Verbier's once disastrous queues have been mostly alleviated, mainly because of a new gondola to Les Ruinettes that has taken the sting out of the first lift up.
Verbier
Cable cars
4
Funiculars
1
Gondolas
7
Total chair lifts
14
Surface lifts
12
Magic Carpets
2
Rides per hour
45,000
Verbier's lifts run from 8h30 until 16h30. The disastrous queues that
used to build up at several points have been mostly alleviated – a 20
minute wait is now claimed to be the worst you might face and there is
a chairlift alternative to the busy Funispace. Probably most important
was the new gondola out of Verbier to Les Ruinettes, with an 1100
people/hour capacity that has taken the sting out of the first lift up,
even if there’s an irritating climb up a broad staircase to reach the
lift itself (possibly a queue dissipation measure).
Skiers still come
to Verbier for the terrain and despite the lift system rather than the
other way round, even if the lift company has spent CHF 100 million over
the last 10 years. You can now buy your hands-free lift pass online
from www.televerbier.ch to avoid the other major queue you might face
in the morning. Beginners can get a reduced price pass for Les Esserts
lifts; the main pass 4 Valleys/Mont Fort pass covers Verbier,
Mont-Fort, Nendaz, Veysonnaz, Thyon, Bruson and La Tzoumaz
(Mayens-de-Riddes) and for a supplement you can also ski the La Breya area.
