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 Riederalp, Bettmeralp, and Fiescheralp must be accessed by cable car or gondola from three lift stations in 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 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, offering an added sense of adventure for kids and 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 Aletsch Arena >

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 20 minutes to your journey. Still, it’s worthwhile to enjoy naturally beautiful villages where nearly all accommodation is ski-in, ski-out, and snow is guaranteed. The lifts from the valley stations run until late evening according to set time schedules.

The lifts to Riederalp and Bettmeralp were constructed in the late 1960s and mid-1970s, but remain reasonably efficient. 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 Pass Prices & Discounts

The Aletsch Arena offers some of the most competitively priced lift passes in the Valais region, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious skiers. Compared to larger and more renowned Swiss resorts like Crans-Montana, Verbier and Zermatt, Aletsch Arena’s lift pass prices are 35-40% lower, providing excellent value for money.

The Aletsch Arena ski lift company operates a dynamic pricing model for lift passes, rewarding early online bookings with the best rates. Lift passes can be conveniently purchased in advance via the Aletsch Arena official webshop, allowing visitors to avoid queues by loading passes onto a KeyCard or SwissPass.

Age Categories:
* Children: 6 to 15 years
* Youth: 16 to 19 years
* Adults: 20 years and above

Family Discounts:
 Families benefit from attractive discounts when purchasing family ski passes. Specifically, the pass for the third child and each additional child up to 15 years of age living in the same household is free of charge, regardless of whether one or both parents are present. The passes must cover the same period, and package deals are excluded from these offers.

Saturday Promotions: 
Every Saturday during the winter, Aletsch Arena offers a “Ski for free” promotion where children and young people up to 16 receive a free ski pass. This initiative makes weekend skiing more accessible for families.

Flexible Pass Options:
 Visitors can choose between passes that include or exclude the feeder lifts from the valley to the plateau, depending on their accommodation location. This flexibility allows guests to tailor their lift pass to their travel plans. Check the Aletsch Arena webshop for the most accurate and up-to-date pricing. Booking early ensures the best rates and streamlines the arrival process, allowing more time to enjoy the slopes.

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

Aletsch Arena Official Webshop >

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 Switzerland’s largest car-free ski area; 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. Recent improvements include 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
Tel: +41 27 928 41 41
Visit the website >