Crans-Montana
Crans-Montana is a ski destination in Bern / Valais with 74 km of mapped pistes and 25 lifts, between 1'427 m and 2'872 m. Mostly red, 12 km black, 4 km ski routes. Nearby: Aminona, Icogne, Lenk im Simmental, Mollens.
Rank Crans-Montana against every ski area near Bern for this weekend
This weekend
Measured snow, weekend forecast and day pass
Snow at the nearest SLF station
Snow depth 11 cm, no new snow in 24 hours, at SLF station Trubelboden (2'459 m), 8.2 km from the ski area. Measured on .
Source: WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF, IMIS station TRU2. This is the nearest comparable station, not the ski area's own pistes. Fetched .
Weekend forecast
- : Partly cloudy, 1°C, wind 5 km/h
- : Partly cloudy, 1°C, wind 5 km/h
Source: MeteoSwiss, local forecast for Cabane des Violettes CAS (2'209 m, 1.2 km from the ski area), with the temperature at the ski area's mid-mountain, averaged over 09:00–16:00. Fetched .
Adult day pass
CHF 79 for . The operator’s online price for that day when it was read: an area that prices by date or demand may charge more or less when you buy. The coming weekend has no price yet, so this is the day pass for a Saturday in January.
Source: shop.mycma.ch, “Skipass CMA 1 Journée, Adulte”, read .
For the size: the area maps 74 km of pistes and 1'445 m of vertical, and areas like that charged about CHF 72 for . This pass is 9% more.
Skiboard’s comparison, a curve through the 141 day passes it read for that day; the km are what OpenStreetMap maps, which an operator’s own total can exceed. It says nothing about which lifts run on the day.
Day-pass prices this weekend at every Swiss ski area
Written into this page when it was last built. The live ranking uses the newest values.
Your trip
On the Epic Pass: Epic Pass areas this weekend
Parking at Crans-Montana
Main car park: Parking du Cry d’Er, Crans · 390 spaces · CHF 32 for a ski day · crans-montana.ch, read 30 Oct 2026
6 car parks by the lifts
OpenStreetMap maps these 6 car parks by the lifts of Crans-Montana, the biggest first.
- Multi-storey car park by the Montana - Arnouvaz · by a piste · Map
- Parking des Barzettes Multi-storey car park · paid · by the Barzettes - Marolires (Violettes Express) · by a piste · Map
- Underground car park paid · 80 m from the Montana - Arnouvaz · piste 70 m away · Map
- Underground car park paid · 100 m from the Crans-Merbé-Cry d'Er · piste 90 m away · Map
- Multi-storey car park paid · 120 m from the Crans-Merbé-Cry d'Er · piste 90 m away · Map
- Multi-storey car park paid · 170 m from the Crans-Merbé-Cry d'Er · piste 170 m away · Map
Distances are in a straight line to the bottom station of the nearest lift. Fees change: check with the car park before you go.
Car parks from OpenStreetMap, read 30 Oct 2026 (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). A car park missing? Fix the map
Travel time from Swiss cities
| From | Car | Train |
|---|---|---|
| Bern | 1h 19 | 1h 52Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 3 changes |
| Lausanne | 1h 19 | 1h 52Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 2 changes |
| Lucerne | 1h 53 | 3h 06Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 4 changes |
| Geneva | 1h 56 | 2h 36Crans-Montana, Pas de l'Ours · 1 change |
| Geneva Airport | 1h 58 | 2h 49Crans-Montana, Pas de l'Ours · 2 changes |
| Zug | 2h 13 | 3h 28Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 4 changes |
| Basel | 2h 29 | 2h 56Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 3 changes |
| Zürich | 2h 34 | 2h 48Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 3 changes |
| Zurich Airport | 2h 42 | 3h 11Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 4 changes |
| Winterthur | 2h 54 | 3h 18Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 4 changes |
| Chur | 3h 00 | 4h 28Crans-Montana, télé Violettes · 5 changes |
| St. Gallen | 3h 05 | 4h 27Crans-Montana, Pas de l'Ours · 5 changes |
Train: the timetable’s fastest connection leaving the city’s station between 06:30 and 09:30 on Sat 16 Jan 2027, to the valley station of the area’s lowest lift, with the walk from the last stop. Car: an estimate from coordinates, not live traffic. Check your trip on sbb.ch before you go.
Plan your trip
Practical links for the trip. They do not affect the ranking.
