The ski destinations you can reach by train from Germany

The start of this year has proven to be a cold one in Germany, and a series of winter storms have blanketed large parts of the country in snow multiple times over in recent weeks.

All that cold weather can be nightmare for drivers on icy roads, and even for people walking around the city on frozen sidewalks. 

But sometimes one man's bad weather is another man's bliss, and for skiers and snowboarders in Germany the exceptionally cold winter we're having is a gift.

Consider this your sign to take a break from the daily grind, and go get some runs in while the powder is still fresh.

Need further inspiration? Here's a few car-free ski destinations that you can take a train to from Germany, because nothing beats a car-free vacation for shaking off the daily routine. And also because the wise for the skier knows reducing climate impacts are important -- to save the shred.

EXPLAINED: How to plan a budget skiing holiday in Germany

Austria

With a number of ski towns that are just a few hours from Munich by train, and plenty of slopes above 2,000 metres, Austria is the ideal ski destination for day trips or weekend getaways. 

For travellers looking to stay in bigger cities, both Salzburg and Innsbruck have a number of ski resorts nearby. Some of them offer their own ski shuttles directly to and from the cities, whereas others can be reached on local buses and trains — which can be reserved via the ÖBB website.

But for those looking to stay closer to the slopes, there are plenty of places where you can arrange to sleep right at the base of a ski gondola.

Austria's Gastein Valley, for example, is home to a number of small villages, each at the bottom of one of the local ski areas. As an added bonus, the region also has thermal baths like the Alpentherme Spa in Bad Hofgastein, which offers the best way to relax sore muscles after a long day of skiing. 

The trip to Gastein Valley takes three and a half hours from Munich. Catch a train to Salzburg and then transfer to another train toward Klagenfurt. 

READ ALSO: How learning to ski helped me shake off my German winter blues

Slovenia

As opposed to its neighbour to the north, Slovenia isn't quite as big of an international ski destination, making it ideal for skiers looking to step off the beaten path. 

Coming from Germany, Slovenia takes a bit longer to get to, but in turn travellers are rewarded with friendly locals, beautiful mountain villages and alpine lakes, and stellar ski slopes. Also, lift tickets and accommodation are a bit cheaper here compared to Austria or Germany.

Slovenia's best skiing is located in the Julian Alps, which are a couple hours north and west of the capital city of Ljubljana.

Vogel is among Slovenia's better-known ski resorts, and it offers a free ski shuttle from the nearby villages, which makes it easily accessible without a car. The nearby village of Bohinj, named for the nearby lake, has plenty of places to stay as well as local restaurants and shops.

Other ski resorts are accessible from Lake Bled, which is an equally popular destination for swimming and trekking in the spring and summer months as well.

From Munich, catch a train to Salzburg and then transfer to a train toward Klagenfurt or Zagreb. There are buses from either Villach or Lesce-Bled that can take you to Bohinj in about an hour. The journey from Munich takes eight to ten hours in total.

Italy

Italy is generally associated with summer trips to lakes or the coast, but the tall and jagged Italian Alps in the country's northern region also make for great skiing.

Val di Sole, a popular valley to see in the Dolomite Mountains, has an electric train that runs directly from Trento to a number of ski resorts. This makes car-free travel a cinch — just be sure to book accommodation that's walkable from any of the stops on the Dolomite Express line.

Several daily direct trains connect Munich to Trento. The journey takes four and half hours. 

READ ALSO: From experts-only to family-friendly - 12 of the best Italian ski resorts

The Western Alps

For Americans, or others coming from far away, plan a European ski holiday, France and Switzerland are top of mind for most. Boasting some of the highest peaks in mainland Europe, as well as some of the largest ski resorts by area, you can't go wrong with a ski trip to either of these countries. 

Compared with the other destinations listed here, both France and Switzerland are a bit more expensive. But those that visit tend to say it's worth it.

Both France and Switzerland have a large number of train accessible ski resorts to choose from, and many more that can be reached with a connecting bus. This includes some of Switzerland's most famous resorts like Zermatt, Grindelwald or Saas-Fee.

It's also worth noting that online guides for planning your ski trip by train are easy to find for both countries. Such as this guide for navigating Swiss trains to various ski resorts, or this one for nine ski resorts in France and this one which helps one navigate the French trains.

READ ALSO: Are there any affordable ski resorts in Switzerland?

Germany

If you can't take too much time away, or would rather cut down on travel time, you don't have to leave Germany to go skiing. Domestic ski resorts can make for a great day or weekend trip. 

Most German states have some smaller ski hills that are a great place for beginners to learn the sport, or for locals to get a few quick runs in. But Germany's bigger ski resorts are clustered in the Southern regions.

The most famous resorts are Oberstdorf and Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the Bavarian Alps. These are some of the highest ski slopes Germany has to offer. In fact, here you can ski on The Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain peak. From Munich, the Garmisch-Partenkirchen station is about an hour and half. From Berlin the trip would be six hours.

On the west side of Germany, Winterberg or Willingen are among the closest options from Cologne. Or Feldberg, in the Black Forest, offers a relatively extensive 50 km of slopes. The trip to Feldberg from Cologne takes four and half hours with an ICE train. 

One advantage of staying local for budget travellers is avoiding extra transport costs by using the Deutschlandticket to reach these and other resorts in Germany on regional trains. 

READ ALSO: The little known ski resort rated best in Germany for reliable snow cover