Ski season is already in full swing in Italy thanks to early abundant snowfalls and ski aficionados are happily back on the slopes.
Going on a ski vacation using only public transportation is easier than ever in Italy, with many famous ski resorts well connected with regular and specially scheduled trains and buses. Ditch the car and, not only will you be environmental-friendly, you will not have to deal with such hassles as finding parking and paying exorbitant rates for it or risk getting stuck in traffic.
Discover five ski resorts in Italy that are easily reachable by train.
[Please note that in order to access ski lifts and cable cars you will need to show the ‘Green Pass,’ a certification that proves you have either been vaccinated against or have recovered from Covid-19.]
Val di Sole, Trentino
The Daolasa-Marilleva station is the only example in Italy of a train that take skiers directly to the departure station of the cable car.
The station is located in Trentino’s Val di Sole, home to the Folgarida-Marilleva ski area, which offers more than 50 km of pistes of varying difficulty levels.
About halfway between the villages of Dimaro and Marilleva is Daolasa, which you can comfortably reach using the Dolomiti Express train; once there, you can directly access the lift that takes you to the slopes in the heart of the Folgarida and Marilleva ski areas. They are in turn connected with Madonna di Campiglio and Pinzolo for a total of 150km of slopes. You get to ski with a view of the wondrous Brenta Dolomites and of the Adamello-Presanella group.
Daolasa is the only Italian town with direct interchange between railway and ski lifts, and if you opt for this option, you will have discounts on the daily ski pass.
Aprica, Lombardia
Aprica is one of the most famous ski resorts in the northern region of Lombardy, with 50 km of slopes served by 22 lifts. You can ski from 1100 meters up to 2300 meters between the Camonica Valley and Valtellina. Aprica is easy to reach by train from Milan thanks to the ‘Treni della Neve’ (Snow Trains). All you have to do is take the Trenord train from Milan and get off at the Tresenda-Aprica-Teglio station; from there, a shuttle is available that takes you directly on the slopes. This is part of a special package that includes train, shuttle and ski pass at a promotional price.
The special tickets include a round trip on Trenord trains from all over Lombardy to the Tresenda-Aprica-Teglio station, the dedicated shuttle bus service to the lifts, and a one or two-day ski pass.
Plan de Corones, Alto Adige
Plan de Corones is one of Europe’s top ski resorts. Located in Val Pusteria in Alto Adige (south Tyrol), it is named after the mountain that overlooks the area from its 2,275 meters of elevation.
This area is very well connected using public transportation.
In only 40 minutes, the Ski Pustertal Express connects Plan de Corones with 3 Zinnen Dolomites, where the iconic Tre Cime di Lavaredo are located. You get off the train at Perca near Brunico, the main town of the area, and walk to the Plan de Corones Ried cable car.
A new valley station at Versciaco is the access point to the Sesto Dolomites. In only 30 minutes, you can easily move between the two ski areas of Plan de Corones and Sesto Dolomites.
As an alternative to the ski train, all resort towns of the Plan de Corones area offer regular shuttle services via eco-friendly ‘Ski Buses’ to all main ski areas.
Aosta-Pila, Val d’Aosta
Want to experience the thrill of skiing at 4,000 meters of altitudes in the Italian Alps? Then head to Aosta, reachable by train from Milan in about three hours and 15 minutes.
From the Aosta train station, you can walk to the Aosta-Pila cable car, a cableway that connects the city of Aosta (579m) with Pila (1801m) and its ski area in the municipality of Gressan, in 18 minutes. At the top, being right in the center of the region, the view encompasses the highest mountains of the Aosta Valley, iconic names such as Monte Rosa, Monte Bianco, Grand Combin and Cervino.
A state-of-the-art ski area offers 70 km of ski slopes, a fun park for children, a snowpark, freeride slopes and the possibility of snowshoeing.
Cortina, Veneto
The closest train station to Cortina, ‘queen of the Dolomites’, is at Calalzo di Cadore, which can be reached by train from Venice in three hours. From there, a bus will comfortably take you to Cortina, 35 km away, where you can ski among the amazing landscapes in the heart of the Dolomites.
Ski resorts include the Faloria-Cristallo, accessed by ski bus which runs between the Faloria cable car and the center of town; the amazing Tofana ski area, accessed via the Col Drusciè cable car the at the other end of the town; the Falzarego- Cinque Torri, accessible by bus from Cortina.
Whichever ski resort you choose in the Cortina area, vou will revel in superb views of the Dolomites.
