Downhill Skiing and Snowboarding in Switzerland

Downhill skiing and snowboarding remains some of the most popular activities for winter holidays, and the world-class resorts of the Swiss Alps are among the most popular places to enjoy these sports, soft powder and dramatic panoramas. While downhill skiing and snowboarding are carbon-intensive activities, one of the most effective choices you can take to really make a difference is to take the train to the slopes instead of flying, as many of the ski resorts in Switzerland are easily accessible by train.

Cost-wise there’s little difference to flying (once you’ve factored in transfers to and from airports) and travelling by train has many advantages: the check-in times are far shorter, there’s free baggage allowance for your gear and the journey has a much smaller carbon footprint.

In addition, the overnight service that leaves Paris on Friday evening and arrives early Saturday morning (returning the following Saturday evening) enables you to fit in two extra days’ skiing on the relatively quieter Saturday changeover days – without having to pay for extra nights’ accommodation.

See our Guide to the Ski Train, and below we've listed some of the best holidays for downhill skiing and snowboarding in Switzerland: