Ski Holidays in Switzerland

Flims Laax Falera has the highest top altitude among our resorts in Switzerland, 3,018 metres above sea level. Next come Gstaad, Grindelwald and Mürren. Altitude is the single biggest factor for snow reliability, especially early and late in the season.

Arosa has the most piste kilometres of our resorts in Switzerland, 225 km, in the ski area its own guide describes. Next come Arosa Lenzerheide, Lenzerheide and LAAX. For some resorts that figure is the local pistes only, for others the whole linked system the lift pass covers.

Swiss resorts typically run from early December to mid-April. Zermatt has year-round skiing on the Theodul glacier, and Saas-Fee opens its glacier as early as autumn. High-altitude resorts such as Verbier and St. Moritz often stay open until late April.

By car from Calais, Engelberg is closest, around 9 hours' driving, and most resorts in Switzerland are within 12 hours. By car, Switzerland is reached through France or Germany from Calais. By plane, Zurich suits the Bernese Oberland and Graubünden, while Geneva suits Valais. Switzerland has an excellent rail network, and car-free resorts such as Zermatt, Wengen and Mürren are reached only by train or mountain railway.

Switzerland is the most expensive country in the Alps. Expect 30 to 50% higher prices than Austria for food, lift passes and accommodation. Many resorts use dynamic pricing, so booking a lift pass early online is significantly cheaper.

Grindelwald and Wengen in the Jungfrau region have large beginner areas, good childcare and train travel that children love. Engelberg and Arosa Lenzerheide are calm and easy to navigate. In our comparison, Adelboden, Arosa, Arosa Lenzerheide, Crans-Montana and Davos are marked as family resorts, and the table above shows altitude, piste length and driving time for every resort.

The most snow-sure resorts are the highest ones: Flims Laax Falera, Mürren, Arosa and Lenzerheide. All of them offer skiing above 2,500 metres or sit in a village above 1,500 metres, which gives reliable snow from December to April even in a low-snow winter.