Indoor Ski Slopes of the World
20 ski halls where you can ski on real snow in July, from the desert to the middle of a shopping mall. How long the slopes really are, what a session costs, and the honest pros and cons of each.
alpincenter Bottrop
Bottrop, Germany
- The Guinness-listed longest indoor slope at 640 m
- No chairlift: you ride long conveyor belts back up
SnowWorld Amnéville
Amnéville, France
- 620 m run, among the longest indoor runs in the world
- Drag lift only, so the ride back up is long
Harbin Hot Snow Miracle
Harbin, China
- 500 m main run, 60 m wide
- Name has changed several times, which makes booking confusing
SNØ
Lørenskog (Oslo), Norway
- 500 m run with 80 m vertical and a steep top section
- Expensive, as everything in Norway
Snow Arena
Druskininkai, Lithuania
- Very cheap for Europe
- Remote, about 2 hours from Vilnius
Ski Dubai
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Real snow in the desert, open all year
- Expensive for a 2-hour session
SnowWorld Landgraaf
Landgraaf, Netherlands
- Two 400 m slopes served by a 6-seat chairlift
- Busy at weekends and in Dutch school holidays
alpincenter Hamburg-Wittenburg
Wittenburg, Germany
- 100 m wide slope, the most room of any German hall
- About 80 km from Hamburg, easiest by car
SnowWorld Bispingen
Bispingen, Germany
- Wide slope, up to 100 m
- Short, with 40 m vertical and all easy terrain
SnowWorld Neuss
Neuss (Düsseldorf), Germany
- Close to Düsseldorf and Cologne
- Weekday opening only starts at 14:00
SnowWorld Zoetermeer
Zoetermeer (The Hague), Netherlands
- Steep red run of more than 20 degrees
- Drag lifts only, no chairlift
Madrid SnoZone (Xanadú)
Arroyomolinos (Madrid), Spain
- Chairlift and a 55 m wide main slope
- About 28 km from central Madrid
Ski Egypt
6th of October City (Greater Cairo), Egypt
- The only real-snow slope in Africa
- Short and gentle, with only about 30 m vertical
Snowplanet
Silverdale (Auckland), New Zealand
- Only indoor snow in New Zealand, open 365 days
- Only 25 m vertical
The Snow Centre Manchester
Manchester (Trafford Park), United Kingdom
- Longest real-snow slope in the UK
- Only 180 m, so each run takes seconds
SnowDome Tamworth
Tamworth, United Kingdom
- Central location near Birmingham, off the A5
- Travelators instead of a proper lift
The Snow Centre Hemel Hempstead
Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom
- The closest real-snow slope to London
- 160 m main slope is short
Big SNOW American Dream
East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
- The only indoor real-snow slope in North America
- Rentals and outerwear cost extra
Shanghai L+SNOW
Shanghai (Lin'gang New Area), China
- The largest indoor ski facility in the world per Guinness
- About 75 km from central Shanghai
Shenzhen Ice & Snow World
Shenzhen, China
- 83 m vertical, the most of any indoor centre found in this research
- New, so few independent reviews
Questions
What is the longest indoor ski slope in the world?
Of the halls we track, alpincenter Bottrop in Bottrop, Germany has the longest slope at about 640 metres.
Is the snow in an indoor ski slope real?
Yes. Every hall on this list makes real snow from water, the same way resorts do, and keeps the air below freezing so it lasts. It skis like firm spring snow on a groomed piste.
Is indoor skiing good practice for the mountains?
It is ideal for first lessons, warming up before a trip and freestyle practice. The runs are short and the gradient is gentle, so it will not prepare you for long, steep or icy pistes.
What should I wear for indoor skiing?
Most halls sit between −2 °C and −5 °C. A thin base layer, a fleece and ski trousers are enough. Gloves and a helmet are required in most halls, and many include clothing hire in the price.
Figures come from each hall's own website where published. Prices change often, so check before you go.