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It’s never been easier to pack a powder fix into just a few days. Here’s how to make every hour on the slopes count.
For us Britons, travelling to ski resorts is no easy task. Whether you fly, drive or take the train, there’s no escaping the long journeys.
But with careful planning, and by choosing the right resorts, you can ensure you spend more time on the snow. Perfect if you have just a few days of skiing available.
Ski wisely and you don’t need to spend a whole week in the mountains. Three days of hard-core skiing will give you just as much of a snow fix. But you need to be a bit canny.
Most importantly, choose a resort that is close to an airport (see below) and be sure to book your transfer in advance so you can hop straight from the terminal into a taxi. From Geneva, Innsbruck and Zurich, for example, on as good run, you can be at your hotel within the hour.
There are other short cuts: book your lift pass and your ski and boots hire in advance online. This will save you precious time and allow you to jump the queues when you arrive.
British tour operator Dan Fox is an expert in this area. He runs the company SkiWeekends which specialises in short skiing breaks to the Alps and to Norway. For British skiers who are time-poor, he suggests taking a long weekend, flying out late on a Thursday and returning late on a Monday, with the guarantee of three full days of skiing. And he offers some invaluable tips to weekend warriors, as he calls them, who want to get as much piste time as they can.
“Try to book accommodation that will enable you to ski directly from your front door,” Fox suggests. “Ski-in, ski-out accommodation will save you having to walk with heavy skis or catch a bus to the lifts. Over the course of three days this will give you more time on the pistes.”
Fox also advises weekend warriors to plan their ski routes in advance. “Don’t waste precious time getting lost in the maze of pistes on offer. If you’re not familiar with the resort, do your research online, or hire a guide. You’ll end up skiing much more efficiently and enjoying more piste time.”
Another clever trick is to ski before and after the crowds. Some resorts offer night skiing after the lifts have closed, or first tracks skiing early in the morning before the general public arrives.
Finally, Fox advises cutting back on the apres-ski drinking. “You booze, you lose,” he warns. “If you’re determined to ski hard, fast and long, then don’t party too late on the Saturday night. Have a beer, get tucked up in bed, and get out there for fresh tracks on the Sunday morning.”
The nearest resorts to the UK
During very cold British winters you might be lucky with the snow at Scotland’s ski resorts, but the facilities here remain very basic. You’re much safer heading for the Alps.
For the mega-rich, there’s the option of hiring a private jet and flying to the airstrips at Courchevel, Meribel or Engadin, for example. But the rest of us mere mortals need to head for a commercial airport. Here are some of the nearest ski resorts to major European hubs served by direct flights from the UK. (All distances and driving times sourced from The AA.)
Nordkette
(11 minutes or 3 miles from Innsbruck airport)
With views overlooking the city and the River Inn, this ski area offers a plethora of red runs and is popular with Innsbruckers looking to enjoy the snow after work. You access it by riding the Innsbruck Nordkettenbahnen cable car directly from the city up the mountain.
The pistes are probably too steep for beginners, but for experienced skiers it offers great off-piste action. Ideally, you should combine a visit to Nordkette with the other ski resorts nearby. One cheap way to get a taste of them all is to buy the SKI plus CITY Pass Stubai Innsbruck which gives you lift access to 12 different resorts, with a total of 256kms of slopes and 108 cable cars and lifts. Four of the resorts have night skiing, meaning you can enjoy the snow after the sun has gone down.
Les Carroz
(1 hour 5 minutes or 62 miles from Geneva airport)
Les Carroz is a very pretty, traditional Savoyard village at 1,140 metres above sea level. In the resort itself, there are only 34 pistes across 37kms with few options for experienced skiers but free facilities for beginners. However, it is part of the much larger Grand Massif ski area with an enormous 265kms of pistes across Les Carroz, Flaine, Morillon, Samoëns and Sixt Fer à Cheval, which will keep you busy all weekend.
Le Grand-Bornand
(1 hour or 40 miles from Geneva airport)
This charming resort in the Aravis mountains offers 46 pistes, totalling 90kms in all. It is separated into two villages: at 1,000 metres above sea level is the main village, in typical Savoyard style with a church, a central square and a good choice of shops, while higher up at 1,300 metres is Chinaillon. There’s also a snow park and plenty of facilities for cross-country skiers.
Combloux
(1 hour 1 minute or 50 miles from Geneva airport)
This lovely mountain village, with views of Mont Blanc, boasts traditional wooden chalets and farmhouses. The skiing facilities are excellent as it forms part of two different ski areas that link up with Megeve – Les Portes du Mont-Blanc (63 pistes across 100kms, all served by 29 lifts) and the mighty Evasion Mont Blanc (232 pistes across 400kms, served by 110 lifts). In Combloux itself you’ll enjoy cheeky apres-ski drinks at Chez Albert, right beside the pistes.
Hoch-Ybrig
(1 hour 5 minutes or 49 miles from Zurich airport)
Thanks to its proximity to Zurich, this is one of Switzerland’s oldest ski areas and the location of its first official ski school. With 17 pistes, mostly blue and red, stretching across 50kms overall, it’s ideal for beginners and intermediates. However, the snow park and ski cross track will prove testing for expert skiers and boarders too.
On the mountain there are nine restaurants to choose from, including three close to the mountain summits: Bergrestaurant Sternen, Wildä Maa and Spirstock.
November 04, 2025
