Grächen lies in Valais and is a manageable ski area: 44 kilometres of piste served by 13 lifts.
The area runs from 1619 to 2868 metres above sea level, giving around 1,249 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 64.
Of note: A family classic in the Mattertal
Pistes by difficulty
- Leicht (blau)12 km28%
- Mittel (rot)32 km72%
- Schwer (schwarz)0 km0%
Distribution calculated from OpenStreetMap and applied to the 44 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.
graechen.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
Grächen sits on a terrace at 1619 metres above St. Niklaus in the Matter valley, and it lies in the driest area in Switzerland and in the Alps as a whole. For a ski resort that is a double-edged distinction: plenty of sun, little precipitation, and correspondingly more riding on snowmaking than in the wet northern-barrier areas.
How dry it is shows in the suonen. For centuries glacier water from the Riedbach has been led onto the meadows through four irrigation channels; the oldest and longest is called Eggeri and runs to below the Hannigalp. Until a few decades ago rye was still grown up here.
The village centre is car-free and open only to electric vehicles, though unlike Zermatt or Saas-Fee not the whole village: Niedergrächen and a northern section can be reached by car. The ski area climbs to the Seetalhorn at 2864 metres and is strongly geared towards families.
Sources: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grächen
Getting there by public transport
Destination stop: Grächen, Zentrum. 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 Grächen
How high is Grächen?
The ski area runs from 1,619 to 2,868 metres above sea level, a vertical range of 1,249 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 Grächen have?
44 kilometres on 13 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 Grächen cost?
CHF 64 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 Grächen 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 Grächen by train?
The destination stop is Grächen, Zentrum. From Zürich HB the fastest connection on a Saturday morning takes 2 h 48, changing 1 time; from Bern 1 h 43. A guide value, not a timetable.
Where this resort stands
In our rankings of all Swiss ski areas:
Grächen is one of 24 ski areas in the canton of Valais, and it is quickest reached from Bern by train, in 1 h 43.
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
- 44 km
- Elevation
- 1619 to 2868 m (1,249 m of vertical)
- Lifts
- 13
- Adult day pass
- around CHF 64 (guide value)
- Summer skiing
- no
- Glacier
- no
- Snow park
- rated 4/10
- Coordinates
- 46.195, 7.838
- Official website
- graechen.ch
All values are guide figures still being verified. For day-to-day information, use the resort’s official website.