Often touted as one of the best ski resorts in Europe (and therefore the world), I was understandably excited to visit Verbier in Switzerland’s Valais canton. With the 4 Vallees coming in at 412 kms, there is so much terrain to explore that getting the most out of a Verbier visit is going to take some serious skiing or snowboarding.
The 4 Vallees are the largest ski area in Switzerland, although technically Portes du Soleil is bigger but most of the ski terrain is in France.
Anyway, we headed to Verbier to ski in December* 2022 to find out for ourselves what it’s like to hit the mountains here.
*snowboard actually – but some of us were skiing
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Where is Verbier?
Verbier is village in Valais canton of the Swiss Alps. It’s around 30 kms from the town of Martigny and 55 kms from Sion.
Deep in the south of Switzerland, almost backing onto Italy and France, Verbier is nestled among some of the best ski areas in the world. From Verbier, you can be in Chamonix in just over an hour, or as the crow flies, you’re close to Aosta, Courmayeur and the Portes du Soleil ski area too. So Verbier is in good company, and as we’ll find out, can definitely give most of these ski areas a run for their ski money.
The village itself is quite spread out and twists its way up the mountain. So depending where you’re based, you could be quite a way from the lifts. However, this isn’t a problem as there is also a good infrastructure with ski buses which run every 5-10 minutes for free.
Despite being found between 1500 metres and 3000 metres, Verbier is actually well connected to the rest of Switzerland with the fast road and the train lines.
How to get to Verbier?
One of the great things about Verbier is it’s accessibility. The town is just up the mountain from the main A9 motorway linking the Lake Geneva region to the Valais, into the town of Brig. There are also roads efficiently connecting the area to Northern Italy and France, making it easy to get to Verbier.
The main train line from Geneva to Brig also passes by at nearby Martigny. You can take the train directly from Geneva airport to Martigny, change to the La Chable train and then grab the gondola up from La Chable itself into the main resort, or base yourself in La Chable for the Bruson ski area (part of the 4 Vallees)
The town of Verbier is just a short drive from nearby Martigny and Sion, around half an hour.
By train from Geneva
The train from Geneva Airport takes around 2 and a half hours, connections permitting, and costs approximately CHF40 per person each way. You can find up to date train times and prices at SBB. But generally speaking, trains to Brig leave Geneva Airport every half hour or so and all of them stop in Martigny.
Simply grab a ticket at the kiosks in the airport, or buy in advance online for best prices. You don’t need to print train tickets off as you’ll get the QR code with your online booking.
Book Geneva Airport to Verbier train tickets at Omio.
There is also an airport at nearby Sion, which is mostly private and charter flights.
By shared transfer
There are regular shared transfer buses leaving from Geneva Airport to Verbier and the 4 Vallees region. These are easy to find, as they’re pretty much right in front of you as you come out of the arrivals hall. They’re also quite regular, and while they’re a little more expensive than taking the train, they do drop you right in the resort.
Expect to pay between CHF50-70 for a one way trip on a shared transfer bus service such as Alpybus.
Check shared transfers and buses on BusBud.
By private transfer
The alternative option is to take a private transfer. This is obviously the fastest option, and if you’re looking for door to door, this will be your best bet. Transfer time from Geneva airport (GVA) to Verbier is around 1 hour 45 by car.
GetTransfer is one of the best places to find transfers from Geneva airport.
The 4 Vallées lift pass options
When it comes to ski area, Verbier is definitely no slouch. As part of the 4 Vallées ski region, you also have options when it comes to buying your lift pass.
The main town of Verbier falls under the ski area of Verbier, unsurprisingly.
There are also smaller ski areas such as Brunson and La Tzoumaz, which are smaller more family focused areas. You’ll find lift pass tickets are around CHF52 to 57 for one day (approx £47 to £52) for these smaller ski areas.
You can actually pick up the Verbier area pass which covers Brunson and La Tzoumaz for CHF57 for the day, and you’ll have plenty of mountain playground to explore.
But the best value is the 4 Vallées pass. This allows you to head out there and much those miles and really enjoy the varied terrain here. At CHF77/80 (around £70), it’s not the cheapest option. But hey, you’re in Verbier! And you only live once, right?