- Stay in Crans-Montana Booking.com · Saturday to Sunday, 7 Nov – 8 Nov · 2 adults
- Train and ski pass: Snow’n’Rail Crans-Montana Not on sale at the moment · SBB RailAway, train ticket and ski pass together
The mountain
Facts
- Mapped pistes
- 74 km
- Blue pistes
- 15 km
- Red pistes
- 44 km
- Black pistes
- 12 km
- Ski routes
- 4 km
- Lifts
- 25
- Top station
- 2'872 m
- Base
- 1'427 m
- Vertical
- 1'445 m
- Longest mapped run
- 7.9 km, from 2'872 m down to 1'507 m
- Advertised longest run
- 8 km, Plaine Morte – Crans-Montana
- Mountain restaurants
- 19
- Canton
- Bern / Valais
Piste map
How steep the pistes in Crans-Montana are
Blue, red and black: typical.
| Colour | Pistes | Steepest 100 m, typically | All of Switzerland | Here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue | 11 · 13.6 km | 26 % | 28 % | typical |
| Red | 31 · 30.9 km | 37 % | 38 % | typical |
| Black | 10 · 11.0 km | 51 % | 51 % | typical |
The steepest 100 m: 64 % on 24d Dérupe (black).
Pistes that ski like another colour 1
- 22 La Tsa Blue · steepest 100 m at 40 %, as steep as a typical red (38 %) · Map
Flat stretches 1
- 2 Chetseron Blue · 36 % of its 790 m nearly flat: on a snowboard you may have to push · Map
Long descents without flat stretches 3
How this was measured
Skiboard measured the 52 pistes OpenStreetMap maps in Crans-Montana (55.4 km) on swisstopo’s terrain model: the steepest 100 m of each, against every Swiss piste of the same colour.
Measured along the line OpenStreetMap draws, on terrain without snow: snow and grooming soften steps, and a piste can run beside its line. A gradient of 100 % is 45°. Colours as on the lift company’s piste map: check the current one before you go.
Piste lines from OpenStreetMap, read 30 Oct 2026 (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); terrain: swissALTI3D © swisstopo. A piste wrong or missing? Fix the map
Mountain restaurants in Crans-Montana
OpenStreetMap maps 19 places to eat or drink up the mountain in Crans-Montana, highest first.
- Plaine Morte Restaurant · about 2'870 m · Map
- Bella Lui Restaurant · about 2'510 m · Map
- La Vache Noire Restaurant · about 2'400 m · Map
Show 16 more
- Club Cry d'Er Restaurant · about 2'250 m · Map
- Cry d'Er Restaurant · about 2'250 m · Map
- Violettes Restaurant · about 2'220 m · Map
- Cabane des Violettes Restaurant · about 2'210 m · Map
- Chetzeron Restaurant · about 2'100 m · Map
- Hameau de Colombire Restaurant · Map
- PreBaron Restaurant · Map
- Restaurant du Centre d'Accueil d'Aminona Restaurant · Map
- Cabane des Taules Restaurant · about 2'070 m · Map
- Pépinet Restaurant · about 1'970 m · Map
- Restaurant de Merbé Restaurant · about 1'930 m · Map
- Amadeus Bar Snack bar · about 1'870 m · Map
- Plumachit Restaurant · Map
- Cabane de Mattia Restaurant · about 1'870 m · Map
- L'Arnouva Restaurant · about 1'720 m · Map
- Chez Erwin Restaurant · Map
Opening times change with the season and the snow: check with the restaurant or the lift company before you go.
From OpenStreetMap, read 25 Oct 2026 (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). A place missing or closed? Fix the map
Ski schools at Crans-Montana
| School | Private lesson | Group lesson at the weekend |
|---|---|---|
| École Suisse de Ski Crans-Montana | CHF 80 per hour | yes |
| Swiss Mountain Sports Crans-Montana | CHF 155 for two hours | yes |
Every price and time
2 ski schools publish their prices for Crans-Montana. What each charges for group and private lessons, and when its group lessons run:
- École Suisse de Ski Crans-Montana Swiss Ski School
- Group lessons
- children CHF 80 per half-day (3 h), children CHF 125 per day, CHF 280 for five half-days, CHF 410 for five days; adults CHF 80 per half-day; from age 3; groups of up to 8; lunch supervision CHF 25 a day
- Private lessons
- CHF 80 per hour, CHF 450 for a day; for one person; each further person CHF 10
- Times
- children’s group lessons daily, 09:15–12:15 and 13:30–16:00; group lessons also on Saturdays and Sundays
- Swiss Mountain Sports Crans-Montana independent school
- Group lessons
- children CHF 80 per half-day (2.25 h), children CHF 145 per day, CHF 325 for five half-days, CHF 550 for five days; from age 3; groups of up to 5
- Private lessons
- CHF 85 per hour, CHF 155 for two hours, CHF 440 for a day (7.25 h); for one person; each further person CHF 10
- Times
- children’s group lessons daily, 09:30–11:40 and 13:15–16:15; group lessons also on Saturdays and Sundays
Prices as the schools publish them, the low-season price where they vary; a lift ticket and rental are not included. Skiboard sells no lessons and earns nothing from a booking. Group or private lesson, and what ski schools charge across Switzerland
About Crans-Montana
Ski areas near Crans-Montana
How popular Crans-Montana is
In winter 2025/26, Seilbahnen Schweiz counted 504'000 skier days for Crans-Montana: the 19th most in Switzerland.
