Geneva lies in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, known as the Romande. The international airport is well connected and a major hub for Easyjet, BA and Swiss (who will carry your skis for free). It is a popular transit point for many Alpine resorts, and convenient for as little as a day on the slopes from many parts of Europe. Verbier, Villars and Chamonix are around an hour from the airport by road via Switzerland's immaculate motorway network, so it is even feasible to fly in on an early morning flight, get a day on the slopes and be back in your bed that evening. I know, I've done it!
Generally you can clear customs in Geneva Airport quite quickly, although visitors from non-Schengen countries might get delayed at passport control. If you are hiring a car the hire service is pretty efficient. For those taking public transport there is a main line railway station actually in the airport itself.
Geneva lie at the heart of an incredibly efficient public transport system, without a doubt the best in the world. That the public transport is so good can make getting to the Swiss resorts, and getting back, a large part of the enjoyment of a day out in the mountains. There is no stress, indeed the trip out to the mountains along Lake Geneva is therapeutic whilst the journey back is a great opportunity to enjoy some apres ski beers, as the most amazing backdrop passes by. Incidentally the train service to the Alps does not have a buffet car or trolley service, so you will need to stock up on refreshments at your departure point.
For one, two and six day outings from Geneva, Swiss Rail runs the outstanding Snow'n'Rail scheme with significant discounts on both public transport and lift passes. Amongst the easiest destinations by train are Champéry (in the Portes du Soleil), Leysin, Les Diablerets, Villars and Verbier. Journey time from either Geneva or Geneva Airport is around two and a half hours.
If you want to get to any French resorts you will either need to hire a car or use one of the reasonably-priced shuttle bus services that operate from the airport, e.g. Alpybus. If you take a shuttle make sure you book your place before you fly. Depending on the resort, the transfer charges are usually between €20-40 each way.
To get to the Swiss Alps by road take the Swiss motorway system from Geneva through the Rhone Valley. Initially take the A1 in the direction of Lausanne, then the A9 in the direction of Vevey/Montreux for access to the mountain roads up to the resorts of Vaud and Valais. If you want to hire a car I recommend you contact Rhino Cars for the best rates from all the usual suspects.
All the resort pages on this site provide accommodation recommendations. If you are traveling at short notice, need to arrive late or leave early, or don't fit in with the weekly booking schedules you might find it harder to find somewhere to stay in the resorts themselves. However a number of towns in the Rhone valley have more flexible accommodation options, fast transport links to Geneva and provide easy access to the slopes. These “hub” towns, include Lausanne, Vevey, Montreux, Aigle, Martigny, Sion, Sierre or Visp. It all depends on how much travel time you are prepared to put in to and from respectively the airport and your preferred ski resort. Some towns on the main line service to Brig from Geneva Airport are particularly convenient for specific resorts, e.g. Aigle for Portes du Soleil (Champéry), Villars, Les Diablerets and Leysin; Martigny for Verbier and Les Marécottes; Sion for the central section of the 4 Valleys (Nendaz, Veysonnaz or Siviez) and Anzère; Sierre for Crans-Montana; and Visp for Saas-Fee or Zermatt.
