Traveling with ski equipment, like a pro

This depends entirely on the destination, or not? How can we tackle the route? Many winter tourists travel by train, by bus or by car.

Firstly, there is usually enough space for passengers to stow their skis or snowboard on the next available seat. Up to now, I have never heard of having to pay a surcharge for this and also the Austrian federal railway does not advertise an explicit surcharge for this.

Large coaches have a lot of storage in the bottom of the coach, or in the winter season, they even travel with a trailer to transport all the bulky luggage as we also usually do with our own cars too. The boot is usually too small in most vehicles, without having to significantly reduce the number of passenger seats and in this case it is usually wise to invest in extra storage room (for example in the form of a roof box) where you can transport your most beloved skis safely and securely.
 

This then raises the question if it would not just be better to rent skis or a snowboard when you get there, for a very reasonable price (usually between 100 and 180 Euro’s per week). Helmets, protectors and ski boots or snowboard boots can usually be easily transported with the rest of your luggage and by good packing can fit into a rucksack and be put through as hand luggage.

The advantages are plain to see, for one you save the annoying check-in, paying on top and carrying it all around. The other thing is that you can then change your equipment on a daily basis depending upon the snow conditions. A shorter slalom ski to enjoy short turns, a quicker giant slalom ski for those early birds who want to do long sweeping carving turns before anyone else is up on the mountain or the popular powder skis for when it has been snowing overnight and you can see endless options from the lift of where you can go through the deep powder.

Of course, and we are all in the same boat here, your own stuff, is your own stuff and under optimal circumstances, as mentioned before, it can be problem free and inexpensive to transport. However, there is this other option available and for one reason or another might be easier, which if you have the courage, could entice you to change.