How many ski here
In winter 2025/26, Seilbahnen Schweiz counted 504'000 skier days for Crans-Montana: the 19th most in Switzerland. Seilbahnen Schweiz, season report
A skier day or first entry is one person on the lifts for one day, whatever the ticket. Skiboard adds no score of its own: the counts are what Seilbahnen Schweiz and the lift companies publish, the placings are polls run by others. Searches and social-media posts follow the news more than skiers, so they are left out.
Crans-Montana in numbers
94'168 winter hotel nights · 58 % second homes
Hotels, homes and lifts in Crans-Montana and Lens, where the area’s lifts start: the federal statistics, and what the lift company publishes.
Hotels
In winter 2025/26 (November to April) the hotels of Crans-Montana sold 94'168 overnight stays, -11.6 % on 2024/25. 43 % of their rooms were occupied, with up to 1'978 beds in 25 open hotels. In summer 2025 (May to October) they sold 89'289; over winter 2024/25 and that summer, 54 % of the nights were in winter.
Guests in winter 2025/26: 66 % of the nights were Swiss residents’, then France 8 %, United Kingdom 4 %, United States 4 % and Italy 3 %.
Winter hotel nights, season by season
| Winter | Overnight stays | Rooms occupied | Beds at peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | 94'168 | 43 % | 1'978 |
| 2024/25 | 106'492 | 45 % | 2'175 |
| 2023/24 | 112'956 | 43 % | 2'223 |
| 2022/23 | 122'062 | 46 % | 2'411 |
| 2021/22 | 125'425 | 41 % | 2'447 |
| 2020/21 | 95'063 | 39 % | 2'062 |
| 2019/20 | 108'360 | 49 % | 2'231 |
| 2018/19 | 123'827 | 47 % | 2'163 |
| 2017/18 | 119'043 | 46 % | 2'164 |
Homes
58 % of the 17'953 homes in Crans-Montana and Lens are second homes (housing inventory, October 2026). Above 20 %, the Second Homes Act allows no new second homes there, with narrow exceptions.
Upscale homes in Crans-Montana are offered at about CHF 14'700 per m² (UBS Swiss Alpine Property Focus 2026): +15.2 % on a year, +2.8 % a year over ten years.
Lifts
In winter 2025/26, Seilbahnen Schweiz counted CHF 20 million of ski-pass revenue (17th) for Crans-Montana. Seilbahnen Schweiz, season report
9 installations with a federal licence (gondolas, cable cars, chairlifts and funiculars; drag lifts are licensed by the cantons). The newest licence: 2018 (Arnouva – Cry d’Er); half of them date from 2015 or earlier.
The 9 federally licensed installations
| Installation | Type | Licensed | Length | Rise | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arnouva – Cry d’Er | chairlift | 2018 | 1'834 m | 533 m | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
| Montana - Arnouva | gondola | 2016 | 554 m | 187 m | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
| Crans - Cry-d'Er | gondola | 2015 | 3'138 m | – | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
| Cry-d'Er - Bellalui | chairlift | 2015 | 1'513 m | 361 m | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
| Marolires - Houlès - Cry d'Er | chairlift | 2015 | 1'922 m | 624 m | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
| Bovèrèche – Cabane des Violettes | chairlift | 2014 | – | – | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
| La Toula-Les Taules-Mt. Bonvin | chairlift | 2004 | 1'467 m | 563 m | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
| Cab.Violettes - Pte-de-la-Plaine-Morte | gondola | 1995 | 3'211 m | 656 m | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
| La Tsât - Grand Bonvin | chairlift | 1994 | 1'205 m | 332 m | Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA |
Commune figures count every hotel guest, not only skiers, and holiday flats are not in the hotel statistics. A licence year is when the installation’s current federal licence starts: usually the year it opened, sometimes a renewal.
Sources: Federal Statistical Office, hotel statistics (HESTA) · Federal Office for Spatial Development, housing inventory · Federal Office of Transport, cable cars with a federal licence · UBS Alpine Property Focus
Featured in
Catalog facts from OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap (ODbL). Where an SLF station is nearby, the app shows its measured snow, and the day-pass price is read from the operator’s own shop or tariff; for opening status, check the operator.
Skigebiet Crans-Montana · Domaine skiable Crans-Montana · Comprensorio sciistico Crans-Montana