the area, is where that early piste is laid.
On top of that comes snowmaking. KitzSki says it runs more than 1,260 snow generators fed by ten storage lakes (kitzski.at, as of November 2026). That is why the main runs can open in late November even after a dry autumn, and also why natural snow still matters for the lower slopes and the runs back to town.
What early-season skiing is actually like
Expect a few groomed runs, a lot of race training and no skiing back to the village.
The early piste at the Resterkogel exists mainly for alpine racers. On weekdays it is given over to training, and the public skis at weekends. You reach it from the Pass Thurn end, ski the same short runs again and again, and ride back down. The valley runs are closed, so there is no ski home.
That suits keen skiers who want to get their legs back before the season, and racers. It doesn’t suit first-timers, who will be better off waiting for the valley practice lifts and lessons (see learning to ski here), or families who want variety and huts.
Our verdict: a November visit is worth it for a long weekend, not for a week’s holiday. Fly in for two days of turns, combine it with the town, and keep the big trip for January to March.
When the whole area is open
KitzSki plans the full connection from 11 December 2026 to 29 March 2027.
That link runs from the Hahnenkamm across the Fleckalm and Pengelstein, over the 3S cable car to Jochberg and on to the Resterhöhe. Inside those dates you can do the classic day from Kitzbühel to Pass Thurn and back, if the lower runs have snow. The gap between 28 November and 11 December is a middle stage: the Hahnenkamm–Fleckalm core and the Horn run daily, but the southern link is not yet open. If you are thinking about a pre-Christmas trip, our guide to a December trip covers Advent and the markets too.
Early December is the quiet sweet spot if the snow has come. KitzSki’s Pay 3, Ski 4 offer runs in set weeks from 29 November to 18 December 2026, and its specials page lists cheaper weekday deals during the lower price bands (kitzski.at, as of November 2026).
Christmas and New Year are a different trip. The Premium price band starts on 20 December, the slopes and lift queues are at their busiest, and the whole linked area should be running. KitzSki’s snow guarantee covers Premium-season passes bought online by 19 December 2026, with a pro-rata refund for days lost to a lack of snow (kitzski.at, in German). If you are booking a festive week now, that is a reason to buy the pass online early.
Late season: March and April
The Horn closes first, on 21 March 2027 in KitzSki’s plan, followed by the southern link on 29 March. From 30 March to 4 April 2027 the season ends on the Hahnenkamm–Fleckalm–Pengelstein area.
Late March brings longer days and softer snow in the afternoons, and lower prices: KitzSki’s cheapest price band runs again from 30 March to the end of the season. The trade-off is a smaller area in the final week and slushy lower runs on warm days. Ski early in the day and finish high.
Planning an early or late trip
Base yourself near the lift that will actually be running.
For early November, that means the Pass Thurn and Jochberg side, since the Resterkogel is the only part open; staying in the old town adds a bus or drive each way. From late November, the town centre near the Hahnenkammbahn makes sense again. Our guide on which area to stay in covers each base.
Pre-season and late-season days fall in KitzSki’s cheaper price bands. The current figures are on our page of lift pass prices. For the journey, the Munich Airport route is the usual one for international visitors; read the Munich Airport route before booking flights. Shops and ski schools may not run their full service in the first weeks, so if you are renting skis in November, reserve and confirm the pick-up point in advance.
Plan your trip
Where to stay
Compare hotels and apartments in the town centre, near the Hahnenkamm lift or in quieter Reith and Kirchberg.
Ski rental
Reserve skis and boots before you arrive and pick them up near the lift.
Airport transfer
Shared and private transfers from Munich, Salzburg and Innsbruck airports, door to door.
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Before you book
Check the live lift status on kitzski.at the week before you fly, because every date on this page depends on snow. In November, book flexible rooms and flights you can move. If you want the safest bet on a full ski area, book between mid-January and early March instead, and use our full guide to Kitzbühel for the days off the slopes.
