Corviglia - St Moritz
Resort Overview
Michael Fulton
50+ resortsMelbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Skiing for 15 years and visited resorts in:
🇦🇺 Australia (6) • 🇺🇸 USA (15) • 🇯🇵 Japan (5) • 🇪🇺 Europe (10)
St Moritz - Corviglia spans 1,735 to 3,057 metres elevation across 155 kilometres of piste, delivering 1,322 metres of vertical drop serviced by 23 lifts. The ski area ranks within the top 10 in Switzerland for size and snow reliability, with 110 kilometres covered by snowmaking and an average season depth of 108 centimetres at summit. Piz Nair at 3,057 metres anchors the terrain, accessible via funicular and aerial tramway from the village at 1,856 metres elevation. The resort joined the Ikon Pass in 2024, offering passholders five to seven days across the Engadin St Moritz Mountain Pool.
Terrain breaks down to 27 per cent beginner, 51 per cent intermediate, 15 per cent advanced and 7 per cent expert across 36 marked runs. South-facing slopes catch early sun and deliver consistent grooming, whilst the western descent from Piz Nair opens freeride terrain beyond marked boundaries. The 6.5-kilometre run to Celerina offers one of the longest continuous descents, whilst the 2-kilometre Olympic downhill route tests advanced skiers. Corviglia Snowpark Crowland near the mid-station features over 30 obstacles across easy and medium lines, plus a 600-metre funslope for beginners.
The mountain opens at 0745 with the Chantarella funicular and Marguns gondola, allowing early access to freshly groomed pistes before crowds arrive after 1000. On-mountain infrastructure includes 20 restaurants and huts, ranging from rustic alpine dining to upscale establishments with panoramic glacier views. The Salastrains beginner area mid-mountain provides dedicated learner terrain with magic carpets and low-angle slopes. Lift-served terrain stays quiet through mid-morning, then fills with an international clientele mixing resort guests and day visitors from the Upper Engadin valley.
The Engadin St Moritz Mountain Pool pass covers Corviglia, Corvatsch and Diavolezza ski areas plus smaller satellites across 325 kilometres of combined terrain. The 2025-26 season ran 22 November to 5 April, typical of the resort's reliable mid-winter to spring window. Corviglia suits confident intermediates and families seeking variety, groomed reliability and high-altitude snow security. The resort hosted Winter Olympics in 1928 and 1948, along with four FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, cementing its competition pedigree alongside recreational appeal.
Live St Moritz - Corviglia Webcams
Trails & Terrain
Trails
Total Runs
36
Total Area
155km
96.3 miles
St Moritz - Corviglia Lift System
Corviglia operates 23 lifts comprising 2 aerial tramways, 1 gondola, 12 chairlifts (including 2 six-packs, 8 quads, 1 triple and 1 double), 6 surface lifts and 2 magic carpets. The system delivers approximately 65,000 skiers per hour uphill capacity, distributed across four valley access points and mid-mountain hubs. Two funicular sections connect St Moritz Dorf to Corviglia via Chantarella, whilst the Signal cable car ascends from St Moritz Bad and the Marguns gondola rises from Celerina. The Piz Nair aerial tramway completes the summit link from Corviglia mid-station at 2,486 metres to 3,057 metres elevation.
The 2025-26 season introduced a new Leitner six-seater replacing the old Randolins quad, completed mid-October with solar panels powering both stations and embroidered seating. The Lej-da-la-Pêsch chairlift received a technical modernisation with new upholstered chairs, increased capacity and bubble removal to handle higher winds. Both upgrades utilised existing tower foundations where possible, minimising environmental impact. The FIS chairlift also underwent a DirectDrive retrofit with quieter bubble seating and wider chairs, reflecting ongoing infrastructure renewal across the ski area.
Four base stations provide access flexibility: the Chantarella-Corviglia funicular departs central St Moritz, the Signal aerial tramway serves St Moritz Bad, the Marguns gondola connects Celerina and the Suvretta double chair accesses Randolins from the southwest. Mid-mountain lifts radiate from Corviglia, with the Piz Nair tramway forming the headline ascent and quad chairs fanning across Marguns, Trais Fluors and the Giand sectors. Surface lifts concentrate in learner zones at Salastrains, Sass Runzöl and the new Mountys Land children's area near Marguns, where 105-metre and 170-metre Sunkid magic carpets replaced outdated T-bars in 2023-24.
Most chairlifts feature weather protection covers, whilst conveyor systems handle beginner progression with remote monitoring and video backup for safety. The funicular from St Moritz Dorf will close summer 2026 for major overhaul, with the Signal cable car and Marguns gondola maintaining access during maintenance. Lift opening begins 0745 for early-morning corduroy access, with last descents typically 1645 from Piz Nair. The network prioritises flow over bottlenecks, though weekend peaks and holiday periods can test capacity on popular mid-mountain connectors.
