A ski holiday

The main season at most Alpine resorts runs from December to April. High-altitude areas may operate longer. In Krasnaya Polyana, opening and closing depend on snow conditions. We check lift and hotel operating dates for every trip.

Christmas, New Year and February are the most expensive periods, when France and other European countries have school holidays: in 2027, these run by zone from 6 February to 8 March. The best balance of snow and price is in the second half of January, after the holidays, and in March, when days are longer and sunnier.

In France, Courchevel and Méribel form part of the Three Valleys, while Val d’Isère and Tignes together offer more than 300 km of pistes. Megève is quieter, a family resort 1 hour 15 minutes from Geneva Airport. In Switzerland, choices include St. Moritz with its palaces above the lake; car-free Zermatt with Matterhorn views and a glacier; and Gstaad, Verbier and Andermatt.

In Austria, Lech is in Ski Arlberg, the country’s largest ski area, while Ischgl’s season runs until May. In Italy, Alta Badia and Cortina d’Ampezzo are part of Dolomiti Superski, while Madonna di Campiglio is quieter and more family-oriented. Krasnaya Polyana requires no visa, and Rosa Khutor has Russia’s largest ski area. We select a resort around your skiing level, travelling party and dates.

There are no direct flights from Russia to the Alps: Russian airlines do not fly to the European Union or Switzerland. Travel is with a connection, most often via Istanbul, Dubai or Belgrade, to Geneva or Zurich, or to Venice for the Dolomites. A private aircraft chartered by a Russian citizen cannot land or take off in the European Union or Switzerland, even if registered in another country.

For Krasnaya Polyana, fly directly from Moscow to Sochi, with a scheduled duration of 3–4 hours; private aircraft can also fly there. Flight schedules changed in 2026, so we check the current schedule before booking.

A Schengen visa is required for the Alps. Under a European Commission decision effective from 8 November 2025, Russian citizens living in Russia are generally issued single-entry visas, so a visa is arranged for each trip. Applications go to the consulate of the destination country or, for a multi-country trip, the country with the most overnight stays. You can apply no earlier than six months and usually no later than 15 days before travel; processing takes up to 15 days, or up to 45 in some cases.

Medical insurance covering the entire trip with at least EUR 30,000 in cover is required. Fingerprints and a photograph are taken at the border on first entry: the EES system has operated since 10 April 2026. Rules for Russian travellers tightened in 2026, so we check timelines and conditions before application. No visa is needed for Krasnaya Polyana.

Almost always by car. From Geneva Airport to Megève, around 1 hour 15 minutes; to Courchevel, around two hours; to Val d’Isère, around three. From Zurich Airport to Andermatt, around an hour and a half; to Lech, around two; to St. Moritz, around three. Zermatt itself is car-free: around four hours by train from Geneva Airport or around three and a half from Zurich. By car, you travel to Täsch and take a shuttle train for the final 12 minutes.

The Krasnaya Polyana resorts are 50 km from Sochi Airport: up to an hour by car or 40–45 minutes on the Lastochka train. We do not book helicopters in the Alps for Russian citizens: charter flights are subject to the same ban as private aircraft. We include the transfer in your proposal from the outset.

Yes. Ski schools accept children from age three: at ESF Courchevel, children aged 3–5 attend the children’s village, and a nursery is available from 18 months; Swiss Ski School St. Moritz offers first lessons for ages 3–4 and all-level groups from age 5. Many hotels in our selection have children’s clubs, including Cheval Blanc Courchevel, Airelles Courchevel, Suvretta House and The Alpina Gstaad; Grand Hotel Polyana has the Polyanka club and babysitters.

In the Three Valleys, ski passes are free for children under 5. With young children, a hotel on the piste with skiing from the door and a resort closer to the airport are more convenient. We select options around the children’s ages and skiing levels.

The price usually includes accommodation with breakfast, VAT and service. The following are most often charged separately:

• A ski pass for all skiing days and the chosen area
• An instructor or mountain guide, children’s ski school and equipment hire
• Airport transfer, or a train to Zermatt
• Nightly charge: taxe de séjour in France, Kurtaxe in Switzerland and Austria, imposta di soggiorno in Italy, and tourist tax in Sochi
• Insurance with ski cover; in Italy, piste liability insurance as well
• Lunches at mountain restaurants, dinners outside the meal plan and spa services
• New Year’s Eve gala dinner

We calculate the total with all compulsory items from the outset, so there are no surprises during your stay.

Buy a ski pass for all your skiing days and the required area: Courchevel only or the entire Three Valleys in Courchevel, Ski Arlberg in Lech, and Dolomiti Superski in Alta Badia and Cortina. In the Three Valleys, children under 5 receive a free ski pass on presentation of a document showing their date of birth.

We book private instructors or mountain guides for holidays and February in advance, along with the hotel, and enrol children in ski school groups by age and level. Equipment hire is also arranged before arrival, so you can head straight to the slopes on your first morning.

For a ski trip, you need a policy covering your chosen type of skiing, rescue operations and evacuation from the slopes. A standard travel policy may not include these. We check freeride cover separately.

If you need a Schengen visa, the policy must also meet the consulate’s requirements. Before travel to Italy, we check piste liability insurance rules and protective equipment requirements. It is best to arrange your policy and helmet before departure.

No visa or international passport is needed for a trip to Krasnaya Polyana. A direct flight from Moscow to Sochi is scheduled for 3–4 hours, with no time difference; the resorts are around 50 km from the airport. Rosa Khutor has Russia’s largest ski area: 105 km of pistes and 32 lifts, with Krasnaya Polyana and Gazprom Polyana resorts nearby.

The season here is shorter than in the Alps and depends on snow, so we allow a margin when choosing dates and book New Year rooms near the lifts in advance.

What sets R-U apart is the combination of technology, access to the professional travel market and personal support.

Public booking sites mostly show the dynamic rates on open sale. R-U also works with offers from Russian tour operators, international B2B platforms, DMCs, hotels' direct partners and other professional suppliers.

The same hotel, room category and meal plan can come from different sources at different prices, with different payment and cancellation terms, perks and even availability.

R-U compares the options available and helps you choose not just a free room but the best offer for your particular trip.

In some cases the price can be up to 40% below the public rate. We compare the same dates, room category, meal plan and services. The saving depends on the particular offer.

And every trip keeps a personal manager and a team who look after you before, during and after it.

Yes. We work with both individuals and legal entities and provide a full set of documents.

Cancellation terms depend on the hotel, rate and dates: they are stricter at Christmas, New Year and during the February school holidays. We explain the exact terms before booking. Until your visa is issued, we choose rates with free cancellation where possible.