Sörenberg
42km of piste spanning 1110-2298m. Magic Pass included. UNESCO Biosphere setting in Canton Lucerne, Switzerland.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
19 Dec 2026
Closes
28 Mar 2027
Days open
99
Annual snow
4m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Sörenberg spans 1110 to 2298 metres with 1188 metres of vertical drop and 42 kilometres of piste across two distinct sectors. The Dorf sector offers 57 per cent beginner terrain directly from the village, whilst the Rothorn sector delivers advanced skiing on the Brienzer Rothorn, the highest peak in Canton Lucerne at 2350 metres. Annual snowfall averages 4.3 metres with extensive snowmaking coverage ensuring reliable conditions from mid-December through early April. Membership in Magic Pass since 2024 grants access to over 100 ski areas across Switzerland, France and Italy for one annual fee.
The ski area divides between the gentle Schwarzenegg sector rising from the village with 500 metres of vertical for beginners, and the Rothorn sector with 1000 metres of challenging on- and off-piste terrain. The Freestyle-Line Rossweid caters to park riders, whilst the Eisee sector between 1900 and 2298 metres provides technical red and black runs with panoramic views across Lake Brienz and the Bernese Alps. Over half the terrain suits beginners, with 24 per cent intermediate, 19 per cent advanced, creating a balanced progression terrain.
Sörenberg sits within the UNESCO Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve, where protected moorland and karst landscapes frame wide, uncrowded slopes favoured by families from Lucerne and Bern. The village at 1165 metres retains a traditional Swiss atmosphere with small hotels and apartment rentals rather than large-scale development. Berghaus Eisee at 1900 metres offers simple mountain accommodation, whilst rustic mountain restaurants anchor both sectors, and night skiing operates on the floodlit Ochsenweid slope.
Magic Pass validity runs 1 May to 30 April annually, covering both winter skiing and summer lift access at competitive early-bird rates from CHF 419. The resort appeals to families with certified Family Destination Switzerland status, beginners progressing on wide learning slopes, intermediate skiers seeking value and variety, and advanced riders exploring the Rothorn freeride terrain. Day passes cost CHF 61 for adults, with 4-hour options at CHF 51, whilst children under 8 ski free year-round.
1188m
Vertical
0
Runs
42 km
Piste
4m
Annual snow
The Terrain
0 runs across 42 km of piste
It leans beginner at 57%.
Terrain split
0
runs
0 runs across 4 grades
Beginner0 runs · 57%
Intermediate0 runs · 24%
Advanced0 runs · 19%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Sörenberg
The 2025-26 season runs 13 December 2025 to 6 April 2026, offering 16 weeks of operations typical for central Swiss resorts at this elevation. Lifts generally operate daily during season with exceptions for maintenance and low snow years, though Magic Pass holders enjoy guaranteed access throughout the validity period from 1 May to 30 April annually. Extended shoulder seasons depend on snow conditions, with pre-Christmas and late-March skiing contingent on sufficient base depth at the 1110-metre valley elevation.
Annual snowfall averages 354 centimetres with the snowiest period occurring in week 2 of January, delivering 40 centimetres across 3 to 4 snowy days. North-facing orientation and extensive snowmaking on lower slopes protect against thaws, though mid-mountain elevations around 1500 metres prove more reliable than valley runs during warm spells. Base depths commonly exceed 100 centimetres mid-season at upper elevations, with current data showing 170 centimetres at 2298 metres and 50 centimetres at 1110 metres in February 2026. The Rothorn sector benefits from altitude advantage and shaded aspects preserving powder longer than sun-exposed Dorf terrain.
January through mid-March delivers optimal snow coverage and powder potential, whilst late December through January attracts peak crowds during school holidays. February offers reliable conditions with moderate visitor numbers, and March brings spring corn snow with longer daylight and warming temperatures. Late-season skiing in April depends on snowpack, with the Rothorn sector holding coverage longer than village-level runs. Quieter periods occur weekdays in January and late March when locals return to work post-holidays.
The resort hosts a season opening party in mid-December, night skiing operates weekly on Ochsenweid with Magic Pass holders skiing free, and Sunday sunrise rides on the Rothorn tramway include breakfast at the summit restaurant. Cross-country skiing spans 38 kilometres of trails above 1500 metres, including the Salwideli Panoramic Trail through moorland. Two toboggan runs operate from Rossweid, with a 2-kilometre run descending to the valley, complementing alpine skiing for non-skiers.
