Winter sports in Vaud: skiing, snow safety and student offers

Last checked: 10 October 2026. Unofficial student guide, not EPFL or government advice: confirm on the linked official pages before you act. Unfamiliar abbreviation? See the Glossary.

The Vaud Alps (Les Diablerets, Villars, Leysin and others) and the Vaud Jura are reachable by public transport from Lausanne. This page covers getting there, the UNIL/EPFL Sports service ski and snowboard offers, snow safety and insurance.

Key facts

• Student ski offers: the UNIL/EPFL Sports service runs ski and snowboard days, weekends and a 5-day camp at Les Diablerets, all levels, with lessons and ski pass included.
• 2026-27 dates: ski weekend at Les Diablerets on 12 to 13 Dec 2026 (skiing at Glacier 3000 or Diablerets-Villars, depending on conditions); camp 15 to 19 Feb 2027; more days and weekends from January to March 2027.
• Safety: wear a helmet, have ski bindings checked every year, follow the FIS rules (BFU).
• Off-piste: check the SLF avalanche bulletin; see Hiking and mountain safety.
• Insurance: check your accident cover before you go: Student accident insurance.

1. Getting there by public transport

Most Vaud Alps resorts have a train or bus stop. The Sports service gives this train example for its Diablerets activities: Lausanne 07:48, Les Diablerets 09:19, change at Aigle; back at 15:34 or 16:34 (arrival Lausanne 17:12 or 18:12). Always check the current SBB timetable.

• A Half-Fare card lowers most fares: see Half-Fare and SwissPass for students. The SwissPass card can also carry some ski passes.
• Combined train + ski pass offers (SBB Snow'n'Rail / RailAway): SBB sells combined offers for some resorts. Which Vaud resorts are included and the prices are To verify on sbb.ch before you buy.
• Vaud Jura ski areas (for example around the Vallée de Joux): access and offers are To verify on the official resort or tourism pages.

Driving to the slopes: winter tyres, chains and the rules, see Driving in winter: tyres and chains.

2. UNIL/EPFL Sports service: ski and snowboard

The Sports service (Service des sports UNIL+EPFL) organises alpine ski and snowboard activities for all levels:

• Where: Glacier 3000 or Diablerets-Villars in December depending on conditions, the Diablerets-Villars area from January to March. Instructors meet you at Les Diablerets station.
• What is included: ski pass and 3 to 4 hours a day of group teaching by qualified instructors; weekends and camps include a half-board night in the university chalet Les Capucines (dormitories). Beginners who have never skied get an instructor all day.
• Not included: gear rental and travel, and lunch.

Prices on the activity page:

• The reduced price with your own season pass only applies if you buy the activity at the sports office directly.
• Online registration is only for members of the UNIL/EPFL community; registrations close on the Wednesday before the weekend. Registration is personal.
• Staff and partners without a Sport Santé access card pay a CHF 50 surcharge per weekend (CHF 100 per week).

2026-27 programme dates (Sports service programme PDF): ski weekend at Les Diablerets 12 to 13 Dec 2026 (Glacier 3000 or Diablerets-Villars, depending on conditions); ski days 23 or 30 Jan 2027 and 27 Feb 2027; ski weekends 23 to 24 Jan and 20 to 21 Feb 2027; snowboard days 23 Jan or 6 Feb 2027 and 6 Mar 2027; snowboard weekends 23 to 24 Jan and 6 to 7 Mar 2027; ski and snowboard camp 15 to 19 Feb 2027. The service notes the programme can change, especially for spring and the intersemester periods; check the activity page.

Avalanche courses: the programme also lists an avalanche transceiver and rescue gear course (14 Nov 2026, CHF 63), an avalanche safety course SMT1 (16 Jan 2027, CHF 65) and a snowshoe hike (6 Feb 2027, CHF 65).

For other sports and the access card, see Sports and fitness at EPFL.

3. Renting gear

The Sports service says rental can be done on site at Les Diablerets (not included in the activity price). Its page lists: full ski or snowboard pack (skis or board, boots, poles, helmet and goggles) CHF 35 to 45 per day depending on the gear, CHF 80 per weekend, CHF 130 for 5 days; clothing pack (trousers, jacket, gloves) CHF 30 per day. Single items can be rented too. These prices are for Sports service participants; other rental prices are To verify with the shop.

4. Safety on and off the slopes

BFU (Swiss Council for Accident Prevention) advice:

• Adapt your speed. Wear a ski or snowboard helmet.
• Skis: have your bindings adjusted and checked once a year on a setting machine in a specialist shop.
• Snowboard beginners: wear wrist protectors.
• Wear warm, waterproof clothing and goggles with UV protection.
• Follow the 10 FIS rules and the 3 SKUS rules.

Avalanches: outside marked and open pistes, check the SLF avalanche bulletin (WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research) before you go. Trail markings, weather checks and emergency numbers (144, 1414 Rega, 112) are on Hiking and mountain safety.

5. Insurance

Ski accidents are accidents: who pays depends on whether you are covered under LAA (through a job of at least 8 hours a week) or under the accident cover of your LAMal. See Student accident insurance.

• LAMal pays 50 % of rescue costs in Switzerland, up to CHF 5,000 per calendar year, and 50 % of medically needed transport, up to CHF 500 per calendar year (OPAS art. 26 and 27). LAA reimburses travel, transport and rescue costs as far as they are necessary (LAA art. 13). See also Hiking and mountain safety.
• Whether the Sports service activities include any insurance: To verify with the sports office (not stated on the activity page).