Verbier Lift Pass Options - Winter

The decision whether to buy a Verbier only or 4 Valley lift pass really depends on your skiing level and how much you want to ski. Here are a few pointers to help you choose:

Verbier Area:
The Verbier ski area encompasses Les Ruinettes, Savolyeres, Bruson and Verbier itself, and it has over 195km of piste in its own right. There is something for all level of skier and snowboarder in this area, including freestylers, as the Swatch Snowpark is situated at La Chaux. If you are a complete beginner or have 1-2 weeks of skiing or boarding experience, you will probably find that the Verbier pass has more than enough to keep you challenged and entertained during your stay. Alternatively, if you don’t plan on skiing hard all day, every day, this local area pass will also suit you. **NB** This pass does not let you take the Jumbo cable car up to the Mont Fort sector.

Verbier & the 4 Valleys:
Anyone of intermediate ability and above usually takes advantage of the full 4 Valley area pass which offers unlimited access to 92 lifts (many state of the art), 410kms of piste and 5 resorts: Verbier, La Tzoumaz, Nendaz, Veysonnaz and Thyon. It is Switzerland's largest linked ski domain and will never disappoint!

Both passes are available for ½ to 21 day durations or for the season, and entitle you to free use of the in-resort ski bus service.

This card allows you to ski the 4 Valley area at a reduced price all season (or just Valais at an even cheaper rate).  The more you ski the cheaper it becomes! The pass works like a credit card with your days on the mountain being debited from the card at the end of each ski day.  The rate debited is based on the time you start and the area you decide to ski and once you've bought your card, you don't need to return to the cash desk.

For winter 09/10, the 4 Valley Club Card costs:
4 Valley area : CHF 99- (adults) CHF 79- (teens/students) & CHF 49- (child)
Valais only : CHF 39- (adults) CHF 24- (teens/students) & CHF 19- (child)

The reductions are:

• 27 days at a 50% discount
• 45 days at a 30% discount
• guaranteed 10% discount on all other days of the season

Verbier lift pass company offers free passes for children under 6, and a reduction on the adult price for children under the age of 16 (for all children’s passes it is advisable to bring proof of date of birth to the pass office).

If you are skiing “en famille” then you should take a look at the Family Pass which offers a reduction on the cost of buying 6-21 day duration passes individually. In order to qualify there must be a minimum of 3 paying individuals from the same family (parents/children), with at least one adult paying full price. Children must be born after 1990 and the ski passes must be valid for the same period for all members of the family.

There are a number of beginners areas throughout the resort, so it is worth finding out where you are most likely to be skiing before deciding which pass to purchase. Children are made more than welcome in the following beginners zones: Les Moulins, Les Esserts and Le Rouge. The Swiss Ski School runs a Kids Club at Les Moulins for 3 to 6 year olds. Please click here for details of all Verbier lift pass prices.

Alas, Verbier does not provide any free lifts for beginners, although a half-day reduced price pass can be bought for Les Esserts and is generally considered to be good value. With 1 drag lift and 2 magic carpets (one of which is 120m long!), it is a refuge from the pistes on which to get your confidence up before you venture out!

To get up the mountain as a pedestrian you still need a lift-pass, but Verbier offers a reduced rate non-skier pass if you are going walking or snow shoeing. It is also worth going up the lifts to enjoy the spectacular views, watch the skiers/snowboarders and have lunch in one of the many mountain restaurants.

Pedestrian rates can be found at the bottom of our Verbier & the 4 Valleys Lift Pass Prices - Winter page.

Early/Late Season Discount:
If you visit Verbier during November and early December or the very last week of the season, you will benefit from reduced rates on your lift pass.  However, depending on snowfall, this is usually accompanied buy a reduced ski area.

Age-Related Discount:
Lift passes are free for children under 6 and adults over 77 years are free of charge, while children aged 6-14 years and teens aged 15-19 years can claim a reduced rate.  Proof of age will be requested so take a passport along to be on the safe side.

Group Discount
Group discounts can be negotiated with the lift pass office, a typical example would be 10% off for a group of 20 people or more. Please telephone the Verbier office for further details - +41 (27) 775 33 69, English-speaking staff are available! 

Full details of prices can be found on our Verbier & the 4 Valleys Lift Pass Prices - Winter page.

As far as we know there are no specific discounts available for disabled skiers. However, the Alpine resorts are all upping their game as regards making the mountains more accessible for people with disabilities.

Rates for lessons and/or accompaniment are roughly equal to any normal alpine private lesson rates: 195 SFR/2 hrs (AM), 160 SFR/2 hrs (PM), 230 SFR/3 hrs & 420 SFR for a full day of instruction.  Rates include the use of a sit-ski.

In Verbier all skiers with a handicap are welcomed, whatever their disability may be. The skiing area is well equipped with facilities such as elevators, which makes access to many lifts quite easy. People with disabilities have access to the entire skiing domain, however, the Savolyeres side is a bit trickier as the main access to the area (via the old gondola) isn’t well suited so it is best avoided.

Those wishing to take lessons or have someone accompany them on the hill can turn to the École Suisse de Ski, who can put their fully trained teacher, Charlotte Dischinger, certified by PluSport (Swiss Handicap Sport Federation – www.plusport.ch) at your disposal. She is a very friendly lady who assures us she would be quite happy to answer any questions you may have related to the matter. She can be reached on +41 79 647-3332.

Photos are not required for passes of 6 days or less.

What else do I need to know?
It goes without saying that you must be properly insured before taking to the slopes, but you can also purchase insurance on a daily basis as you buy your lift pass. Verbier offers 2 insurance options:

Pass Protect
Should you not be able to use all your ski pass due to accident or illness you can purchase ski pass reimbursement insurance cover for just 2 CHF per day or 42 CHF per season. You will only be able to reclaim the remainder of the unused pass and will require a medical certificate as proof.

Snowcare
For just 4 CHF per day or 84 CHF per season, Snowcare offers the following services in the event of an accident or illness:

Loss or theft of your lift pass
The lift pass office has not issued any specific instructions on what their policy is regarding this situation. However, most resorts will replace your pass on production of your original receipt, for which they may charge a small fee. With the advent of magnetic cards and online booking this has become easier to do as your pass is more traceable. Ask at time of booking to clarify.