Kaprun is located at 757 meters elevation and has a population of about three thousand. It is situated at eighty kilometers away from the Salzburg Airport and Zell am See train station is 8 kilometers away. One can get there by taking the A 8 motorway, coming from the direction of Nürnberg and Munich, towards Salzburg. Taking the exit to "Bad Reichenhall" and driving to Lofer, towards Kaprun. Bus-linked to Zell am See. Kaprun makes up part of the Europe Sport Region, with one hundred and thirty kilometers of pistes, fifty of which are local. Kaprun is a year-round resort, with the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and lots of summer attractions and activities (golf, climbing, fishing, paragliding, cycling, water sports and many more). Kaprun is a typical Austrian village resort, with a decent selection of restaurants and great accommodation. The nightlife here is quieter, but it is still pretty fun and interesting. The skiing in the area is mostly for beginners, intermediates and cross-country and not so much for experts. Kaprun is great and attractive all year round, but for more varied skiing, it is also worth exploring some of the other nearby terrains, such as Saalbach and Schladming.
Kaprun is located in a valley with lots of dams and of course surrounded by many mountains. From the resort you can go up to Kitzsteinhorn – 2 931 meters elevation – although the trip is a bit difficult, including various transportation, the destination is totally worth it. The peak has a great view and can be visited throughout the whole year. Remember to take a map of the area from the tourist office.
There are two ways you can reach Kitzsteinhorn. The first one is by taking a cable car and then the chair lift called Langweidbahn. The second way includes the glacier underground railway to the Restaurant Alpincenter (2 446 meters) and a cable car which will take you all the way up.
Just before the actual peak, you can visit the Panoramatunnel – it is an artificial 305 meters long tunnel which ends with an amazing view of Nationalpark Hohe Tauern. If the weather is clear you will even see Grossglockner – the highest mountain top in Austria (3 764 meters elevation). From Kitzsteinhorn you can go to the Aussichtsrestaurant where eating is accompanied with an astonishing view. Or you can simply take a cable car and go down to visit the glacier.
The Dams
The Kapruner Tal (Valley of Kaprun) is very attractive in the summer due to its dams. The dams are built each one above the other, like balconies and were initially part of the Marshall Plan, finances by the USA. Many scientists come to study them as engineering wanders.
If you are into these things, you can visit the Turbinenhaus, inside the Tauernkraftwerke, which is a hydroelectric plant. In there you can make a change of the atmosphere with the many shafts, tunnels, turbines and bulwarks. There is also a museum with displays of some technical drawings and photos.
The tourist office offers a whole day of touring around the dams, guided by you with provided transportation. It is amazing how the three lakes formed by the dams can hold around nineteen billion gallons of water. You can go to the three lakes Limsbergsperre, Moosersperre and Drossensperre by using a postal bus and a funicular. Visiting the dams is usually permitted from May till October.
Kaprun Accommodation
One of the popular tourist villages and towns in Austria is Kaprun, which is located in the district of Zell am see. With around three thousand residents, the area is a tourist hotspot that hosts many famous tourist sites where people come to visit throughout the year. A famous landmark of the village of Kaprun is the power plant that was built by the prisoners of the Second World War. The prisoners were brought in from Belgium and the construction of the power plant began. There are numerous skiing resorts in the area which are a mere two hours away from the airport of Salzburg.
One of the reasons why the area has gained massive popularity over the years is due to the Kaprun disaster that took place in the year 2000. The disaster took place when a railway train that passes through the Gletscherbahn 2 glacier caught fire. A total of one hundred and fifty five people died in the train, while there were only twelve survivors. There are two major tourist places in the area; one is named Gletscherbahn 1 and Gletscherbahn 2. Gletscherbahn 1 is the tallest cable network in the area in the region that stretches over two thousand meters long. The second tourist attraction is Gletscherbahn 2 which is a railway that stretches around four thousand meters.
So plan your next trip to the area where you can travel with style and take a look at the many tourist attractions that Kaprun has to offer and remember to keep in mind the most feasible accommodation in the region. You should keep in mind that the place that you choose to stay at is near a local town or facility so that you have all the necessities that you desire with great ease. Also keep in mind that instead of saving out on a few bucks, opt for the more comfortable one.
Kaprun Skiing Holidays
Kaprun Transportation
If you travel by train you should go to Zell am See and from there take the 8 kilometers trip to Kaprun by bus. You should be aware that the village of Kaprun and the hamlet of Kaprun Heidnische Kirche are not the same place – the latter is more remote and can be reached with additional transfer. If you are with a car you should take Route 168 from Zell am See to Fürth and then continue on an unclassified road to Kaprun.
Visitor Information
The tourist office is located in the centre of the town and is open the whole day during the week, plus Sunday till noon.
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