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    Switzerland, Europe

    Gstaad

    Gstaad: 200km across 6 sectors, 73% beginner terrain, 34 lifts. Bernese Oberland skiing from CHF 69/day. Magic Pass valid.

    Season 2026 - 2027
    Opens
    12 Dec 2026
    Closes
    14 Mar 2027
    Days open
    92
    Annual snow
    5m
    The Overview
    MF
    Michael Fulton
    Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

    Gstaad spreads across 200 kilometres of pistes spanning six sectors in the Bernese Oberland, with 75 runs ranging from 948 to 2,011 metres elevation and 1,063 metres of vertical drop. The terrain caters predominantly to beginners and intermediates with 73 per cent beginner runs, 23 per cent intermediate and just 4 per cent advanced. Multi-day passes include access to Glacier 3000, reaching 3,000 metres and extending the skiable domain substantially. Annual snowfall averages 385 to 450 centimetres, with extensive snowmaking coverage across 87 kilometres of piste.

    The ski area divides into two primary sectors east and west of Gstaad village, accessed via Eggli and Wispile gondolas plus the Rinderberg-Saanerslochgrat-Horneggli interconnected zone from Zweisimmen, Saanenmöser and Schönried. Signature runs include the 10-kilometre descent from La Videmanette to Rougemont with 1,150 metres vertical, and the steep Tiger Run on Wasserngrat. Wide cruising terrain dominates Eggli with nearly 60 kilometres of gentle blues, whilst tree-lined slopes on Rinderberg provide definition in poor visibility.

    Gstaad operates as a quiet, refined ski destination rather than a high-adrenaline resort, attracting families and leisurely skiers to car-free village centres lined with traditional wooden chalets. On-mountain dining emphasises quality over quantity, with mountain restaurants at La Videmanette, Eggli and throughout the Rinderberg sector. The resort enforces strict architectural regulations preserving three-storey Simmentaler chalet style throughout all ten valley villages.

    The TOP4 season pass at CHF 899 covers Gstaad plus Adelboden-Lenk, Jungfrau Region and Meiringen-Hasliberg, whilst the Magic Pass (CHF 559) includes 80-plus Swiss resorts. Day tickets range from CHF 69 to CHF 77 depending on date, with children under nine skiing free. The 2025-26 season runs 14 December to 30 March, suiting beginners, intermediates and families seeking varied terrain without extreme difficulty.

    1063m
    Vertical
    75
    Runs
    88.9 km
    Piste
    5m
    Annual snow
    The Terrain

    75 runs across 88.9 km of piste

    Gstaad spreads 75 runs across 88.9 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 73%, with 55 beginner runs to find your feet and 3 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.

    Terrain split
    75
    runs
    75 runs across 4 grades
    Beginner55 runs · 73%
    Intermediate17 runs · 23%
    Advanced3 runs · 4%
    Expert0 runs · 0%
    Time it right

    When to visit Gstaad

    The 2025-26 winter season opens 14 December 2025 and closes 30 March 2026, with Glacier 3000 extending operations from early November through late April. Some lifts begin as early as 22 November subject to snow conditions. The season spans approximately 107 days at the main resort elevation, shorter than high-altitude Swiss destinations but reliable given substantial snowmaking infrastructure.

    Average annual snowfall totals 385 to 450 centimetres depending on sector and elevation, with December averaging 97 centimetres, January 100 centimetres and February 67 centimetres at mid-mountain. Historic data shows peak accumulation in February and March when upper elevations average 238 to 269 centimetres base depth. The second week of January typically delivers the snowiest conditions with 57 centimetres falling over 3.4 snowy days. Lower elevations at 948 metres can suffer in warm spells, particularly at season fringes.

    January through mid-March offers optimal conditions with cold temperatures preserving powder on north-facing slopes and in shaded tree runs beneath Rinderberg and Saanerslochgrat. March brings spring corn snow and longer daylight for high-alpine touring. Quieter periods fall in January outside school holidays, whilst Christmas through New Year and February half-term draw peak crowds to this affluent destination.

    The Gstaad Menuhin Festival anchors summer cultural programming, whilst winter events remain understated compared to party-focused resorts. Night skiing operates on Wispile and Rinderberg sectors with floodlighting. Heli-skiing launches from Gstaad and Zweisimmen bases accessing six surrounding peaks, and the Rinderberg Ronda Skisafari circuit links three mountains without repeating slopes or lifts over two hours.

    Season 2026 - 2027
    12 Dec 2026
    Opens
    14 Mar 2027
    Closes
    92
    Days open
    5 m
    Annual snow
    Getting there

    Getting to Gstaad, and where to stay

    Gstaad sits at 1,050 metres elevation in the Saanen valley (Saanenland) of the Bernese Oberland in southwestern Canton Bern, near the language border with French-speaking Vaud. The village forms part of Saanen municipality alongside nine other traditional chalet settlements including Saanen (1,010 metres), Schönried (1,230 metres), Saanenmöser (1,270 metres) and Zweisimmen (945 metres). The Simme river drains the valley floor, flanked by peaks reaching 2,000 to 3,000 metres.

