Savognin Ski Resort Switzerland
Savognin ski resort in the canton Grisons/Graubünden of southeast Switzerland, is an extensive snow destination located between Chur & St Moritz. Savognin is a surprising skiing area, well suited to more adventurous families looking for a low key, affordable & traditional Swiss Alps ski resort tucked away from the mainstream.
Pros & Cons for Savognin Ski Resort
Pros
- Authentic Swiss Alps village & ski resort.
- Reliable snowfall & majority of terrain above 1,800m altitude.
- Long skiable vertical of over 1,500m.
- Uncrowded lifts & slopes.
- Quality range & number of on-piste trails particularly for intermediate skiers.
- Freeride powder can lay unsullied for days/weeks after a snowfall during 'off-peak' periods.
- Comfortable new lifts serving half the terrain.
- Great diversity of alternative snow activities including extensive toboggan trails, ice skating, winter walking & paragliding.
- Numerous good to excellent on-mountain restaurants and bars.
Cons
- Old surface tows serving half the terrain!
- Despite its size, relatively limited inbounds advanced/expert terrain both on & off-piste.
- The bottom 430m vertical can suffer from a lack of natural snow for much of winter these days.
- Novice/learn-to-ski area is disjointed from the main ski resort (but connected by a small passenger 'train' – toot toot!).
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Public transport access by train & bus is good, but perhaps not as good as other parts of Switzerland (a quibble).
- Low-key nightlife.
- Due to the village’s low(ish) altitude (1,200m) and aspect, it may, or may not, have natural snow in it.
- Close to St Moritz & Lenzerheide for a completely contrasting snow experience!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Statistically Savognin absolutely rocks. A skiable vertical of over 1,500m, 80km+ of ski trails & a longest run of over 11km are world class statistics. The predominantly north & easterly aspect terrain is mostly above the treeline & gets the best of the morning sun whilst avoiding the worst of any afternoon warmth. As with many of the 'forgotten' Swiss ski resorts, despite some modern additions, Savognin's weak point is some aging lift infrastructure that in parts will test the mettle of the modern skier gone soft on a diet of 8-seater high-speed, bum-warming chairlifts!
Check out the ski trail map for Savognin below.
The ‘frontside’ of the resort, from the base just below the 1,200m altitude village up to the summit of Piz Martegnas (2,670m), is beautifully served by two gondolas & a modern chair. Indeed, the 1,470m of skiable vertical is probably enough to satisfy all comers when the snow is fresh & deep. There may be little for advanced riders on the piste, but a broad range of off-piste options including trees can be ridden through the full vertical. The shaded north-aspects off Piz Martegnas can hold untouched powder for days.
Heading out to the ‘backside’ and the highest lifted point on 2,713m Piz Cartas is where one notes the way skiing used to be! A 3km long set of two double T-bars take one up over 800m vertical - a true test of skier fitness & of snowboarder ability! Once off the lifts, the wide-open, high alpine terrain is divinely cruisy though & as good as anywhere in the Alps.
The backcountry ski touring terrain on nearby Piz Mez & Sur Carangas (to name a couple) is fantastic and provides the sort of high alpine solitude & powder turns we adore.
Where is Savognin Switzerland?
Savognin is in the heart of Graubünden, southwest Switzerland 47km (40min) by road south of Chur. The small town of Tiefencastel (& its important train station) is only 9km to the north of Savognin. St Moritz is 37km to the southeast, via Bivio & the 2,284m Julier Pass. The gateway airport to the area is Zurich (ZRH), 169km (2¼hr) by road to the north.
From Zurich airport, trains run regularly direct to the major transport hub of Chur. From Chur station, the route 182 Postbus goes to Savognin in under 1½hr via Lenzerheide & Tiefencastel, before heading to Bivio, & occasionally, all the way to St Moritz. The nearest train station at Tiefencastel (Albula) can be utilised for regional train services from Chur, & then connect with the 182 or 577 bus. The entire journey on the train & bus from Chur takes between 1¼ & 2¼hr, so whether it is a better option than just taking the bus depends on connections. We have taken the combination of trains & buses to Savognin from Davos & Scuol and found it to be seamless transition all the way. To top it off the modern Rhaetian Railway (Rhätische Bahn) trains have free Wi-Fi to go with the comfortable carriages & remarkable views.
Search & book train & bus tickets to Chur or Tiefencastel.
A car rental or airport transfer provide more time efficient modes of travel to Savognin, but unless you are on a ski safari, when in Switzerland we always say, take the train & bus! Car parking near the ski lift base comes at a cost, whilst those further away do not!
Savognin Accommodation
Savognin is a quiet village that provides everything one could require during a ski holiday. A small number of hotels, plus chalet & apartment rentals provide comfortable accommodation. A full range of shops & services are in the town, including a substantial hospital. The town is split into two sectors. The upper town along the main road, and below, across the river, a lower village near the ski resort base. The lower village includes a small, but pretty, historic precinct and a 'fairytale' stone bridge, and is the place to stay when here for skiing.
Several superb lodging options exist in the lower village, close to the gondola base and valley ski trail. The modern JUFA Hotel Savognin provides a comfortable stay, and the nearby Hotel Tgesa Romana is a worthy, more traditional alternate with the best restaurant in town.
In the upper part of the village, the best lodging option is the historic Hotel Piz Mitgel. B&B La Tgamona makes for reasonable last-minute accommodation if chasing a powder day.
Higher up the mountain, but in a valley location, Berghuus Radons, a ski-in ski-out guesthouse (much like a quality Italian rifugio), will get the juices flowing for first tracks.
The mountainside hamlet of Tigignas is near the top of the first gondola & has several chalets for winter rental. It is possible to drive there from the main Savognin township.
Search & book here for Savognin ski accommodation.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available in Savognin via our local partners. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Savognin Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
[AdListings collection="Europe" category="Switzerland Savognin" subcategory="Savognin Guiding"]
Activities
Typical for any quality Swiss Alps ski resort, there are way more winter activities to do in Savognin aside from skiing & boarding. For anyone not keen on sliding on snow, there are 65km of prepared winter hiking trails. For the more adventurous, paragliding can be undertaken from the summit of Piz Martegnas all the way back into the edge of town.
For snow-sliding of the non-ski/snowboard variety, there are 19km of sledding/toboggan trails of varying difficulty accessible via the comfort of the gondolas. Descents of up to 1,000m vertical are possible. Tobogganing in Switzerland is a must do activity for any one visiting Switzerland (or Austria) for the first time). There are also two ice skating areas & around 52km of cross-country ski trails.
Review
The Powderhounds first visited Savognin back in 2018 and saw how much potential this understated resort had. We returned to check it out properly in February 2024 and had a fabulous time. 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 Savognin 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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