Best Dog-Friendly Hotels in Arlberg and Vorarlberg

Before you go

What happens when you get there

Muzzle on buses and lifts

Pack a muzzle that fits. On VMOBIL buses and trains in Vorarlberg dogs travel free on a lead with a bite-proof muzzle, and dogs in a closed carrier need neither. On the Tyrolean side, which covers St. Anton and St. Christoph, VVT needs a lead and muzzle and carries dogs free. The Lech Zürs Ortsbus and cable cars take dogs with a muzzle.

Montafon buses and lifts

The Montafon Landbus lines have been free for dogs since 1 June 2026, and the trains charge 10% of the full fare, minimum EUR 2. Dogs ride the Montafon cable cars free. Muzzles are recommended everywhere and compulsory on the Golm, Silvretta and Lünersee lifts.

Dogs at dinner

The half-board dining room is almost always dog-free, and hotel terraces are the easiest place to eat together. Goldener Berg, Post Lech, Arlberghaus, Walserberg, Warther Hof, Stäfeli and AMRAI Suites all have a Stube, lounge or grill where the dog can sit with you. In village restaurants dogs are welcome on terraces, inside varies, so ask first.

Lead rules

Dogs are on a lead in the Lech and Zürs village centres, with more freedom on the trails if they're under control, and Robidog bag dispensers along the paths are free. In the Montafon the lead is compulsory at bus stops, on buses and trains, in public buildings, at playgrounds, on cycle paths and cross-country trails, and on paths through farmland. Dogs aren't allowed in cemeteries or school and kindergarten playgrounds, and Montafon Tourismus asks visitors to read up on grazing cattle before hiking.

Seasonal closures

Post Lech's summer season runs from late June to late September and its winter season opens in early December, and many Lech, Zürs and Warth hotels follow the same pattern. The Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse and the Lech to Warth road are seasonal, so check they're open before planning a route.

Cold and snow

Lech sits around 1,450 metres and Zürs higher, so summer heat is rarely the problem. Cold and snow are. The tourist board recommends boots and a coat for short-coated dogs.

Vets

Lech has no vet of its own, and the nearest is about half an hour away. In the Montafon, Tierarzt Dr. Sonja and Bernhard Kieber are at Silvrettastrasse 16, Schruns (+43 5556 77877) and the Tierärzteteam at Pulverturmstrasse 6, Bludenz (+43 5552 68899). Neither is listed as a 24-hour service, so ask your hotel for the out-of-hours number when you arrive.

Getting there

Zurich is the main gateway for Lech, Zürs, the Bregenzerwald and the Montafon, about two to two and a half hours by road, and Innsbruck is closest for St. Anton, flown from the UK and Ireland mostly in the ski season. St. Anton and Langen am Arlberg (bus on to Lech, Zürs and Stuben) are on the ÖBB Arlberg line, and Schruns is at the end of the Montafonerbahn from Bludenz. Dogs need an EU pet passport with a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old, or the current UK equivalent documents.

Best walks

Lech Zürs has 350 km of signed summer trails, including the Lechweg long-distance trail, which runs down the valley from Warth and through Lech, and the Arlberg Trail. From Zürs there's a 2 km loop to the Flexenpass, a 1 km loop through the village, the 4 km walk down to Lech and the Zürsersee. From Zug the Stierlochjoch route climbs to the Spullersee, and the Rüfikopf cable car (muzzle on) takes you to over 2,300 metres. Oberlech is car-free in winter, with walking trails across the plateau. In the Montafon the valley walks follow the Ill between Schruns, Tschagguns, St. Gallenkirch and Gaschurn, Gargellen has paths up the Gargellental, the Silvretta Hochalpenstrasse climbs in summer to the Silvretta reservoir at the Bielerhöhe, and the Golfclub Montafon allows dogs on the course. In the Bregenzerwald the valley floor walks follow the Bregenzerach through Au and Bezau, and Schröcken is the start of the walk up to the Körbersee.

When to go

July and August for the trails, the lakes and the Lechweg, and December to April for snow, when Oberlech goes car-free and the winter walking paths open. Summer is cool at this altitude, so heat is rarely an issue, but a short-coated dog will want a coat in winter. The honest warning is the shoulder seasons. Many Lech, Zürs and Warth hotels close in spring and autumn, Post Lech included, and the high-alpine roads are seasonal, so a May or October trip needs every opening date checked first. In summer, read up on grazing cattle before you hike, and keep the dog on a lead on paths through farmland.