FAQs

These dates* are a guide to when the fields will open. Mother nature will ultimately decide if the season is a bit longer.

Cardrona – Open Date: 17 June – Close Date: 22 October
Coronet Peak – Open Date: 16 June – Close Date: 24 September
Mt Hutt – Open Date: 09 June – Close Date: 15 October
The Remarkables – Open Date: 17 June – Close Date: 08 October
Treble Cone – Open Date: 24 June – Close Date: 24 September

* Subject to snow, weather and operating conditions

Once you work out which destination you want to ski from, then it’s time to choose which ski resorts you want to ride. If you’re staying in Queenstown then The Remarkables and Coronet Peak are the closest, though you can access Cardrona is about 45 minutes. From Wanaka, Cardona and Treble Cone are the closest mountains. If you’re staying in Methven, then you will want to ski Mt Hutt.

The Queenstown lift passes include access to The Remarkables, Coronet Peak and Mt Hutt, so one pass will give you access to three mountains. Similarly, if you buy a Cardrona lift pass, you will also have access to Treble Cone. So much flexibility!

Coronet Peak, The Remarkables & Mt Hutt offer free lift passes for kids 5 years & under. Kids aged 6 to 15 are offered a discounted child lift pass. Teenagers from age 16 up fall under the adult lift pass bracket (all ages determined as at 01 June 2023).

Treble Cone & Cardrona also offer free lift passes for kids 5 years & under while kids aged 6 to 17 are offered a discounted child lift pass.

Ski Express has plenty of options available for hiring rental equipment. Some can be hired in town and taken to the mountain and brought back to your accommodation each day. Others can be hired on the mountain and left there each day to make getting around off the snow a little less awkward. The choice is yours. Best to speak to one of our Ski Specialists when making a booking about what option will be best for you if you are unsure.

When collecting your rental equipment, a credit card or driver’s license is required as ID. Each ski field has a storage area where you can leave shoes, bags etc. The cost is approx. $5 per day. When fitting into your ski/snowboard boots we recommend wearing one pair of thick un-ribbed socks. Take an extra pair of thin socks as a backup.

View our equipment hire options

Shuttle Bus Transfers

Regular shuttle services run from Queenstown to Coronet Peak and The Remarkables. A daily shuttle service operates from Wanaka to Treble Cone and Cardrona. As do services from Christchurch or Methven to Mount Hutt. Open dated transfer vouchers can be pre-purchased from Ski Express before leaving home. To activate them, simply phone 24 hours in advance and prebook the actual day and time.

Self-Drive

Free car parking is available near the base lodge at each ski area. If you have children with you, use the mountain parking area drop-off zone. It is essential that every vehicle (incl. 4WD) carry chains on all mountain access roads. A chain hire and fitting service is available on The Remarkables and Mt Hutt access roads, but NOT at Coronet Peak which is sealed and rarely requires chains. Treble Cone – chains are not available for hire on the mountain. We urge you to pre-book them with your rental car. Cardrona – Safety crews man the access road and can fit chains for a nominal charge.

Need more information to decide whether to drive yourself or take a mountain transfer? Read our blog article here

Our Packages

Many of our our ski packages include one of the options mentioned above. If you choose a package that doesn’t include transport, or you need to add extra transfers, you can do so by filling the appropriate fields of the enquiry form.

If you are a beginner or an infrequent skier, we absolutely recommend lessons. It’s the fastest way to improve your skills and build confidence. The more confident you feel, the more you will enjoy your time on the snow. If you are a total beginner they will get your confidence up in half the time you would if you try to learn as you go. And if you haven’t skied for a while, a refresher should help avoid any embarrassing trips to the medical centre.

Group lessons do not need to be pre-booked, however it is essential to arrive early on the first day and allow about one hour for ticketing and rental fitting. Whether you are a complete beginner or require a refresher course, there are packages that will cover it all.

The question on every parent’s lips! Especially when fresh powder runs beckon! There are many ways to offload the kids where they still have fun and you get guilt free time to yourself on your preferred mountain – Please visit our Family Ski Holidays section for options of Kids Clubs along with other useful tips.

Note: All child minding facilities can be heavily booked, particularly during school holidays therefore we urge you to book as soon as possible.

Snow reports are posted daily on the individual ski field’s websites. These daily snow reports give you the most current snow and weather conditions, road conditions and chain requirements, boundary and closure information along with which lifts and base lodge facilities are operating and any other pertinent information for the day. We urge you to check out this information before you head up the mountain.

Dress in layers fit for an alpine environment. Start with a good thermal layer for both your upper and lower body. This will act as a second skin, pulling moisture away from your body and keep you nice and warm. As a second and third layer it is good to wear a long sleeve T-shirt or micro fleece to keep you snug and lastly as an outer layer a good water and windproof jacket and pants. It is essential to take warm, waterproof gloves, a woollen hat, sunscreen and sunglasses or goggles. Because of the reflection of the snow, sunscreen is recommended at all times. These items are not included with clothing hire (for hygiene reasons). If needed, they can be purchased from the on-mountain shops.

If you are interested in one of our ski packages and want us to add clothing hire to your quote, do so by filling the appropriate fields in the add-ons section of the enquiry form.

Need more info on what to wear on the slopes? Read our blog article here

Once you are sorted with your equipment you can leave any bags/shoes in the secure storage facility (a minimal fee applies). The mountain staff can direct you to where this is located. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen and make the kids visit the loo!

You might want to familiarise yourself with the trail map too, even if you are a beginner. It will indicate where the beginner area is. You need to look for the Green lines. Green = Beginner. Blue = Intermediate. Black = Experienced skier. If in doubt look for a mountain staff member. They are there to help you have a great day. If you are having a lesson make sure you are in the meeting spot 10 minutes prior so you will be all set and ready to go!

Falling is a natural part of skiing and snowboarding! Whilst the majority of falls are harmless, we always recommend taking out travel insurance before you hit the slopes.

Trained patrol staff monitor on-slope safety constantly. In the event of an accident, each ski base has a medical centre as well as access to a doctor. So go hard knowing that there should be someone there to help if the worst case scenario happens.

Each of the ski fields have multiple café and restaurant facilities offering a large variety of snacks and meals. Don’t forget to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day and to keep a few chocolate bars hidden in your ski jacket to keep you and the kids going. It is very important that you start your day with a hearty breakfast.