Leukerbad Torrent Ski Resort Switzerland
Leukerbad Torrent ski resort in the Valais of Switzerland is a delightful ski & spa combination above the Rhone River valley near Brig. Leukerbad’s location puts it in the heart of an expansive & snow-sure ski region with neighbouring resorts including Crans Montana, Lauchernalp & St-Luc-Chandolin.
Whilst well known for its thermal springs, the alpine ski area at Leukerbad, called Torrent, has largely fallen off the ski world’s radar, providing plenty of scope for fresh snow pillaging!
Pros & Cons for Leukerbad-Torrent Ski Resort
Pros
- Authentic Swiss Alps spa town & ski resort in spectacular surrounds.
- Reasonable skiable vertical of 1,200m.
- Ski trails up to 11km long.
- Quality on-piste trails for intermediate & advanced skiers & snowboarders.
- Good value lift pass.
- Snow-sure location.
- Very quiet during the week on the slopes, particularly off-piste in the trees & steeps.
- Wide variety of accommodation on offer.
- Diverse, interesting town with plenty to see and do.
- Public transport access by train & bus is very good.
Cons
- Limited novice & beginner terrain on Torrent mountain.
- Torrent cable car from town to the ski area runs on a slow schedule.
- 55km of piste terrain may feel limiting after a few days for advanced skiers & snowboarders if the off-piste is not fresh.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Loads of non-skiing activities available.
- Limited ski-in lodgings
- Ski lifts disjointed from the town - require a bus ride or walk to access.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Leukerbad Torrent skiing & snowboarding terrain include 55km of mainly intermediate & advanced trails plus freeride routes. Unusually for a ski resort in Europe, novice and beginner terrain is limited. The 1,200m of skiable vertical is all westerly aspect and provides several top to bottom alpine & below tree line slopes up to 11km in length. Its geographic location favours a high average annual snowfall, & off-piste freeride powder opportunities are plentiful once one knows the lay of the land. Tree skiing in the lower half of the ski area, plus steeps off one of the winter walking trails will provide a few thrills.
The valley trail at Leukerbad is over 11km long and has a traffic system before a tunnel to let you know if it’s open. Go on the green for a rollicking ride down into town. Despite being marked as a black run for advanced riders, most competent intermediates should be able to safely negotiate its many twists and turns before reaching the wide-open pistes just above town.
Check out the Leukerbad Torrent & Gemmi ski trail map below.
The ski lifts at Leukerbad are relatively few and include 3 different sectors. As described above, Torrent is the main downhill ski sector. Essentially 5 lifts do the heavy lifting - a cable car up from the town, a two-stage gondola from the Flaschen base, a six-seater chair & one useful surface tow in the upper alpine. On the opposite side of town, the Snowpark Sportarena, provides an additional 3 surface lifts for novices & children in a beautifully sheltered area, with an amazing backdrop of vertiginous, snow-clad cliffs. Nearby, the Gemmi sector begins with the cable car heading sharply up to Gemmipass. Aside from wonderful views of the valley & mountains, the Gemmi lifts support a flourishing sledding, cross-country ski & winter walking trail network that links with Kandersteg on the northern side of the range.
Where is Leukerbad Switzerland?
The Leukerbad ski resort is in the Swiss canton of Valais (Wallis), 200km (2¼hr) by road east of Geneva, 234km (3½hr) south-west of Zurich and 48km (50min) west of Brig. The closest and most convenient airport is Geneva (GVA), but Zurich (ZRH) and even Milan Malpensa (MXP) can be efficiently utilised.
Train and bus is the recommended mode of travel to Leukerbad. Trains on the main line along the Rhone valley to Brig stop regularly at the station in the town of Leuk. From Leuk, transfer to the route 471 bus for the 30min ride up into the mountains. In Leukerbad, the bus journey stops at a large, sheltered terminal, near the centre of town, making for a very pleasant & comfortable start to your visit. The bus terminal also has a spacious heated waiting room for the return journey.
It is possible to travel directly from the Geneva airport to Leuk by rail on the hourly IR90 service, taking around 2⅓hr. From the other direction, Brig to Leuk on the train is around 20min. Brig is a handy transport hub for rail services from Zurich, Bern & Milan.
Search & book here for train tickets to Leuk & Leukerbad.
Alternatives to the train/bus combination include private transfers or car rental.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Swiss ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Switzerland page.
Leukerbad Accommodation
Leukerbad is best known as a spa town. In winter, the abundant thermal pools are wonderful when surrounded by snow. Accommodation choices in town are abundant & range from 5-star luxury (the Hôtel Les Sources des Alpes), traditional 4-stars (Hotel Le Bristol Leukerbad) down to fabulous, affordable 3-star (such as Hotel Restaurant Waldhaus) and 2-star hotels (like the Hotel Paradis-Leukerbad-Therme). A plethora of apartments are also available throughout the village. Many, but not all, Leukerbad accommodations have extensive spa pool complexes for use by the guests. Public spa baths available for everyone else are in the centre of the village at the extensive Walliser Alpentherme & Spa Leukerbad complex. Local buses connect the town to the two main Torrent ski lift bases, Gemmipass cable car & novice ski area.
Search & book here for all Leukerbad ski accommodation.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available in Leukerbad village via our local partners. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Leukerbad Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Ski lessons & guiding services are available in Leukerbad and surrounding resorts and can be of great assistance to get the most out of a short stay, particularly if the weather has poor visibility. You can search, compare, and book via our Leukerbad Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Non-Ski Activities
As with most Swiss ski resorts, a visit to Leukerbad has way more than just skiing & snowboarding to keep one motivated. At Leukerbad it is no different. 40km of winter walking paths, 25km of snowshoe paths, plus sledding trails up at Gemmi Pass (which is a worth a few hours visit just for the views and restaurant). In town there are a host of thermal spa and pool complexes to relieve sore muscles. There are also 18km of cross-country ski trails up in the Gemmi Pass sector, although note it is not exactly a pretty environment due to the overwhelming presence of electricity infrastructure.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Leukerbad in January 2023. We loved its diversity and beautiful location. A gorgeous place to get a true Swiss Alps winter holiday experience. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.
See how Leukerbad 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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