Verbier Section
The Verbier pass would probably be sufficient for most people to be honest. Although it doesn’t cover the highest point, Mont Fort, you’ll still be able to get above 3000 metres, at Mont Gele.
The Verbier ski area covers 195 kms, which is bigger than most other ski resorts. So even if you don’t invest in the pass for the full 412 kms of the 4 Vallées, you will have more than enough fun on the snow in Verbier.
Most of the runs that we went on were wide and above the tree line. All of the infrastructure was excellent too, with fast chair lifts and gondolas as standard.
4 Vallées Section
With the additional coverage of the full 4 Vallées ski pass, you can really venture out and check out the terrain. My guide Stefan from ski-hostel.com was keen to put my shoddy snowboarding skills to the test and take us to Siviez to see one of the branches of their hostels.
And if you’re looking for a budget stay in 4 Vallees, I can highly recommend checking out Ski-Hostel.com as they have some epic packages.
Anyway. Lots of fun was had, and as you can see from this video, the terrain is pretty epic. It was a bit of an overcast day though, but don’t let that detract.
So yes, as you can see lots of fun…
Exploring those Yellow runs
You might have noticed from the map above that there are yellow piste trails marked on the map. These are ungroomed trails that are often more challenging, often a black or hard red trail. Yellow pistes are used mostly in Switzerland, parts of Austria and apparently in some Scandinavian resorts too.
To get from the Verbier section into the 4 Vallées section, you actually need to go down a yellow trail – the alternative it to take the gondola down. But my guide Stefan insisted I’d love it so, hey, we got stuck in.
Yes, it was challenging, but actually it was a lot of fun. As a snowboarder I mostly had to falling leaf down the early stages as it was both steep and lined with rocks. But to be fair, the skiers looked like they were finding it hard work too. Nearer the bottom I managed to start linking some turns, but the challenge with yellow runs is that they often have hidden terrain challenges such as massive dips, crazy moguls and rocks. And there were a lot of rocks.
It’s basically like off-piste but without the powder – at least on the day we were there.
Here’s a little shot of the terrain to give you an idea of the big yellow piste in Verbier.
Once you get to the bottom of the valley there is then a faster and more traditional trail that brings you to the lift station that marks the edge of the Verbier and 4 Vallées sections. And once you’re here, you get into the fun of the more enjoyable tree lined runs and valleys.
Is Verbier good for snowboarders?
In a word, yes, Verbier is excellent for snowboarders. I thought that the general terrain was perfect for snowboarding with mostly pretty wide and long runs, very few massive drops and no noticeable flat sections which often catch us snowboarders out. While it was only my second day of the season and I was still a bit bambi legged, I had a lot of fun.
One thing to note though is that a lot of the 4 Vallees section, around Thyon especially, is heavily reliant on t-bars and drag lifts. As a snowboarder, you’re probably not gonna want to negotiate too much of this terrain unless you’re adept at using drag lifts, which might be off-putting. I got as far as Siviez and decided that the resort had plenty to keep me amused without needing to start dealing with drag lifts.
To be honest, if I was solo, I would probably have stayed in the Verbier section and really got to grips with the mountain there as I feel like it would be more than adequate. While the 4 Vallees pass really does open up the area, I feel like La Tsoumaz and Verbier are probably more than adequate for 75% of snowboarders.
Saying that, if you’re in town for more than three days then the 4 Vallees pass would be a must.
Is Verbier good for beginners?
While some reviews seem to say that Verbier is best for intermediate and up, I do think that much of the terrain is well suited to beginners and families. Especially the Brunson and La Tzoumaz sections. Both of these more compact sectors are close to the town and offer a good mix of reds and blue runs.
The good thing about most of the mountain runs on the Verbier and La Tzoumaz sections is that they are often wide pistes, meaning plenty of space for novices to get to grips with terrain.
On one of our days, we also went with my partner and family to the learner area in Verbier itself. For CHF20, you have access to the magic carpet and a t-bar lift where you can either visit with your ski instructor or simply practice your turns on the cheap.
