Browsing entries tagged with Switzerland

18 Feb 2022

Austria and Switzerland ease Covid rules

Austria and Switzerland ease Covid rules

Austria is easing its Covid rules this weekend — partially following Switzerland which has dropped all requirements for masks and Covid certificates indoors. Switzerland yesterday (Thursday 17 February)…

26 Jan 2022

Verbier working to reduce avalanche fatalities

Verbier working to reduce avalanche fatalities

The Swiss ski resort of Verbier, known for its challenging off-piste, is taking part in a pilot scheme that is hoped will strengthen avalanche prevention. The scheme, for which Verbier is acting as a test…

21 Jan 2022

Switzerland drops pre-travel testing

Switzerland drops pre-travel testing

Travel some alpine countries is set to become far easier in the coming weeks, with Austria and Switzerland relaxing test requirements for visiting Brits this weekend. From tomorrow, Saturday 22, January,…

6 Dec 2021

Switzerland drops quarantine for UK

Switzerland drops quarantine for UK

Switzerland has dropped quarantine requirements for UK visitors — meaning it’s possible for British skiers to head to Swiss ski resorts, but testing remains prohibitively expensive. On Saturday night,…

30 Nov 2021

Inghams suspends Swiss ski trips

Inghams suspends Swiss ski trips

French ski holidays are back on, following confirmation this morning that skiers are to be permitted to transit through Geneva airport without quarantining or taking the PCR tests necessary for travel…

29 Nov 2021

Swiss covid rules cause chaos at Geneva airport

Swiss covid rules cause chaos at Geneva airport

British skiers are frantically finding alternative ways to travel to the Alps this winter following chaos at Geneva after Switzerland imposed a 10-day quarantine on travellers from the UK. While skiers…

4 May 2021

Verbier upgrades Médran gondola

Verbier upgrades Médran gondola

Having successfully completed a winter operating under the cloak of coronavirus, Verbier is forging ahead with improvement projects over the summer, pressing ahead with new lift plans and infrastructure…

23 Dec 2020

Jungfrau’s V-Cableway now in action

Jungfrau’s V-Cableway now in action

Looking forward, beyond the coronavirus pandemic, the Jungfrau region earlier this month opened the second part of its massive new V-Cableway – despite challenging times for construction. The new V-Cableway…

3 Dec 2020

Ski lifts to start turning in Austria

Ski lifts to start turning in Austria

Skiing will be allowed in Austria from 24 December, but limited to locals only with hotels ordered to remain closed. The news was announced yesterday by the Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz, speaking…

25 Nov 2020

Dreaming of a Schweiz Christmas?

Dreaming of a Schweiz Christmas?

We’re getting a continuous drip-feed of news about skiing in Switzerland as more resorts – encouraged by early snowfalls – open at weekends and announce their plans for the season proper. Most…

2 Nov 2020

Now Austrian ski areas close

Now Austrian ski areas close

Since I wrote the piece about ski resorts open ski resorts open last Friday, Austrian ski areas have been forced to close or postpone opening. This is part of a second lockdown ordered by the Austrian…

18 Sep 2020

Zermatt to open Switzerland’s first automated gondola

Zermatt to open Switzerland’s first automated gondola

As ski resorts around the world announce details of Covid-secure operations for this coming winter, Switzerland’s first fully automated gondola will open in Zermatt this December. Despite the difficult…

20 Aug 2020

Verbier unveils world’s highest zipline

Verbier unveils world’s highest zipline

Top Swiss ski resort Verbier has unveiled a new star attraction: the world’s highest zipline. The new Mount 4 Zipline starts at 3330m and flies for 1.4km over the Tortin glacier, descending 383 vertical…

23 Jun 2020

New state-of-the-art gondola for Zermatt

New state-of-the-art gondola for Zermatt

Regular readers of Where to Ski and Snowboard will know that Zermatt in Switzerland is my favourite resort. One of my favourite runs in Zermatt has long been the one on skier’s right of the whole area…

