Last updated on August 1st, 2022 at 12:06 pm
Lech is best-known as a ski resort in western Austria’s Arlberg region – a high mountain hideaway for the wealthy and well-connected.
But the village is not just a place for visitors to be seen – the access to the winter playground of the Ski Arlberg ski area attracts more serious skiers and boarders.
And, in the summer months, the surrounding mountains are a magnet for hikers and mountain bikers, while the village is the starting point for the long-distance walking trail following the river down the lovely Lech valley.
Winter in Lech am Vorarlberg
As part of the Ski Arlberg lift pass, Lech enjoys lift access to St Anton am Arlberg across the border in the province of the Tyrol.
Along with the villages of Zürs, Stuben, St Christoph, Warth and Schröcken, the Arlberg has long been a renowned Austrian ski area but the lift connection between the Tyrolean side and the neighbouring resort of Zürs has meant that skiers no longer have to take a ski bus to sample all that is on offer.
Although skiing is definitely the most popular sport, there are quite a few winter walking trails on offer around the village and connecting to Zug and Zürs, although the cross-country skiing possibilities are surprisingly limited.
Summer in Lech am Arlberg
Lech offers some stunning mountain hikes for keen walkers. The Green Ring, for example, is similar in concept to the winter ‘White Ring’ but made up of hikes between Lech and Zürs.
Or those looking for something a little more ambitious may like to try the 125km Lechweg which starts at Lake Formarin above Lech and finishes down at the German border near Füssen.
A hike with a difference is to the Skyspace Lech – a light art installation in the mountains which offers unique panoramas of the mountains and the sky above them.
Don’t miss
Don’t miss:
- the Weisse Ring. The White Ring, a ski circuit taking in the mountains above Lech, Zürs and Zug.
- winter or summer walking routes around the hamlet of Zug, situated in a relatively isolated side valley.
- hiking the Lech valley all the way to Reutte and over the border to Neuschwanstein castle
Travel to Lech am Arlberg
Public transport to within half an hour of Lech is not that bad but a car is definitely the best option, especially if you are approaching from the Ausserfern region of the Tyrol or through the Bregenzerwald. (Note these are both summer routes as the road to Lech is close in the winter months.)
Nearest Airport to Lech am Arlberg
Bodensee Airport on Lake Constance is probably the most convenient airport. This airport at Friedrichshafen just over the border in Germany is popular with low-cost airlines and thus the destinations offered can vary wildly from year to year. The most convenient main airports would either be Zürich to the west or Innsbruck to the east.
Nearest Train Stations to Lech am Arlberg
The most convenient main line railway stations are at St Anton am Arlberg or Langen am Arlberg (on either side of the Arlberg Pass).
There are bus services and taxis available for the journey up and over the Flexen Pass and down to Lech (under 20km).
Best Accommodation Bases
Lech is not the only possibility when it comes to the part of the Arlberg region that is in the Vorarlberg…
Lech am Arlberg
But Lech is still the main attraction in winter, with its comfortable family-run luxury hotel accommodation, the ski-in ski-out hamlet of Oberlech above the town and a good selection of self-catering options.
Check Prices and Accommodation Availability in Lech am Arlberg
Zürs am Arlberg
Just down the road towards the Flexen Pass and the Tyrol, Zürs is a much smaller settlement with some larger luxury hotels and closer winter connections towards Stuben and St Christoph.
Check Accommodation Availability and Price in Zürs am Arlberg
Warth am Arlberg
In the winter, Lech can only be reached from Warth by mountain lift as the road is closed during the months of heavy snow. In the summertime, Warth is a great option with good access to the Lechweg walking trail and to the attractions of the nearby Bregenzerwald.
Check Prices and Accommodation Availability in Warth am Arlberg
Lech am Arlberg Accommodation Map
To check accommodation availability, enter the dates of any proposed stay and use the ‘+’ and ‘-‘ signs on the map below to scroll in to see more accommodation or out to see further accommodation in the Lech am Arlberg area. Click on the prices for more information about the accommodation.
Booking.comOther Useful Websites
- Lech am Arlberg tourist office: www.lechzuers.com
- Official Lechweg site: www.lechweg.com (German only)
- Austrian railways: www.oebb.at
- Bodensee (Friedrichshafen) airport: www.bodensee-airport.eu
- Innsbruck airport: www.innsbruck-airport.com
- Zürich airport: www.zurich-airport.com
