Season opening in Samnaun: Experiences, music and smuggler history in the Silvretta Ski-Arena Samnaun/Ischgl

At the start on 27 November 2025, 142 kilometres of slopes and 32 facilities will be available in the Silvretta Ski-Arena Samnaun/Ischgl. Already on the first day of skiing, both valley runs to Samnaun are open: slope no. 60 to Samnaun-Laret with 7 kilometres and slope no. 80 to Samnaun Dorf with a length of 10 kilometres. On the Swiss side of the ski area, the mountain restaurants Panorama Restaurant Sattel, Alp Trida and Salaas will open for the season. Around 50 centimetres of snow lie on the mountain and provide a solid base for well-prepared pistes and comfortable winter sports enjoyment in Samnaun. The Visnitz cable car is expected to follow at the beginning of December.

Here you will find an overview of the facilities that are open from 27 November 2025.

The highlight of the opening weekend is the 4th Smuggler Trophy. This one-day event combines sporty skiing with the history of the Samnaun customs exclusion area. Teams playfully “smuggle” goods across the border between Samnaun in Graubünden and the Tyrolean resort of Ischgl and collect points at various checkpoints. There are two routes to choose from, a more athletic option and a more enjoyment-oriented variant.

The Smuggler Trophy focuses on team spirit, creativity and a light-hearted dive into the past: original outfits and historically inspired costumes are explicitly encouraged and are rewarded at the prize-giving ceremony, along with the best teams and the most convincing social media post. This makes Samnaun’s smuggling history come alive in an experience-oriented way in the modern ski area.

Immediately after the Schmuggler Trophy, the village centre of Samnaun transforms into an open-air concert arena. On Saturday, 29 November 2025, the ROCK ANTENNE Band will perform rock classics from 5.30 p.m. under the open sky. From 4.00 p.m., DJ Alex Wangler will already be creating a great atmosphere on the square, accompanied by Samnaun food stalls offering hot drinks and regional specialities.

The Winter Opening Concert is free of charge and is organised in cooperation with the ROCK ANTENNE radio station. Guests can round off their ski day in the Silvretta Ski-Arena Samnaun/Ischgl with live music in the village and celebrate the start of the season in the duty-free Swiss resort of Samnaun.

With 239 kilometres of slopes and 45 lifts, the Silvretta Ski-Arena Samnaun/Ischgl is one of the largest ski areas in the Alps. The winter season lasts 157 days until 3 May 2026, offering a long, snow-sure period for ski holidays in Samnaun. The duty-free shopping experience in the village, family-friendly offers and a full events programme make the Samnaun holiday region particularly attractive.

• The free ski pass for children up to 10 years with the Samnaun guest card

• Moonlight skiing and ski shows on the Musella slope in Samnaun village

• Ski competitions in the Silvretta Ski-Arena Samnaun/Ischgl

• Musical highlights such as the 36th Spring Snow Festival with Beatrice Egli on 25 April 2026 on Alp Trida

With its combination of an early season start, a cross-border ski area, Samnaun’s smuggling history and the winter opening concert, Samnaun in the canton of Graubünden offers an ideally located starting point for ski holidays in the tri-border region of Switzerland, Austria and Italy. Further information on winter events and the ski area can be found online at samnaun.ch.