14 May 2020

Work underway on Eiger Express

Work underway on Eiger Express

The Jungfrau ski region has confirmed its huge gondola/cable car hybrid to Eigergletscher will in operation by December 2020 as work continues on its V-Cableway project. Work began on the Eiger Express…

11 Apr 2020

Zermatt displays Union jack on Matterhorn

Zermatt displays Union jack on Matterhorn

As the coronavirus death toll hit 980 in the UK last night, the Swiss ski resort of Zermatt sent a sign of solidarity. Since 25 March, the famous Matterhorn mountain which straddles the ski resorts of…

25 Mar 2020

Matterhorn lit as a sign of hope

Matterhorn lit as a sign of hope

The iconic Matterhorn in Zermatt will be lit every evening with a symbol of hope to help society stand together during the coronavirus crisis. Every evening from sunset to 2300, starting last night (Tuesday…

13 Mar 2020

Now Switzerland closes its resorts too

Now Switzerland closes its resorts too

Switzerland is following Austria, Germany, Norway and Italy with the closure of its ski resorts in the battle to contain Covid-19.  This afternoon, Televerbier announced: “Due to the COVID-19…

23 Sep 2019

‘Funeral’ held for Pizol Glacier in Switzerland

‘Funeral’ held for Pizol Glacier in Switzerland

Hundreds of skies, hikers, climbers and mountain folk — as well as climate change activists — gathered yesterday in the Swiss Alps to mourn the loss of the Pizol Glacier. The funeral march, organised…

11 Jun 2019

Portes du Soleil builds new lift link

Portes du Soleil builds new lift link

Work has begun on two new lifts in the Portes du Soleil connecting the French resort of Avoriaz with the Swiss resort of Champéry - Les Crosets. The faster and more efficient connection will be welcomed…

21 Mar 2019

Work to start on Zermatt-Cervinia link

Work to start on Zermatt-Cervinia link

Work will begin this spring on a massive gondola that will straddle the Swiss-Italian peaks in Zermatt and Cervinia. The 3S lift between the Klein Matterhorn (3,821m) in Zermatt and the Testa Grigia (3,458m)…

19 Mar 2019

Magic Pass to include Saas-Fee

Magic Pass to include Saas-Fee

The Swiss ski resort of Saas-Fee is joining the Magic Pass for next season, which is this month on sale for just CHF399 (currently around £300), which represents tremendous value. The Magic Pass was launched…

26 Feb 2019

Lift boss warns climate change to bring avalanches

Lift boss warns climate change to bring avalanches

As the sunny weather continues, the president of the Valais Ski Lift Assocation in Switzerland has warned that climate change will increase the risk of avalanche in the future and force ski resorts to…

8 Feb 2019

Where in the world is the deepest snow?

Where in the world is the deepest snow?

Where is the snow lying deepest so far this winter? Snow-Forecast.com has compiled a handy list to tell us skiers and snowboarders where the biggest falls have been — but remember that deep snow doesn’t…

24 Dec 2018

Bardonnechia offers cheapest family skiing

Bardonnechia offers cheapest family skiing

The cost of taking your family skiing has risen in many resorts for the coming season, but pick carefully and you can still get value for money, says Andrew Brown of Post Office Travel Money, which last…

1 Nov 2018

Verbier’s ski area opens tomorrow

Verbier’s ski area opens tomorrow

The Swiss ski resort of Verbier will open tomorrow, Friday 2 November. Last weekend the Alps was subjected to a weekend of wild, wintry weather and it snowed hard in many areas — including over some…

15 Oct 2018

Bardonecchia and Bansko offer best-value skiing

Bardonecchia and Bansko offer best-value skiing

Bardonecchia and Bansko have come out on top as the cheapest ski resorts in this year’s Ski Resort Report from Post Office Travel Money and Crystal Ski Holidays. The 12th annual Ski Resort Report, published…

6 Oct 2018

Discounted Swiss ski passes are back

Discounted Swiss ski passes are back

Discounted ski passes are back in Switzerland, across resorts including Saas-Fee, Crans Montana and Grimentz-Zinal — and if you buy this weekend you are guaranteed a bargain. The Magic Pass is back this…

