When do the Swiss ski resorts open?
26 of the 85 Swiss resorts have announced a starting date. The rest are deliberately keeping their options open in August, and that is not an oversight: a postponed opening costs more goodwill than a late announcement ever does.
For the resorts without a date, the table shows the season window they usually run. That is the more dependable figure anyway. A December opening at 1200 metres shifts by days from year to year, not by weeks.
If you are booking from abroad, one thing is worth knowing: the Swiss school holidays fall in February, and that is when prices and lift queues peak. Early December and the second half of March are the same mountains for noticeably less money.
| Ski area | Opens | Closes | Season window | Elevation | Canton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saas-Fee glacier, at first the two upper drag lifts, 31 October: winter season with 100 km and 22 lifts | 3 Oct | 18 Aprend of winter season | winter 31 Oct – 18 April, summer July – Oct (glacier) | 1,800–3,600 m | Valais |
| Diavolezza-Lagalb glacier run, confirmed on 19 October; until 15 November only Wed, Sat, Sun | 24 Oct | – | Oct – May | 2,093–2,978 m | Grisons |
| Adelboden-Lenk training operation on the Tschentenalp snow-farming slope, open to the public Sat/Sun afternoons, 5 December: full winter operation | 24 Oct | – | Dec – April | 1,068–2,362 m | Bern |
| Engelberg-Titlis glacier, 15 November: Stand and Trübsee | 29 Oct | – | Oct – May | 1,050–3,028 m | Obwalden |
| Mürren-Schilthorn at weekends (Sat/Sun), if snow conditions are good, 21 November: daily operation | 31 Oct | – | Nov – April | 1,600–2,970 m | Bern |
| Zermatt – Matterhorn winter season, 28 November: Sunnegga/Rothorn and Gornergrat | 1 Nov | – | year-round | 1,620–3,883 m | Valais |
| Davos Klosters Parsenn | 6 Nov | – | Nov – April | 1,124–2,844 m | Grisons |
| Verbier / 4 Vallées Mont-Fort | 7 Nov | – | Nov – April | 1,500–3,330 m | Valais |
| Gstaad (inkl. Zweisimmen und Glacier 3000) Glacier 3000 | 8 Nov | – | Nov – May (Glacier 3000) | 948–2,971 m | Bern / Vaud |
| St. Moritz – Corviglia Corviglia | 21 Nov | – | Nov – April | 1,720–3,057 m | Grisons |
| Corvatsch-Silvaplana winter season | 21 Nov | – | Nov – April | 1,800–3,303 m | Grisons |
| Andermatt-Sedrun Gemsstock | 21 Nov | – | Nov – May | 1,444–2,963 m | Uri / Grisons |
| Chäserrugg / Toggenburg possible weekend operation if conditions allow, 19 December: full daily operation | 21 Nov | – | Dec – April | 900–2,262 m | St. Gallen |
| Samnaun / Silvretta Arena winter season | 26 Nov | – | Nov – April | 1,377–2,872 m | Grisons |
| LAAX (Flims Laax Falera) winter season, provisional | 28 Nov | – | Nov – April | 1,100–3,018 m | Grisons |
| Arosa Lenzerheide full winter operation, pre-season until 18 December 2026 | 28 Nov | 11 Aprend of season | Nov – April | 1,229–2,865 m | Grisons |
| Grindelwald-Wengen Grindelwald / Wengen | 28 Nov | – | Dec – April | 944–2,971 m | Bern |
| Villars-Gryon-Diablerets full winter operation | 4 Dec | – | Dec – April | 1,113–2,120 m | Vaud |
| Aletsch Arena full winter operation | 5 Dec | – | Dec – April | 1,050–2,869 m | Valais |
| Savognin weekends only, Piz Martegnas, 12 December: daily operation | 5 Dec | 29 MarEaster Monday | Dec – March | 1,200–2,713 m | Grisons |
| Stoos winter season, provisional | 12 Dec | – | Nov – April | 1,300–1,935 m | Schwyz |
| Lauchernalp – Lötschental full winter operation | 12 Dec | 11 Aprend of season | Dec – April | 1,403–3,100 m | Valais |
| Saint-Luc / Chandolin full winter operation; weekends before that if there is enough snow | 18 Dec | – | Dec – April | 1,650–3,025 m | Valais |
| Minschuns – Val Müstair winter season | 19 Dec | 21 Marend of season | Dec – March | 1,700–2,735 m | Grisons |
| Sörenberg full winter operation, weekend operation in the Dorf sector possible from 28 November 2026, snow permitting | 19 Dec | 29 MarEaster Monday | Dec – April | 1,160–2,350 m | Lucerne |
| Airolo – Pesciüm winter season | 19 Dec | 4 Aprend of season | Dec – April | 1,175–2,250 m | Ticino |
