Thredbo

Understand

Thredbo is probably the closest thing Australia has to an alpine village. It lies just on the snowline, and has a variety of accommodation, ski lodges, restaurants, and even a heated swimming pool. Accommodation is just a short walk or shuttle bus ride to the ski lifts in the winter, and the town is still alive during the summer months, with bushwalks, mountain biking, and even some snowplay well into summer. By comparison Perisher Valley is a large ski resort, with more lifts and more skiing area during winter. However it is not a summer destination, and all you will see there is a large carpark. There is some accommodation there also, but little alpine village atmosphere.

Getting there

By plane The nearest airport with scheduled services is the Cooma–Snowy Mountains Airport (OOM IATA). From there you can rent a car or get a coach to Thredbo.

By car Thredbo is about 2.5 hours drive from Canberra, and 1 hour from Cooma, and around 6 hours drive from Sydney. The drive from Melbourne is also around 6 hours via the Alpine Way. A nice drive during summer, but can be subject to snow and ice during winter. Check road conditions. National park entry fees apply to vehicles and are payable at entrance stations on roads into the park and other locations. There is also a fee for bus passengers. The fee for a car in winter is $27 per 24 hours. In summer it is $16 per vehicle per day. Drive-through (non-stop) passes for the Alpine Way are free. Chains must be carried during winter, and you must know how to fit them. If chains are required, signs will be placed in the appropriate chain fitting bays, however quite often chains are not required.

By bus Winter timetabled trips:

Greyhound and Flixbus daily from Sydney and Sydney Airport, Canberra and Canberra Airport, and Jindabyne. Murrays daily from Canberra via Jindabyne, Saturdays from Sydney Snow Express Fridays and Sundays from Canberra and Canberra Airport There are several tour companies that offer bus travel as part of a package, including Ski Kaos and Oz Snow Adventures. Many skiers and boarders stay in Jindabyne and travel to Thredbo as a day trip. Services timed for day trips include:

Snow Link Shuttle The NSW Trainlink coach services now service Jindabyne all year round. During summer, the final part of the trip to Thredbo is still difficult by public transport. A taxi is a possible, but expensive, option.

Getting around

Thredbo adopts a half-assed "car lite" model that's in many ways the worst of both worlds: cars are allowed, but parking is next to impossible even in the summer and explicitly prohibited overnight (with limited exceptions if your accommodation has its own parking; most don't). The expectation is that you'll leave your car at the free giant parking lots at Friday Flat, and either walk the 15 min on foot or catch a shuttle bus. The village itself is walkable, but the village is on a steep hill, most streets do not have dedicated footpaths, and roads may be icy. However, traffic moves very slowly and it is quite common for people to walk to and from the village and their accommodation. In summer, mountain bikes are everywhere, so keep an eye out. Free shuttle buses run around the village on about 15 minute intervals in winter. There are three routes:

Route 1 (Red): minibuses that run along Crackenback Drive, Diggings Terrace (without stops), and Bobuck Lane, then Friday Drive to and from Valley Terminal and Friday Flat only Route 2 (Green): minibuses that run along Diggings Terrace and Banjo Drive, return along the same route, then Friday Drive to and from Valley Terminal and Friday Flat only Route 3 (Orange): large buses that run between Valley Terminal and Friday Flat with intermediate stops at accommodation on Friday Drive. The Green and Red routes are designed for visitors staying in accommodation higher in the village. Maps for all three routes can be found at https://www.thredbo.com.au/the-village/road-transport/

See

1 Thredbo Community Bell. The highest bell in Australia at around 2,037 m (6,683 ft) in elevation. (updated Jul 2021)

Do

Winter

Resort riding

The entire resort is open to both skiers and snowboarders. In 2021, single day lift passes are priced as follows:

Multi-day and early booking discounts are available, particularly in shoulder periods (12–25 Jun, 13 Sep–4 Oct). Full pricing is here. Due to reduced demand for COVID-safety purposes, lift passes should be booked well in advance of travel. Multi-day passes do not include any rest days (ie, there is no "4 days in 6" pass as in years up to 2019). There are two points at the bottom of the mountain where chairlifts depart. Valley Terminal is the departure point for lifts to most of the intermediate and advanced terrain. Friday Flat is the beginner area but is also a departure point for intermediate and advanced runs in the north east of the resort. Rental gear and lift passes are available at both Valley Terminal and Friday Flat. Major skiing and snowboarding areas of the resort are:

Friday Flat: the introductory area. Friday Flat includes a magic carpet area (Syd's Snowrunner) for first day learners, and a 4-person chairlift to a larger beginners area as beginners progress. It is also the meeting point for all group lessons at any level, and the departure point of the Gunbarrel chairlift. Merritts Mountain / Cruiser: a top of the resort area above Friday Flat. It features shorter (1–2km) harder beginner and easier intermediate runs together with a few advanced runs. It is accessed from Friday Flat on the 4-person detachable Gunbarrel chairlift or Valley Terminal on the slow 2-person Merritts chairlift. Merritts is where beginners progress in lessons following Friday Flat. Since descending from Merritts back to Friday Flat is only possible on more difficult intermediate and advanced runs such as High Noon, Dream Run and The Schuss. Thus, downloading (riding down) both the Gunbarrel and Merritts chairlifts is allowed. Central Spur: intermediate and advanced runs on the top half of the resort in between the Cruiser area and Cracken

Buy

Thredbo FoodWorks, Thredbo Village Square, ☏ +61 2 6457 6888. M-Sa 8AM-5:30PM, Su 8AM- 3:30PM. Small supermarket with basic supplies, including meat and fresh fruit and vegetables.

Eat

Candlelight Lodge (32 Diggings Terrace), ☏ +61 2 6457 6318. (updated Aug 2016) 1 Cascades Restaurant, Friday Dr, ☏ +61 2 6459 4200. Fine dining with your choice of two/three courses for $69/79. (updated Mar 2024) Central Road 2625, 4/17 Friday Dr, ☏ +61 2 6457 7271. (updated Aug 2016) 2 Eagles Nest, ☏ +61 2 6459 4200, [email protected]. 9:30AM-3PM Daily. Located at the top station of the Kosziusko Chairlift, this is the highest restaurant in Australia at 1937m in altitude. Alas, it's an unattractive gray corrugated steel shed (although the panoramic windows help a bit) and most of the food comes from a microwave. (updated Mar 2024)

Drink & nightlife

Bullwheel Bar & Bistro (inside Eagles Nest), ☏ +61 2 6459 4200, [email protected]. At the top of the Koscius