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Ski season is in full swing: even the earliest closing Alpine resorts are set to continue operating until mid-April, with some closing even later than that. Whether you’re planning on a holiday in March or April, or you’re getting a head start on next season, perhaps the most obviously crucial part of any ski holiday is a ski pass. This gives you access to resort facilities, and without this access you’ll have no hope of making use of the lifeblood of Alpine skiing: the lifts. So which pass should you get? The answer depends on your budget, the number of people with whom you’re travelling and the length of your holiday. Pass Length The most popular length of ski pass is the 6-day pass: this is compatible with a week’s skiing holiday, and indeed for those who don’t do physically demanding activities year-round, much more than a week’s skiing is often taxing on the muscles and joints (not to mention on the wallet). However, if you want to access the slopes for longer or shorter than this you may want to look into other passes. Shorter length passes are ideal for a short ski break, or for holidays where you plan to spend only a portion of it using the resort facilities in a single place. However, the shorter the pass, the worse the economy: while a 3-day pass, for example, will be cheaper than a 6-day pass, the cost per day will be significantly higher in most cases, meaning that you might want to consider spending the full holiday in one place. The opposite extreme is the season pass, allowing you to use resort facilities for the entirety of a season. These passes are, of course, much more expensive than a 6-day pass, but much cheaper than a large number of shorter passes. Whether you’re planning on carving up the snow for weeks at a stretch, or you like to take frequent, shorter ski trips, a season pass is worth considering. Multi-Resort Passes Some regions also offer multi-resort passes. If you like a change of scene, consider one of these as they’ll allow you to access the resort facilities at a number of locations, allowing you to hop about during your ski trip. Additionally, these passes often allow you to use up the available days as and when you wish, meaning you can intersperse your winter with smaller ski breaks. The most famous of these is the Tirol Snow Card, which allows you to ski almost every resort in Tirol. Multi-Person Passes If you’re travelling in a group, there are often multi-person passes, which work out cheaper than a number of individual passes. These often include child rates, couples’ rates and rates for larger groups of adults, and offer access to resort facilities at varying prices. It may work out cheaper to travel in a larger group, so consider liaising with other ski enthusiasts before you book. Belinda Smythson works for Ski Amis, a specialist ski travel agency and booking service that has been helping avid skiers craft their perfect winter holiday for over a quarter of a century. If you're looking for the best skiing and resort facilities in the Three Valleys, Paradiski, Espace Killy or Chamonix Valley, Ski Amis is the go-to company for winter sports fans searching for the holiday of a lifetime.
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