Leukerbad Torrent Ski Resort Switzerland
Leukerbad Torrent ski resort in the Valais of Switzerland is a delightful ski & spa combination above the Rhone River valley near Brig. Leukerbad’s location puts it in the heart of an expansive & snow-sure ski region with neighbouring resorts including Crans Montana, Lauchernalp & St-Luc-Chandolin.
Whilst well known for its thermal springs, Leukerbad’s alpine ski area, Torrent, has fallen off the ski world’s radar, providing plenty of scope for fresh snow pillaging!
Pros & Cons for Leukerbad-Torrent Ski Resort
Pros
- Authentic Swiss Alps spa town & ski resort in spectacular surrounds.
- Reasonable skiable vertical of 1,200m.
- Ski trails up to 11km long.
- Quality on-piste trails for intermediate & advanced skiers & snowboarders.
- Good value lift pass.
- Snow-sure location.
- Quiet during the week.
- Wide variety of accommodation on offer.
- Public transport access by train & bus is good.
Cons
- Limited novice & beginner terrain.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Loads of non-skiing activities available.
- Ski lifts disjointed from the town - require a bus ride or walk to access.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Leukerbad Torrent skiing & snowboarding terrain include 55km of mainly intermediate & advanced trails plus freeride routes. Unusually for a ski resort in Europe, novice and beginner terrain is limited. The 1200m of skiable vertical is all westerly aspect and provides several top to bottom alpine & below tree line slopes up to 11km in length. Its geographic location favours a high average annual snowfall, & off-piste freeride powder opportunities are allegedly plentiful.
Before we visit & complete this info guide, check out the Leukerbad Torrent & Gemmi ski trail map below.
The ski lifts at Leukerbad include 3 different sectors. As described above, Torrent is the downhill ski sector. Essentially 5 lifts do the heavy lifting - a cable car up from the town, two gondolas from the Flaschen base, a six-seater chair & one useful surface tow in the upper alpine. On the opposite side of town, Snowpark Sportarena, provides an additional 3 surface lifts for novices & children. Nearby, the Gemmi sector begins with the cable car heading sharply up to Gemmipass. Aside from wonderful views of the valley & mountains, the Gemmi lifts support a flourishing cross-country ski & winter walking trail network that links with Kandersteg on the northern side of the range.
Where is Leukerbad Switzerland?
The Leukerbad ski resort is in the Swiss canton of Valais (Wallis), 200km (2¼hr) by road east of Geneva, 234km (3½hr) south-west of Zurich and 48km (50min) west of Brig. The closest and most convenient airport is Geneva (GVA), but Zurich (ZRH) and even Milan Malpensa (MXP) can be efficiently utilised.
Train and bus is the recommended mode of travel to Leukerbad. Trains on the main line along the Rhone valley to Brig stop regularly at the station in the town of Leuk. From Leuk, transfer to the route 471 bus for the 30min ride up into the mountains. It possible to travel directly from the Geneva airport to Leuk by rail on the hourly IR90 service, taking around 2⅓hr. From the other direction, Brig to Leuk on the train is around 20min. Brig is a handy transport hub for rail services from Zurich, Bern & Milan.
Search & book here for train tickets to Leuk & Leukerbad.
Alternatives to the train/bus combination include private transfers or car rental.
For hints, tips & warnings about getting to Swiss ski resorts in winter, see our Travel in Switzerland page.
Leukerbad Accommodation
Leukerbad is best known as a spa town. In winter, the abundant thermal pools are wonderful when surrounded by snow. Accommodation choices in town are abundant & range from 5-star luxury (the Hôtel Les Sources des Alpes), traditional 4-stars (Hotel Le Bristol Leukerbad) down to fabulous, affordable 3-star (such as Hotel Restaurant Waldhaus) and 2-star hotels (like the Hotel Paradis-Leukerbad-Therme). A plethora of apartments are also available throughout the village. Many, but not all, Leukerbad accommodations have extensive spa pool complexes for use by the guests. Public spa baths available for everyone else are in the centre of the village at the extensive Walliser Alpentherme & Spa Leukerbad complex. Local buses connect the town to the two main Torrent ski lift bases, Gemmipass cable car & novice ski area.
Search & book here for all Leukerbad ski accommodation.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available in Leukerbad village via our local partners. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Leukerbad Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
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Review
The Powderhounds will review Leukerbad next season. We add more info and our photos after we visit. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how the European ski resorts compare on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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