Hostels Can Bring Alpine Ski Costs Down to Earth : The 80 Swiss locations charge about $20 a night, with no restriction on age.

Budget travelers touring Europe this winter can ski in the Swiss Alps without having to dig too deep into their pockets.

For example, at well-known winter resorts such as Davos, Klosters, St. Moritz, Pontresina, Saas Fee, Zermatt, Grindelwald and Arosa, Swiss Youth Hostels offer accommodations for 12 to 26 Swiss francs (about $10-$20) per bed, per night. In fact, there are now about 80 hostel locations throughout the country. Although the word “youth” appears in the name, there are no age restrictions. However, in Switzerland, when space is tight, preference is shown to travelers under 25.

Guests at Swiss youth hostels must be prepared to share a room with other members of the same sex, and to pay a small additional fee (about $2.50 per night) if they are not members of Hostelling International.

Besides the price, hostels hold another advantage. Meals in resort-area restaurants can be quite expensive, and most hostels either provide kitchens that guests can use to prepare their own meals, or economical meal services.

If Alpine skiing seems too expensive for your budget, remember that many of the resorts also have cross-country ski facilities, plus special winter events.

At Davos, which is also known as an international health resort, the youth hostel is a short bus or rail ride to the center of town. You can reach it by telephone at 011-41-81- 46-1484. This winter, the 84-bed hostel will be open from December to April.

Davos is the site of Switzerland’s largest outdoor skating rink. The area also boasts about 200 miles of downhill runs, and 47 miles of cross-country trails. A ski pass valid in five regions costs $32 for one day, or $157 for six. Davos will be host to a women’s World Cup speed-skating competition Jan 16-17.

Prince Charles is among the celebrities known to holiday in the nearby village of Klosters. The Klosters youth hostel, at Talstrasse 73, accommodates up to 84 guests and will be open December through April. Klosters has 32 miles of cross-country trails and is one of the regions covered by the Davos pass.

World-famous St. Moritz, the highest resort in Switzerland, has twice played host to the Winter Olympics (1928 and 1948). Its 190-bed youth hostel is at Via Surpunt 60, telephone 011-41-82-3-39-69. Among upcoming events are an international winter golf tournament (Jan. 23-24; the golfers play on groomed snow atop frozen Lake Sils) and World Cup Polo competitions (Jan. 29-31). Lift fees this year will be $31 per day, $157 for six days.

At nearby Pontresina, cross-country skiers can enjoy gliding over more than 100 miles of trails. March 14 is the big day in the region, when as many as 10,000 cross-country skiers compete in the Engadine Ski-Marathon. There is a 60-bed youth hostel in town.

In traditional, car-free Zermatt, there are 143 miles of downhill trails; you can even ski to the Italian border. There is a 138-bed youth hostel, telephone 011-41-28- 67-23-20. A single-day lift ticket costs $39; the six-day version is $126.

In the chalet village of Grindelwald, the 117-bed youth hostel remains open until April, telephone 011-41-36-53-10-09. There are 122 miles of downhill runs and 22 miles of cross-country trails. A lift ticket is $32 for one day, $140 for six.

In the mountain village of Arosa, there are 44 miles of downhill runs. The youth hostel will accommodate 160, telephone 011-41-81-31- 13-97. A one-day pass is $31, a six-day ticket is $131.

Equipment rentals are available at more than 50 Swiss resorts through Swiss Rent-A-Ski. this year, standard skis cost $17 for one day’s use, $64 for six. Standard boots cost $10 for one day, $31 for six. Cross-country ski sets are $12 per day, $48 per week.

For more information on Switzerland, contact the Swiss National Tourist Office, 222 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 1570, El Segundo 90245, (310) 335-5980.