Lifts
Total Lifts
23
Lift Types
9
Lift Breakdown
Season Info
The 2025-26 season operated 22 November to 5 April, spanning 19 weeks across early winter through spring closure. Corviglia typically opens late November with snowmaking support across 110 kilometres of piste, closing early to mid-April depending on snow cover and visitor demand. High-elevation terrain above 2,500 metres extends the operating window compared to lower Swiss resorts, with Piz Nair holding snow into April most seasons. The resort averages 264 centimetres annual snowfall, with December through February delivering the heaviest accumulation at 64-67 centimetres per month.
Snow reliability benefits from 3,057-metre summit elevation and extensive snowmaking infrastructure covering roughly two-thirds of marked terrain. Average mid-season depths reach 108 centimetres at summit and 44 centimetres at base, with March historically offering the deepest coverage at 136 centimetres high and 50 centimetres low. South-facing slopes receive strong sun exposure, creating firm morning corduroy followed by softer afternoon conditions from January onwards. The Engadin's dry continental climate produces 300-plus sunny days annually, though precipitation when it arrives typically falls as snow above 2,000 metres through March.
January and February deliver peak powder conditions with cold temperatures and mid-winter storms, whilst March balances snow quality with longer daylight and warming trends. Early December and late March offer quieter slopes and discounted accommodation, ideal for skiers prioritising empty pistes over guaranteed fresh snow. November opening depends on early-season snowmaking, with limited terrain until December storms fill in coverage. April spring skiing concentrates on north-facing runs and higher sectors, with afternoon slush developing below 2,200 metres as sun intensity increases.
The Snow Polo World Cup takes place late January on the frozen lake below the resort, whilst White Turf horse racing runs three Sundays in February, both drawing international crowds. The Engadin Skimarathon cross-country race typically occurs early March, filling valley accommodation. Corviglia does not offer night skiing, though neighbouring Corvatsch operates Switzerland's longest illuminated piste (4.2 kilometres) on Friday evenings. The season calendar favours mid-winter through early spring, with January to March representing optimal timing for snow quality, coverage and operational consistency.
Season Info
Current Season
2025 - 2026
Opening Day
11/22/2025
Closing Day
4/5/2026
Days Open
135
Location & Getting There
St Moritz sits at 1,856 metres elevation in the Upper Engadin valley, a broad glaciated basin in southeast Switzerland's canton of Graubünden. The valley stretches approximately 80 kilometres from Maloja Pass to the Austrian border, with St Moritz positioned centrally amongst a chain of lakes including Lake St Moritz, Lake Silvaplana and Lake Sils. Piz Bernina at 4,049 metres dominates the southern skyline 15 kilometres away as the Eastern Alps' highest summit, whilst the Albula range rises north of the valley. The Corviglia ski area occupies the southern slopes of Piz Nair directly above the resort, with south-facing exposure delivering sun from early morning through afternoon.
The town divides into St Moritz Dorf on the hillside and St Moritz Bad in the valley floor, with neighbouring Celerina 2 kilometres northeast and Samedan 4 kilometres distant serving as the Upper Engadin's administrative capital. The area lies within the Maloja administrative region, historically a Romansh-speaking territory now predominantly German and Italian-speaking due to tourism growth. Engadin Airport in Samedan sits 5 kilometres from St Moritz at 1,707 metres elevation, Europe's second-highest commercial airfield, handling private jets and charters but no scheduled passenger service. The frozen lake hosts winter events including polo and horse racing on its 1,800-metre-elevation surface.
Road access centres on the Julier Pass from the north, open year-round and reaching 2,284 metres elevation via a well-maintained route from Chur and Thusis. The A13 motorway from Zurich runs to Thusis, where Route 3 continues via Tiefencastel and Savognin to Silvaplana, with the final segment on Route 27 into St Moritz. The Maloja Pass at 1,815 metres connects southwest to Italy via Val Bregaglia and Chiavenna, descending steeply through 22 hairpins toward Lake Como. Zurich lies approximately 200 kilometres northwest with a 3-hour drive, whilst Milan sits 180 kilometres south requiring 3 hours via Italian motorways and the Maloja or Bernina approaches.
Zurich Airport (ZRH) serves as the primary international gateway 220 kilometres distant, with Milan Malpensa (MXP) 180 kilometres and Milan Bergamo (BGY) 155 kilometres offering southern alternatives. The Rhaetian Railway operates direct trains from Zurich Hauptbahnhof to St Moritz in 3 hours via the UNESCO-listed Albula line through Chur, Filisur and the Albula Tunnel. Trains also connect south via the Bernina Pass to Tirano in Italy, whilst the Vereina Tunnel links the Lower Engadin to Klosters. PostBus services cover valley villages and connect Maloja Pass routes to Lugano and routes east through the Swiss National Park to South Tyrol.