Travel to Engelberg with travel insurance from Essential Travel

The most prominent ski resort in central Switzerland, Engelberg is located 90kms south of Zürich and provides both challenging and mellow skiing. The valley offers slopes for beginners down one of its sides, while both sides accommodate intermediate and advanced skiers. Particularly difficult runs plus guaranteed skiing until June are to be found on the compelling Mount Titlis Glacier (3,030m).

Situated in a region blessed by natural beauty is the pretty village of Engelberg, lying at 1,050m above sea level. Just over 3,000 residents populate the relatively small town, which has a major tourist capacity. The resort boasts alternative non-ski facilities, plus a good selection of shops.

All colours - green (beginner) to black (expert) – are represented on the 82kms of downhill slopes consisting of 30 runs at Engelberg ski resort; the longest run is 12kms. A total of 21,400 skiers per hour over all pistes are serviced by 23 ski lifts, including six cable cars, one gondola, one funicular, seven chairlifts, and eight T-bars.

Apartments, private homes, pensions, guesthouses and hotels comprise the ski resort’s 11,000 total beds. A good quantity of bars and discos doesn’t affect the fairly sedate après-ski at the resort. There is also an excellent ski kindergarten at Engelberg.

The smaller nearby ski resort of Melchsee-Frutt provides alternative skiing, while the beautiful 12th century Benedictine abbey on the outskirts of Engelberg is well worth a visit. Experience a spectacular 360-degree panorama, lasting five minutes, by riding on the world’s first rotating aerial tramway cabin at Mount Titlis. Lucerne and the Four Lakes area offer extensive touring opportunities, and are just a train ride away.

The season at Engelberg runs from December to early May, with the run up to the Christmas holidays, mid-January, and after Easter granting discounts. Fly to Zürich and travel to Lucerne by regular train service before heading to the resort.

Skiing in Engelberg

The broadest range of skiers is catered for at the excellent high-altitude Engelberg ski resort, which is situated at the juncture of three mountain ranges. Summer skiing on the challenging Titlis Glacier, clear days affording spectacular views of Lake Lucerne, and 82kms of varying slopes are all attainable at Engelberg, which is located in central Switzerland.

The runs at Engelberg, totalling 82kms, consist of 30 per cent beginner slopes, 60 per cent intermediate, and 10 per cent advanced and expert slopes. There is a longest run of 12kms, plus an additional 37kms of cross-country trails at the resort, which is serviced by 23 lifts transporting 21,000 skiers per hour.

Engelberg’s long December to May season grants the best snow conditions from early February well into March. The beginning and end of the season and mid-January have the cheapest weeks.

The most popular way to get to Engelberg is to fly to Zürich and catch a train to the resort via Lucerne. The train journey takes 2 hours, 40 minutes; however, a hire vehicle will usually get you here more quickly and is often more convenient.

Apres-ski in Engelberg

Several bars and discos, numerous cafés and restaurants, as well as the town casino act as the hub of the nightlife at Engelberg. Non-ski activities and facilities at the resort include: snowboarding; 38kms of winter walking trails; 15kms of skating tracks (natural and artificial); curling; mountaineering; horse-drawn sleigh rides; a sports centre; and indoor tennis and swimming.

The residents of Engelberg ski resort are outnumbered by the influx of winter tourists to the small settlement, which is surrounded by huge jagged mountains and is set in a picturesque valley. Modest apartments to luxury hotel/resorts imbue the ski resort with thousands of beds available in varied accommodation.

Transportation to Engelberg

Accessible by road and rail, and situated in central Switzerland, Engelberg ski resort is only 90kms from Zürich. Flying to Zurich and travelling by train from the airport via Lucerne is the most practical way of getting to the resort. Alternatively, travel from London by rail or self-drive to the resort from the UK.

By car from Calais, the journey is 884kms and eight hours travel time. Follow the Reims-Metz-Strasbourg-Basel-Lucerne route and continue along the A-2 autobahn to the turn-off for Engelberg on route 374. From the international airport at Zürich, take the A-20 (Zürich bypass autobahn) towards Lucerne (A-4/A-14), then follow the A-2 to the route 374 - Engelberg exit.

By train, three or four changes over 12 to 19 hours are involved when travelling from London to the resort of Engelberg. A good option is to leave at 07:43 from London (Waterloo) and travel to Brussels (Midi), arriving at 11:03. At 12:15, catch a Basel-bound Eurocity train arriving at 18:36, before leaving on the 18:52 high-speed train to Lucerne.

The train arrives in Lucerne at 20:05, with a train leaving to Engelberg at 20:15. This last train takes under an hour, arriving at 21:12. The entire journey from London takes 12 hours, 29 minutes.

Zurich International Airport receives worldwide charter and scheduled flights and is, at 130kms away, the nearest airport to the resort. Trains from the airport to Engelberg, via Lucerne, travel twice every hour throughout the day. The journey takes around 2 hours, 40 minutes; however, hiring a car from the airport will halve the travel time.

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