Skiing with kids near Schladming: Rittisberg, Fageralm, and Galsterberg
Are you planning Schladming with kids this winter? If you’re heading to the Schladming Dachstein region with smaller children, you don’t automatically have to head to the large interconnected area of Planai, Hochwurzen, Hauser Kaibling, and Reiteralm, which I wrote about in my last post.
For a first skiing holiday, the smaller family resorts of Rittisberg, Fageralm, and Galsterberg can be much more pleasant, as they’re easier to navigate and kids don’t have to handle long transfers between individual mountains right away.

Schladming with Kids
When choosing a resort, it mainly depends on your child’s skiing experience. For those very first turns, I recommend choosing Rittisberg. Fageralm is a great family resort for kids who can already handle blue and easier red runs independently, and the Galsterberg ski area offers the most fun combination of classic skiing, themed runs, and tobogganing.
TOP 10 ACCOMMODATION IN SCHLADMING
| Resort | Slopes | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Rittisberg | 20 km | first-time skiing and younger kids |
| Fageralm | approx. 15 km | kids who already ski confidently |
| Galsterberg | approx. 15 km | families looking for more fun elements |
Schladming with kids – where to stay?
Find accommodation in Schladming using the map:
Hotel Lindenhof in Ramsau am Dachstein
For a family that wants high-quality wellness after skiing, we recommend Hotel Lindenhof, a four-star superior hotel in Ramsau am Dachstein.
There is a wellness area with saunas and a pool, and the hotel offers transport to the Ski amadé ski areas. It’s not a classic ski-in/ski-out accommodation right at Rittisberg, but it’s a good choice for families who want to combine Rittisberg with other nearby areas during the week.
Apartments and traditional hotels in Ramsau am Dachstein
If your priority is the shortest possible trip to the slopes, I recommend looking at accommodation in Ramsau am Dachstein. Several accommodations are located at the foot of Rittisberg and are especially suitable for families who want to stay in a snowy natural landscape rather than in the center of Schladming.
Landhaus Ramsau 4*
- Highly rated accommodation in rooms and larger apartments
- About 200 meters from the cable car and ski school
- Beautiful wellness and excellent breakfast
Rittisberg: in my opinion, the best ski area for beginners and Schladming with kids
Rittisberg is located in Ramsau am Dachstein, and families are truly the main target group here. The area has 11 km of blue, 8 km of red, and 1 km of black runs. There is a combined six-seater chairlift with a ten-person cabin, several smaller lifts, magic carpets, and children’s lifts.
The most important thing, however, is the extensive children’s world. Rittisberg presents itself as the largest children’s ski world in Styria and offers several themed runs and attractions, such as a fairytale trail and other playful elements scattered throughout the area.
For absolute beginners, there are practice areas with magic carpets. Children can start lessons from approximately three years old, and there are two ski schools operating in the area. The advantage is services aimed directly at families, whether it’s equipment rental, facilities for children, or the program during lessons.
Recommendation:
- I would choose Rittisberg primarily if parents want to stay in the same part of the resort during lessons and not deal with complicated transfers.
- There is a large parking lot at the base station, and for skiers using the cable car, parking is practically right at the entrance.
Day ski pass in the 2026/27 high season:
- Costs €58.50 for an adult, €44 for youth, and €29.50 for a child. A cheaper MiniCard is also available for the little ones.
After skiing, you can stay at Rittisberg. In winter, there is also evening tobogganing on selected days, and around Ramsau, you’ll find groomed cross-country trails, which I’ve already written about many times on Dovolenkarka.