18 Sep 2018

Get paid to ski the world

Get paid to ski the world

Fancy skiing resorts in seven countries across three different continents this winter? Well, if you prove to be the ideal candidate for a new job up for grabs, you could do just that. Epic Pass, in partnership…

21 Mar 2018

Laax pursues eco goals

Laax pursues eco goals

The Swiss ski resort of Laax has announced today that it has reduced its energy consumption by 15 per cent, and is working hard to fulfill its pledge to become the world’s first self-sufficient ski resort.…

5 Mar 2018

Andermatt-Sedrun ski link to open

Andermatt-Sedrun ski link to open

This coming weekend, the long-awaited continuous ski link between the Swiss ski resorts of

15 Nov 2017

Courchevel opens for skiing today

Courchevel opens for skiing today

Courchevel has opened three runs today following a bounty of early-season snow. The ski resort in France’s Three Valleys opened the Verdons, Biollay and Bellecote runs at 9am this morning, Wednesday…

19 Oct 2017

Andermatt offers flexible pass prices

Andermatt offers flexible pass prices

The newly-linked Swiss ski resorts of Andermatt and Sedrun and introducing a new flexible pricing structure to their ski passes for the coming season, allowing skiers access to the resorts’ slopes for…

18 Sep 2017

More September snow for the Alps

More September snow for the Alps

It’s been snowing again in the Alps, which bodes well for anyone planning a spot of autumnal glacier skiing. For the third weekend in a row, snow has blanketed ski resorts across the Alps, delighting…

31 Aug 2017

Powdair opens London City route

Powdair opens London City route

The new airline that is proposing to fly skiers from regional UK airports to Sion in the Valais region of Switzerland has announced two new year-round routes — for which tickets go on sale today (31…

24 Aug 2017

New cable car for Mont-Gelé

New cable car for Mont-Gelé

Work is continuing apace this summer in Verbier on the replacement cable car for Mont-Gelé, which has whisked freeriders up to the 3,023m summit from Attelas since 1959. The Mont-Gelé cable car was first…

21 Jul 2017

Two new major ski hotels for the Alps

Two new major ski hotels for the Alps

Two hotels from leading luxury operators will be opening in the Swiss and French Alps in the next couple of years. The first hotel to open will be a Four Seasons, currently being finished in the French…

10 Jul 2017

4 Vallées launch mega deal for U25s

4 Vallées launch mega deal for U25s

Another season ski pass deal has been announced in Switzerland — offering young skiers incredible value in the 4 Vallées if they buy it this autumn. The Mont4Card is aimed at skiers aged 25 and under,…

26 Jun 2017

Powdair to Sion offers season pass

Powdair to Sion offers season pass

The new airline that will fly between regional UK airports and Sion in Valais, Switzerland, is offering season passes for frequent fliers. Powdair, which will take its first flight on 14 December 2017,…

9 Jun 2017

Crystal launches Doncaster flight

Crystal launches Doncaster flight

Crystal Ski Holidays has launched a new flight from Yorkshire to the French Alps. The flight from Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) to Chambéry Savoie Mont Blanc Airport for this winter coincides with…

25 May 2017

powdair tickets to Sion on sale 6 June

powdair tickets to Sion on sale 6 June

New skiers airline powdair will start selling tickets for next winter from 6 June and begin flying from regional airports to Sion in Switzerland on 14 December 2017. In February, Where to Ski and Snowboard…

5 May 2017

SWISS flights to Sion go on sale

SWISS flights to Sion go on sale

SWISS is offering flights from London to Sion again for part of the 2017/18 ski season. This February just gone, Swiss International Airlines operated a direct service during the February half term…

30 Mar 2017

Saas-Fee crowdfunds ski passes again

Saas-Fee crowdfunds ski passes again

Following on from its record-breaking crowdfunding campaign last year, Saas-Fee is repeating its sale of season ski passes for CHF222 — though this year Saas-Grund is included, too. Last October, Saas-Fee…

