Gstaad
Gstaad at a glance
Gstaad is a ski resort in Switzerland, part of the Gstaad Mountain Rides area. It offers 220 km of slopes served by 53 lifts, with skiing between 1,050 m and 3,000 m (1,950 m vertical). That makes it the 11th largest of the 30 ski resorts in Switzerland listed on Intski. The season usually runs from December to April.
Top features of this resort
Snow forecast
About 20 cm of new snow at the top (3,000 m) in the next 3 days, 1 cm at the base.
New snow and temperature at the top station. Estimated by Intski from the MET Norway forecast, updated every few hours. Where it snows most this week
Email me when it snows
An alert when 15 cm or more is on the way at Gstaad, and a heads-up before it opens.
Getting there & lift pass
Nearest airport
Geneva (GVA) — about 94 km from the resort, straight-line distance, allow more by road.
Lift pass
Adult day pass around 82 CHF (2026/27 season). Gstaad Mountain Rides day pass.
About €0.40 per km of piste the pass covers (220 km).
Compare lift pass prices at all resortsPrice source, checked 2026-09-14
Driving to Gstaad
Rules for a car in Switzerland, checked 30 September 2026 against official sources.
Road charge
Vignette, CHF 40 for the year. Motorway vignette 2026 (e-vignette or sticker) CHF 40.00, Vignette for a trailer or caravan up to 3.5 t CHF 40.00
Winter tyres
No legal requirement
Studded tyres
Allowed 1 Nov to 30 Apr (banned on motorways, 80 km/h, rear 80 disc)
Gstaad resort facts
About Gstaad
Gstaad is a town in the German-speaking section of the canton of Bern, in south-western Switzerland, and part of the municipality of Saanen.
Resort Highlights
A town with a reputation
Gstaad is a town in the German-speaking section of the canton of Bern, in south-western Switzerland, and part of the municipality of Saanen. It is known as a major ski resort and as a favourite of high society and the international jet set, a reputation reinforced by the presence of the winter campus of the Institut Le Rosey. Yet with a population of around 9,200 it is also a real town with a year-round life of its own, sitting at 1,050 m above sea level in a broad valley rather than perched on a high shelf.
Gstaad Mountain Rides: 220 km across the valley
The skiing is marketed under the Gstaad Mountain Rides banner and is large by any measure: 220 km of pistes and 53 lifts, with the lift system rising from 1,050 m at the valley floor to 3,000 m at the highest point. That 1,950 m of vertical is among the biggest figures in this part of Switzerland, and the 3,000 m top station is what gives the area its snow security. Terrain that high holds cover reliably through the December to April season even when the valley itself is looking green.
The size of the area suits skiers who like to move around, and the spread of lifts means different sectors can have quite different characters on the same day. No difficulty breakdown is available for the 220 km, so it is best treated as a rounded area rather than one aimed at a particular ability. What the numbers do say is that there is enough terrain here for a full week without repetition, and enough altitude at the top to make late-season trips worthwhile.
Between the glamour and the mountains
For all its jet-set associations, the resort is rated here for traditional charm and scenic views rather than glitz. The town retains the feel of a Bernese Oberland community, and the valley setting at 1,050 m gives long views to the peaks around it. Non-skiers are well catered for simply because Gstaad is a proper town with life beyond the lifts, which is not something every ski resort can claim.
Getting there
Geneva is the nearest major airport, roughly 94 km away as the crow flies, which makes Gstaad one of the more accessible Swiss resorts for weekend visitors. The season runs from December to April. Lift information, accommodation and event listings are on the resort’s official website.
Frequently asked questions about Gstaad
Gstaad sits at 1,050 m above sea level. The lifts climb from there to a top station at 3,000 m, giving around 1,950 m of vertical.
Gstaad is known as a destination for high society and the international jet set, but it is also a working town of around 9,200 people with 220 km of skiing that anyone can buy a pass for.
Gstaad lies in the German-speaking part of the canton of Bern, so German is the local language.
Gstaad is part of the municipality of Saanen in the canton of Bern, south-western Switzerland.
It is the name under which the Gstaad ski area operates, covering 220 km of pistes and 53 lifts between 1,050 m and 3,000 m.
Gstaad has 220 km of marked slopes, served by 53 ski lifts.
The skiing in Gstaad ranges from 1,050 m at the base to 3,000 m at the top — a vertical drop of 1,950 m.
The ski season in Gstaad typically runs from December to April. Exact opening dates vary by year and snow conditions.
An adult day pass in Gstaad costs around 82 CHF (2026/27 season). Gstaad Mountain Rides day pass.
The nearest airport to Gstaad is Geneva (GVA), about 94 km away (straight-line distance, allow more by road).
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