Travel to Gstaad with travel insurance from EssentialTravel

The ski resort of Gstaad shares the same range as Adelboden and is part of a thriving ski circuit located east of Lake Geneva, and south of Bern, the Swiss capital. Families and skiers of all abilities are catered for at the chic resort of Gstaad, which features mountain lakes and glaciers as a backdrop. Tree-lined slopes provide gentle, undulating skiing, while the resort also offers glacier skiing in summer.

Located by a river in a scenic valley and set adjacent to the ski lifts and by a river, the sedate and pretty Alpine village of Gstaad is traffic-free and traditional in character. The spendthrift nature of London and Paris influences the boutiques and elegant shops that permeate the resort. Non-skiers are also looked after by a range of great alternative winter pursuits.

There are 85kms of local groomed slopes and a longest run of 14.5kms at the Gstaad ski resort. The four valleys of the Bernese Oberland include at least six other resorts which are accessible from Gstaad by a system including: funiculars; gondolas; mountain railroads and 70 lifts, with an uplift capacity of 50,000 skiers per hour.

Youth hotels, private houses, apartments and holiday chalets provide 10,500 beds, while hotel beds number 2,700. The après-ski is mainly hotel-based, with 70 restaurants providing milder entertainment at Gstaad. Casual to glamorous nightspots are also available, and the resort also provides a ski kindergarten and ski school.

Château d’Oex, Rougemont and Zweisimmen are among other surrounding resorts that are situated along the rail line (from east to west). Good sightseeing, Switzerland’s first ever casino and the 13th century Château de Chillon are worthy attractions at Montreux, which lies on the banks of Lake Geneva.

The season at Gstaad is from December to mid-April, with the Diablerets Glacier offering skiing during summer. January, March and the pre-Christmas holidays offer special deals. A flight to Geneva or Zürich plus a train journey is the best way to get here.

Skiing in Gstaad

Bucolic Alpine pastures and dramatic glaciers surround the fashionable ski resort of Gstaad, which lies east of Lake Geneva, and is the hub of a region consisting of 250kms of runs over several other ski areas. Beginner and intermediate skiers are well suited to the prepared pistes and varied runs at Gstaad.

The 85kms of prepared runs at Gstaad, and a further 175kms in the region are serviced by 70 ski lifts, with a capacity for 50,000 skiers per hour. The runs consist of 45 per cent beginner runs; 35 per cent intermediate; and 20 per cent for advanced skiers. An additional 100kms of classic cross-country trails are also on offer.

The ski season runs from December to April, with special rates in January and March and before the Christmas holidays, and the best snow conditions in February. Summer skiing is also possible.

A flight to Zürich or Geneva and a train transfer is the easiest way to arrive at Gstaad. Hire cars are usually more convenient and are available from the airports.

Apres-ski in Gstaad

The resort also offers many other winter facilities and activities, including: snowboarding; 14kms of world class toboggan runs; 40kms of skating (natural and artificial); heli-skiing; sleigh riding; mountaineering; and a fitness centre. You can also participate in curling, ballooning, indoor swimming and tennis. Bars and discos, cinemas, concerts, fine dining and hotel entertainment make up the après-ski at Gstaad.

Early 20th century charm embodies the chic Alpine town of Gstaad, the main attraction of the Bernese Oberland region. Non-skiing attractions and elegant boutiques merge with guesthouses, taverns and moderately priced hotels, offering a total of 11,000 beds.

Transportation to Gstaad

Located in the region of Bern, the ski resort of Gstaad is near Lake Geneva and is connected to Zürich and Geneva airports, as well as to the city of Bern, by rail. A flight to Zürich International Airport and a connecting train to to the resort via Spiez and Zweisimmen is popoular, while a 10-hour journey by rail from London is also possible, as is self-drive from the UK.

By car to the resort, the journey is 850kms and takes nine hours. The route travels by the cities of Reims, Dijon, Lausanne and Montreux from Calais. Drive south on the A-9 autobahn from Montreux and exit (east) on to route 11 for Gstaad. From Zürich Airport, take the bypass and head for Bern on the A-1 autobahn. From Bern, take the A-6 (Bern-Thun) autobahn, then exit on to route 11, past Thun, for Gstaad. The journey from Geneva goes via the A-1 and A-9 autobahns, and on to route 11 for the resort.

The local train line connects Interlaken with Montreux plus several smaller towns in central-southwest Switzerland, and accommodates Gstaad. Both Interlaken and Montreux are rail junctions and have good connections from the rest of Switzerland, with about a dozen trains leaving to Gstaad daily.

By train from London, the journey takes between 9 and 17 hours and involves 3 to 5 changes. Daily connections are available, with the most appropriate being the 09:09 Eurostar service from Waterloo station for Paris gare du Nord. A high-speed TGV goes from the nearby gare de Lyon to Geneva, which has an Interregional train to Montreux. From here, catch the fast train to Gstaad, arriving at 19:45.

Bern-Belp Airport is the nearest major airport, however, better rail connections and more flight options are available from Zürich International Airport. Two trains per hour leave Zürich Airport and arrive four hours later at the resort. An alternative option is to fly to Geneva-Cointrin Airport, which has less convenient and flexible train connections than Zürich.

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