Switzerland Hostels Are Ski Option

St. Moritz, Zermatt, Klosters. Thinking of these Swiss winter resorts conjures up images of the international jet set spending outrageous amounts of money.

That may be true, but it doesn’t mean that these, and other Swiss resort areas, are out of reach for budget travelers visiting Europe this winter.

The Swiss Youth Hostel Federation has 87 properties, many near ski slopes, and most offer dormitory lodging for under 17 Swiss francs (about $11 U.S.) a night. Many of the resort-area hostels serve both breakfast and dinner. And if you really want to keep your costs down, there are kitchens in which you can prepare your own meals.

You can use the hostels for a single night if you want, but if you plan to stop for at least a week you may want to contact Jugi Tours, the travel company of the SYHF, before you leave home. Jugi Tours offers economical packages for the independent traveler that include hostel accommodations, breakfast and dinner plus a ski pass.

If you want to join other visitors your own age, you can sign up for special ski camp weeks designed for international travelers ages 16 to 27. Ski camps include accommodations, breakfast, dinner, the services of a guide and a ski pass.

If you have to rent ski equipment, the weekly fee for skis, poles and boots is about 150 Swiss francs ($98 U.S.).

World-famous St. Moritz has 236 miles of ski slopes, 93 miles of cross-country trails, the oldest bobsled run in the world and a 190-bed youth hostel. One-week packages for independent travelers are 455 francs; two-week packages go for 785 francs. With lessons it’s 635 francs for one week and 1,140 francs for two weeks.

Car-free Zermatt, where eight of the 18 ski lifts stay open all year, has a 138-bed hostel. One-week hostel packages are 485 francs, two weeks is 880 francs. Ski camps will be held Feb. 3-10 and March 31 to April 7, for 545 francs.

Klosters is a typical mountain village with a not-so-typical clientele. It’s a favorite of the famous, having been a vacation spot for Prince Charles and Diana. Ski camps will be held Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 and Feb. 3-10, for 445 francs.

Nowhere in Central Europe do glaciers extend as far into a valley as they do at Grindelwald. From the cozy common room of the 132-bed hostel you can enjoy the fireplace and breathtaking view across the valley.

Grindelwald has 80 miles of ski runs and 20 miles of cross-country trails. One-week packages are 410 francs, two weeks is 710 francs. Lessons are available. Ski camps will be held Dec. 26 to Jan. 2 and Feb. 10-17. The price is 465 francs.

Arosa is a small mountain village with skating, snowboarding, tobogganing, 45 miles of downhill ski runs, 20 miles of cross-country ski trails and a 180-bed youth hostel. Independent packages for one week are 415 francs; two weeks is 730 francs. Lessons are available. Ski camps will operate Dec. 30 to Jan. 6, and Feb. 10-17, for 470 francs.

Braunwald is a terraced, car-free resort that can only be reached on foot or by using a funicular railway. It’s a 30-minute walk from the funicular to the 90-bed hostel. Sleigh taxis are available. If you find that extra expense frustrating, at least there, when you buy a hostel package, you get a bonus--lunches are included. Ski camps will operate Dec. 26 to Jan. 2, and Jan. 27 to Feb. 3, for 485 francs.

Cross-country skiers should keep in mind that there is also a hostel at Maloja, which has 97 miles of touring trails and is the starting point of the Engadine Marathon, a major cross-country ski event held every March that draws as many as 10,000 participants.

For more information on any of the packages, contact Jugi Tours, Neufeldstrasse 9, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.

For a free map showing the locations and facilities of the Swiss youth hostels, contact the Swiss National Tourist Office, 250 Stockton St., San Francisco 94108, (415) 362-2260.