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West of St Johann im Pongau, a main road and rail route splits off to head south up the Gasteinertal , before tunnelling under the Hohe Tauern mountains into Carinthia. Popular with skiers and a paradise for hikers, the Gasteinertal was developed as a centre for tourism early in the nineteenth century, when the hot springs of Badgastein attracted an influx of wealthy Central Europeans eager to take the cure. Still the valley's main centre, Badgastein remains one of Austria's most eccentric resorts, a stately cluster of nineteenth-century hotels catering to a strange mixture of mountain-bound outdoors enthusiasts and spa patients. Lower down the valley, the spa town of Bad Hofgastein has a more modern feel, while spa-free Dorfgastein is small, tranquil and rural by comparison. All three provide access to the surrounding mountains, although Badgastein and its two satellites, Bockstein and Sportgastein , nestling beneath the eastern spur of the Hohe Tauern, stand closest to the really spectacular alpine terrain. At the entrance to the valley, the cave at Klammstein makes for an interesting stop-off. As far as winter sports are concerned, the slopes in the Gasteinertal offer a wider range of possibilities than anywhere else in the Salzburger Land save for Zell am See-Kaprun. There's a variety of pistes suitable for beginners and intermediates above Dorfgastein, Bad Hofgastein, Badgastein and in the Angertal (a side-valley located between Bad Hofgastein and Badgastein), many of which are connected to each other by the chairlift network. There's enough to keep experienced skiers happy here too: Sportgastein offers off-piste skiing, and there are several black runs on the Graukogel just above Badgastein. Snowboarders are well catered for with half-pipes at Sportgastein, Badgastein and Dorfgastein, and there are snowboarding schools at all the valley's main centres. In addition, there are numerous cross-country skiing routes along the whole of the valley, notably around Hofgastein. The Gastein Super Ski pass (oS830/?60.59 for 2 days; oS2050/?149.65 for 6 days; oS3690/?269.37 for 13 days; other durations available) covers all lifts and buses in the Gasteinertal and is available from all lift stations. Although the main Carinthia-bound rail line runs up the Gasteinertal, leaving the main Salzach Valley route at Schwarzach-St Veit, most express trains only stop at Badgastein itself, and buses present the best way of getting around once you're here.
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