Alpine Hostels Where Heidi Would Feel at Home

If you dream of skiing or snowboarding in the Swiss Alps, you can keep costs within reach through several European hostel networks.

The Swiss Youth Hostel Assn., which turned 75 this year, provides 7,000 beds in 67 locations. You can make arrangements directly with the hostels or consider one of several packages that the hostel association is offering.

This winter, prices for a one-week stay in the Bonigen Hostel in Interlaken begin at $312 and include seven nights in a multibed room, breakfasts and dinners, and a six-day ski pass for the Jungfrau region (including train travel from Interlaken Ost to Grindelwald, Wegen or Lauterbrunnen/Murren). The staff can reserve ski or snowboard equipment at the corresponding partner shops in Interlaken or Grindelwald. (This hostel will be closed from Jan. 9 to 22.)

SYHA is also offering “City Hopper” packages for $114. They include rail transportation to three cities and three nights in youth hostels, with the option of extending the stay.

The “Classics” package, for example, provides transportation from the Zurich airport to Lucerne and Grindelwald and back to Zurich, with accommodations in all three cities. In Grindelwald the popular hostel--chalet-style with a fireplace--is above the center of the village, a mile from the rail station. Grindelwald has 49 runs (covering more than 125 miles) for skiing and snowboarding, plus 40 miles of winter hiking paths.

For the same price, SYHA offers two other City Hopper hostel/rail packages as well: the “Charms of the South,” which includes transportation from Zurich airport to Locarno, Montreux and back to Zurich, and the “Different Routes” package, with transportation from Zurich airport to Solothurn, Bonigen and return. These rates are available to members of Hostelling International. For reservations, contact Swiss Youth Hostels, City Hoppers, Schaffhauserstrasse 14, CH 8042, Zurich; telephone 011- 41-1-360-1441, fax 011-41-1-360- 1438. SYHA has a free map that gives details on all locations. You can also contact the SYHA hostels to make your own arrangements. Grindelwald Youth Hostel is at Weid 12, Terrassenweg, CH 3818 Grindelwald; tel. 011-41-33-853- 1009, fax 011-41-33-853-5029.

There are several independent hostels in Switzerland, some in ski regions. Two Internet sources with information are Swiss Backpacker News at https://www.backpacker.ch and Hostels of Europe at https://www.hostelseurope.com.

A place popular with young international skiers and snowboarders is Balmer’s, the oldest private hostel in Switzerland. For more than 50 years it has been hosting individuals and groups in Interlaken, which is in the center of the Jungfrau region. It’s less than 30 minutes from three large ski resorts that have 125-plus miles of groomed trails. The hostel has 350 beds. Dormitory beds cost $14 per night; a double room is $40. Breakfast is included, and there are kitchen facilities. Winter packages including ski passes, equipment rentals and optional lessons are available. For more information, contact Balmer’s Herberge, Hauptstrasse 23-25, 3800 Interlaken, tel. 011-41-33-822-1961, fax 011-41-33-823-3261, Internet https: //www.balmers.com.

A new private hostel is to open in central Geneva on March 1 and will have 51 rooms with 98 beds. Its Internet site goes online Jan. 1 at https://www.cityhostel.ch.

Lucy Izon is a Toronto-based freelance writer. Internet https://www.izon.com.