The IAEA Ski Club is a non-profit organization run by volunteer staff members for VIC grounds pass holders and their families.

The Club arranges downhill skiing trips for its members and, where space allows, their guests throughout the ski season. If you are new to the VIC, Vienna, Austria or skiing, the IAEA Ski Club is a fantastic and friendly introduction to all four. It is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people, see and breathe Austria’s beautiful alpine landscape and, of course, learn to ski.

Most trips are over a two-day weekends leaving on Friday at 17:00, however, two three-day trips leave on Thursday at 17:00. There is also a weeklong adventure further afield in St Anton. Two-day trips cost €250–€290 and three-day trips €500–€520. Both include:

• Round trip on a non-smoking bus
• Half-board in shared double occupancy rooms
• Professional downhill instruction at all levels

Not included are lift passes, but a group purchase (at a discount) is arranged on the bus. Passes usually cost €50–€65 per day.

Children sharing a room with their parents normally receive a discount of about 20%.

Advice for Beginners

The Club is a great place to learn to ski from scratch with excellent classes from qualified instructors and all the logistics taken care of. Inevitably, some trips and areas are better than others for absolute beginners, namely: Schladming and Hinterstoder.

Coming on those trips early in the season should give you the grounding and confidence to enjoy any of the others.

If you feel you need extra classes or practice, try going to the Zauberberg (Semmering) or Stuhleck ski areas and taking a class or two there. Both are about an hour away from Vienna. Semmering can be reached by train.

See the Equipment page for advice on renting gear.

Club Finances

The IAEA Ski Club tries to offer the best value and lowest price it can on its ski trips. When prices are set, however, it is difficult to account for member interest due to many factors beyond the Club's control, such as snow conditions. Consequently, expenses exceed costs for some trips and not for others. Good skiing conditions in recent years have resulted in surplus revenue. Because of the unpredictable nature of trip attendance, we maintain an account balance to insure against potential losses in lean years.

As a non-profit organization, the Club does not keep funds beyond this purpose. Funds accrued beyond that level are returned to members through extra instructors on trips or social events, or are donated to charities selected by the Club's Executive Committee.