Travel to Samnaun with travel insurance fom Essential Travel

Samnaun ski resort is situated on the Swiss border, in the eastern reaches of Switzerland’s Graubunden region. It is linked with the neighbouring Austrian resort of Ischgl and together with it presents 200kms of slopes under the name of the ‘Silvretta Arena’ – the largest ski area in the eastern Alps.

The town of Samnaun has been granted duty-free status, with over 60 duty-free shops on offer – an advantage that some visitors regard as more important than the ski slopes! The town is also well-equipped with other visitor facilities and attractions, including a kindergarten, a museum and a good selection of accommodation.

Samnaun has 60kms of its own ski slopes, but the ski region (the Silvretta Arena) boasts a much more impressive 200kms. Of the larger number, 15 per cent of pistes are designed for beginners, 65 per cent for intermediates, and 20 per cent for advanced/expert skiers. The longest run in the resort is six kilometres, but long-distance fans also have 15kms of cross-country skiing trails to explore. Samnaun’s system of 15 lifts (42 in the region) includes the world’s largest cable car.

If the Silvretta Arena’s 200kms of slope action don’t satiate your ski appetite, there is also nearby Scuol, lying between the Silvretta range and the Engadine Dolomites, and presenting a combination of smooth nursery slopes, mogul fields and wide, powdery runs. Scuol’s highlight is a twelve-kilometre run known as the Dream Piste, which terminates with its entry into town.

Samnaun’s ski season stretches from the end of November to early May. Lower rates are offered in mid-December, mid-January and mid-March to April. The most convenient way to access the resort is to fly into Innsbruck Airport (located 120kms away) and take public transport to the resort.

Skiing in Samnaun

Samnaun lies on the Swiss side of the Austrian border and, together with its Austrian counterpart, Ischgl, makes up the Silvretta Arena. This ski region is the largest of its kind in the eastern Alps, presenting approximately 200kms of slopes, catering for all levels of expertise.

Although Samnaun has only 60kms of pistes, the surrounding region provides a much larger ski area, with 200kms of slopes in total. Of these, most are designed for intermediates (65 per cent), but beginners and advanced skiers are also catered for, with 15 per cent and 20 per cent of the cumulative slope area, respectively. Samnaun has good beginner to upper intermediate runs, but for testing black runs, skiers and snowboarders should hop over the border to Ischgl.

Samnaun’s longest run is six kilometres, and the system of 15 lifts (42 in the Silvretta Arena) includes the world’s first and largest double-decker cable car - the Samnaun Twinliner. In addition to the downhill runs, Samnaun also presents 15kms of cross-country skiing trails. The Silvretta Arena also provides for snowboarders, with one of Europe’s most sizeable fun parks, the Boarders Paradise, located in Ischgl.

If you need a break from skiing, Samnaun also offers natural ice-skating, 40kms of walking trails, paragliding and two tobogganing runs. The resort has excellent duty-free shopping, childcare facilities, and a dynamic après-ski scene featuring bars, discos, a theatre and live music. Accommodation options include hotels, apartments and chalets, with 2,500 beds in total.

The ski season is lengthy in Samnaun, running from the end of November to early May, with best snow conditions from February to early March, and lowest rates before Christmas, in mid-January and from the middle of March to April. The resort can be accessed directly by road; other options are to take train or plane and a bus transfer to complete the journey.

Apres-ski in Samnaun

In addition to the ski slopes, visitors are invited to take part in a number of exciting alternative winter activities. Samnaun offers natural ice-skating, paragliding, tobogganing, and 40kms of hiking trails. Nightlife is a focal point of the resort, with a theatre and a good selection of colourful bars, discos and live music venues to choose from.

The town has accommodation in a variety of styles and budget ranges (1,500 hotel beds and 1,000 chalet/apartment beds), and features extensive duty-free shopping and childcare facilities.

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