Laax Ski Resort Switzerland
The Laax ski resort (really Flims-Laax-Falera of FLF) is one of Switzerland's (& Europe's) biggest & best. Laax is all about modern lifts, vast terrain, long piste trails for all abilities plus challenging off-piste skiing & freeride routes. The resort is also known for its monstrous snow parks & resort facilities straight out of a James Bond or Austen Powers movie.
For what it’s worth, Laax also provided the Powderhounds with the best grilled bratwurst in Europe - no small achievement! Add to that some of Switzerland's best après ski bars & you have a winning combination.
Pros & Cons for Laax Ski Resort
Pros
- Huge ski area with vast terrain including a glacier.
- Modern lifts and facilities.
- Reliable snow cover with 70% of terrain above 2,000m altitude.
- Fabulous variety of piste trails for all levels.
- Lots of long, long valley trails.
- Over 1,900m of vertical, 1,700m of which is skiable in one hit.
- Terrain parks that need to be seen to be believed (Europe's & maybe the world’s best!).
- Wonderful on-mountain restaurants and bars.
- Massive areas of off-piste powder.
- Reasonably uncrowded (for a large ski resort).
- Excellent après ski (unusual for Switzerland).
- Ski -in ski-out accommodation available.
- Easy access from Chur on a day trip.
Cons
- Prior to the dynamic lift pass pricing, was one of the most expensive lift passes in Europe (but still way cheaper than Whistler & Vail - you get what you pay for!!).
- Lacks the expert & extreme terrain that would make it a genuinely great all-rounder.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Three different ski villages, each with a distinct character.
- Mainly south-facing, sunny terrain.
Laax Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Statistically, Laax stacks up pretty well against all the biggest & best ski resorts in the world. The ski resort compares favourably to Whistler in Canada, but without Whistler's extreme terrain, lift lines & steep lift pass price!
Check out the ski trail map for Laax below.
Topped with the Vorab Glacier above 3,000m, the resorts 214km of piste trails range from the high alpine to forested slopes over a staggering 1,918m skiable vertical. The terrain & trails cater for all abilities equally well, so there is plenty for advanced skiers & snowboarders. As well as a vast unmarked off-piste, there are around 25km of marked ski routes to help you find some powder in relative safety.
Laax ski lifts are progressively being modernised with comfortable gondolas & 6-seater chairs with heated seats rapidly becoming the norm. A series of 5 new gondolas are being installed, culminating in season 25/26. They will replace two chairlifts in the Flims-Naurus sector as well as the old Grauberg cable car. The new lifts will eventually open previously lifted terrain from the 2,600m Cassons-Ils Cugns peak.
A major feature of Laax ski resort is the serious terrain park & superpipe at the intriguingly named Crap Sogn Gion. It must be seen to be believed.
For more information on ski lifts, terrain, lift passes & maps, see our Laax Skiing & Snowboarding page.
Where is Laax Switzerland?
Laax ski resort is in the canton of Grisons (Graubünden), southeast Switzerland.
Based around the three villages of Laax, Flims & Falera, the resort's largest village of Flims is only 21km west of the capital of canton Graubuenden (Grisons), Chur. The closest airport is Zurich (ZRH), 145km by road to the north. The city of Zurich is the recommended entry point to travel to th resort.
Laax is easy to get by rental car, private airport transfer, or a combination of train to Chur or Ilanz & then bus to either Flims or Laax. Search & book train & bus tickets to Chur & Laax.
For info on the best ways to get there, see our Travel to Laax page.
Laax Flims Falera Accommodation
There are four main villages at the base of the ski resort providing accommodation, each with its advantages & disadvantages. There are also a couple of upper mountain options only accessible by ski lifts in the winter. The main villages are Laax & Flims. Whilst the original village of Laax itself does not have direct ski lift access, the Laax Base Station, about 1½km away, does. The small Falera village is the fourth local accommodation option.
Search & book Laax, Flims & Falera ski accommodation Laax, Flims & Falera ski accommodation.
The ski resort base area at Laax Base Station provides a mix of modern, funky, traditional, slopeside ski -in hotels & apartments plus more traditional chalets. The signature accommodation is the rockresort (sic) & siginahotel (sic) - so trendy they don't even use uppercase letters or spacing in their names! The fun & energetic Riders Hotel is another contemporary addition to the lodging stocks or one can get a dose of a more traditional Swiss Alps accommodation experience at the Laaxerhof. A wider range of cheaper lodgings are in the actual village of Laax, 2km by road away from the lift base area, and in a roadside sector midway between the two.
Some on-mountain options exist that are only accessible by cable car. Berghaus Nagens has traditional & shared bedrooms in a convivial environment above Flims. The Galaaxy Mountain Hostel is part of the unique 'digital fortress' complex at Crap Sogn Gion above Laax and has quad share rooms for groups or the younger set!
Flims is a larger town with a broad array of lodging options including ski-in lodgings next to the lower slopes. Unlike Laax, the ski lift base is directly in town, a short walking distance to the centre. Hotels & guesthouses are directly across the road from the lift base as well as further in town. The closest accommodations to the ski lifts include The Hide Flims, Hillsite Hotel Flims, plus the surprisingly good Arena Guesthouse Hotel and more affordable Arena Lodge.
Falera is a small hamlet (and the highest in the resort at 1,200m) perfect for those wanting a bit of peace & quiet, but still within walking distance of a chairlift. Numerous private apartments & chalets are for holiday rental. Alternatively the nearby Hotel Restaurant La Siala has affordable rooms & apartments, plus provides a free shuttle to the aging Falera chairlift.
For more info & recommendations on the best places to stay, see our Where to Stay in Flims-Laax-Falera page. Well you will be able to look at the page when its finished!
[AdListings collection="Europe" category="Switzerland Laax" subcategory="Laax Packages"]
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available via our local partners near the ski lift base at Flims and in the village of Laax. Receive a discount when you compare, search & book via our Laax Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
On or off-piste ski lessons & mountain guiding are available via our local partners. For more info & options, compare, search & book via our Laax Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Activities
One great thing about ski resorts in Switzerland that is consistently world leading is the host of non-ski activities for those not inclined to slide down slopes in the upright position. Laax is no different.
Around 100km of winter walking trails are available up to 2,570m elevation. Three sledding trails up to 3.6km long and a tube park exist. Cross country skiing, ice skating on rinks & natural lakes; the obligatory paragliding, curling, a swimming pool ……….. the list goes on. No boring down days at Laax. And if you want to get away from the hill for day, take a bus to Chur & wander the old town.
Reviews
The Powderhounds last visited Laax in 2018. We loved the modern lift system; the expansive terrain & quirky bars. We are well overdue to re-visit, and intend checking it out during the coming season to ride the new lifts and get some better photos as the weather on our original visit was 'challenging' to say the least! See our review & extra photos via the links in the left column (or top of page on a mobile).
See how Laax-Flims-Falera compares to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe the European ski resort ratings page.
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