Malbun Ski Resort Liechtenstein
Malbun ski resort is the only skiing area in Liechtenstein but its location in an isolated alpine valley between Switzerland & Austria make it an interesting prospect. Easy to get to by bus from the capital Vaduz, we have driven past here so many times that we should be charged with ‘neglect’ offences for failing to head up and check it out. And so we will …. check it out that is!
The Malbun ski resort statistics are modest: highest lifted point of just 2,000m; skiable vertical (at a stretch!) of 523m; 5 ski lifts (including 3 modern high-speed chairs); and 23km of pistes. The lifts and piste trails are well integrated with the pleasant village, as are a load of other non-ski activities. On a powder day there is ample space for off-piste turns.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Malbun skiing & snowboarding terrain is on varied aspects across a broad alpine bowl above 1,500m altitude. The 23km of groomed trails are heavily favoured toward beginner & intermediate skiers & snowboarders, with a few long trails to stretch your legs on. The beginner Piste #2 (Haita) is up to 4½km in length and descends via the village and the base of the Sareis chair back to the main base area of the of the Täli and Hochegg lifts. Anyone wanting to ski the full vertical of 523m can do it from Sareis (2,000m altitude) all the way to the bottom of the novice tows at 1,477m. A bit of a push is required to get over the skier bridge to the novice area, but you are strong and can do it!! Check out the Malbun Ski Trail Map below.
The ski lifts at Malbun are three high-speed chairlifts (2x quads & 1x 6er) serving the main ski terrain, plus a double T-bar and a rope tow for novices. Located just before the village, Täli (6-er chair) & Hochegg (quad chair) both ascend to different endpoints from 1,545m up to 1,871m & 1,884m respectively on the shaded north-aspect side of the valley. Almost from the centre of the village, Sareis quad chairlift heads up the opposite side of the valley from 1,617m to the 2,000m highest lifted point. At the lowest end of the valley on the opposite side of the road, the Schneeflucht T-bars run up a gentle 80m of vertical. They can be linked to the chairlifts by a skier bridge over the road. On the edge of the village, the kids zone of Malbi-park has a short rope tow.
Extensive freeride terrain is available from the top of the Sareis quad at Sareisjoch which extends down on sunnier slopes into the village. Dwarf pines at the top can make skiing here interesting, plus on the backside, one can ski into Austria from Sareis & Sareiserjoch into the remote Gamperdonatal south of Nenzing. Skiable vertical is potentially 700m. Getting out is a question, but skinning back up is the simplest solution! Other sidecountry opportunities of 400m+ skiable vertical can be accessed in the wide alpine bowl south of the village to below the Augstenberg peak. Sidling in from the Täli top station or south from the top of Sareis then along the ridge is the easiest way to exploit the terrain.
Lift Passes
Lift tickets at Malbun are charged in Swiss Francs. A day pass is still within the realms of highly affordable.
Where is Malbun Liechtenstein?
The Malbun ski resort is in Liechtenstein, 15km (30min drive) from the capital of Vaduz. For skiers, the closest major town of interest is Feldkirch in Austria, 27km by road to the north. Central Zurich is around 120km (2hr drive) to the west. Innsbruck is 180km (3hr by road) to the west. The closest gateway airport is Zurich (ZRH).
Getting to Liechtenstein’s capital Vaduz by public transport is simple from Zurich airport via the train to either Sargans in Switzerland or Feldkirch in Austria. The central bus stop in Vaduz is called ‘Vaduz Post’. From the airport to Sargans takes around 1¼hr, requiring one change of train at Zurich central station. Zurich airport to Feldkirch takes 2hr at best, and often requires a change of trains. Conveniently, the Line 11 bus runs at 30 min intervals between both railway stations via Vaduz. From Sargans the journey time to Vaduz is 39min, and from Feldkirch to Vaduz takes 46 min. A more direct bus from Feldkirch station is the Line 14, taking around 33min to Vaduz Post.
Alternative train stations are either Buchs SG or the smaller Sevelen in Switzerland. The Line 24 bus from Sevelen takes just 10min to Vaduz Post but the train journey before that could be more complex!
From Vaduz Post (or other stops along the way), the excellent Line 21 bus heads up to Malbun from via Meierhof, Triesenberg and Steg every 15min to an hour depending on the time of day. The full journey takes 30min. Once there, note there are four stops for the ski lifts in Malbun.
- ‘Malbun, Schneeflucht’ for the beginner Schneeflucht T-bar.
- ‘Malbun, Bergbahnen’ – for Täli/Hornegg ski lifts.
- ‘Malbun, Jöraboda’ – for Malbi-park kids zone.
- ‘Malbun, Zentrum’ - for the Sareis chairlift, main village & Malbi-park.
There are also two free ski bus lines to Malbun from the main towns of Liechtenstein, but the limited timetable is of little use to most non-locals!
If hunting out a sneaky powder day, driving a rental car on a day trip is easy from anywhere to Vaduz. Our preference is to then take the scenic ‘Bergstrasse’ up past Vaduz Castle, before climbing steeply to Triesenberg and the tunnel to Steg, before the final gentle climb up to Malbun. An alternative route is via ‘Landstrasse’ (the same as the Line 21 bus). Either way the journey is about 15km from Vaduz and takes less than 30min to drive depending on road conditions. From Feldkirch, total journey time should be 45min to 1hr.
Ample, free day car parking is at the base of either Schneeflucht or Täli/Hornegg ski lifts. On busy days if car parks are full, vehicles are parked down-valley in Steg, and free buses shuttle skiers to the lifts. But why are you here on a busy day?
Malbun Accommodation
The ski resort accommodations available in the resort village of Malbun consist of a handful of quality hotels and numerous holiday rental homes & apartments.
In the centre of town next to the main Zentrum bus stop and Sareis chairlift base is the pick of the bunch, Hotel Turna. Ski-in ski-out and with superb rooms, food & facilities it is rightfully popular.
At the Täli/Hornegg ski lifts, about 700m from the centre of the village, JUFA Hotel Malbun is a good alternative.
Also near the centre of town are two more hotels worth consideration; the Hotel Galina and the newly transformed 4-star Gorfion Familienhotel. The Gorfion is undergoing a massive rebuild and is slated to open in early December 2026, just in time for winter.
Search & book a place to stay via the Malbun Ski Accommodation Listings.
If not intending (or unable) to stay overnight in Malbun itself, we recommend staying somewhere like Feldkirch in Austria. For skiers, Feldkirch makes much more sense than anywhere else. Access to Malbun is around an hour by bus (Line 14/21) or car, and Feldkirch is a far more appealing place to overnight than the very quiet Vaduz. All of the hotels in the centre of town are good, and most are within walking distance of the main bus/train station if required and the picturesque ‘old town’ centre is an absolute delight.
Search & book a place to stay via the Feldkirch Accommodation Listings.
Reviews & More Info
The Powderhounds will review Malbun in the coming season. More information about this European ski resort will come after our visit. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how Malbun compares to the rest of the European ski resorts on the European ski resort ratings page.
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