Slovenia Mariborsko Pohorje Resort     |    BlueBook Back Cover

RATES

American skiers have long been aware that rates in Europe for lift tickets and passes are significantly lower than they are in the United States. A day on the slopes in the Alps often costs 25 to 40 percent less than one at a major resort in the Rocky Mountains.

The averages in the chart below are in U.S. dollars. Of course, skiers in most of the countries covered in our book pay in euros, the common currency. (Switzerland, although not a member of the European Union, does accept euros, but most business is transacted in Swiss francs.) The euro went into public circulation in January, 2002, and it became easier to compare costs of goods and services among resorts in Europe. For some time after the introductory period, things were a lot easier for Americans, when the dollar and the euro were about the same in value. The euro then dropped to 82 or 83 cents. But the euro bounced back — dramatically. In 2004 the euro climbed beyond U.S. $1.30. It declined in 2005 and in November the euro was worth $1.20. But in May, 2007, the euro had climbed back up to $1.36 — and in October rose above $1.40. In March 2008, the euro soared above $1.55. In September it receded to $1.41. By November, 2008, the world’s economic problems had driven the euro down to $1.28. But by mid-September, 2009, it had climbed back to $1.46. In summer of 2010 the euro had been as low as $1.20. Stay tuned!

Things to keep in mind

…….Prices quoted are for a day ticket and a six day pass. Obviously, the per-day costs are lower if you buy a longer-term ticket. The bargain erodes, however, if bad weather or a desire to go sightseeing cancels out a day or two. This problem is eased in some areas that sell coupons for individual rides. There are also electronic tickets that subtract points for each run. The tickets can be carried over to succeeding days. These are averages for a cross section of larger areas. Smaller areas often have significantly lower rates. And, of course, rates vary by season. December before Christmas, nearly all of January, and mid-March to closing are low season, when skiing and lodging are less expensive.

…….Half-day, two and three-day tickets are available.

…….Make sure you buy a ticket or a pass that covers all the areas you want to ski. If you are in Meribel, France, you can ski in the environs for $48 a day, but you would surely consider paying an additional $9 for a pass that covers 200 lifts and the various other villages in the famed Three Valleys, the world's largest ski domain. The popular Dolomiti Superski Pass, which covers 460 lifts and 38 different ski areas, costs $267 for six days.

……. Youth tickets are 10 to 15 percent less. Young children tickets and passes are roughly 25 to 35 percent less, sometimes 50 percent. Discounts for seniors are 10 to 20 percent. In some resorts, particularly in France, those over 75 can ski free.

Average rates in U.S. dollars

Note: These numbers are subject to change as we get resort reports or check their websites.

Ski Rentals and Ski Schools

Ski rental ranges are a bit more difficult to pin down, because of large cost variances between standard and high performance skis. Standard skis often can be rented for $15; high-end skis up to twice that per day. But as with lift tickets, renting by the week greatly reduces the per-day costs.

Ski schools, too, are cheaper by the week. You can pay as much for a half-day (two or three hours) group lesson as you do for the lift ticket. Private lessons are very expensive. In Davos, for example, a two hour session is more than $100, a whole day is $230. But many skiers think the price is offset by having an outstanding instructor who cuts lift lines, but he is also a guide who always knows where the best snow and smallest crowds are.

The recommendation here is that you visit the website of a resort you plan to visit and click onto a ski school link.

Accommodations

We have not asked resorts to report on hotel rates. That's too subjective a matter, because skiers are all over the lot in what they seek in amenities, convenience and costs. A skier can pay $200 a day for accommodations in luxury hotels worthy of a movie setting. But he or she can also find comfortable and attractive rooms in two and three-star hotels for $75 to $100 a day, including buffet breakfast and gourmet dinner. In pensions the price for bed and breakfast can be half of that.

Frequent visitors to Europe know that ski vacations on the continent are often less expensive than those in the United States. Ski club members and other fans of group travel fly to the Alps for ambiance that is built-in, rather than contrived. They can't knock the surroundings as being "Instant Tyrolean." Many buildings have been there for centuries.

Tour operators such as Ski-Europe offer package deals in the $600 to $700 range that include economy airfare, ground transfers, lodging, and breakfast. They also tailor-make more comprehensive programs.

Several things to remember about room and board are these:

…….Tourist offices in the resorts are well-organized to help you find a room, even if you drop in unannounced.

…….Online booking is easy and efficient. See what is involved by clicking on the URL address of a resort. When the home page comes up, click on accommodations and notice the wide range of possibilities.

…….When you zero in on a specific hotel, you will see photos of the outside and colorful interiors. The rates are quoted in euros and are per person per day.

……. One important tip: look at the difference between bed and breakfast and a half board arrangement that includes dinner. Dining around can be fun, but eating out in a restaurant is considerably more expensive than the small additional charge for dinner in your hotel.

……. Save your euros for lunch in that charming mountain hut that is nestled in the snow.

POINT OF VIEW By Bob Dever The Cost of European Skiing   Some of us remember the middle 1980s, when the dollar and the British pound almost hit parity. Or several years ago when the euro dropped to around 83 U.S. cents. For a traveler or skier these were the best of times. Paris was almost inexpensive, not a word you usually associate with the French capital. Week-long ski club trips to the Alps were priced below $1,000. Lift tickets were a bargain at less than $30 a day, even cheaper if you purchased a multi-day pass. Today the pound is almost double the dollar. To buy a euro you have to fork over between $1.20. Blame it on what you will: budget and trade deficits, Chinese demand for basic goods, politics, currency exchange rates, even chicanery. All that being said, you don’t have to spend your life savings or max out your credit cards to ski overseas. For all the ethereal value of the Alps, remember that ski areas are businesses and that once their fixed costs are covered, as in any business, it’s the incremental skier or lift ticket that makes money. An American skier should think of himself as an incremental money maker. Other positive notes: airfares are low in winter, when you can fly to major European cities for $400. If the cheapest transatlantic flight puts you into a city that doesn’t have direct access to the mountains, there are discount airlines that fly nearly everywhere within Europe. Ryan Air and Easy Jet have websites that describe schedules and bargain fares. As for lodging: those with extravagant life styles can stay slopeside in a five-star hotel in Courchevel, France. But a cost-conscious skier can find a comfortable two-star hotel within a short walk to the lifts for under $100 a day. Just as at home, the farther you are from the lift, the less you will pay for a room. One example that comes to mind is Brides-les-Bains, the village in the valley below Meribel. Stay for considerably less there, ride a gondola for 20 minutes, and enjoy the world’s largest ski domain, the Three Valleys, just as much as the guy anteing up big bucks. You have to eat, but you don’t need $14 cheeseburgers. European restaurants post their menus outside the door, so you know what a meal will cost before you enter. Drink house wines. If your hotel offers a half-board arrangement (breakfast and dinner), take it. The extra cost for dinner in a hotel will be far less than eating out. The price of lift tickets will be a pleasant surprise. Multiple-day tickets can be had for an average of $30 to $50 a day, depending on the size of the resort---far less than in a comparable U.S. ski area. But pay an extra two or three dollars for insurance to cover medical emergencies. Finally, check with your local ski club or council to see what packaged trips they have planned. Membership in the club may be a requirement, but the fee will be minimal. These organizations have long-term relationships with resorts and travel agents, who are experts in the field of winter vacations. Besides, you’ll meet an entirely new set of characters with whom you have something in common and who can help you make the most of the ambiance that awaits you. With a little research and modest effort you can develop a European adventure whose value will outlast any of these pecuniary matters. ******

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