In winter, Gstaad means skiing across about 200 km of pistes, Glacier 3000 at nearly 3,000 m, winter walks, sledging and the Château-d'Oex balloon festival from 23 to 31 January 2027. In summer it is hiking to the Lauenensee, the Menuhin Festival from 16 July to 4 September 2027 and the Swiss Open tennis. All year, the GoldenPass Express links Gstaad to Montreux and Interlaken for day trips to Gruyères, Chillon and Lavaux.
The cable car from Col du Pillon, 20 minutes from Gstaad, rises to Scex Rouge at 2,971 m for the Peak Walk suspension bridge and a walk across the glacier. A return ticket is CHF 95, or CHF 48 with a Half Fare card, GA or Swiss Travel Pass, and the winter season runs from 7 November 2026 to 30 April 2027.
Return cable car ticket from Col du Pillon to Scex Rouge, including the Peak Walk, Ice Express and Glacier Walk; you make your own way to Col du Pillon.
Departs from Col du Pillon (no transport) · Ticket only, no fixed departure; cabins every 20 minutes
Separate ski areas around Saanenmöser and Schönried, Eggli and La Videmanette, Wispile and Wasserngrat, plus Glacier 3000 and Les Diablerets. Most Gstaad lifts open on 18 or 19 December 2026, and the Magic Pass covers them all.
162 km of winter walking trails, sledging on the 6.4 km Eggli run, about 130 km of cross-country trails, skating, spa days and the balloon festival in Château-d'Oex from 23 to 31 January 2027.
Hikes to the Lauenensee and from Wispile, swimming in the Arnensee, mountain biking, the Menuhin Festival from 16 July to 4 September 2027 and the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad from 10 to 18 July 2027.
The panoramic train runs through from Montreux to Interlaken via Gstaad, four times a day each way. Montreux to Gstaad takes 1 hour 24 minutes; reserve a seat for CHF 20, as passes do not include one.
Gruyères and its show dairy are about an hour away by train, Montreux and Château de Chillon about an hour and a half to two hours, and Interlaken 1 hour 50 on the GoldenPass Express.
About 3 hours by train from Geneva or Zurich airport and under 2 hours from Bern. Once you arrive, the Gstaad Card from your hotel makes local trains and buses free.
Skiing on about 200 km of pistes, Glacier 3000, winter walks, sledging, cross-country skiing, skating, spa days and, from 23 to 31 January 2027, the balloon festival in nearby Château-d'Oex.
What is there to do in Gstaad in summer?
Hiking, including the Lauenensee and Wispile, Glacier 3000, mountain biking, swimming in the Arnensee, the Menuhin Festival and the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad tennis tournament.
Is Gstaad worth visiting if you do not ski?
Yes. There are 162 km of winter walking trails, sledging runs, hotel spas, Glacier 3000's Peak Walk and day trips to Montreux, Gruyères and Interlaken by train.
