Aletsch Arena Ski Lifts

Ski Lifts in Aletsch Arena

The Aletsch Arena has an efficient network of 35 ski lifts serving 104 km of well-groomed ski slopes and excellent snowshoeing and winter walking trails. Because the Aletsch Arena is car-free, the ski area and accommodations in the villages of Riederalp, Bettmeralp, and Fiescheralp must be accessed by cable car or gondola from the Rhone Valley.

Aletsch Arena Ski Lift System

The Aletsch Arena ski lift system includes eight chairlifts between 1,950m and 2,630m, 16 surface lifts catering to the beginner slopes in and around each village and four main lifts accessing the highest points in the ski area.

Each of the four officially designated viewpoints, ranging from 2,227m to 2,869m, offers stunning views of the magnificent Aletsch Glacier, the largest glacier in the Alps. The chairlift, gondolas, and cable car to the viewpoints also access the highest slopes, snowshoeing trails, and walking trails. Additionally, as many as seven “feeder” lifts provide essential mountain transport links between the Aletsch Arena villages and the Rhone Valley stations (1,200m below) until late evening.

Modern chair lifts (most with bubble covers for weather protection) and gondolas in the ski area allow skiers to access all of the higher slopes with ease, and even during busy holiday periods, lift lines are short and move quickly. The Moosfluh combination lift from Riederalp to the Moosfluh lets you choose whether to ride up on a chair or in a gondola. A nice option for families with young children and non-skiers. Beginner areas and lower slopes are well served by T-bars and surface lifts, one of which travels through a glass-roofed tunnel, which offers an added sense of adventure for kids as well as protection in bad weather.

A new cable car from Fiescheralp (2,025 m) to Eggishorn (2,869 m) is planned for 2026. The new 80-person cable car will carry up to 800 people per hour to the highest viewpoint in the ski area in just 3 minutes and 20 seconds! That’s nearly twice the capacity and faster than the existing 45-person cable car.

Aletsch Arena Ski Lifts
Riederalp, Bettmeralp, Fiescheralp, Eggishorn
Cable cars  5
Gondolas  4
Gondola/chairlift  1
Chairlifts  8
Funicular  1
Surface lifts 16
Total lifts 35

Riders per hour 41,819

Currently open ski lifts, slopes and snow conditions

The APG / SGA Out of Home Media website includes helpful information for hundreds of mostly Swiss ski resorts. Use the search function or zoom in and out on the map to view the resorts. Then, click on your preferred resort to check the current status of ski lifts, open slopes, and other amenities. The website also includes ski area maps, digital maps of the villages, and more! It can be a bit fiddly at times, but it’s helpful.

Check the current status of the ski lifts in Riederalp, Bettmeralp and Fiescheralp >

Aletsch Arena Interactive Ski Map

View the Aletsch Arena interactive ski map >

Lift Access from the Rhone Valley to Aletsch Arena

Because the Aletsch Arena resorts of Riederalp, Bettmeralp, or Fiescheralp are at 2,000 m and car-free, you must take a cable car or gondola to reach your accommodation and the ski area.

The gondola or cable car (and a snowmobile taxi) may add 30 minutes to your journey. Still, it’s a small price to pay in return for naturally beautiful resort villages where nearly all accommodation is ski-in, ski-out.

The lifts to Riederalp and Bettmeralp were constructed in the late 1960s and mid-1970s, but remain reasonably efficient. Please note that your choice of lift will depend on where you are staying in the Aletsch Arena. You can arrange snowmobile taxis to transport you and your luggage from the top stations to your accommodation.

Lift Access from Mörel-Filet to Riederalp

The fastest uplift is provided by a six-person gondola from the valley station at Mörel-Filet (759m) to Ried-Mörel (1,188m), followed by a further six-seater gondola to Riederalp West (1,925m). The gondola can carry up to 1,000 riders per hour. Alternatively, the older Mörel-Greich-Riederalp cable car from Mörel-Filet to Riederalp Mitte carries up to 80 passengers with a capacity of up to 600 riders per hour.

Lift Access from Bettmeralp Talstation to Bettmeralp

The fastest route to Bettmeralp is the 125-person cable car, which can carry up to 970 riders per hour directly from the valley station (826m) to Bettmeralp (1950m). Alternatively, you can take a smaller 48-person cable car from the valley station to Betten Dorf (1,203m), then a 50-person cable car for the second stage ascent to Bettmeralp.

Lift Access from Fiesch to Fiescheralp

The public transportation hub in Fiesch is a large multi-storey building with escalators connecting the bus and train stations to the high-speed Fiesch-Kuhboden gondola. The gondola can carry up to 1,880 riders per hour and seat up to 10 people.

Aletsch Arena Ski Lift Passes

Currently, the Aletsch Arena lifts are not covered by the Swiss Magic Pass.

Snow Reliability & Snowmaking in Aletsch Arena

With all three resort villages at an altitude of approximately 2,000m, skiing up to nearly 2,700m, and excellent snow-making capability, the Aletsch Arena ranks among Switzerland’s most reliable resorts for snow.

Over the last ten years, the Aletsch Arena has averaged 440 cm of snowfall per year, with an average of 39 snowy days each year. January, February, and March are the snowiest months, and January is a great time to enjoy ideal snow conditions and uncrowded slopes.

Widespread use of the latest snow-making technology, including more than 250 snow cannons, covering approximately 75% of slopes, ensures snow cover from mid-December until the end of March.

Sustainability in Aletsch Arena

As part of the Swiss Alps Junfrau-Aletsch region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the custodians of the largest glacier in the Alps, the Aletsch Arena is acutely aware of the threat of climate change. It is fully committed to a sustainable future.

The Aletsch Bahnen lift company is focused on five key strategic objectives: climate change and renewable energy, water and water management, landscape, biodiversity, social responsibility and regional added value.

Climate and energy credentials include the largest car-free ski area entirely within Switzerland, 1.8 million passengers transported by feeder lifts (emission-free), and a 10-15% improvement in snow-grooming efficiency through snow-depth management.

The lift company obtains 100% of its electricity from hydroelectric power, and all water for snow-making comes from artificial lakes within the ski area. Ongoing modernisation of snowmaking infrastructure, including 20-25% energy savings thanks to new snow cannons.

Initiatives such as the Moosfluh Geology Walkway and the Bettmerhorn & Eggishorn Glacier Worlds (from 2026) help raise awareness of climate change and its impact on the region. Social responsibility policies and initiatives include supporting young people with employment and special offers promoting skiing to schoolchildren up to 16 years of age.

Last but not least, the Aletsch Arena encourages guests to enjoy a variety of experiences, such as cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and walking trails between the villages and at higher elevations throughout the ski area.

Aletsch Arena Lift Company

Aletsch Bahnen AG
Haputsrasse 12,
CH-3992 Bettmeralp
Switzerland