| Saas-Grund – Hohsaas | – | – | Dec – April | 1,560–3,200 m | Valais |
| Belalp – Blatten | – | – | Dec – April | 1,327–3,118 m | Valais |
| Crans-Montana | – | – | Dec – April | 1,500–3,000 m | Valais |
| Grimentz-Zinal | – | – | Dec – April | 1,570–2,900 m | Valais |
| Arolla | – | – | Dec – April | 1,950–2,890 m | Valais |
| Grächen | – | – | Dec – April | 1,619–2,864 m | Valais |
| Disentis 3000 | – | – | Dec – April | 1,150–2,833 m | Grisons |
| Scuol – Motta Naluns | – | – | Dec – April | 1,250–2,783 m | Grisons |
| Leukerbad – Torrent | – | – | Dec – April | 1,411–2,700 m | Valais |
| Evolène | – | – | Dec – April | 1,400–2,680 m | Valais |
| Bellwald | – | – | Dec – April | 1,560–2,560 m | Valais |
| Rosswald | – | – | Dec – April | 1,800–2,560 m | Valais |
| Moosalp – Bürchen/Törbel | – | – | Dec – March | 1,450–2,550 m | Valais |
| Bivio | – | – | Dec – April | 1,770–2,550 m | Grisons |
| Bergün – Darlux | – | – | Dec – April | 1,400–2,550 m | Grisons |
| San Bernardino | – | – | Dec – April | 1,600–2,530 m | Grisons |
| Grindelwald – First | – | – | Dec – April | 944–2,501 m | Bern |
| Ovronnaz | – | – | Dec – April | 1,350–2,500 m | Valais |
| Zuoz – Pizzet/Albanas | – | – | Dec – March | 1,716–2,465 m | Grisons |
| Tschiertschen | – | – | Dec – April | 1,340–2,450 m | Grisons |
| Meiringen-Hasliberg | – | – | Dec – March | 600–2,433 m | Bern |
| Anzère | – | – | Dec – April | 1,500–2,420 m | Valais |
| Brigels | – | – | Dec – April | 1,100–2,418 m | Grisons |
| Bosco Gurin – Grossalp | – | – | Dec – April | 1,500–2,400 m | Ticino |
| Vercorin | – | – | Dec – April | 1,340–2,377 m | Valais |
| Nax – Mont-Noble | – | – | Dec – April | 1,300–2,340 m | Valais |
| Elsigenalp – Frutigen | – | – | Dec – April | 1,350–2,340 m | Bern |
| Leysin | – | – | Dec – April | 1,260–2,330 m | Vaud |
| Obersaxen Mundaun | – | – | Dec – April | 1,201–2,310 m | Grisons |
| Visperterminen – Giw | – | – | Dec – March | 1,340–2,300 m | Valais |
| Grüsch Danusa | – | – | Dec – March | 1,230–2,295 m | Grisons |
| Champéry / Portes du Soleil (CH) | – | – | Dec – April | 1,050–2,277 m | Valais |
| Melchsee-Frutt | – | – | Dec – April | 1,080–2,255 m | Obwalden |
| Carì | – | – | Dec – April | 1,650–2,250 m | Ticino |
| Pizol | – | – | Dec – April | 1,630–2,227 m | St. Gallen |
| Flumserberg | – | 29 MarEaster Monday | Dec – April | 1,000–2,222 m | St. Gallen |
| Splügen – Tambo | – | – | Dec – March | 1,480–2,215 m | Grisons |
| Les Mosses / La Lécherette | – | – | Dec – April | 1,450–2,200 m | Vaud |
| Nara – Leontica | – | – | Dec – April | 1,400–2,200 m | Ticino |
| Les Marécottes | – | – | Dec – April | 1,100–2,200 m | Valais |
| Vals – Dachberg | – | – | Dec – April | 1,250–2,200 m | Grisons |
| Wiriehorn – Diemtigtal | – | – | Dec – March | 1,250–2,200 m | Bern |
| Brambrüesch – Chur | – | – | Dec – March | 1,600–2,174 m | Grisons |
| Villars-Gryon (nur CH-Teil) | – | – | Dec – April | 1,113–2,120 m | Vaud |
| Elm im Sernftal | – | – | Dec – April | 1,020–2,105 m | Glarus |
| Wildhaus – Gamserrugg | – | – | Dec – April | 1,050–2,076 m | St. Gallen |
| Moléson | – | – | Dec – March | 1,100–2,002 m | Fribourg |
| Braunwald | – | – | Dec – March | 1,236–1,901 m | Glarus |
| Jaun | – | – | Dec – March | 1,500–1,900 m | Fribourg |
| Klewenalp-Stockhütte | – | – | Dec – March | 1,600–1,900 m | Nidwalden |
| Hoch-Ybrig | – | – | Dec – March | 1,048–1,856 m | Schwyz |
| Mythenregion | – | – | Dec – March | 1,042–1,811 m | Schwyz |
| Schwarzsee – Kaiseregg | – | – | Dec – March | 1,050–1,755 m | Fribourg |
| Amden – Arvenbüel | – | – | Dec – March | 1,200–1,700 m | St. Gallen |
| Charmey | – | – | Dec – March | 1,000–1,630 m | Fribourg |
| Marbach – Marbachegg | – | – | Dec – March | 900–1,480 m | Lucerne |
| Les Bugnenets-Savagnières | – | – | Dec – March | 1,080–1,460 m | Neuchâtel / Bern |
| La Robella – Val-de-Travers | – | – | Dec – March | 1,050–1,440 m | Neuchâtel |
| Sattel-Hochstuckli | – | – | Dec – March | 800–1,400 m | Schwyz |
Every date depends on enough snow and cold. Only the resort’s own announcement is binding.
