Where to stay in Arosa: the village areas compared

Deciding where to stay in Arosa comes down to which end of a 2 km long village you sleep in. Arosa climbs the south-east slope of the Weisshorn chain from the Untersee at 1,691 m to the last houses at about 1,960 m. Its areas are Innerarosa, the centre around the station and the Obersee, the lakeside between the two lakes, and Maran with Prätschli on the plateau above. The railway from Chur ends at the Obersee, the main ski lifts leave from two points 3 km apart, and a free village bus links them. This guide compares the areas by distance to the lifts, the station, the bus, the lakes and the shops, then shows where Hotel Altein sits.

How Arosa is laid out

Arosa is not car-free. The Schanfiggerstrasse from Chur is 30 km long with 360 bends and climbs 1,320 m, about 40 minutes by car in good conditions. Most guests arrive by the Rhaetian Railway instead: the Arosa line runs 26 km from Chur, climbs about 1,000 m through 19 tunnels and over 41 bridges, and takes just over an hour, with a Regio train every hour and 4 RegioExpress services a day. The terminus at 1,739 m stands on the shore of the Obersee.

From the station the village spreads in two directions. Downhill and along the lake shore are the Obersee, the Untersee and the streets between them. Uphill to the south-west, about 3 km from the station, is Innerarosa, where the Hörnli-Express and the Kulm gondola start. Above the Obersee to the north, on a separate plateau at about 1,860 m, are Maran and Prätschli. The free local bus links all of it: the Hörnli-Prätschli and Hörnli-Untersee routes are free of charge all year, only the night express costs extra. Winter frequency is roughly every 15 to 20 minutes on the main route.

Innerarosa: the highest area, closest to the Hörnli lifts

Innerarosa is the upper end of the village and the oldest part; the Bergkirchli, the small mountain church, dates from 1493. The valley station of the Hörnli-Express gondola sits at 1,832 m, and the ride to the Hörnli at 2,496 m takes 12 minutes. From the Hörnli the Urdenbahn crosses to Lenzerheide, so skiers who want the full Arosa Lenzerheide area with the least morning transfer start here. The Innerarosa-Tschuggen (Kulm) gondola starts a few hundred metres away at 1,846 m and is the beginners' and sledgers' lift, with the Tschuggen Ost and Carmenna chairlifts continuing above it.

Innerarosa is about 3 km from the station, 7 minutes by car and under 40 minutes on foot, so a train arrival means a bus ride with luggage, and the shops and restaurants in the centre are a bus ride away too. Innerarosa sits high on the south-east facing slope.

The centre: station, Weisshorn cable car and the Obersee

The centre is the area around the railway station and the nearest one for anyone arriving by train. The Weisshorn cable car valley station stands next to the railway station, with cabins leaving every 20 minutes in the daytime for most of the year. The Poststrasse shops, the sports shops and most of the restaurants are within about 5 minutes on foot of the station.

The Obersee is the centre's open space. It lies at 1,734 m, covers 7.1 ha and is frozen for 5 to 6 months a year, long enough for a natural ice rink to be cleared on it in winter. In summer the promenade and the fountain are here. The centre is not quiet, since the trains, the buses and the cable car all meet here.

The lakeside between the Obersee and the Untersee

Between the two lakes, along Alteinstrasse, the village is flatter and quieter than the centre but still within walking distance of it. The Untersee at 1,691 m has the summer lido and, in winter, the start of the Untersee to Litzirüti sledge run. The ice sports hall and the open-air curling rink are on this side too. From the middle of this area the station is about 500 m and the Weisshorn cable car about 600 m, so 8 to 9 minutes on foot with skis, or a short ride on the free bus.

This area suits families who want the lakes and the rinks on foot without the station next door, and guests who want to walk to dinner rather than wait for a bus. The walk back up from the Untersee to the Obersee climbs about 40 m.

Maran and Prätschli: the plateau above the village

Maran sits at 1,862 m on a plateau north of the Obersee, about 2 km from the station by road. It is open and flat, and its centre is the 18-hole golf course, which in winter becomes the cross-country skiing area. Maran has no railway station and no lift feeder. The Arosa Bus is the link to the village, and the Prätschli T-bar, in service since 1998, connects the Maran side to the Arosa ski area.

Prätschli, at the top of the plateau and the terminus of the bus, is where the classic sledge run starts: 1 km down to the Obersee with 165 m of descent, finishing at the railway station, then the free bus back up. Maran and Prätschli suit cross-country skiers, winter walkers and summer hikers who want the trails from the door. Anyone else should count on the bus for every trip to the lifts, the shops or the station.

Which area for which traveller

• Families with small children: the lakeside or the centre. The Obersee rink, the ice sports hall, the curling rink and the sledge run finish are all within 10 minutes on foot, and the free bus runs to both lift bases.
• Skiers who want first lift: Innerarosa for the Hörnli and the crossing to Lenzerheide, the centre for the Weisshorn. Both have a lift within 5 minutes on foot.
• Non-skiers: the centre or the lakeside, where the shops, the promenade, the rinks and the winter walking paths around both lakes start on foot.
• Summer hikers: Maran and Prätschli put you on the plateau trails immediately, and the Arosa Card covers the cable cars and the bus in summer.
• Arriving by train without a car: the centre or the lakeside. Innerarosa, Maran and Prätschli mean a bus ride with luggage.

Where Altein sits

Altein, Arosa is on Alteinstrasse between the two lakes, in the lakeside area above. The railway station is 500 m away, 8 minutes on foot, and the Weisshorn cable car valley station is 600 m, 9 minutes on foot. Altein is not ski-in, ski-out. The free ski bus stops outside the hotel and runs to the Weisshorn and to the Hörnli-Express in Innerarosa, 2.8 km away. The Obersee is 300 m from the door, the Untersee lido 800 m, the ice sports hall and the curling rink 400 m. Maran is 2.1 km and Prätschli 2.9 km by road.

The hotel has 126 rooms, a 950 m² spa with an indoor pool, and a ski room with 186 boot warmers. Indoor parking costs CHF 16 per night in winter. Our Arosa FAQ answers the common questions on arrival, parking and the bus. All prices and times here are approximate and given as a guide. Arosa Lenzerheide and the Rhaetian Railway set their own fares and timetables and adjust them from season to season, so check the current details on arosalenzerheide.swiss and rhb.ch before you go.

Come and compare the areas for yourself with us in Arosa.

Questions guests ask

Is Innerarosa or Arosa centre better for skiing?

Innerarosa is closer to the Hörnli-Express and the Urdenbahn crossing to Lenzerheide. The centre is closer to the Weisshorn cable car and the station. The two lift bases are about 3 km apart, linked by the free bus.

Is there a free ski bus in Arosa?

Yes. The village bus on the Hörnli-Prätschli and Hörnli-Untersee routes is free all year. Only the night express is charged.

Altein, Arosa, a Faern Collection Resort.