Verbier

Verbier is a resort town in the eastern part of the Swiss canton of Valais near Martigny. It has cable car access to a huge network of ski trails which are perfectly suited for intermediate and advanced skiers. There are also a couple of bunny slopes in town, as well as a huge amount of infrastructure for skiing and after skiing.

In the summer Verbier, like many mountain villages, becomes a base for the true Swiss national sport of hiking.

By train
There is no direct train service to Verbier. Passengers coming from Geneva will need to take a train to Martigny and then change trains to take the "St. Bernard Express" to Le Châble, the Verbier base station. From there passengers can take the cable car or the Postal Bus to get up to Verbier.

By car
Verbier is just off the A9 Motorway and National Road 21 (European Road: E27), about 1.5 hours from Geneva. It is advised to have a car that can travel up steep gradients and that is equipped with snow tires, if visiting in the winter. There is also a regular bus service from Geneva Airport to Verbier offered by Alpybus. The journey takes 2 hours and runs only during the winter season from December through April. Private transfers are available in the summer.

Get around
Verbier village is small enough to get pretty much everywhere on foot, even in ski boots. A free bus runs around the village until early evening. There is a cable car service between Verbier and Le Chable which runs from 08:30 until 18:30, and a bus which runs later, so you will want to make note of the bus schedule if your hotel is in Le Chable.

See
Verbier and the region around it has a lot to offer when it comes to nice views. Take the cable car all the way to the top for the most spectacular views:



Do
The principal activity in Verbier during winter is skiing. The ski area Les 4 Vallées is one of the largest in Switzerland, extending as far as Thyon and up to the Mont Fort glacier. Much of the best skiing is off-piste (off-trail), making the resort best suited to experienced, or at least enthusiastic skiers. The best sector for beginners is Savoleyres. There is less infrastructure for snowboarding, but advanced boarders should consider a trip to Verbier for the magnificent off-piste possibilities



Drink
The après-ski nightlife is pretty happening at Verbier. In early evening the pubs and bars are jammed with skiers - many have a happy hour between 4PM and 5PM. Later on, most people return home or eat at one of the many restaurants, before hitting one of Verbier's nightclubs, which stay open until 3 or 4AM in peak season. None of this is cheap!



Go next

 * Martigny, at the end of the valley leading down to Verbier, is known for its extensive Roman ruins including an amphitheatre.
 * If a supplement is paid, one can ski in one of Switzerland's largest skiing domains — the Quatre Vallées offers over 450km of piste and 92 lifts
 * Guides offer the possibility to "hike" on skis from Verbier to Zermatt as part of the "Haute Route", a journey of several days