13 Mar 2017

A truly Epic Pass goes on sale

A truly Epic Pass goes on sale

Next season’s Epic Pass has gone on sale, offering unlimited, unrestricted access to an incredible 45 top ski resorts around the world. The 2017-18 Epic Pass, issued by Vail Resorts, is currently available…

3 Mar 2017

Atkin wins Ski Slopestyle World Cup

Atkin wins Ski Slopestyle World Cup

Skier Isabel Atkin has this afternoon become the first British woman to win a Ski Slopestyle World Cup — at the Swiss ski resort of Corvatsch. GB Park and Pipe skier Izzy Atkin, 18, put on an unbeatable…

20 Feb 2017

PowdAir to fly from UK regions to Sion

PowdAir to fly from UK regions to Sion

A new airline specifically for skiers and snowboarders will begin flying to Sion Airport in Switzerland from regional airports in the UK later this year. PowdAir will fly five times a week to Sion from…

26 Jan 2017

Join the world’s longest lift queue

Join the world’s longest lift queue

Not on the slopes this weekend but want to pretend you’re in the mountains? How about taking part in a record attempt at creating the world’s longest ski lift queue? If you live in London, or happen…

3 Jan 2017

Find love and ski in Crans-Montana

Find love and ski in Crans-Montana

Single, want to go skiing and determined to find love this year? The Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana is running its European singles week Snowgether later this month, with the hope of match-making winter…

22 Dec 2016

Join the Warren Miller film tour crew

Join the Warren Miller film tour crew

The latest — and 67th — Warren Miller film will hit our cinema screens early next year with snowsports action from around the world. Some of the world’s top skiers and snowboarders including Ingrid…

20 Dec 2016

Snow is falling in the Alps - but where?

Snow is falling in the Alps - but where?

Snow has been falling in the Alps — with a storm hitting very localised areas. According to our snow guru Fraser Wilkin of weathertoski.co.uk (who produces our weekly snow reports) the heaviest snow…

29 Nov 2016

New ski coaching zone for Verbier

New ski coaching zone for Verbier

Fancy some tips with an instructor but don’t want to sign up for ski school or go to the expense of a private lesson? Another new initiative this season in Verbier will allow skiers to pick up tips and…

24 Nov 2016

Saas-Fee bargain ski passes now valid

Saas-Fee bargain ski passes now valid

The Swiss ski resort of Saas-Fee has run the most successful crowdfunding project in Europe and has announced that its bargain season passes — which have been selling for CHF 222 (around £183) — are…

10 Nov 2016

Ski resorts open early as snow falls

Ski resorts open early as snow falls

A host of ski resorts are opening early this week thanks to bumper snow conditions for mid-November. Courchevel, Verbier, Val Thorens and Alpe d’Huez have all announced they will be cranking up their…

31 Oct 2016

Short skiing breaks

24 Oct 2016

Saas-Fee crowdfunds ski passes

Saas-Fee crowdfunds ski passes

The ski resort of Saas-fee in Switzerland is selling season passes for CHF 222 (around £183) — CHF32 cheaper than a four-day pass — but it will only be available at that price if 99,999 people buy…

21 Oct 2016

Whistler added to the Epic Pass

Whistler added to the Epic Pass

Whistler Blackcomb has been added to the Epic Pass for the coming ski season, following the final closure on its acquisition by Vail Resorts. This means that all 2016-1t Epic Pass and Epic Local Pass holders…

17 Oct 2016

SWISS launches ski flight to Sion

SWISS launches ski flight to Sion

Swiss International Airlines will be operating three flights between London Heathrow and Sion Airport next February half term to alleviate some of the seasonal pressure that week. Sion Airport is a short…

12 Oct 2016

Ski rail price comparison opens

Ski rail price comparison opens

Skiers can now compare train prices at a glance with a new price-checker resource on rail-ski website Snowcarbon. The price-checking tool, which goes live tomorrow (Thursday 13 October), will allow skiers…

11 Oct 2016

Skiing starts in Kitzbühel next week

Skiing starts in Kitzbühel next week

The ski resort of Kitzbühel in Austria will next week become the first non-glacial ski resort to open its lifts for the winter season.  On Saturday 22 October, skiing will begin on Resterkogel and…

