You don’t always need to go that far to enjoy a good day of skiing if you’re based in Zurich. That’s the beauty of Switzerland: everything’s close by, even in winter.
There are lots of good ski resorts around Zurich, easily accessible by car or by train and offering a wide range of snow activities. Even if you don’t want to go skiing, you can still go and have a really good time winter walking, snowshoeing, sledging or just enjoying the sun.
I sometimes forget how beautiful winter is being stuck in the eternal fog in and around Zurich. It is so worth it to get up early and head to the mountains and rise above the dreary fog!
I have listed below 5 regions that I think are worth going to. But there are many others like Amden, Mythen, Chäserugg, Atzmännig and so on.
Flumserberg
Flumserberg is a very popular region for winter sports: it’s very close to Zurich, offers a wide range of snow activities, the slopes are good and the views from the top down to the Walensee are absolutely stunning. If you’re in the area and you haven’t been up, give it a try, it’s well worth it.
Once at the top, you can choose your favourite activity
- skiing/snowboarding
- sledging
- snowshoeing
- ski touring
- cross country skiing
You can find all the activities here. On top of that, there is a wide variety of restaurants and shops where you can rent the necessary gear.
The easiest way to get to Flumserberg is by train. However, you can also get there by car. You either park in Unterterzen (or Oberterzen if Unterterzen is full) and take the cable car up or drive to Tannenboden and skip the first cable car.
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by car to Unterterzen | 73 km / ca. 1hr |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by car to Tannenboden | 94 km / ca. 1h 20 |
| Quickest connection from Zurich Main Station to Unterterzen (bottom of the cable car) | ca. 1hr |
| Amount of slopes in km / click here for an overview of the different slopes | 65 km |
| Website | stoos-muotatal.ch |
Stoos – Muotatal
The Stoos-Muotatal region might not be as big as the other ones, but it sure makes up for the stunning views on the top! The skiing is superb and will easily fill a fun day out. The fun starts with taking the world’s steepest funicular! It has a gradient of up to 110%. You can read more about it here.
There are slopes for everyone. More experienced skiers can test their skills on the 3 challenging black slopes starting at the Klingenstock. Especially the Franz-Heinzer-Racing Slope is supposed to give you a real thrill. But there is also a wide variety of red and blue slopes for the ones who want to take a bit easier. I would really recommend going up the Fronalpstock at least once, as the view on a sunny day is truly breathtaking.
As with all the other resorts Stoos-Muotatal also offers a lot of other snow activities like winter walking, snowshoeing, sledging and cross-country skiing, just to name a few. Click here to find a more detailed overview.
Stoos can be easily reached by car via Schwyz or by train. There is parking available at the bottom of the funicular.
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by car to Schwyz Stoosbahn | 65 km / ca. 1hr |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by train to Schwyz Stoosbahn | ca. 1h 23 |
| Amount of slopes in km / click here for an overview of the different slopes | 35 km |
| Website |
Hoch-Ybrig
Hoch-Ybrig has long been a favorite amongst the locals if it comes to skiing close to Zürich: it has a good amount of well-prepared pistes for all levels and it’s very close to Zurich. It often also has a good amount of snow due to its microclimate. The area close to Oberiberg is excellent for families with lots of little slopes for beginners. If you’re more of a pro you might want to head out to the SkiCross Park close to the Sternen chairlift. If extreme snowboarding is more your thing, you can try the NBC Snowpark where you can perfect your jumps and tricks.
As with all ski resorts, there are enough restaurants in the area for when you get hungry after all that exercise!
Most people go up from the station Weglosen as it will give you access to most of the slopes. There is however another station called Hoch-Ybrig Laucheren from which you can access a few other slopes. There are car parks at the bottom of each lift/cable car.
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by car to Hoch-Ybrig Weglosen | 56 km / ca. 55 mins |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by train to Hoch-Ybrig Weglosen | ca. 1h 24 |
| Amount of slopes in km / click here for an overview of the different slopes | 50 km |
| Website |
Rigi
Rigi is called the “queen of the mountains” for a reason. The view from the top is absolutely amazing and there is even a Thermalbad at the top to relax those muscles after a day of winter activities. While Zurich and the rest of the lower lands are in a thick fog, Rigi will often reward you with sunny weather because of its location and altitude.
Rigi is rather small in terms of amount of slopes, but that doesn’t make it less interesting. It’s perfect for a day trip filled with some fun in the snow and some good food, maybe a cheese fondue? I would also recommend going to Rigi, if you want to go winter walking or snowshoeing. There are many trails for different levels of fitness.
And don’t forget:
- If you have a valid ticket for the cogwheel train or any of the cable cars, you ski for free on Rigi
- Children up to 15 years old (including 15 years old), travel for free up Rigi and thus also ski for free
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by car to Weggis | 49 km / ca. 47 mins |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by train to Weggis | ca. 1h 25 |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by car to Vitznau | 55 km / ca. 54 mins |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by train to Vitznau | Ca. 1h 26 |
| Amount of slopes in km / click here for an overview of the different slopes | 20 km |
| Website |
Pizol
Nestled above Bad Ragaz, at 2200m, Pizol guarantees a full day of fun in the snow and the sun! Travelling to this area we noticed that the sun just seems to shine more often in Bad Ragaz.
With 50km of slopes, Pizol is quite big and offers a wide range of slopes for all levels. Freestylers can optimise their tricks in the Riderpark and a new Funslope park has been created: numerous jumps, waves and steep curves will satisfy the more passionate downhill skiers.
All this combined with several good restaurants, lots of other snow activities and a splendid view, makes Pizol the perfect destination for a day trip.
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by car to Pizol Matells Bad Ragaz | 100 km / ca. 1h 9 mins |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by train to Pizol Matells Bad Ragaz | ca. 1h 37 |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by car to Pizol Wangs | 93 km / ca. 1h 4mins |
| Distance from Zurich Main Station by train to Pizol Wangs | Ca. 1h 15 |
| Amount of slopes in km / click here for an overview of the different slopes | 50 km |
| Website |
Tips & Tricks
Here are a few extra tips and tricks I have learnt over the years.
Traffic
Traffic can be quite heavy on a sunny weekend winter day, but you will face this problem going to any ski resort close to Zurich on a weekend
So, just leave early (I’m talking 7-8am) and you will be fine. The same goes for your return trip to Zurich. You either leave a little earlier (say 3 pm) or stay later and maybe have dinner there.
Cost
Skiing can be quite expensive if you’re a family, but why not take your picnic and find yourself a nice little place in the sun and enjoy your lunch in peace?
Some regions also offer half-day passes or tickets at reduced prices if you go at certain times – like after lunch. So, make the most of these discounted offers and only do half a day, as that is usually enough time on the slopes for most people anyway.
Another thing you can take advantage of if you use the train is Snow N Rail from SBB. This gives you quite a significant discount on the train while combining that ticket with your ski pass.
