Skiing for the whole family – an increasingly expensive pleasure.Image: KEYSTONE
With more than 250 ski areas, Switzerland offers impressive diversity, ranging from large, renowned resorts to smaller, more modest areas. A variety which is also reflected in the prices since the cheapest day pass costs 3 francs, while the most expensive exceeds 30 times this amount.
The 2024/25 ski season is underway in several Swiss resorts, while most will open their doors by Christmas. In addition to the wealth of facilities and slopes, plan prices are a key criterion, influenced by dynamic pricingadopted by 39 stations this season. This system, which adjusts prices according to demand, is particularly widespread in large ski areas, causing significant variations, particularly during weekends and public holidays.
To analyze the costs, we used three dates: Saturday December 21, 2024 (before Christmas), December 26 (Saint-Etienne) and January 1, 2025 (New Year). These periods, very popular with skiers, make it possible to compare price variations between resorts.
Good to know:
According to the Remontées Mécaniques Suisses association, a day in a large ski area costs the service provider around 250,000 francs (preparation, snowmaking, security, marketing, etc.). For their part, medium-sized ski areas cost nearly 67,000 francs in a day. These are therefore the amounts that ski areas must at least generate per day.
The overview
Day passes for adults and children vary considerably. Some resorts offer prices for teenagers or young adults up to 25 years old. Children generally benefit from discounts (often up to 12 or 15 years old). However, exceptions exist, such as in Vals, where under-16s ski for free.
Small, low-altitude resorts with few ski lifts remain much more affordable. But these areas, often affected by climate change, are exploited only a few days a year and risk closure. Such a development could deprive children of easy access to skiing, also impacting large resorts in the long term.
Major ski resorts
Here we focus on the 78 ski areas which, according to the specialist app Bergfex, offer their visitors more than 30 kilometers of slopes. In these areas, the median price is around 61 francs for a day pass.
Data and sources
The kilometers of slopes come from Bergfex, where all Swiss ski resorts are listed. These figures should sometimes be taken with some caution, but they certainly provide a good point of reference.
Most expensive ski areas
When it comes to the most expensive daily passes – for December 21, 2024 – Zermatt comes out on top with a pass costing 99 francs. Also in Andermatt, the daily pass costs almost 90 francs. However, regulars can reduce their costs with half-price subscriptions.
In 15 other major resorts, a day of skiing costs at least 72 francs. Nearly half of the 17 most expensive stations apply dynamic pricing.
Cheapest ski resorts
Among the areas offering more than 30 km of slopes, the most attractive prices are at Vallée de Joux, Bugnenets-Savagnières and Bellwald (VS). In Bellwald, prices increase after Christmas, pincreasing from 33 francs on December 21 to 43.50 francs on New Year’s Day.
The lowest price in Switzerland is at La Brévine, with a package of 3 francs. However, this resort offers minimal equipment: a single ski lift and less than a kilometer of slopes.
Evolution of ski lift prices
Since the 2007/08 season, average day pass prices have increased by 20 francs to reach approximately 72.80 francs. This trend is expected to continue, with an increase estimated between 1 and 1.5% per year until 2027.
According to Remontées Mécaniques Suisses, almost half of the resorts increase their prices every year. The dynamic pricing model contributes to this trend, although it also offers some flexibility. However, in practice, these adjustments generally push prices up.
(Translated and adapted by Chiara Lecca)
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