Lenzerheide Ski Resort Switzerland

Lenzerheide ski resort is linked with Arosa to create an amazing skiing area near Chur, the capital of canton Graubünden (POWbünden!) in southeast Switzerland.

The ski area at Lenzerheide has fabulous snow, modern lifts & some absolutely cracking terrain for all abilities. Powderhounds rate it as the one of best overall ski resorts in Switzerland (& Europe).

Pros & Cons for Lenzerheide Ski Resort

Pros

• Rated by Powderhounds as the best overall ski resort in Switzerland.
• High annual average snowfall.
• Terrain on all aspects for all weather conditions.
• Wonderful variety of piste trails for all levels.
• Multiple sheltered learn to ski areas.
• Lift linked with Arosa to create a huge & varied ski resort experience.
• Numerous, long valley trails & high skiable vertical.
• Modern lift infrastructure.
• Quality expert terrain and tree skiing.
• Snowboard friendly.
• Stunning views & landscapes.
• Loads of ski-in accommodation & village options.
• Easy access from Chur & Tiefencastel - bus trip is FREE with ski gear & a valid lift pass!

Cons

• For a resort so large, relatively few advanced on-piste trails.
• Some areas can be busy, particularly squeezing into the Rothorn cable car.
• Only one place (near Parpan) connecting the two opposite sides of the resort together by lift only (& not ski trail), otherwise it is a bus or walk to get across town.
• Access to the main terrain and ski lifts in both sectors from Lenzerheide village is poor, requiring a bus trip or long walk!
• At the upper end of lift pass price in Europe (but still way cheaper than North America, Oceania etc).
• Lenzerheide is not the most charming of Swiss towns - a shame!

Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)

• There is no train to Lenzerheide, only bus (& they call this Switzerland!).
• Après quieter than Arosa.
• Lenzerheide is in Switzerland which means everything is perfect, but everything costs a bit more!

Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain

One of the prime reasons we think Lenzerheide is one of the best ski resorts in Switzerland (maybe Europe) is the combination of snow, lifts & varied terrain. But most of all it is the terrain at Lenzerheide which sets it apart, as it allows for all abilities to be catered for, in all weather & conditions. The 1,600m+ of skiable vertical may not be able to be skied in one hit, but it ranges through a perfect mix of sheltered tree lined runs all the way up to high alpine chutes.

See the Lenzerheide ski trail map.

For beginners, at least 5 sheltered learn to ski areas provide the start one needs to then graduate to the multitude of blue pistes weaving from the alpine into the trees on the sunny east-facing slopes below Lavoz & Piz Danis.

Intermediate skiers & snowboarders can have some adventure through the galleries from the Rothorn & then a full vertical down, or enjoy the numerous, fun rolling alpine & tree lined piste runs on the opposite side. Alternatively, the Urdenbahn link to Arosa provides the gateway to true intermediate skier heaven.

Advanced & experts can sup on super-fast piste trails and an off-piste that includes high alpine bowls, light alpine trees, heavy lower altitude forest, chutes & steeps (particularly on Rothorn).

Lenzerheide's biggest limitation is the solo lift connection between the two sides of the valley - but that's just us being picky - it is not that much of a limitation, just annoying for the lazy or impatient. Buses connect it all anyway & a bit of a walk never hurt anyone (much!).

Interlinked with Arosa

The ski resort is commonly referred to as 'Arosa Lenzerheide' since the two were formally lift linked in 2014 via the spectacular Urdenbahn cable cars. Whilst there are no on-piste ski runs linking the two resorts, they share a grand total of 225km of trails between them, placing Arosa-Lenzerheide high in the top echelon of world ski resorts. Lenzerheide & Arosa do share a single lift pass valid in both resorts & public transport to/from Chur. Access to Arosa gives Lenzerheide skiers a taste of the sun-soaked good life over the ridge!

See the Arosa-Lenzerheide ski trail map.

Lift Pass

Like other Swiss ski resorts, Arosa Lenzerheide have introduced an online dynamically priced lift pass system. Savings can be up to 40% off the standard set daily price, but prices at the ticket window are amongst the highest in Europe.

For more information on ski lifts, terrain, passes & trail maps, see our Lenzerheide Skiing & Snowboarding page.

Where is Lenzerheide Switzerland?

Lenzerheide ski resort is centred on a high-altitude Swiss Alps valley only 10km directly south of the capital of Graubuenden canton, Chur. The resort includes the villages of Churwalden, Parpan, & Valbella.

The best international airport access is Zurich (ZRH). Driving time from the Zurich airport to the centre of Lenzerheide is around 2hr (150km), however public transport is the recommended method to reach the resort.

Train is convenient from Zurich to Chur. The route 182 PostAuto bus runs every 30min from Chur to Lenzerheide. Journey time to the lifts at Churwalden is 21min, to the Rothorn gondola base, 30min. Any bus trip to Lenzerheide from either Chur or Tiefencastel is free when travelling with ski gear & a valid lift pass.

For more information on how to get there, see our Travel to Lenzerheide page.

Lenzerheide Accommodation

The Lenzerheide ski resort extends for around 7km along a forest filled valley & includes several lift & piste linked villages. All provide multiple lodging options from traditional chalets to ultra-modern hotels. There are several upper mountain ski-in ski-out accommodation providers, but they are generally far away from any action in the village. Many chalets & hotels have ski trails leading directly past or to them. for the best of the upper mountain lodging, try the Berghotel Tgantieni.

The village at Lenzerheide (sometimes referred to as Vaz/Obervaz) is well positioned for sun throughout most of the day. You can stay in & around the town itself or further down the valley in Valbella, Parpan or Churwalden, all of which are lift linked into the Lenzerheide ski resort. The vast majority of accommodation in Lenzerheide is in the form of holiday rental apartments, with a myriad of choice. The better hotel choices include: the popular Sunstar Hotel in the centre of the village; Hotel Dieschen in a ski-in ski-out location just above the village near the Rothorn gondola base; Revier Mountain Lodge with its stylish, modern & affordable rooms next to the Rothorn gondola valley station. In Chruwalden a short stroll from the gondola base is the modern Hotel Krone. The most affordable beds in the ski resort are along the Valbella ski lift at the ski-in ski-out Valbella-Lenzerheide Youth Hostel, which has exceptionally presented private & dormitory rooms.

Search & book Lenzerheide ski accommodation.

If Lenzerheide or the smaller villages are booked out, stay in Chur & take the regular bus (every 30min) up to the resort.

Search & book all Chur accommodation.

Lenzerheide is lift linked to Arosa, which provides an alternate base to ski the area. The direct train from Chur to Arosa opens-up lodging potential in towns along the route as well. The quaint villages of Litzirueti, Langwies, St Peter - Molinis all have traditional hotels & guesthouses, whilst Arosa has a broader range of high-end hotels & resorts.

Search & book all Arosa ski accommodation.

Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding

Our local partners have snow equipment rentals at two locations in Lenzerheide: one in the centre of town & another at the base of the Fadail lifts. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Lenzerheide Ski & Snowboard Rental page.

A dizzying number of instructors & ski schools ply their trade in the Lenzerheide ski resort. To narrow down the field, search & book via our Lenzerheide Ski Lessons & Guiding page.

Review

The Powderhounds last visited Lenzerheide (& Arosa) in 2018 and are due for another visit soon. We adored this place & would quite happily retire here! See our review & extra photos via the links in the left column (or top of page on a mobile).

See how Lenzerheide compares compares to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.

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