Stock photo San Bernardino
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Stock photo (does not show San Bernardino): Pier B. · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
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San Bernardino lies in Grisons and is a small, family-run ski area: 35 kilometres of piste served by 8 lifts.
The area runs from 1600 to 2530 metres above sea level, giving around 930 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 52.
Of note: Pass village at the San Bernardino, revived
Pistes by difficulty
- Leicht (blau)16 km45%
- Mittel (rot)16 km47%
- Schwer (schwarz)3 km8%
Distribution calculated from OpenStreetMap and applied to the 35 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.
sanbernardino.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
San Bernardino is the only Italian-speaking ski area in our list that is not in Ticino: it belongs to the canton of Grisons, more precisely to the municipality of Mesocco at the top of the Mesolcina, and sits at 1608 metres by the southern portal of the road tunnel opened in 1967.
The pass above it is one of the oldest in the Alps and was crossed before Roman times; its old name Mons Avium, bird mountain, survives in the Piz Uccello above the road. The present pass road was built between 1818 and 1823 under Giulio Pocobelli and cost 3,190,800 francs, most of it paid by the Sardinian government.
The village was long a spa: the mineral water, rich in sulphur, magnesium and iron, was already mentioned by the naturalist Johann Jakob Scheuchzer in 1717. The round church of San Bernardino, built between 1867 and 1897, imitates San Carlo al Corso in Milan, with a dome roofed in stone slabs.
Snow’n’Rail at San Bernardino: up to 30% off the ski pass
This resort takes part in Snow’n’Rail, the combined offer from SBB RailAway: book the journey and the ski pass together and the pass costs less.
Snow’n’Rail San Bernardino at SBB →All resorts with Snow’n’Rail →
Getting there by public transport
Destination stop: S. Bernardino, Funivia. 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.
Worth knowing: this resort is in the Snow’n’Rail scheme, so the lift pass is up to 30 per cent cheaper if you arrive this way. From Zürich HB that is 2 h 40 on the train instead of behind the wheel.
Frequently asked about San Bernardino
How high is San Bernardino?
The ski area runs from 1,600 to 2,530 metres above sea level, a vertical range of 930 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 San Bernardino have?
35 kilometres on 8 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 San Bernardino cost?
CHF 52 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. Arriving by public transport takes up to 30 per cent off through the Snow’n’Rail scheme.
When does San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino by train?
The destination stop is S. Bernardino, Funivia. From Zürich HB the fastest connection on a Saturday morning takes 2 h 40, changing 1 time; from Bern 3 h 47. A guide value, not a timetable.
Is there Snow’n’Rail at San Bernardino?
Yes. San Bernardino is one of the destinations in SBB RailAway's combined offer: book the journey and the ski pass together and the pass costs up to 30 per cent less. That percentage is the maximum SBB advertises; what actually comes off depends on the ticket type and the date, and only SBB can tell you bindingly.
San Bernardino in the magazine
Where this resort stands
San Bernardino is one of 23 ski areas in the canton of Grisons, and it is quickest reached from Zurich by train, in 2 h 40.
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
- Grisons
- Season
- Dec – April
- Kilometres of piste
- 35 km
- Elevation
- 1600 to 2530 m (930 m of vertical)
- Lifts
- 8
- Adult day pass
- around CHF 52 (guide value)
- Summer skiing
- no
- Glacier
- no
- Snow park
- rated 3/10
- Coordinates
- 46.462, 9.184
- Official website
- sanbernardino.ch
All values are guide figures still being verified. For day-to-day information, use the resort’s official website.