The glacier ski areas of the Alps
The Alpine season does not start in Switzerland. 13 of these 14 areas outside Switzerland have a confirmed date, and every one of them falls before the first Swiss opening. The Swiss glaciers are in the table above. Where you can ski in October.
| Ski area | Opens | Season window | Elevation | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schnalstaler Gletscher glacier, at first a single race piste | 19 Sept | Sep – May | 2,011–3,212 m | South Tyrol |
| Pitztaler Gletscher glacier | 26 Sept | Sep – May | 2,685–3,440 m | Tyrol |
| Hintertuxer Gletscher glacier | 2 Oct | autumn to early summer | 1,500–3,250 m | Tyrol |
| Sölden (Rettenbach- und Tiefenbachferner) glacier: Schwarze Schneid I and II gondolas, Karleskogl drag lift | 9 Oct | Oct – May | 1,350–3,340 m | Tyrol |
| Stubaier Gletscher glacier | 9 Oct | Oct – May | 1,695–3,210 m | Tyrol |
| Kitzsteinhorn / Kaprun glacier | 10 Oct | Oct – May | 768–3,029 m | Salzburg |
| Kaunertaler Gletscher winter season | 17 Oct | Sep – May | 2,150–3,113 m | Tyrol |
| Breuil-Cervinia / Valtournenche Plateau Rosà | 24 Oct | Oct – May | 2,050–3,480 m | Aosta Valley |
| Mölltaler Gletscher glacier | 1 Nov | Oct – May | 2,108–3,122 m | Carinthia |
| Presena / Passo Tonale Pontedilegno-Tonale | 21 Nov | Nov – May | 1,121–3,000 m | Trentino |
| Tignes / Grande Motte winter season | 21 Nov | Nov – May, June – Aug | 1,550–3,456 m | Savoy |
| Les 2 Alpes winter season | 28 Nov | Dec – Apr, June – Aug | 1,280–3,523 m | Isère |
| Marmolada / Arabba Arabba/Marmolada | 28 Nov | Nov – April | 1,446–3,269 m | Veneto |
| Stilfserjoch / Passo dello Stelvio | – | 30 May – 1 November | 2,757–3,450 m | South Tyrol |
Dates cross-checked with the lift companies on 20 September 2026. Three of the five Tyrolean dates we had taken from an overview turned out to be wrong; the corrections are in our article on the autumn opening dates. Where no date is shown, the lift company has not named one.
The pattern: altitude decides, not region
Going by their usual season windows, the 85 resorts spread across the first month of operation like this:
- September: 2 resorts
- October: 2 resorts
- November: 11 resorts
- December: 70 resorts
The resorts that open in October all have one thing in common: a glacier. Starting before mid November takes either glacier ice, which supports the snow layer from below, or terrain high enough that snowmaking runs reliably in November. Few places in Switzerland have either.
What actually decides an announced date is not snowfall but cold. Most resorts open on machine-made snow and need several consecutive nights below roughly minus 3 degrees wet bulb temperature. A mild November moves more dates than a dry one.
Frequently asked
When do the Swiss ski resorts open for winter 2026/27?
26 of 85 Swiss resorts have announced a date so far. The first is Saas-Fee on 3 October 2026. Most resorts without a glacier open between late November and mid-December. Every date depends on enough snow and cold.
Which Swiss ski resort opens first?
Saas-Fee (3 October 2026), Diavolezza-Lagalb (24 October 2026), Adelboden-Lenk (24 October 2026). The earliest openings are all glacier operations, which is a question of altitude rather than region.
Why have most resorts not announced a date yet?
Announcements come in September and October. What decides an opening date is not snowfall but cold: most resorts open on machine-made snow, and that needs several consecutive nights below roughly minus 3 degrees wet bulb. A mild November moves more dates than a dry one.
Related
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Ranked by weighted altitude, with the calculation set out in full.
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