For inexpensive skiing near Zürich, choose a mid-sized ski resort that is not a tourist destination. These resorts offer enough terrain and services for most average skiers, without overpaying for things you won’t use. Most of these resorts offer affordable family tickets, inexpensive beginner tickets, student and senior discounts, and kids under 6 always ski free.
Below are the best budget-friendly ski resorts near Zürich, sorted by distance, with day passes ranging from CHF 39 to 55. There are even cheaper ski areas, but they have less terrain, fewer lifts, and usually worse snow because of very low elevation. These can be good for absolute beginners, but perhaps not the best experience. So I haven’t included those in my list.
Note: All prices below are based on the 2021/22 winter season. These may change without notice.
1. Sattel Hochstuckli
Sattel Hochstuckli is a small ski resort in the mountains south of Zug. It’s popular for locals because it’s close and relatively inexpensive, a great place for kids to learn and practice. Since its elevation is rather low, between 1200-1500 m, it doesn’t always have great snow coverage. But when the snow’s good, it can be a lot of fun. Plus it has a 3 km sled run and a nice winter hike for non-skiers.
- Day Pass: CHF 38/adult, CHF 33/teen (16-20) and seniors, CHF 19/child (6-15), CHF 10/child (3-6) for beginners area
- Discounts: 3 hour ticket
- Pistes: 14 km
- Lifts: 1 gondola, 3 drag lifts, magic carpets in beginner area
- Distance from Zürich: 45 mins by car, 1hr25 by public transport
Check current prices • Our review of Sattel Hochstückli ski resort
2. Brunni-Alpthal
Brunni-Alpthal is a small ski resort near Einsiedeln, south of Zürich. We love that they sell a variety of “partial resort” tickets, so you only pay for the lifts you want to use, not the whole resort. This can save you a lot of money when you or your kids are learning to ski. For example, for just the beginner lift and magic carpet, you pay CHF 25/adult and CHF 18/child. For just the magic carpets, CHF 13/adult and CHF 10/child. They also have a family discount, when you are at least 4 family members skiing together.
- Day Pass: full resort CHF 38/adult, CHF 26/child (6-15), under 6 free
- Discounts: partial resort tickets, family discount, morning and afternoon tickets, 10 & 20x ride tickets
- Lifts: 1 cable car, 5 drag lifts, magic carpets in beginners area
- Distance from Zürich: 45 mins by car, 1hr20 by public transport
Check current prices. • Our review of Brunni Alpthal ski resort
3. Hoch Ybrig
Hoch Ybrig is our favorite resort for fluffy powder days. Although they have a nice snow garden for beginners, we prefer this resort for advanced beginners to advanced intermediate, because even the blue runs are a bit steep. Their family discount makes skiing more affordable: if parents are skiing with at least 2 children/teens, the parent’s day passes are discounted to CHF 45. Plus you ski free on your birthday!
- Day pass: CHf 55/adult, CHF 50/students aged 16-24, CHF 30/kids aged 6-15
- Discounts: family discount, afternoon ticket, birthday free!
- Pistes: 50 km
- Lifts: 3 chair lifts, beginners area with magic carpet, fun park
- Distance from Zürich: 50 mins by car, 1hr30 by public transport
Check current prices. • Our review of Hoch Ybrig ski resort
4. Stoos
Stoos is a mid-sized resort with wide open. We love Stoos for the amazing views and wide open pistes. Even though it’s a relatively small resort, it has enough terrain to satisfy a variety of skill levels and we never get bored there. They have an amazing family discount, not well advertised, where you pay just CHF 126 for 2 parents and all children under 15. This is great for big families!
- Day Pass: CHF 52/adult, CHF 47/senior (64+), CHF 43/youth (16-25), CHF 30/child (6-15), under 6 free
- Discounts: family discount, 4 hour ticket, “light” ticket for beginner lifts only
- Pistes: 35 km
- Lifts: 3 chair lifts, 3 drag lifts, magic carpet in beginner area
- Distance from Zürich: 45 mins by car, 1hr20 by public transport
Check current prices • Our review of Stoos ski resort
5. Klewenalp-Stockhütte
Klewenalp is a small ski resort near Lucerne suitable for beginners to advanced intermediate. They have a long sled run and beautiful snowshoe trails for non-skiers. They have a fantastic “FamilienHit” offer for CHF 145, which includes day passes and lunch for 2 parents and all of their children ages 6-19.
- Day Pass: CHF 51/adult, CHF 41/youth (16-19), CHF 25/child (6-15), under 6 free
- Discounts: family ticket, morning and afternoon tickets
- Pistes: 40 km
- Lifts: 3 chair lifts, 8 drag lifts, tow rope in beginner area
- Distance from Zürich: 1hr by car, 1hr40 by public transport
6. Pizol
Pizol is a mid-sized resort about 1hr15 drive south of Zürich. We love Pizol because it’s rarely crowded and has lots of fun off-piste areas for powder days. Pizol has a fantastic family tickets, CHF 151 for 2 adult and all children under 17. You also get a slight discount if you purchase your tickets online, even right before you get there.
