Every parent of skiing children is familiar with this problem: the older their kids get, the more expensive their lift passes become. Although there are often discounts so that the little snow tykes can enjoy the fun on the slopes more cheaply than their parents, it is still not completely free in most cases. In the article below, SnowTrex presents select exceptions to this rule, namely ski resorts with a free lift pass for children.
Austria
If you don’t yet know where to go on your next winter holiday with the whole family, you should look into THE destination for ski holidays par excellence, Austria. The Austrian Alps are the perfect place to get away from the stresses of everyday life. Countless ski resorts await winter sports enthusiasts young and old, with slopes as far as the eye can see and ski schools eager to pass on the art of skiing. Plus, free childcare where kids can have fun together, and plenty of other activities off the alpine slopes.
Austria also has the advantage of having more ski resorts that offer special lift pass offers for children than any other Alpine winter sports country. Free lift passes for children are available in Austria under certain conditions, for example in the following ski areas or ski resorts:
- Ski area Stubai Glacier
- Ski area Hinterstoder/Wurzeralm
- Ski area Weißsee Gletscherwelt
- Ski area Almenwelt Lofer
- Ski area Kaunertal Glacier – Fendels
- Ski area Silvretta Arena (Ischgl)
- Ski area Großglockner-Heiligenblut
France
French winter sports resorts are a perfect destination, especially for families looking for an inexpensive ski holiday. The reason for the affordable prices is that ski accommodations in France are mostly apartments or studios, which allows everyone to decide on the spot how much money they want to spend on catering.
What’s more, accommodation is often located directly on the pistes of the diverse ski areas, so there’s no need for the familiar ski-bus stress. On the French slopes, ski and snowboard fans can expect many kilometres of pistes, countless ski schools offering courses for children and adults, and often fun snow parks and children’s lands.
These diverse and all in all quite affordable deals in France result in there being fewer extra deals added on top in the French ski resorts and so promotions that undercut the individually set children’s rates come by rarely. For children under age 5, the lift pass is mostly free anyway.
Italy
Italy’s ski resorts also offer fun on the slopes for young and old, qualified ski schools and a variety of runs. Families have the choice between large and small ski resorts, many family-friendly accommodations, and a mostly varied programme away from the white snow slopes.
In addition, in Italy, children who are up to 5 years old and ski mainly do so with a free lift pass. For older children, this often becomes free after a certain length of stay and, what’s more, some ski resorts have also come up with special offers for young skiers. Free lift passes for children are available in Italy under certain conditions, for example in the following ski resorts or ski villages:
- Ski region Dolomiti Superski
- Ski area Kronplatz
- Ski region South Tyrolean Wipp Valley
- Ski area Madonna di Campiglio
- Ski area Val Gardena/Alpe di Siusi
Switzerland
The Swiss Alps are a wonderful place to ski with children. With ski resorts such as Grächen/Hannigalp, Arosa-Lenzerheide, Davos Klosters Mountains and many more, Switzerland has a wide variety of resorts, but they have a lot in common, namely their family-friendliness, snow reliability and unique accommodations.
On the slopes, the Swiss ski resorts offer everything young and old skiers could wish for, with ski schools, creative children’s areas and snow parks, and a wide selection of easy to challenging runs. Away from the snowy alpine hills, there are also various options for other activities such as toboggan runs or indoor playgrounds, family restaurants and sometimes even free childcare facilities that welcome families with open arms.
Generally speaking, lift passes for children under age 6 are free in Switzerland, but of course there are ski resorts that have thought of special offers regarding older children. Free lift passes for children are available in Switzerland under certain conditions, for example in the ski resort of Zermatt.
Germany
In Germany, there are numerous ski resorts that welcome families with open arms. It is often their ski schools, child-friendly slopes, and family activities away from the white descents where these ski resorts shine. In addition, many offer free lift passes for small skiers and sometimes even for big skiers, which allow free access to the German snow worlds.
In most winter wonderlands, this runs through so-called CARDS or PLUS CARDS, which are included in a booking by staying at certain hotels for a minimum period of time. These PLUS CARDS give free access to a compiled selection of activities, such as skiing in the ski area. Free lift passes for children are available (in the form of PLUS CARDS) in Germany under certain conditions, for example at the Oberstaufen ski resort.
Fancy a cheap ski holiday with the whole family? Then here are numerous cheap SnowTrex offers for families, where the lift pass is usually included!
FAQ’s about free lift passes for children
Are children’s lift passes always free?
No, unfortunately not. Although the lift pass for children is usually free of charge up to an individually set age limit, the ski resort’s rate for children applies for children over this age.
What is the difference between lift passes for children and for adults?
The main difference is the price. Children’s lift passes are often a lot cheaper than lift passes for adults. In addition, it is sometimes the case that children’s lift passes also include special offers such as a free visit to the children’s cinema.
What are the conditions for free lift passes?
The conditions for free lift passes differ in each ski resort. For example, receiving the free lift pass may be linked to a minimum number of days or the purchase of a lift pass for a parent. Information on the exact conditions can usually be found on the websites of the ski resorts or cable cars.
