Find your ideal Central Switzerland ski area, Part 1

The ski season in Zug is just around the corner (school holidays in Zug start on Saturday 4th February 2023). But which area is best suited for families, for ambitious skiers or is a little away from the hustle and bustle? Over the next few days, we will provide some tips for skiing in Central Switzerland.

Are you looking for a ski resort where your whole gang can let off steam, or for one with special offers for families, or for a more ambitious sporting challenge: or is one lift enough for you because you'll spend most of the time relaxing in the sun in a deckchair?

We have collected suggestions in four categories, which we will publish as follows over the next few days

For families: published today
For more ambitious skiers: to be published on Monday, 6th February.
For a group of friends: to be published on Tuesday, 7th February.
For minimalists: to be published on Wednesday, 8th February.
For partygoers: to be published on Wednesday, 8th February

(P.S. If you really can’t wait for one of the later reports, please contact Zug4you on welcome@zug4you.ch).

Part 1: For families: Stoos,Mörlialp, Biel-Kinzig and Marbachegg

Stoos

Season timetable: until 10 April 2023.
Kilometres of piste: 35
Number of lifts: 9
Altitude: 1,300 to 1,935 metres above sea level

Day ticket prices: adults CHF 52, young people (16 to 19 years) CHF 41, children (6 to 15 years) without a Junior Card CHF 28, senior citizens (from 64 years) CHF 49,
Family offers:  
2 parents plus all own children (6 to 15 years) CHF 130,
1 parent plus all own children (6 to 15 years) CHF 91, with the SBB Junior Card children (under 16 years) travel free when accompanied by a parent.

Please note: The above prices are online prices. If the ticket is bought at the ticket office, it will costs two francs more.

Arrival by car: approx. 45 minutes from Lucerne to Schwyz, approx. 45 minutes from Lucerne to Morschach.

Arrival by public transport: Take the train to Brunnen railway station, change to the bus to the valley station in Morschach, or take the train to Schwyz station and continue by bus to the valley station in Schwyz.

Description: The clearly laid out yet varied ski area on the high plateau above Schwyz offers attractive family packages (see the prices above). But other winter sports enthusiasts will also find plenty of opportunities to let off steam. Little ones and beginners are in good hands at Fröneli's Winterland, which is free to use (arrival by funicular). Connoisseurs can use the red, medium-difficulty pistes on the Fronalpstock. More experienced skiers and snowboarders can make their turns on the black pistes on the Klingenstock.

Freestylers can get their money's worth in the Shredisfaction Snowpark by the Holibrig ski lift. Depending on the snow conditions, up to four lines with rails, boxes and kickers are set up (park open until 3 March 2022).

Tip 1: Fancy trying something new? There is an airboard slope on Fronalpstock (not suitable for small children), equipment hire at the middle station.
Tip 2: The weather doesn't meet what the weather forecast promised? The largest bouncy castle in Switzerland, the Bounce Circus, will be set up in the Fronalphalle until 3 March 2022.

Slope report and further information: www.stoos.ch

For families: Mörlialp

Season timetable: until 19 March 2023.
Kilometres of piste: 14
Number of lifts: 7
Altitude: 1,350 to 1,842 metres above sea level

Day ticket prices: adults CHF 45, young people (16 to 19 years) CHF 35, children (6 to 15 years) CHF 13, senior citizens (women from 64, men from 65 years) Monday to Friday CHF 38,
20% discount for young people with STUCard.

Arrival by car: approx. 45 minutes from Lucerne via Giswil, depending on road conditions.

Arrival by public transport: By train to Giswil railway station, change to Postbus to Mörlialp (only runs at weekends and during school holidays).

Description: You can get to this ski area without a feeder lift. Once you arrive at the car park, it's only a few metres to the first ski lift. Small beginners and even bigger ones can get started in winter sports at the plate lift and the ski lift In the children's area, and feel their way along a longer stretch via the chair lift. More experienced skiers can take the red slopes on the Egglift or Alpoglerberg. Ambitious winter sports enthusiasts whiz down the black slope, called the Kanonenrohr (cannon barrel). If you want to let off steam on the red and black slopes here, you’ll also need to know how to ride a ski lift. There is an opportunity to gain experience in powder snow on the Alpoglerberg if the conditions are right.

