Why your ski trip in Switzerland will be more expensive this winter
Due to rising energy costs, many mountain resorts in Switzerland are increasing their prices this winter.
Ski passes will cost more during the upcoming ski season — which usually lasts between November and March at high-altitude areas — to offset the price of electricity used to operate ski lifts.
So far, a number of ski areas have already announced impending price hikes.
In the Bernese resorts of Adelboden-Lenk, Gstaad, Jungfrau, and Meiringen-Hasliberg, prices went up by 9.4 percent for adults.
“Our day passes and multi-day passes will be up to 5 percent more expensive,” Yves Audrimont, spokesperson for the Saas-Fee (VS) ski area told Swiss media. This means paying 78 francs instead of 75, as was the case last year.
READ MORE: Swiss government confirms ‘sharp increase’ in electricity prices
As for Bergbahnen Wildhaus in the canton of St. Gallen, spokesperson Urs Gantenbein, also confirms the increase in ticket prices.
While a day pass for adults previously cost 55 francs, its new price will be 58 francs.
However, this increase would only cover part of the actual cost increases. “We have to be able to bear the rest of the costs ourselves, not quantifiable at the moment, resulting from the massive increase in energy costs for diesel, heating oil and electricity”, he said.
In Riederalp, Bettmeralp, and Fiesch-Eggishorn, all located in the Aletsch glacier area of Valais, the price for a season ticket will increase from 777 to 850 francs.
Some ski areas, however, will forego price increases.
For instance, Arosa-Lenzerheide (GR), Laax and Zermatt (VS), Engelberg-Titlis (LU), and Crans-Montana (VS) are waiving a price increase.
“The current rate of the euro and the rise in inflation do not allow us to increase our prices", according to Stefan Reichmuth, spokesperson for the Arosa Lenzerheide mountain railways.
"With a price increase, we would lose our competitiveness” against European ski resorts, where the prices, due to the franc-euro exchange, are lower for the Swiss skiers.
READ MORE: EXPLAINED: What the weakening euro means for Switzerland’s residents
Another resort that is not raising its prices is Verbier (VS), which is very popular with tourists from the UK.
However, Laurent Vaucher, director of Téléverbier ski lifts, said that if energy costs keep increasing, “it is clear that this could have a lot of impact on” pricing.
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Ski passes will cost more during the upcoming ski season — which usually lasts between November and March at high-altitude areas — to offset the price of electricity used to operate ski lifts.
So far, a number of ski areas have already announced impending price hikes.
In the Bernese resorts of Adelboden-Lenk, Gstaad, Jungfrau, and Meiringen-Hasliberg, prices went up by 9.4 percent for adults.
“Our day passes and multi-day passes will be up to 5 percent more expensive,” Yves Audrimont, spokesperson for the Saas-Fee (VS) ski area told Swiss media. This means paying 78 francs instead of 75, as was the case last year.
READ MORE: Swiss government confirms ‘sharp increase’ in electricity prices
As for Bergbahnen Wildhaus in the canton of St. Gallen, spokesperson Urs Gantenbein, also confirms the increase in ticket prices.
While a day pass for adults previously cost 55 francs, its new price will be 58 francs.
However, this increase would only cover part of the actual cost increases. “We have to be able to bear the rest of the costs ourselves, not quantifiable at the moment, resulting from the massive increase in energy costs for diesel, heating oil and electricity”, he said.
In Riederalp, Bettmeralp, and Fiesch-Eggishorn, all located in the Aletsch glacier area of Valais, the price for a season ticket will increase from 777 to 850 francs.
Some ski areas, however, will forego price increases.
For instance, Arosa-Lenzerheide (GR), Laax and Zermatt (VS), Engelberg-Titlis (LU), and Crans-Montana (VS) are waiving a price increase.
“The current rate of the euro and the rise in inflation do not allow us to increase our prices", according to Stefan Reichmuth, spokesperson for the Arosa Lenzerheide mountain railways.
"With a price increase, we would lose our competitiveness” against European ski resorts, where the prices, due to the franc-euro exchange, are lower for the Swiss skiers.
READ MORE: EXPLAINED: What the weakening euro means for Switzerland’s residents
Another resort that is not raising its prices is Verbier (VS), which is very popular with tourists from the UK.
However, Laurent Vaucher, director of Téléverbier ski lifts, said that if energy costs keep increasing, “it is clear that this could have a lot of impact on” pricing.
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