Rittisberg ski area map
Official Rittisberg ski panorama
Fageralm: quieter family skiing on natural snow
Fageralm in the Forstau area feels quieter compared to the large Schladming. It offers approximately 15 kilometers of slopes, and thanks to the open mountain terrain, you ski with a beautiful panorama of the surrounding mountains.
Roughly 8 kilometers of runs are blue and 7 kilometers are red slopes. Therefore, I recommend the area mainly to families whose children already know how to brake, turn, and ride a chairlift or gondola independently.
There are themed trails and playful runs prepared for children, so Fageralm isn’t just a scaled-down version of a classic ski resort. Natural snow still plays a big role here, and the atmosphere is significantly quieter than on the busiest runs in Planai. Refreshments in the ski area are provided by mountain huts directly on the slopes, so there’s no need to drive back down to the valley during the ski day.
New for Schladming with kids at Fageralm
- A significant change is the new Fageralmbahn gondola, which opened for the 2025/26 season.
- From a family perspective, this is the most important recent improvement to the area, as boarding is more comfortable, especially with small children.
- You can park at the base station, eliminating the need for complicated transport of ski equipment.

Fageralm ski area map
Official Fageralm ski panorama
Galsterberg: children’s world, funslope, and tobogganing
Galsterberg lies above Pruggern and, in my opinion, is the most interesting of these three for a family where the kids already ski but still need more fun motivation than just classic downhill runs.

Schladming with kids
The area offers about 15 kilometers of runs, a blue family slope, several funruns, and the Galstiland children’s world. The offer also includes an approximately five-kilometer toboggan run.
For the little ones, there’s a gentle practice area with a magic carpet and themed elements. A ski school operates directly in the area, so there’s no need to take children elsewhere for lessons. I also recommend Galsterberg if you want to alternate skiing with other activities. This season, evening tobogganing is planned for Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM, depending on snow conditions from late December to mid-March.
Galsterberg ski pass:
- A one-day ski pass for an adult costs €74 at the ticket office in high season; the online price ranges between approximately €63 and €74 depending on the date.
You can reach the base station by car from the B320 via Pruggern and then along the road towards Pruggererberg. Parking is right at the lower part of the area.

Galsterberg ski area map
Official Galsterberg ski panorama
You might also be interested in:
- Skiing in Zell am See: Schmittenhöhe, ski pass, and accommodation tips
- Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, Kaprun: head to the mountains and wellness in winter
- Altaussee in winter: the lake’s winter atmosphere and tips for nearby ski areas
- Riesneralm and Planneralm: 2 quieter ski areas near Schladming
- Winter trip to Tauplitzalm: Go with or without skis
Schladming with kids: Where to go based on experience?
For a very first skiing trip, I would choose Rittisberg. The practice areas are clear, the children’s zones are extensive, and parents don’t have to worry about ending up on a transfer that’s too difficult for the child.
Fageralm I recommend as roughly the next step. The child should already safely master a blue run and ideally handle an easy red one. The reward is a quieter environment and beautiful mountain panoramas.
Galsterberg I would choose for kids who already handle regular slopes without problems and will appreciate the funruns, themed zone, and the possibility of evening tobogganing.
If the kids ski very well, you can of course also head to the main four-mountain area. Planai offers Hopsi Winterkinderland, there’s Wolli Kids Park on Hauser Kaibling, and you’ll also find practice areas on Hochwurzen and Reiteralm. I describe the individual mountains in more detail in the article Skiing in Schladming: Planai, Hochwurzen, Hauser Kaibling, and Reiteralm.
Schladming with kids – ski passes for families
For families, it’s good to know that children born in 2021 and later ski for free in the 2026/27 season in the main 4-Berge-Skischaukel area, at Galsterberg, and Fageralm under the operator’s conditions. Rittisberg has its own price list and offers a discounted MiniCard for small children.
News for winter 2026/27
As of October 8, 2026, no new cable car comparable to the Fageralmbahn opened before the 2025/26 season has been announced for the three family areas. However, Rittisberg is already publishing part of the program for the new winter, including family events and ski festivals.
If you’re planning Schladming with kids, in my opinion, it’s not necessary to automatically buy the largest ski pass and cover dozens of kilometers every day. Always be guided by the child’s skiing experience and age. Rittisberg will often be more pleasant with a preschooler, Fageralm with a more confident school-age skier, and Galsterberg with kids who want fun in addition to the slopes.
I wish you a wonderful winter holiday and maybe we’ll meet somewhere on the slopes, as Schladming Dachstein is one of our favorite areas.

