Vals 3000 Ski Resort Switzerland
Already rated as the best value ski resort in Switzerland, Vals 3000 - Dachberg also brings stellar alpine freeride terrain, a high annual snowfall & long skiable vertical of over 1,600m to the party. If that’s not enough, the village has some incredible accommodation, local food & a public thermal pool that wouldn’t be out of place anywhere in the world. All this in a remote mountain valley devoid of other skiers in winter. What's not to love? We will let you know when we visit this season.
Pros & Cons for Vals 3000 Ski Resort
Pros
- Best value ski resort in Switzerland (& maybe western Europe).
- High snowfall zone in the Swiss Alps.
- On-piste & freeride terrain for all abilities.
- Uncrowded.
- Exceptional skiable vertical of 1,630m+.
- Longest ski run of 10km.
- Fantastic range of accommodation options.
- Most affordable lift pass price in the Alps.
- The gondola from the village up to to the mountain is FREE!
- Easy to get to by train & bus on public transport.
- Wonderful non-ski activities including numerous sledding & winter walking trails, plus an incredible thermal pool complex.
Cons
- Small amount of piste trails may not be enough for extended stays if off-piste conditions are poor.
- Older style surface tows (T-bars) serving most of the terrain may be challenging to some visitors.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Isolated village location.
- As per above, whilst there are bars & restaurants aplenty, after dinner entertainment is limited.
- Limited snow-making.
- You may never want to leave!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Vals 3000 skiing & snowboarding terrain is one that statistically gets most snow enthusiasts salivating. Highest lifted point of around 2,900m, top to bottom ski runs of 10km over a vertical drop of about 1,630m, reliable snowfall zone ……. With only 25km of pistes mainly suited to cruising intermediates, there is probably not enough here for advanced skiers on a long holiday. But if the off-piste is powder there is more than enough. The valley trail back to the village & gondola base is a 2.5km advanced run in classic rural Swiss Alps surrounds and a fitting way to end (or start!) a day.
Check out the Vals 3000 - Dachberg ski trail map below.
The ski lifts at Vals include a reasonable modern gondola from the village up 500m vertical to Gadastatt at (1,809m), from where the three main T-bars head up the remaining 1,130m of vertical toward the Dachberg summit. Also at Gadastatt are two conveyors for novices.
Lift Passes
Lift tickets are exactly what tight-arse powder junkies like us adore. The gondola from the village up the surface tows is FREE. Yes. I’ll say it again. FREE. Feels like this belongs in another country! Above that, adults (defined as 16 years & over) pay the best value daily lift pass price in Switzerland - only 33CHF in season 23/24. Anyone under the 16 gets a pass for FREE. I’ll say it again. FREE!
Where is Vals Switzerland?
The Vals 3000 ski resort rises above the small village of Vals in canton Graubünden, southeast Switzerland.
The closest gateway airport is Zurich (ZRH), 180km (2¼hr) by road from Vals. The nearest large towns are the important transport hubs of Ilanz (20km/30min by road to the north), & the capital of the canton, Chur.
The recommended mode of travel is a combination of train and bus, direct from the airport. From Zurich take the train all the way to Ilanz via Chur. At Ilanz, change to the route B431 PostBus service which leaves every hour, on the half hour from 0730hr to 2130hr. The bus journey takes around the get the stop in the centre of town, Vals Post, where one can then take the free ski bus to the gondola base or head to your accommodation.
Search & book here for train & bus tickets to Ilanz and Vals.
Anyone with an unnatural aversion to public transport or driving on winter roads may want to use a private transfer directly from the airport. Search & book here for all airport transfers to Vals.
If hunting out a sneaky powder day in the region, driving a rental car is a way to get to Ilanz (although public transport is so good, why would you bother). Parking at the ski lift base does come with a small daily tariff.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Switzerland ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Switzerland page.
Vals Accommodation
Th evillage of Vals has an exceptional range of accommodation to suit all budgets & tastes is located a short walk or free bus shuttle ride from the ski area base. Vals is a small village in an isolated alpine valley location that provides a feeling of splendid isolation from the woes of the world. The most lux place to stay in Vals is the extraordinary 5-star 7132 Hotel. Alternatively, several 4-stars House of Architects & Hotel Rovanada continues the number of extraordinary hotels in such a small village. Topping it off are other fantastic options like the Hotel Steinbock (located just above the gondola valley station), Hotel-Glenner.
On the more budget side of the ledger, the central square located Gasthaus Edelweiss and B&B Gassa 95 have budget rooms, and even a few dormitory rooms with shared facilities. A middle ground option is Garni Schnyder.
Search & book here for all Vals ski accommodation.
Ski Rentals
[AdListings collection="Europe" category="Switzerland Vals" subcategory="Vals Rentals"]
Review
The Powderhounds will review Vals 3000 this season. More information about this Swiss ski resort will come after our visit. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how Vals compares to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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