Arolla lies in Valais and is a small, family-run ski area: 12 kilometres of piste served by 4 lifts.
The area runs from 1950 to 2890 metres above sea level, giving around 940 metres of vertical. The upper slopes therefore sit at an altitude that usually holds snow reliably even in weaker winters.
The season usually runs Dec – April.
An adult day pass costs CHF 42.
Of note: High-alpine mountaineering village, snow-sure
Pistes by difficulty
- Leicht (blau)7 km61%
- Mittel (rot)3 km25%
- Schwer (schwarz)2 km14%
Distribution calculated from OpenStreetMap and applied to the 12 official kilometres of piste. An approximation, not a figure from the lift company.
Snow report
Not currentThis reading is 47 days old and is not being updated automatically at the moment. Current figures are available from the SLF and from the resort itself.
Source: SLF / WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. A single measuring station, not the resort’s official piste report.
Piste map, map & webcams
Interactive piste map
Every piste and lift colour-coded by difficulty, zoomable, built on OpenStreetMap. Community-maintained data; where it differs, the official piste map next to it is authoritative.
Open on OpenSkiMap →Official piste map
The lift company’s drawn piste map, plus lift status and tickets.
evolene-region.ch →Webcams
Live images from the mountain on the resort’s official site, usually several locations.
View webcams →Piste maps and webcam images belong to the lift companies and are protected by copyright. That is why we link directly to the original instead of copying it.
What sets this ski area apart
Arolla lies at 1998 metres at the head of the Val d'Hérens and belongs to the municipality of Evolène. All around stand peaks between 3600 and 4000 metres: the Aiguilles Rouges d'Arolla, the Pigne d'Arolla, the Mont Blanc de Cheilon and La Ruinette. Three kilometres to the south the glacier system around the Mont Collon begins.
This is the highest place in our list that still runs a small ski area of its own. Twelve kilometres of piste, no more, and that is not really the point here.
Arolla is above all a starting point: for high tours, for ski touring, and for the Haute Route between Chamonix and Zermatt, which passes through. Anyone arriving with a piste map in mind will be disappointed; anyone arriving with skins will find one of the best ranges in the Western Alps.
Sources: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arolla
Getting there by public transport
Destination stop: Arolla, poste. Fastest connection on a Saturday morning in the currently published timetable, from the open Swiss timetable interface, retrieved 10 August 2026. A guide value, not a timetable: the real journey time depends on when you leave and what you connect to, and winter-only bus services are not yet included.
Frequently asked about Arolla
How high is Arolla?
The ski area runs from 1,950 to 2,890 metres above sea level, a vertical range of 940 metres. For snow reliability the lower figure matters more: that is where the snow disappears first, and where a mild December is felt before it is felt at the top.
How many kilometres of piste does Arolla have?
12 kilometres on 4 lifts, according to the operator. There is no binding standard for measuring piste kilometres, so the figure is comparable between resorts only to a point. The lift count says at least as much about how big a place feels.
What does a day pass at Arolla cost?
CHF 42 for an adult day pass at the standard rate, as of summer 2026. Booked early it is often less; on a peak Saturday it is not.
When does Arolla open?
The usual season window is Dec – April. No starting date has been announced for winter 2026/27 yet. Most resorts commit only in the autumn, because a postponed opening costs more goodwill than a late announcement.
How do I get to Arolla by train?
The destination stop is Arolla, poste. From Zürich HB the fastest connection on a Saturday morning takes 3 h 58, changing 2 times; from Bern 2 h 53. A guide value, not a timetable.
Arolla in the magazine
Is the Magic Pass worth it? The maths with real numbers
The Magic Pass currently costs CHF 482 and covers 95 stations. We worked out how many ski days it takes to break even: ten. And checked which resorts are actually included. Of Switzerland's fifteen largest ski areas, two are.
What does skiing in Switzerland actually cost?
Day passes from CHF 40 to 95, median 58. What a ski day really costs once you add travel and food, where you get the most piste per franc, and which discounts are worth it. Numbers from all 85 resorts.
Where this resort stands
In our rankings of all Swiss ski areas:
Arolla is one of 24 ski areas in the canton of Valais, and it is quickest reached from Bern by train, in 2 h 53.
Nearby ski areas
Distances are straight-line, not driving time. In the Alps a ridge between two valleys can turn 12 km into a two-hour drive.
Key figures
- Region
- Valais
- Season
- Dec – April
- Kilometres of piste
- 12 km
- Elevation
- 1950 to 2890 m (940 m of vertical)
- Lifts
- 4
- Adult day pass
- around CHF 42 (guide value)
- Summer skiing
- no
- Glacier
- no
- Snow park
- rated 1/10
- Coordinates
- 46.027, 7.483
- Official website
- evolene-region.ch
All values are guide figures still being verified. For day-to-day information, use the resort’s official website.