- Day Pass: CHF 55/adult, CHF 48/seniors (60+) CHF 36/teen (13-17), CHF 27/child (6-12), under 6 free
- Discounts: family ticket, afternoon tickets, 3 & 4 hour tickets, beginner area ticket
- Pistes: 50 km
- Lifts: 2 gondolas, 4 chair lifts, 4 drag lifts, 3 magic carpets in beginner areas
- Distance from Zürich: 1hr15 by car, 1hr30 by public transport
Current prices • Our review of the Pizol Ski Resort
7. Elm
Elm is a mid-sized resort in Glarus, southeast of Zürich. It’s our family’s favorite for many reasons, including the fab off-piste slopes for powder days. The beginners area here is particularly nice with multiple magic carpets at varying steepness. Despite having only 2 chair lifts, there is surprisingly a lot of great terrain to keep you busy. No special discounts here, just a fair price for good services.
- Day Pass: CHF 51/adult, CHF 43/seniors, CHF 38/youth (ages 13-25), CHF 26/child (ages 6-12), under 6 free
- Discounts: morning and afternoon tickets, “Kinder-Arena” beginner ticket
- Pistes: 40 km
- Lifts: 1 gondola, 2 chair lifts, 2 drag lifts, magic carpets in beginner areas
- Distance from Zürich: 1hr15 by car, 1hr45 by public transport
Current prices • Our review of Elm Ski Resort
8. Braunwald
Braunwald is a small resort, but has enough fun terrain to entertain beginners to intermediate skiers. Plus it has a 3.5 km sled run and beautiful winter hiking trails for non-skiers. Braunwald offers a very attractive “family ticket” that including 2 parents and all children up to 15 years old, plus lunch, for CHF 155.
- Day Pass: CHF 52/adult, CHF 42/youth (16-25) and seniors, CHF 26/child (6-15), under 6 free
- Discounts: family ticket, 4 hour ticket, beginner ticket
- Pistes: 26 km
- Lifts: 2 gondolas, 3 chair lifts, 1 drag lifts, magic carpets in beginner area
- Distance from Zürich: 1hr15 by car, 1hr30 by public transport
Check current prices • Our review of Braunwald Ski Resort
9. Toggenburg Chäserrugg
Chäserrugg has a dynamic “best price” ticketing system, so the price varies based on date and demand. If you buy in advance, you can save up to CHF 18 per ticket. Although there are some blue runs, Chäserrugg is better suited to intermediate skiers, with a nice collection of red runs. They do have a snow garden for little kids and one T-bar servicing a little bunny hill and a ski school, so families and beginners will be fine here.
- Day Pass: day pass ranges CHF 45-63/adult, CHF 38.50-53.50/youth (16-19) and seniors, CHF 22.50-31.50/child (6-15), under 6 free
- Discounts: variable “best time” ticket, 4 hour ticket, family discount on multi-day passes
- Pistes: 50 km
- Lifts: 3 gondolas, 1 funicular, 2 chair lifts, 3 drag lifts, magic carpet in beginner area
- Distance from Zürich: 1hr15 by car, 2hr by public transport
Current prices • Our review of Chäserrugg ski resort
10. Toggenburg Wildhaus
Wildhaus is a good place for beginners. They have a family ticket that costs CHF 149 for 2 adults and 2 children (ages 6-15).
- Day Pass: CHF 55/adult, CHF 47/youth (16-19) and seniors, CHF 28/child (6-15), under 6 free
- Discounts: family discount, beginner ticket (limited lifts), partial day tickets
- Pistes: 23 km
- Lifts: 3 chair lifts, 3 drag lifts
- Distance from Zürich: 1hr30 by car, 2hr10 by public transport
Check current prices • Our review of the Wildhaus ski resort
2 responses
Hi Tanya! We love your website. Especially the page on weekend ski lessons – very helpful. We have a question though – do you know of any ski areas that have child care during the weekend? I can’t seem to find any. We would like to get some skiing done ourselves but are not able to leave the children alone in ski school yet and we can’t stay during the week this year. Kids are ages 3 and 5. Any recommendations would be super helpful!
hi Taraneh, so sorry for the very late reply. But I didn’t have an answer before and now I do! A friend recommends this Wengen Playhouse Day Nursery, that takes children during the ski day. You don’t have to reserve, but it is helpful. https://wengen.swiss/en/map/detail/playhouse-day-nursery-d582cedd-a2f4-4a1e-9342-07e0c28131e6.html