Season 2026 - 2027
19 Dec 2026
Opens
28 Mar 2027
Closes
99
Days open
4 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Sörenberg, and where to stay
Sörenberg occupies the upper Flühli valley at 1165 metres in Canton Lucerne, Central Switzerland, surrounded by the UNESCO Entlebuch Biosphere Reserve with protected moorland and the limestone ramparts of Schrattenfluh to the north. The village stretches 8 kilometres along the valley floor between Schönenboden at the Rothorn tramway base and Sörenberg Platz, with lift access points distributed throughout. The Brienzer Rothorn summit at 2350 metres forms the southern boundary, offering views across Lake Brienz to Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau in the Bernese Oberland.
Schüpfheim lies 15 kilometres northwest as the nearest town with rail connections, whilst Flühli sits 8 kilometres down-valley as a climatic health resort and gateway village. Lucerne, the major regional city, is 50 kilometres northeast via Wolhusen and Schüpfheim, with Bern 70 kilometres west via Langnau and Schüpfheim. The resort sits in one of 400 UNESCO biosphere reserves globally, recognised for extensive naturally protected moorland covering an area unmatched elsewhere in Switzerland for concentration within a compact region.
From Lucerne, take route 10 south via Wolhusen to Schüpfheim, then follow signs 15 kilometres up-valley to Flühli and Sörenberg, totalling 65 kilometres in approximately 75 minutes. From Bern, drive east via Langnau to Schüpfheim, approximately 70 kilometres requiring 90 minutes. The Glaubenbielen Pass road from Giswil offers a summer-only alternative over narrow mountain switchbacks discouraged for nervous drivers and restricted for buses to one-direction hourly traffic. Free parking operates at valley station car parks, though weekend mornings see the Rossweid gondola lot fill early.
Zurich Airport lies 106 kilometres away with 90-minute drive time via the A2 motorway and route 10, whilst Bern Airport sits 67 kilometres distant requiring 75 minutes. Zurich serves as the primary international gateway with 700 daily flights to 170 destinations and direct trains to Lucerne every hour taking 70 minutes. From Zurich Airport or Lucerne, take trains to Schüpfheim, then PostBus line 241 to Sörenberg Post and Sörenberg Rothornbahn stops, totalling 3 hours 15 minutes from Zurich or 2 hours from Lucerne with reliable hourly connections.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Sörenberg, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Aspen Snowmass Marks 80th Anniversary With $3.75 Throwback Lift Tickets
Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.
17 Sept 2026
Doppelmayr Group Posts 9.1% Revenue Growth in 2025/26, Passing 1.3 Billion Euros
Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.
16 Sept 2026
Hintertux Glacier Replaces 40-Year-Old Gondola to Tuxer Fernerhaus
Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.
16 Sept 2026
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Sörenberg Lift Tickets
Sörenberg lift tickets & passes
Opening day for the winter 2026 - 2027 season is scheduled for Dec 19, 2026 (subject to change). Lift tickets at Sörenberg typically go on sale well before the start of the ski season.
Lift tickets FAQ
How much does a Sörenberg day pass cost?
Sörenberg day pass pricing varies by date and advance booking - see the full breakdown in the tickets panel.
Can I buy Sörenberg lift tickets online?
Yes, you can purchase tickets online or at the resort ticket office.
Are there discounts for multi-day passes?
Yes, multi-day packages typically offer significant savings compared to individual day passes. The per-day cost decreases with longer stays.
What is included with a Sörenberg lift ticket?
Full access to all lifts and trails at Sörenberg, including mountain safety and patrol services.
What is the difference between Sörenberg lift tickets and ski passes?
"Lift tickets" and "ski passes" refer to the same thing at Sörenberg - your access to the mountain's lifts and trails for your chosen duration.
When should I buy Sörenberg lift tickets for the best price?
Purchase tickets at least 7 days in advance for the best rates, and consider weekday visits for further savings over weekend rates.
Does Sörenberg offer group discounts on lift tickets?
Group discounts are typically available for parties of 10 or more. Contact Sörenberg directly for group booking information and rates.
How can I check current conditions before buying tickets?
Before purchasing, check the live snow report and mountain webcams to see current weather, snow conditions, and lift operations at Sörenberg.
More Sörenberg intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.