Attention: Observe the rest zone for wild animals (Wildruhezone)!

Tip 1: If you only use the plate lift (Tellerlift for children and beginners), you can buy a day ticket just for that, adults CHF 26 and children CHF 17.
Tip 2: Night sledging and night skiing are also offered, depending on the weather and snow conditions.
Tip 3: There is the Seniors' Hit from Monday to Friday, which means a day pass and lunch for CHF 40.

Map of the family friendly ski areas
Piste map of Stoos
Map of the Mörlialp ski area
Map of the ski areas Eggberge (left), Biel-Kinzig (centre) and Ratzi (right)
Map of the Marbachegg ski area.

For families: Biel-Kinzig

Season timetable: until 19 March 2023
Number of slopes: 7
Number of lifts: 5
Altitude: 1,634 to 1,930 metres above sea level

Day ticket prices: adults CHF 40, children (6 to 16 years) CHF 26, reductions for young people with the UKB STUCard and Raiffeisen Young Member Plus.

Arrival by car: approx. 50 minutes from Lucerne to Bürglen, valley station after the village centre.

Arrival by public transport: by train to Flüelen, change to the bus to the bus stop at the valley station of the Biel-Kinzig aerial cableway.

Description: Biel-Kinzig is a small, family-friendly winter sports and hiking area above Bürglen. Chairlift and ski lift transport skiers and snowboarders, who have four red and two blue slopes to choose from. With the "Family Hit" special offer, one parent skis at the children's rate for families with two children, and the second parent also skis at the children's rate for families with four children.

And those who like things quieter have a few options: the well-maintained winter hiking trails take ski fans all the way to the neighbouring Ratzi or Eggberge ski areas. Many tourers and freeriders use Biel as a starting point for their adventures.

Further information: www.biel-kinzigag.ch

For families: Marbachegg

Season timetable: until 19 March 2023,
Children's ski lift until 26 February 2023, daily 10 am to 4.30 pm,
From 27 February to 19 March 2023: Monday to Friday 1 pm to 4.30 pm, Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 4.30 pm.

Kilometres of piste: 10
Number of lifts: 3
Altitude: 871 to 1,500 metres above sea level

Day ticket prices: adults CHF 41, young people CHF 35, children CHF 23,
Family offers: children with both parents CHF 99, children with one parent CHF 76,
children's lift in the valley CHF 13.

Arrival by car: approx. 55 minutes from Lucerne, via Wolhusen - Entlebuch - Wiggen.

Arrival by public transport: By train to Escholzmatt, change to the Post Bus.

Description: a clearly laid out ski area is in a sunny location above Marbach. With blue and red runs, i.e. easy to moderately difficult pistes, and moderate prices, it’s popular with families. There's a children's ski lift in the village of Marbach, accessible after a two-minute walk from the car park directly at the valley station of the gondola lift. When there is enough snow, three controlled but unprepared downhill routes lead from Marbachegg to the valley. With four winter hiking trails and three snowshoe trails, it also offers some options for all those members of the family who prefer things a little quieter.

On Monday: Ski areas for more ambitious skiers.

Our criteria for the selection and classification of ski areas
Pricing (special offers for families), size and variety of offers, special features, existing clientele.

Seasonal schedules and opening times may vary depending on snow and weather conditions, as may the prices of the providers. The list of resorts and party organisers is not exhaustive and does not claim to be complete.
You can find more ski areas of around 40 in central Switzerland at: snow.myswitzerland.com or https://www.luzern.com/de/erleben/winter-ski/wintersportgebiete.ch.

Click https://www.slf.ch/de/lawinenbulletin-und-schneesituation.html#lawinengefahr for the SLF avalanche bulletin.