6 Oct 2016

Flash sale on Crystal Ski holidays

Flash sale on Crystal Ski holidays

Have you booked your ski holiday yet? For the next five days, Crystal Ski Holidays is running a flash sale, offering an extra £100 off per person on 100 different hotels, apartments and chalets across…

2 Oct 2016

Climate change hits Swiss ski resorts

Climate change hits Swiss ski resorts

Ski resorts in Switzerland are losing their snow according to a new study published last week. Even those ski resorts at high altitude such as Zermatt and Saas-Fee are experiencing nearly 40 fewer snow…

28 Sep 2016

Aussies enjoy luxury skiing in Europe

Aussies enjoy luxury skiing in Europe

Australians have overtaken Russians in the luxury chalet holiday market – having doubled from 5% over the 2014/15 season to 10% of the market last year, while Russian bookings dropped from 12% to…

4 Sep 2016

Epic Pass adds 13 Euro ski resorts

Epic Pass adds 13 Euro ski resorts

Some of Europe’s top ski areas have been added to the Epic Pass for this coming season. The multi-resort pass from Vail Resorts has added Les 3 Vallées, Paradiski and Tignes-Val d’Isère in France,…

11 Aug 2016

The Snow Centre gets a Swiss flavour

The Snow Centre gets a Swiss flavour

The Snow Centre has teamed up with Switzerland Tourism and the Valais to give UK skiers an even more authentic experience while practicing their skills on the closest real snow slope to London. The walls…

4 Aug 2016

Two new chairlifts for Andermatt

Two new chairlifts for Andermatt

The ski resort of Andermatt prepares for its expansion this year, with the replacement of two old lifts. The sleepy old ski resort in Switzerland is in the midst of a huge transformation that includes…

26 Jul 2016

Crystal takes skiers in Switzerland by train

Crystal takes skiers in Switzerland by train

Crystal Ski Holidays is going green — with all resort transfers within Switzerland this season by train rather than coach. Transfers times will be shorter, and Crystal says the change is due to the:…

20 Jul 2016

Swiss resorts replace ancient gondolas

Swiss resorts replace ancient gondolas

In the ski resort of Zermatt the old gondola from Gant (on the slopes in the valley between the Gornergrat and Rothorn sectors) to Blauherd below Rothorn is at last being replaced by a fast six-seat chairlift.…

8 Jul 2016

Klosters installs laser-controlled chair

Klosters installs laser-controlled chair

A ground-breaking new laser-controlled chairlift is being built this summer on Madrisa in Klosters-Davos. The six-seater “Schaffürggli” chairlift is the first of its kind in Switzerland, featuring…

29 Jun 2016

Tour ops freeze ski prices post-Brexit

Tour ops freeze ski prices post-Brexit

Ski tour operators are speaking out to reassure customers that their prices will remain unchanged despite the recent economic and political volatility caused by the Brexit vote. Mountain Heaven provides…

22 Jun 2016

New sports complex planned for Crans

New sports complex planned for Crans

The Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana has moved one step closer to building a massive indoor and outdoor action sports centre. Should it go ahead, the Alaïa Chalet will be the first centre of its kind…

18 Jun 2016

Property sales boom in the Alps

Property sales boom in the Alps

According to leading alpine property experts sales have been booming despite the uncertainty caused by a potential Brexit. Erna Low Property published its ‘French Alps Property Report’ earlier this…

7 Jun 2016

Try skeleton and bobsleigh in London

Try skeleton and bobsleigh in London

Ever wanted to try skeleton or bobsleigh — the Formula One of winter sports? Well this Friday, you can, when the world of Winter Olympic sport arrives in the heart of London. Held at the Honourable Artillery…

19 Apr 2016

FWT champion dies in avalanche

FWT champion dies in avalanche

The freeride community is in mourning following the news that Freeride World Tour champion snowboarder Estelle Balet has been killed in an avalanche. The 22-year-old two-time women’s champion was making…

