How much more expensive will skiing in Germany be this winter?

As temperatures in the mountains fall closer to freezing, Germany’s ski resorts are preparing to open for the 2024 / 2025 winter season. 

But the increase in weather fluctuations due to climate change makes the quality of the coming season hard to predict. For some the ski season started as early as September this year, when a sudden cold storm dropped snow on the tops of mountains in the Alps. But waves of warmer weather have passed through since then, and most of Germany's ski resorts aren't expected to open until early December.

For now only one thing is certain about the coming ski season: lift tickets will get a bit more expensive.

Ski resorts in Germany, and really around the world, face increasing costs for energy and personnel. 

The Association of German Cable Cars and T-bar Lifts (VDS) told DPA that the ticket price increase is unavoidable for most resorts this year.

The good news for those hoping to ski on a budget, however, is that the price increase is not expected to be too much. VDS suggests that the average price increase for this season compared to last is expected to remain below three percent.

How much are lift tickets at German ski resorts?

Situated on the nation's highest peak (2962 m), the Zugspitze is among the first ski resorts in Germany to open. Its planned opening day this year is November 29th. 

An all-day lift ticket for skiing the Zugspitze in the 2024-2025 winter season costs €66 on the resort's website. Near to the Zugspitze ski area is the Garmisch-Classic ski area, and both resorts can be accessed with one ticket when you opt for a one-and-a-half or multi-day ‘twin ticket’.

Not far away is Germany’s largest ski area, Oberstdorf, which has 70 slopes and 48 ski lifts spanning the German-Austrian border. On the German side it connects to three ski resorts, and just over the border it connects to Kleinwalsertal in Austria. A one day ticket voucher here goes for €65.80 and allows you to access the entire ski area.

For a cheaper day, you could try one of Germany’s smaller resorts, such as Reit in Winkl, which offers some of the best snow conditions in Germany due to its high altitude location. There are two separate areas that can be skied here. A day ticket to access both Steinplatte and Winklmoos-Alm will set you back €60, but a single ticket for just the Winklmoos-Alm area is just €36.

All of the aforementioned resorts are located in the south of Germany. The German Alps, along the southern border, are the country’s highest mountains, so this region has most of the country’s top-rated ski resorts. But that doesn’t mean that everyone living further north needs to drive across the country to ski.

Those living in North Rhine-Westphalia, for instance, could try a day trip to Winterberg, which is just about an hour’s drive from Cologne or Dortmund and has over 60 kilometres of slopes. A regular day ticket here costs €48, or you can pay €44 to start after 11:00 am.

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Other costs to keep in mind

Of course lift tickets are not the only cost that goes into a ski trip: accommodation, renting equipment, lessons if needed, transportation and food and drink can all add up to quite an expensive trip.

Accommodation is often the biggest cost, and can be avoided if you plan to take a day trip rather than an overnight or multi-day ski vacation. If you do plan to stay for a few days, you can usually find more affordable rates at lodges and B&Bs in nearby villages than the hotels found directly in the ski resorts. And many ski resorts also have shuttle bus services (often free with a lift ticket) that can take you to and from the slopes.

Renting equipment for a day (skis, boots and poles or a snowboard and boots) usually ranges from around €25 to €50 for a day, with most rental shops offering basic gear on the cheaper side for beginners and more expensive, performance gear for those with more experience.

Again, you can usually save a bit on this cost if you plan ahead and rent gear outside of the resort. But if you aren’t travelling by car, the convenience of picking up and dropping off gear on the mountain itself may be worth it.

Of course food and drinks are always marked up a bit on the mountain. So you can save €10 to €20 by packing your own lunch and snacks.

All things considered, a single adult can reasonably expect to pay around €100 for a day of skiing – including a lift ticket and equipment rental – if you try to minimise other costs.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED - How to plan a budget skiing holiday in Germany