Resort | Region | Language | Locality | Bottom m | Top m | Piste km | Family | Day | Price | Snow'n'Rail | Station | Distance |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adelboden | Bernese Oberland | Swiss German | Bern | 1068 | 2362 | 205 | 66 | SFr | Y | 236 km | ||
Airolo | Ticino | Italian | Ticino | 1700 | 2250 | 30 | 45 | SFr | Y | Y | 349 km | |
Aletsch Arena | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1845 | 2869 | 104 | Y | 60 | SFr | Y | Y | 228 km |
Andermatt | Central Switzerland | Swiss German | Uri | 1444 | 2963 | 120 | 57 | SFr | Y | Y | 347 km | |
Anzère | Valais | French | Valais | 1500 | 2420 | 58 | 55 | SFr | 176 km | |||
Arolla | Valais | French | Valais | 2000 | 2980 | 47 | 39 | SFr | 198 km | |||
Arosa | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1230 | 2865 | 225 | Y | 84 | SFr | Y | Y | 437 km |
Belalp | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1750 | 3112 | 60 | 58 | SFr | Y | 224 km | ||
Bettmeralp | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1970 | 2647 | 104 | 60 | SFr | Y | Y | 225 km | |
Braunwald | Eastern Switzerland | Swiss German | Glarus | 1300 | 1905 | 30 | Y | 49 | SFr | Y | Y | 376 km |
Brigels | Graubünden | Romansh | Graubünden | 1100 | 2418 | 75 | Y | 56 | SFr | Y | 443 km | |
Caux | Lake Geneva Region | French | Vaud | 1161 | 2322 | 8 | 35 | SFr | 101 km | |||
Celerina | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1750 | 3057 | 163 | 79 | SFr | Y | Y | 484 km | |
Chamonix | France | French | Haute-Savoie | 1035 | 3842 | 170 | Euro | Y | 82 km | |||
Champéry | Valais | French | Valais | 1050 | 2250 | 603 | 67 | SFr | Y | Y | 128 km | |
Champoussin | Valais | French | Valais | 1000 | 2360 | 650 | 63 | SFr | 131 km | |||
Chandolin | Valais | French | Valais | 2000 | 3000 | 60 | 58 | SFr | 200 km | |||
Château-d'Oex | Lake Geneva Region | French | Vaud | 1001 | 1650 | 30 | Y | 36 | SFr | Y | 143 km | |
Crans-Montana | Valais | French | Valais | 1500 | 3000 | 140 | Y | 89 | SFr | Y | Y | 184 km |
Davos | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 810 | 2844 | 279 | Y | 71 | SFr | Y | Y | 436 km |
Diavolezza | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 2093 | 2978 | 35 | 67 | SFr | Y | Y | 499 km | |
Disentis | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1227 | 2833 | 60 | 62 | SFr | Y | Y | 466 km | |
Elm | Eastern Switzerland | Swiss German | Glarus | 1000 | 2100 | 40 | 49 | SFr | 367 km | |||
Engelberg | Central Switzerland | Swiss German | Obwalden | 1050 | 3020 | 82 | Y | 68 | SFr | Y | Y | 310 km |
Feldberg | Germany | German | Black Forest | 945 | 1493 | 55 | Y | 36 | Euro | Y | 295 km | |
Fiescheralp | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1845 | 2869 | 104 | 60 | SFr | Y | Y | 229 km | |
Flims Laax Falera | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1100 | 3018 | 224 | Y | 85 | SFr | Y | 426 km | |
Flumserberg | Eastern Switzerland | Swiss German | St Gallen | 1220 | 2222 | 65 | Y | 63 | SFr | Y | Y | 384 km |
Glacier 3000 | Lake Geneva Region | French | Vaud | 1350 | 3000 | 28 | 64 | SFr | 134 km | |||
Goms | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1400 | 1580 | 5 | 16 | SFr | 232 km | |||
Grächen | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1619 | 2864 | 44 | Y | 56 | SFr | Y | 226 km | |
Grimentz | Valais | French | Valais | 1572 | 2900 | 115 | 62 | SFr | 197 km | |||
Grindelwald | Bernese Oberland | Swiss German | Bern | 1049 | 2500 | 160 | 65 | SFr | Y | Y | 244 km | |
Grüsch-Danusa | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1250 | 1800 | 32 | 55 | SFr | 389 km | |||
Gstaad | Bernese Oberland | Swiss German | Bern | 1200 | 2971 | 58 | 65 | SFr | Y | 157 km | ||
Hoch-Ybrig | Central Switzerland | Swiss German | Schwyz | 1050 | 1831 | 50 | 55 | SFr | 347 km | |||