5 Apr 2016

Ride with Ed Leigh in Verbier

Ride with Ed Leigh in Verbier

Snow is forecast in the Alps this weekend — so now’s your chance to grab one last trip to the Big Hills. Inghams is offering a corker — a chance to go snowboarding with TV presenter Ed Leigh. Earlier…

12 Feb 2016

Skier fined for speeding in Verbier

Skier fined for speeding in Verbier

A skier has been fined and found guilty of causing “simple bodily injury” for skiing too fast and hitting another skier in Verbier in 2014. The skier — who has not been named — was fined CHF1350…

10 Feb 2016

Skiing costs more as sterling falls

Skiing costs more as sterling falls

Bad news for skiing families this half term — the value of sterling has fallen by more than 10 per cent in the past two months. According to the Post Office Travel Money, although prices are still lower…

19 Jan 2016

Last chance to win ski flights with Monarch

Last chance to win ski flights with Monarch

With December’s snow drought firmly behind us in the Alps (with snow forecast all week and next weekend), we’ve teamed up with Monarch, one of the UK’s leading independent airline groups, to offer…

4 Jan 2016

Second snow storm hits the Alps

Second snow storm hits the Alps

Last night, a second wave of snow hit the Alps, with some resorts receiving up to half a metre of snow overnight. “It’s good to have the snow back!” said Avoriaz tourist office on its facebook page.…

24 Dec 2015

Crystal launches celebrity skier quiz

Crystal launches celebrity skier quiz

Crystal Ski has launched a fun new online quiz “Which celebrity skier are you?” The news that Oprah Winfrey has just splashed out $14million on a new home in the Colorado ski resort of Telluride is…

13 Nov 2015

Crans hosts single skiers’ weekend

Crans hosts single skiers’ weekend

The Swiss ski resort of Crans Montana is hosting a short break for single skiers at the end of January — at a fantastic price. The four-day, three-night trip from 22 to 25 January, has been put together…

2 Nov 2015

Davos opens earlier than ever before

Davos opens earlier than ever before

The ski resort of Davos became the first non-glacier resort in Switzerland to open some skiing this weekend, taking advantage of the early snowfall. The resort opened Totalp, or piste number 15, on Saturday…

19 Oct 2015

More glacier ski areas open in the Alps

More glacier ski areas open in the Alps

It has snowed again in the Alps, and more ski resorts are beginning to open! Skiers enjoyed fantastic conditions in Cervinia, Italy last weekend, with 120cm of snow on the 3,500m Plateau Rosà glacier…

8 Oct 2015

Tour op allows dogs on ski holidays

Tour op allows dogs on ski holidays

A tour operator has introduced a new service allowing skiers to take their dogs on holiday. VIP SKI has launched a “dogsalong” service in a handful of their chalets in Alpe d’Huez and Morzine in…

17 Sep 2015

Ferrari and Porsche hit Swiss ski slopes

Ferrari and Porsche hit Swiss ski slopes

First it had a chairlift designed by Porsche, now Laax in Switzerland will open a gondola designed by Pininfarina, the Italian car design company famous for designing Ferraris. The 10-man gondola replaces…

9 Sep 2015

Crystal reports growth in skiing

Crystal reports growth in skiing

Despite a hit-and-miss season, with below average snowfall, major transfer day issues in France and strange, changeable snow conditions, Crystal Ski Holidays has reported strong growth in its ski market.…

22 Jul 2015

City Ski Champs move to Verbier

City Ski Champs move to Verbier

The City Ski Championships is moving to Verbier this season — for the 17th year of the event. At a time when many companies are fleeing Switzerland because of rising prices, the event’s organiser,…

16 Jul 2015

Anniversary Swiss climb begins

Anniversary Swiss climb begins

An anniversary ascent of the 4,478m peak of the Matterhorn will take place tomorrow, with a team of climbers from Britain, France, Italy and Switzerland. The ascent is part of a week — and indeed year…

14 Jul 2015

Work begins on Andermatt lift

Work begins on Andermatt lift

Work has finally begun on the lifts in Andermatt in the Swiss Alps. The ground-breaking for the new chair on Gemsstock is being hailed as the very start of the project to link with nearby Sedrun — despite…

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