Ski hire in Kaprun and Zell am See means renting ski equipment (skis or a snowboard, plus ski boots, ski poles and a helmet if you need them) from a rental shop in one of the two towns below the Kitzsteinhorn glacier and the Schmittenhöhe. Last season, our customers paid a median of €133 for six days of intermediate skis and boots here, and €28 for a single day.
Kaprun and Zell am See are a short bus ride apart in the Austrian state of Salzburg and share one ski region, Zell am See-Kaprun, so we cover them together in this guide. Our partner shops in the two towns handled more than 6,000 bookings on alpy.com last winter. We used those bookings to work out what ski hire really costs here, where the shops are, and how families and groups pay less.
The short version: prices here sit exactly on the Austrian average, the step up to a better ski costs very little, and some of the local partner shops let young children ski free with their parents.
Ski hire Kaprun prices: how much does it cost?
Here’s what customers paid last season, per person, for skis with boots. The figures combine bookings at our partner shops in both towns, so they work just as well as a guide to ski hire Zell am See prices. Our rental grades run from Blue/Bronze (beginner) to Platinum (expert).
| Skis and boots | 1 day | 3 days | 6 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red/Silver (intermediate) | €28 | €84 | €133 |
| Black/Gold (good skier) | €31 | €93 | €136 |
| Platinum (expert) | – | €99 | – |
Median price paid per person on alpy.com at partner shops in Kaprun and Zell am See last season. Includes the booking service fee, excludes optional protection and helmets. “–” means too few bookings to report.
Two things stand out. First, the week is the better deal: six single days of intermediate skis and boots would add up to €168, against €133 for a six-day package, about 21% less per day. Second, €133 is exactly the median for the same package across all Austrian resorts on alpy.com. So even with a glacier on the doorstep, ski hire in Kaprun costs no more than the national average.
For the bigger picture across Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland, see our ski hire price guide.
Where are the ski rental shops in Kaprun and Zell am See?
alpy.com has partner shops in Kaprun, Zell am See and the surrounding area. You can browse all of them, compare their benefits, prices and availability, and book online on alpy.com.
Which skis suit Kaprun and Zell am See?
The two towns give you two very different mountains. Above Kaprun, the Kitzsteinhorn glacier rises to 3,029 m. Together with the Maiskogel, Kaprun’s family mountain, it offers around 60 km of pistes, plus freeride terrain and several snow parks. Above Zell am See, the Schmittenhöhe has around 77 km of pistes up to roughly 2,000 m, with views down to the lake. The Ski ALPIN CARD covers both mountains as well as the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn.
Snow conditions on the glacier are often firm and fast in the morning, and the long runs on the Kitzsteinhorn reward a ski that holds an edge. The good news is that the step up costs very little here. Last season, Black/Gold skis with boots cost €136 for six days, just €3 more than Red/Silver. For confident intermediates planning glacier days, it’s an easy upgrade. Match the grade to your skill level on firm snow, not on your best powder day. Our guide to what each ski rental grade really means explains the differences in plain terms.
Beginners and families should start on a soft Blue/Bronze or Red/Silver ski. The Maiskogel and the gentler slopes on the Schmittenhöhe are good places to find your feet, and there’s no need to pay for more ski than you can use. Expert skiers who want a Platinum ski for the glacier and freeride terrain paid a median of €99 for three days with boots.
How much does snowboard rental cost in Kaprun and Zell am See?
Snowboard rental costs a little more than ski hire here, but not much. A mid-range (Red/Silver) snowboard with boots cost a median of €34 for one day, €89 for three days and €141 for six days last season. That’s €8 more than intermediate skis and boots for a full week.
Around 13% of our bookings in Kaprun and Zell am See included a snowboard. Riders have plenty to work with: the Kitzsteinhorn has several snow parks and freeride terrain, and the local partner shops rent boards as well as skis.
What else adds to the cost?
A few extras come up at the counter. Here’s what they cost and how often our Kaprun and Zell am See customers chose them:
- A helmet. The most important piece of safety kit on the mountain. Around 26% of bookings here included a rental helmet. If you don’t have one with you, renting one for the week is the simple answer.
- ALPINGUARANTY (breakage and theft waiver): 15% of the rental price, so around €20 on a €133 week. About 38% of our customers here added it. It covers skis, boards, boots, helmets and poles.
- ALPINSAFETY (personal injury and rescue cover): €1.35 per person per day.
- ALPINFLEXI (cancellation protection): 5% of the rental price. Every booking already includes free cancellation until the day before.
How to pay less for ski hire in Kaprun and Zell am See
- Look out for free child offers. When we last checked, some partner shops in Kaprun and Zell am See offered free rental for up to two children up to age 10 when two adults rent. Conditions differ from shop to shop, so check the benefits when you compare.
- Book the whole week. A six-day package cost about 21% less per day than renting day by day. The median rental here was five days, and 41% of customers booked six days or more.
- Book online, and don’t leave it to the last minute. Our median customer booked seven days before collecting their equipment, and 27% booked within two days. Last-minute booking works, but booking a week or two ahead gives you the widest choice of sizes, grades and availability.
Alpy Tip: The Kitzsteinhorn glacier opens in autumn, long before the winter season starts in the valley. If you’re planning an early-season trip, check our Austria ski resort opening dates for 2026/27 before you book.
FAQ
How much does ski hire cost in Kaprun?
Last season, intermediate skis and boots in Kaprun and Zell am See cost a median of €28 for one day, €84 for three days and €133 for six days, based on alpy.com bookings. Black/Gold skis and boots cost €136 for six days, only €3 more, which makes the upgrade easy to justify on the glacier.
Can kids rent skis for free in Kaprun and Zell am See?
At some shops, yes. When we last checked, some partner shops in Kaprun and Zell am See offered free rental for up to two children up to age 10 when two adults rent. Conditions differ from shop to shop, so check the benefits when you compare.
Where can I rent skis in Kaprun and Zell am See?
alpy.com has partner shops in Kaprun, Zell am See and the surrounding area. You can compare them all, with their benefits, prices and availability, on alpy.com.
How much does snowboard hire cost in Kaprun?
A mid-range snowboard with boots cost a median of €34 for one day, €89 for three days and €141 for six days in Kaprun and Zell am See last season. That’s only slightly more than intermediate ski hire, and around 13% of local bookings included a snowboard.
Is ski hire in Kaprun more expensive than elsewhere in Austria?
No. Six days of intermediate skis and boots cost a median of €133 in Kaprun and Zell am See, exactly the same as the median across all Austrian resorts on alpy.com last season. With a glacier on the doorstep and free child offers at some local partner shops, that’s good value.
Kaprun and Zell am See make ski hire straightforward. Prices sit right on the Austrian average, a six-day package saves about a fifth per day, and upgrading to a Black/Gold ski for the glacier costs next to nothing. If you have children under 10, compare the child benefits of the partner shops on alpy.com. Just remember that your ski pass is booked separately, as rental shops only rent equipment.
Ready to sort your ski or snowboard hire in Kaprun and Zell am See? Compare Kaprun and Zell am See partner shops and book your ski or snowboard rental now → Save up to 65% compared to walk-in resort prices, with free cancellation until the day before. Over 12,000 customers have rated alpy.com 4.7 stars on Trustpilot.
