St Moritz - Corviglia
St Moritz - Corviglia: 1,322m vertical, 23 lifts, 155km of piste from 1,735-3,057m. South-facing Engadin skiing on Ikon Pass.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
28 Nov 2026
Closes
4 Apr 2027
Days open
127
Annual snow
8m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
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.
1322m
Vertical
36
Runs
155 km
Piste
8m
Annual snow
Ikon Pass
Pass
The Terrain
36 runs across 155 km of piste
St Moritz - Corviglia spreads 36 runs across 155 km of piste of terrain. It leans intermediate at 51%, with 10 beginner runs to find your feet and 8 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
36
runs
36 runs across 4 grades
Beginner10 runs · 27%
Intermediate18 runs · 51%
Advanced5 runs · 15%
Expert3 runs · 7%
Time it right
When to visit St Moritz - Corviglia
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 2026 - 2027
28 Nov 2026
Opens
4 Apr 2027
Closes
127
Days open
8 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to St Moritz - Corviglia, and where to stay
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.
Where to stay
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Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
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
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
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.
23lifts across 9 types
2
Trains
2
Aerial Trams
1
Gondola
2
6-Person Chairs
8
Quad Chairs
1
Triple Chair
1
Double Chair
3
T-Bars
3
Surface Lifts
St Moritz - Corviglia lift system
St Moritz - Corviglia is served by 23 lifts, listed here by type. Check which lifts are turning against the live conditions before you plan your first laps - early lifts and high-speed chairs get you to the best snow fastest.
More St Moritz - Corviglia intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.