    Saanen lies just 2 kilometres north, serving as the protected historical heart of the region with 15th to 18th century chalets. Zweisimmen anchors the eastern valley entrance 15 kilometres away, whilst Château-d'Oex (30 minutes by train) and Rougemont mark the French-speaking transition towards Montreux. The ten villages collectively house around 9,200 permanent residents, swelling significantly during winter and summer high seasons.

    Road access follows the well-maintained Route 11 threading the valley, connecting to major motorways via Spiez (north towards Bern and Zurich) or via Aigle towards Lausanne and Geneva. Driving from Geneva takes approximately 2 hours 11 minutes covering 128 kilometres, from Bern 1 hour 20 minutes, and from Zurich approximately 2.5 hours. The Jaun Pass provides seasonal access from Fribourg when open.

    Bern-Belp Airport lies 78 kilometres distant with 1 hour 20 minutes driving or 2.5 hours by train. Geneva Airport sits 127 kilometres away requiring 2 hours driving or 3 hours 17 minutes by train via Montreux with one change. Zurich Airport is 3 hours by car or 3.5 hours by train. The scenic MOB railway (Montreux-Oberland Bernois) connects Gstaad directly to Montreux in 1 hour 35 minutes and Zweisimmen-Spiez towards Interlaken.

    Where to stay

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    Hotels and lodges near Gstaad, powered by Stay22.

    Latest News

    From the SnowStash desk

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    FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032

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    26 Aug 2026

    Gstaad Snow Report

    Snow Report
    Updated 9 Sept 2026
    2011m
    summit
    +0cm
    new snow · last 24 hours
    Foggy4°C / 9°C · NE 10km/h
    Snowfall
    24 hours
    0cm
    48 hours
    0cm
    7 days
    0cm
    Base depth
    0cm
    Season total
    0cm
    Total lifts19

    Live open status isn’t available right now.

    12 Dec 2026 - 14 Mar 2027

    Hour by Hour

    Next 45 hours· Updated Sep 10, 2026 at 6:02 AM
    Thu9aNow11a12p1p2p3p4p5p6p7p8p9p10p11pFri12a1a2a3a4a5a6a7a8a9a10a11a12p1p2p3p4p5p6p7p8p9p10p11pSat12a1a2a3a4a5a
    Conditions
    Temp°C · feels
    53
    64
    75
    97
    86
    87
    86
    76
    76
    76
    76
    75
    75
    65
    65
    65
    64
    65
    65
    64
    64
    53
    54
    54
    75
    86
    97
    119
    1210
    1311
    1311
    1311
    1210
    119
    108
    97
    86
    75
    75
    75
    64
    64
    53
    63
    63
    Snowfallcm
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    0
    Precip chance%
    0%
    0%
    0%
    0%
    0%
    0%
    0%
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    0%
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    0%
    Precipmm000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
    Wind / gustkm/h
    6G13
    6G12
    7G12
    7G12
    7G13
    6G10
    6G10
    5G11
    4G10
    4G9
    2G6
    3G7
    4G10
    6G13
    4G15
    1G14
    3G7
    0G5
    2G5
    5G8
    2G5
    4G5
    3G7
    3G7
    2G7
    5G9
    6G11
    7G12
    8G17
    8G16
    9G12
    8G13
    9G12
    7G11
    4G9
    4G8
    4G9
    4G9
    4G10
    4G9
    4G7
    4G9
    5G12
    4G13
    4G15

    Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo

    7-Day Outlook

    2,011 mUpdated Sep 10, 2026 at 6:02 AMOpen-Meteo

    Days 1–7

    0.0cm

    Days 8–14

    1.1cm

    Unlock days 8–14

    Free account required

    Thu, Sept 10

    Foggy
    Temp9° / 4°°C
    Snow0.0cm(3%)
    Wind10 km/h NE

    Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.

    Understanding the Gstaad snow report

    Track current conditions at Gstaad in Switzerland. This report covers snowfall totals, base and summit depth, and the forecast across 75 runs.

    Snow measurements

    Base depth, summit depth, and recent snowfall are the core numbers to watch. At Gstaad, summit conditions (2011m) can differ noticeably from the base, so we break both out separately rather than showing a single average.

    Weather conditions

    Wind and temperature swings matter as much as fresh snowfall. Cold, calm conditions hold snow quality well, while wind-loading or a warm-up can change things quickly — especially given the elevation spread between Gstaad's base and summit.

    Data sources

    Snowfall and depth figures for Gstaad come from official mountain sources; weather and outlook data comes from independent forecasting services. The mountain is served by 19 lifts, including 3 quad chairlifts and 4 gondolas.

    When to check

    Conditions can change overnight, so mornings and late afternoons are the best times to check back on Gstaad.