Rental ski or snowboard gear in Verbier
As you’d expect, there are a lot of options for ski and snowboard equipment rental in Verbier. As you might also expect, they’re often on the pricey side.
One of the best value places to rent ski equipment is SkiSet – who offer some of the best prices if pre-booked online.
There are two SkiSet locations in Verbier, as well as at Veysonnaz and Nendaz.
Get up to 50% off your rental at SkiSet with our link.
How expensive is Verbier?
As a premium ski resort in Switzerland, obviously Verbier isn’t cheap. Or at least, it’s not cheap to stay in. Most apartments and hotels will be on the pricey side, so expect to spend at least £1000 per person here on accommodation alone for a week.
But the reason it’s expensive is because you’re getting a 5 star ski resort to enjoy, and with it’s location above 2000 metres, it’s also pretty snowsure. Oh, and it’s Switzerland.
We did eat in Verbier a couple of times, and I didn’t think it was prohibitively expensive. We ate at La Nonna one lunchtime, which was an excellent Italian trattoria style (twice the price of Italy though), and a meal for 5 (3 adults, 2 kids) came to CHF150 (£135). Probably around 10-20% more than what you would pay in a French or Austrian resort for the same meal.
We also had take out one day, which was basically sandwiches, pastries and coffee. And yes, this was kinda expensive too. I forget exactly, but it was again about quarter more than what you’d pay in France.
But saying that… If you’re considering Verbier, you shouldn’t be worrying about the cost. You’re coming for the experience of skiing in Verbier, and yes, it is expensive. But if you wanted a budget ski holiday, you’d be going to La Plagne, Mayrhofen or Bansko right?
How to do Verbier cheaply
Can you do Verbier cheap? Actually, yes, I have a few hacks.
Self catering apartments are actually not crazy expensive in Verbier, and eating and drinking chez vous will be the budget choice. Stock up on pasta and cheese from Coop or Denner to keep those costs down.
Insider tip: Denner is where to buy cheap beer and wine in Switzerland, especially in Verbier. Also make sure to try the local Valais wine if you are in Verbier, as its excellent.
You can also find relatively cheap accommodation in Verbier if you can shop around and be flexible, ideally out of season.
I found a cheap apartment in Verbier, just 350 metres from the ski lifts for £547 for two people for 7 days. Shop about and see what accommodation in Verbier you can find for your dates.
You would then ski the smaller ski areas, such as Bruson/La Tzoumaz and Verbier proper. Get your Verbier lift pass in advance, paying between CHF52.50 and CHF57 per day, with maybe one splurge for the full CHF77 to hit the 4 Vallees. (Buy your tickets in advance for the best price).
Five days of Verbier (CHF285) plus one day 4 Vallees adds up to CHF362 (about GB£330), which is not bad at all for a week skiing in Verbier.
We actually stayed with the guys at Ski Hostel Liddes, and while they offer incredibly cheap skiing at the neighbouring Pays St Bernard ski area, they can also take you for a spin around Verbier on the odd day. This is one option for a cheap Verbier ski holiday.
Is Verbier good for apres ski?
Actually, Verbier is known as one of the best après ski resorts in Switzerland. And yes, there are a few pubs and bars, but nothing like a Folie Douce. So while there is good après ski in Verbier, you’re probably not going have the most raucous party, a la Mayrhofen or Val Thorens.
Some of the best nightlife in town includes Fer et Cheval, a popular bar with a pizzeria and live music, The Loft for drinks into the night and the Mont Fort Pub.
On the mountains, you’ll find Bar 1936 and La Rouge for your drinks on the way down the mountain.
Where to stay in Verbier?
There is no shortage of places to stay in Verbier.
If you’re looking for a premium stay, check out the 5 star W Hotels in Verbier. You’ll get all the luxury trappings of an on site spa and pool, great views and proximity to the gondola onto the mountain, as well as ski-in.
Another option is the three star Hotel Mirabeau, which offers a lovely Alpine interior, an on site sauna and steam bath as well as breakfast included as standard.
Browse our nifty hotel widget below for more Verbier offers and accommodation.
Check put our other guides to Swiss ski resorts, including: Crans Montana review and La Fouly/Pays St Bernard. Or, looking for a fun place to ski in February?