Klewenalp | Central Switzerland | Swiss German | Nidwalden | 1279 | 2001 | 40 | 51 | SFr | Y | 307 km | ||
Klosters | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 810 | 2844 | 279 | Y | 71 | SFr | Y | 425 km | |
Lenzerheide | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1230 | 2865 | 225 | Y | 84 | SFr | Y | 427 km | |
Les Diablerets | Lake Geneva Region | French | Vaud | 1200 | 3000 | 84 | 56 | SFr | Y | 130 km | ||
Les Marécottes | Valais | French | Valais | 1100 | 2200 | 28 | 44 | SFr | Y | 143 km | ||
Leukerbad | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1411 | 2610 | 55 | Y | 55 | SFr | 196 km | ||
Leysin | Lake Geneva Region | French | Vaud | 1350 | 2205 | 100 | Y | 55 | SFr | Y | 126 km | |
Lötschental | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1968 | 3111 | 55 | 57 | SFr | Y | 215 km | ||
Meiringen | Bernese Oberland | Swiss German | Bern | 1061 | 2433 | 60 | Y | 59 | SFr | Y | Y | 255 km |
Melchsee-Frutt | Central Switzerland | Swiss German | Obwalden | 1080 | 2255 | 36 | 50 | SFr | Y | 297 km | ||
Moléson | Fribourg Region | French | Fribourg | 1100 | 2002 | 30 | 35 | SFr | 125 km | |||
Morgins | Valais | French | Valais | 1050 | 2277 | 650 | 63 | SFr | Y | 76 km | ||
Mürren | Bernese Oberland | Swiss German | Bern | 1650 | 2971 | 54 | 65 | SFr | Y | Y | 225 km | |
Nendaz | Valais | French | Valais | 1350 | 3330 | 412 | Y | 59 | SFr | Y | 165 km | |
Ovronnaz | Valais | French | Valais | 1350 | 2500 | 30 | 53 | SFr | 156 km | |||
Pizol | Eastern Switzerland | Swiss German | St Gallen | 1045 | 2250 | 43 | 54 | SFr | Y | Y | 409 km | |
Pontresina | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 2093 | 2978 | 9 | 79 | SFr | Y | Y | 499 km | |
Riederalp | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1950 | 2335 | 104 | 60 | SFr | Y | Y | 234 km | |
Rougemont | Lake Geneva Region | French | Vaud | 992 | 2284 | 62 | 63 | SFr | 151 km | |||
Saas-Fee | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1483 | 3600 | 100 | Y | 73 | SFr | 229 km | ||
Saas-Grund | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1560 | 3200 | 35 | Y | 54 | SFr | 225 km | ||
Samnaun | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1700 | 2872 | 239 | 62.5 | SFr | 552 km | |||
Scuol | Graubünden | Romansh | Graubünden | 1250 | 2783 | 70 | 57 | SFr | Y | Y | 466 km | |
Sedrun | Graubünden | Romansh | Graubünden | 1500 | 2350 | 120 | SFr | Y | Y | 475 km | ||
Sils | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1750 | 3303 | 120 | 79 | SFr | Y | 421 km | ||
Silvaplana | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1750 | 3303 | 120 | 79 | SFr | Y | 475 km | ||
St Moritz | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1750 | 3303 | 163 | Y | 79 | SFr | Y | Y | 480 km |
St-Luc | Valais | French | Valais | 1650 | 3000 | 60 | 58 | SFr | 195 km | |||
Stoos | Central Switzerland | Swiss German | Schwyz | 1300 | 1935 | 35 | 52 | SFr | Y | 331 km | ||
Thyon | Valais | French | Valais | 1350 | 3330 | 412 | 62 | SFr | Y | 182 km | ||
Torgon | Valais | French | Valais | 1100 | 1998 | 640 | 51 | SFr | Y | 121 km | ||
Vals | Graubünden | Swiss German | Graubünden | 1250 | 3000 | 25 | 49 | SFr | 446 km | |||
Verbier | Valais | French | Valais | 1500 | 3330 | 412 | 67 | SFr | Y | Y | 162 km | |
Veysonnaz | Valais | French | Valais | 1350 | 3330 | 412 | 59 | SFr | Y | 171 km | ||
Villars | Lake Geneva Region | French | Vaud | 1300 | 3000 | 84 | Y | 56 | SFr | Y | 129 km | |
Wengen | Bernese Oberland | Swiss German | Bern | 1274 | 2320 | 162 | 66 | SFr | Y | Y | 237 km | |
Zermatt | Valais | Swiss German | Valais | 1620 | 3899 | 360 | 92 | SFr | Y | 238 km | ||
Zinal | Valais | French | Valais | 1670 | 3000 | 115 | 62 | SFr | 201 km | |||
Zweisimmen | Bernese Oberland | Swiss German | Bern | 950 | 2008 | 85 | 65 | SFr | Y | Y | 160 km |