When do the Swiss ski resorts open?
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engelberg-Titlis glacier, 15 November: Stand and Trübsee | 10 Oct | – | Oct – May | 1,050–3,028 m | Obwalden |
| Diavolezza-Lagalb glacier run | 18 Oct | – | Oct – May | 2,093–2,978 m | Grisons |
| Zermatt – Matterhorn Sunnegga / Rothorn | 1 Nov | – | year-round | 1,620–3,883 m | Valais |
| Saas-Fee full winter operation | 1 Nov | – | mid-July – April | 1,800–3,500 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 |
| Andermatt-Sedrun Gemsstock | 21 Nov | – | Nov – May | 1,444–2,963 m | Uri / 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 |
| Adelboden-Lenk full winter operation | 5 Dec | – | Dec – April | 1,068–2,362 m | Bern |
| Lauchernalp – Lötschental full winter operation | 12 Dec | 11 Aprend of season | Dec – April | 1,403–3,100 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 |
| Corvatsch-Silvaplana | – | – | Nov – April | 1,800–3,303 m | Grisons |
| LAAX (Flims Laax Falera) | – | – | Nov – April | 1,100–3,018 m | Grisons |
| Samnaun / Silvretta Arena | – | – | Nov – April | 1,377–2,872 m | Grisons |
| Stoos | – | – | Nov – April | 1,300–1,935 m | Schwyz |
| Saas-Grund – Hohsaas | – | – | Dec – April | 1,560–3,200 m | Valais |
| Belalp – Blatten | – | – | Dec – April | 1,327–3,118 m | Valais |
| Saint-Luc / Chandolin | – | – | Dec – April | 1,650–3,025 m | Valais |
| Crans-Montana | – | – | Dec – April | 1,500–3,000 m | Valais |
| Mürren-Schilthorn | – | – | Dec – April | 1,600–2,970 m | Bern |
| Grimentz-Zinal | – | – | Dec – April | 1,570–2,900 m | Valais |
| Arolla | – | – | Dec – April | 1,950–2,890 m | Valais |
| Grächen | – | – | Dec – April | 1,619–2,868 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 |
| Chäserrugg / Toggenburg | – | – | Dec – April | 900–2,262 m | St. Gallen |
| Melchsee-Frutt | – | – | Dec – April | 1,080–2,255 m | Obwalden |
| Airolo – Pesciüm | – | – | Dec – April | 1,175–2,250 m | Ticino |
| 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 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: 10 resorts
- December: 71 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?
18 of 85 Swiss resorts have announced a date so far. The first is Engelberg-Titlis on 10 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?
Engelberg-Titlis (10 October 2026), Diavolezza-Lagalb (18 October 2026), Zermatt – Matterhorn (1 November 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.
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