Switzerland is a skier’s paradise. The place has been called one of the best skiing destinations on the planet. Snowfall in the high mountains can reach 200 inches a year. From beginners to extreme skiers, there is something here for everyone. If you love skiing, you might wonder – Is skiing in Switzerland expensive? How can you make it less expensive? We’ll show you how.
Is Skiing in Switzerland Expensive?
For skiing, you will need ski tickets, accommodation, and food. Generally, the cost of skiing in Switzerland is higher than skiing in other ski resorts in Europe.
You’ll probably want to make sure your equipment is up-to-date if you’re planning to hit the slopes this season. It may also be necessary for your equipment to be serviced. For those without winter sports equipment (skis, snowboards, cross-country skis, helmets, etc. ), you will need to rent it.
If you consider the cost of ski tickets, lodging, dining out, and renting equipment (if necessary), the costs do add up. So after you add all these costs together, skiing in Switzerland IS expensive. But there are ways to reduce the costs.
Ski Tickets: How Expensive Are They?
If you are planning on skiing in Switzerland, be prepared to pay a lot of money for your ski pass. There are several different passes that you can purchase depending on how long you will be skiing and whether or not you’re an international customer. If the rates seem high, don’t worry! The Swiss Alps are well worth it.
Have a look at a table comparison below to see how expensive skiing in Switzerland is compared to other ski resorts. The ski slopes available (in km) are also included.
Prices are based on the available rates as of the time of publishing (November 2021).
Ski Tickets: Price Comparison Chart (Switzerland – Austria – France – Italy)
| Ski Resort (Country) | Ski Slopes (in km) | Adult Day Pass (High Season) | Adult Day Pass (In EUR)* | Child Day Pass (High Season) | Child Day Pass (In EUR)* | |
| Adelboden (Switzerland) | 210 km | CHF 68.00 | EUR 64.00 | CHF 28.00 | EUR 26.00 | |
| Arosa Lenzerheide (Switzerland) | 225 km | CHF 84.00 | EUR 80.00 | CHF 27.00 | EUR 25.80 | |
| Corvatsch Engadin (Switzerland) Flexible Pricing | 120 km | CHF 43.00 to 77.00 | EUR 41.00 to 73.50 | CHF 14.50 CHF to 26.00 | EUR 13.80 to 24.80 | |
| Jungfrau Ski Region Grindelwald-Wengen (Switzerland) | 160 km | CHF 69.00 | EUR 41.00 | CHF 34.00 | EUR 32.50 | |
| Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis (Austria) | 214 km | EUR 58.00 | EUR 35.00 | |||
| Alpe D’Huez (France) | 196 km | EUR 55.00 | EUR 45.00 | |||
| Kronplatz (Italy) | 118 km | EUR 62.00 | EUR 44.00 |
Mobile users can have a look at the price comparison chart by downloading this PDF here.
Ski Tickets: Tips To Save Money
Switzerland also offers more affordable ski resorts. Adelboden is comparatively cheaper than Arosa Lenzerheide. The resorts are almost identical in size, although Arosa Lenzerheide is a bit larger.
Take note that the most affordable ski resorts are the ones small in size. This might be a good option if you are only starting out. Beginners, especially young children, don’t need 200 kilometers of slopes. It might be best to start at small ski resorts with one or a couple of drag lifts.
If you would like to look at the list of small ski resorts in Switzerland, check out our article: 33 Small Ski Resorts in Switzerland.
Increasingly, ski resorts offer flexible pricing. Corvatsch and Flims Laax Falera both provide flexible pricing. For example, Corvatsch in the St. Moritz ski region is more affordable than some well-known ski resorts in Austria and France outside of the ski holiday season. However, you would have to come on a Wednesday in mid-March to ski.
Listed below are a few tips to save you some money for your ski tickets:
- Check if there are discounts if you buy early. Some ski resorts that might have discounted tickets if you book early are Arosa (Graubünden), Lenzerheide (Graubünden), Engelberg (Obwalden), Andermatt (Uri), Aletsch Arena (Valais) and Crans Montana (Valais).
- Buy an afternoon ticket if you do not plan or need to ski the whole day.
- Check if you can come when it’s not peak season. Some ski resorts offer lower ski ticket prices during the low season.
- Raiffeisen Members get a discount for ski passes – up to 40% for 30 ski resorts. Check it out here: https://www.raiffeisen.ch/rch/de.html (link in German)
- SBB also has a regular promo called Snow’n’Rail that allows you to purchase a combined offer of a public transport ticket and a reduced 1-day, 2-day, or 6-day ski pass.
- For beginners, you might want to check if there is a free children’s skiing area. Currently, the following ski resorts offer a free skiing area for young children: Grächen (Valais), Axalp (Bern), Hasliberg (Bern), Grüsch-Danusa (Graubünden), Melchsee-Frutt (Obwalden), Ibergeregg (Schwyz), and Villars (Vaud).1
Lodging and Meals: Tips To Save Money
There are many places that you can stay when skiing in Switzerland such as hotels, hostels, or Airbnb rentals. It also helps you find deals on different types of rooms so that you can get the best deal possible!
Listed below are a few tips to save you some money for your lodging and meals:
- If you have a van or a camper, you can find cheap or free places to park using the app park4Night. You can download the app from the website https://www.park4night.com/. You will find the links to your App Store at the bottom of the page. There are currently more than 4,300 parking spots in Switzerland listed on this app at the moment (as of November 2021).
- You can stay at a hostel or rent an apartment instead of staying at a hotel. It will likely be cheaper and you’ll have more space.
- You might want to book really early if you are going during the peak season. Prices tend to rise really high and last-minute deals are few and far between. I would only attempt to find a last-minute deal during the low season (before December or after mid-March).
- You could also buy and cook your own food after going grocery shopping. Prices for food at restaurants are generally high. You can expect to spend CHF 5 for a drink and at least CHF 20 for a meal on the low end.
- If you are up to it, you could also bring some snacks with you in your backpack. Most ski resorts will offer a locker or place where you can deposit your bags while skiing. You can typically find it near a restaurant or near the mountain station.
- Book outside of the high season, especially if you do not have children in the Swiss School System. The busiest times are during Christmas, New Year, and the entire month of February.
Despite the fact that skiing in Switzerland may be expensive, I think it’s well worth it. Skiing in Switzerland is considered a premium experience. Even so, it is certainly possible to afford it if you plan, save, and hunt for deals.
If you would like to learn more about the prices in Switzerland, have a look at this article: Is Switzerland Expensive? A Detailed Look At The Prices.
Resource
1 – “So geht günstig Ski fahren”. Migros Magazin Teurer Spass? Tipps, wie man für wenig Geld Ski fährt 29.11.2021. Accessed on 29 November 2021.
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