Walking in Austria. Kev Reynolds

       Currency The Euro (€) 100 cents = €1. It is safer to carry large amounts of money in the form of travellers’ cheques, or use an internationally accepted credit card such as American Express, Eurocard, Mastercard or Visa which are accepted by most banks, hotels and restaurants. Foreign currency can be changed at official exchange rates at all banks. Bureau de Change kiosks usually charge a handling fee.

       Formalities Holders of a valid UK passport or the national identity card of an EU country do not need a visa to enter Austria. Citizens of Australia, the USA, Canada and New Zealand can stay up to three months without a visa, but require a valid passport.

       Health precautions At the time of writing Austria has no major health concerns for the visitor, but walkers should be aware of an increasing danger of tick bites which can lead to Tick-Borne Encephalitis (TBE) – see box above. In addition avoid too much exposure to the sun, and only take drinking water from approved sources. UK visitors should carry the European Health Insurance (EHI) card which entitles the holder to free or reduced-cost medical treatment in an emergency. Medical insurance cover is essential, even where reciprocal health arrangements exist.

       International dialling codes When calling Austria from the UK, the code is 0043. To dial the UK from Austria, use 0044. When making an international call from a public phone booth, it is preferable to use a phone card (Telefonkarte) available from post offices and tobacconists. The majority of phone booths, however, have coin operated telephones.

       Language German is the national language of Austria. English is understood in most major resorts, but not everywhere. A basic German–English glossary is given in Appendix D.

       Tourist information Holiday Service of the Austrian National Tourist Office (tel [phone]; e-mail [email protected]; website www.austria.info).

       Weather Forecast Recorded regional weather forecasts can be heard on Tel [phone] Online forecasts covering the whole country region by region, can be found at www.wetter.at. Local forecasts can also be found on morning TV channels.

      The path to the Stüdl Hut above the Lucknerhaus, with Grossglockner ahead (Hohe Tauern, Route 98)

1 RÄTIKON ALPS

      Carrying the borders of Liechtenstein and Switzerland southwest of the Montafon valley, this small group of limestone mountains provides an attractive backdrop to a variety of walks. Although several peaks remain the preserve of rock climbers, a few summits such as the 2818m Sulzfluh, and the Rätikon’s highest – the Schesaplana (2965m), attract experienced mountain walkers and scramblers and reward with extensive panoramic views.

      At the northwestern end of the Rätikon group the Gamperdonatal is the first of the tributary valleys to give access to these mountains. Opening at Nenzing it stretches up to the Liechtenstein border, its highest settlement being Nenzinger Himmel at 1370m, from where a variety of trails splay onto and across neighbouring ridges.

      In the Montafon valley, Bludenz is an important transport hub lying mostly on the north bank of the river Ill at 561m. Although it boasts a cable-car to the Muttersberg with commanding views of the Rätikon and Silvretta Alps, the town is really too low to serve as a useful base. But about 12km away to the southwest, and almost 500m higher in the Brandnertal, Brand (1037m) acts as the main base for walkers and climbers at this end of the district. On the southern outskirts of this popular little resort the Zalimtal branches southwest, while the main valley continues southward to the roadhead where a cable-car carries visitors up to the Douglass Hut overlooking the Lünersee. From here a number of excellent walks and scrambles can be made, including the ascent of the Schesaplana.

      Between Bludenz and St Gallenkirch the Montafon valley is largely flanked by wooded slopes, with a string of villages on either side of the river – St Anton im Montafon, Vandans, Tschagguns and Schruns. Cutting into the southern wall of mountains are the Rellstal, Gauertal, Gampadelstal and finally, the Gargellental which effectively forms a division between the Rätikon and Silvretta Alps. Mountain huts grace each of these tributary valleys, and in their upper reaches trails climb to the wonderland of craggy peaks that give the district much of its allure.

      Gargellen, at the end of the Rätikon Höhenweg Nord

      Visitors staying in any Montafon resort are given a Guest Card on arrival. This gives access to a number of services within the district free of charge or at a reduced rate. In addition it could be worth buying a Montafon season ticket (the Sommerkarte) for unlimited use of cable-cars in the Montafon valley, Bludenz and the Brandnertal; or the Montafon-Silvretta Card which allows unlimited use on numerous cable lifts and public transport on 3, 5, 7, 10 or 14 consecutive days, not only in the Montafon district, but also in the neighbouring Paznaun and Samnaun valleys.

      ACCESS AND INFORMATION

Location	In the Vorarlberg, Austria’s westernmost province. The Rätikon group forms the southwest wall of the Montafon valley and spreads across the borders of both Liechtenstein and Switzerland.
Maps	Kompass Wanderkarte 032 Alpenpark Montafon 1:35,000; Freytag & Berndt WK371 Bludenz-Klostertal-Brandnertal-Montafon 1:50,000
Bases	Brand, Schruns, Tschagguns, Gargellen
Information	Vorarlberg Tourismus, Postfach 302, 6901 Bregenz (e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.vorarlberg.travel); Bludenz Tourismus (website: www.bludenz.at); Brand Tourismus, 6708 Brand (e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.brandnertal.at); Montafon Tourismus, 6780 Schruns (e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.montafon.at); Schruns-Tschagguns Tourismus, 6780 Schruns (e-mail: schruns-tschagguns.at; website: www.schruns-tschagguns.at); Gargellen Tourismus, 6787 Gargellen (e-mail: [email protected]; website: www.gargellen.at)
Access	By mainline train to Bludenz and the narrow-gauge Montafonerbahn to Schruns and Tschagguns. There are bus services from Bludenz to Brand and throughout the Montafon valley from Schruns to the Bielerhöhe.

      Main Bases

      Brand (1037m) A small health resort and low-key ski station, the village has more than a dozen hotels and pensionen up to 4-star, plus a number of private rooms and apartments, shops, restaurants, two banks with ATMs and a post office. For information contact Brand Tourismus (tel [phone] [email protected]www.brandnertal.at). There’s a campsite 4km to the north at Bürserberg.

      Schruns (690m) Together with neighbouring Tschagguns across the Ill, Schruns is the main tourist centre in the Montafon valley. With a campsite and no shortage of hotel or apartment accommodation, the resort makes an obvious base, not only for the Rätikon group, but also for the Verwall mountains at the head of the Silbertal which stretches behind it. There are plenty of shops and restaurants, tourist information, banks with ATMs and a post office, while use of the Hochjochbahn cable-car gives access to some high trails east of the village. The tourist office is on Silvrettastrasse (tel [phone] [email protected]www.schruns-tschagguns.at).

      Tschagguns (687m) Lying on the south bank of the Ill, Tschagguns is slightly smaller than its neighbour Schruns, but is close enough to share