Join AXCS
SCROLL DOWN BELOW THE LINK MENU FOR THE NEWEST USA UPDATES -- Occasional updates will appear on this page throughout the coming year. Posts will start to be more frequent as we get closer to Winter 24/25. Then very frequent in the final weeks counting down to the trip. From the start of the MWC2025 trip until the evening of the last race day, anticipate daily updates posted here.
****************************************
AXCS Travel Package Basics (updated info for prospective new skiers on this trip)
AXCS Travel Package Deposit Payment Process (all the info you need on the various ways to pay your Deposit for AXCS Travel Package reservations)
*****
Zurich Welcome Hotel (AXCS used this hotel for Zurich Airport overnight stays in 2017)
Intercityhotel Zuerich Airport (another Zurich Airport hotel option with good reviews)
*****
Official Race Organizer Website: www.MWC2025.com (race schedule, race maps, registration)
Team USA Hotels in Klosters: Kessler's Kulm Piz Buin Seven Alpina Hotel Steinbock
Ski Service for MWC2025 -- Boulder Nordic Sport is once again planning on providing USA ski service in Klosters! More info coming later this year.
Local Web Cams & Ski Conditions: Web Cam Menu #1 Web Cam Menu #2
Weather Forecasts: yr.no weather.com
USA Ground Transportation Information (coming Dec/Jan)
****************************************
MWC 2025 TEAM USA UPDATES
Updates posted by AXCS National Director J.D. Downing
******************
Current MWC2025 AXCS Lodging Chart (last update November 14 -- 5:00pm PST)
******************
Friday, November 1 -- 1:00pm Pacific Time updates
--> Travel Insurance: AXCS Recommends Everyone Get At Least A Basic Policy
AXCS recommends at least a basic travel insurance policy mainly because we have seen too many situations over the years where a skier runs into a health emergency over the winter, has to cancel the MWC trip, and the skier is then stuck with non-refundable costs far higher than the cost of insurance. The other big reason is to cover unplanned costs attached to the travel process (overnight flight delays, lost bags, etc.) that may or may not get covered by an airline or other entities -- and again, the out-of-pocket to you is higher than a travel insurance package.
The following notes were prepared by AXCS National Director JD Downing writing to one of this year's skiers about travel insurance that may also prove helpful to others........
-> AXCS has used Travel Guard (AIG) for the insurance AXCS buys to cover my travel on all MWC trips. I’ve also used them for personal travel. I cannot claim Travel Guard is the very best option out there (really no point of comparison). But when I have needed to make a personal claim and also with other AXCS folks over the years on the same company — things went pretty smoothly overall. There are many other providers you can find on-line and via asking travel agents.
-> Whomever you use, make sure to only insure what you are really exposed on (this keeps the insurance price reasonable) and ideally buy coverage within 10 days of a non-refundable exposure point. Buying early can help you cover pre-existing medical conditions.
-> With MWC2025 AXCS Lodging, the 20% + $160 non-refundable date for village hotels locked in as of October 26. So to get the best insurance coverage, buy a basic policy within 10 days of the 26th. Due to currency flux and your exact final travel plan with dates in/out — the actual amounts are tricky to exactly peg right now. But you can use the hotel pricing sheet as a guideline for your policy purchase.
-> Your air ticket typically these days should be able to convert to at minimum a credit with the airline if you have to cancel your overall trip. Be sure to confirm that before you lock in the air purchase, but that is the trend in the industry. So as long as you can use that credit within a year or so of the “change” — you don’t need to insure that amount. A credit with an airline that you can use in the future is a travel savings account.I would price the difference in a policy covering 20% + $160 of lodging and also one that covers 100% of your lodging cost. You can bail out up to 3 weeks prior to arrival with the 20%+ being the only penalty. So you need to weigh how much the risk costs to insure those final three weeks.
-> Once you enter the MWC your entry fee would be 220 EUR if you do it before New Years, 250 EUR after New Years. It would be best to insure that full amount since an emergency without an injury would not allow you to claim a 50% refund from the MWC organizers. If you are doing Engadin, you also should include that entry cost in your insurance coverage.
-> Otherwise you shouldn’t have much exposure until the final weeks. Stuff like ground shuttles/trains, airport hotels, etc usually have “escape hatches” or represent lower loss.
******************
Monday, October 7 -- 1:00pm Pacific Time updates
--> Updated Shopping for Flight & Trip Span Considerations
As much as we can, AXCS will be setting up pooled charter bus/van/car rides to/from Zurich Airport and Klosters hotels. Currently it is anticipated that we'll have enough USA folks wanting arrival transportation on Friday, March 7 and Sunday, March 16 that we should be able to get private shuttles to pencil out on those dates.
In absolutely every scenario, the alternative to a USA ground shuttle will be taking the train (with 2-3 station changes) to or from Zurich Airport and Klosters.
Here are a couple of known issues that USA folks are running into with flight plans and Zurich-Klosters-Zurich shuttles.
a.) On ANY arrival date, viability of USA ground shuttles will be depend heavily on the number of other USA folks going up to Klosters the same day & a similar time range. If we have a handful of folks, it might pencil out to do a private shuttle. Otherwise taking the train from Zurich Airport to Klosters will be the best option.
b.) If you intend to do the Engadin Ski Marathon on Sunday, March 9, you may not want to arrive to Zurich on the 7th. Although quite efficient on time/expenses, that's a pretty tight turnaround for your body to a Worldloppet marathon. For these folks or anyone else that struggles with trans-Atlantic time change, you may want to fly into Zurich a day (or two) early. Zurich Airport has a good selection of airport hotels (two recommendations can be found in links at the top of this page) that have nice walking/jogging paths nearby. By flying in early, you can make any USA shuttle departure time easily. You also give yourself "fudge room" should any misadventure take place on your trans-Atlantic journey.
c.) For folks aiming to arrive into Zurich on Friday, March 7 and hoping to be part of a USA ground transfer that same day, it is strongly suggested that you aim for flights arriving either in the morning to early afternoon. If you arrive on a flight in the late afternoon or evening, we are far less likely to have enough USA skiers in the same time range to fill up a USA shuttle or bus. So with a later Friday 7th arrival, AXCS suggests planning to spend the night at a Zurich Airport hotel of your choice. You can always opt to take trains, but it is a lot more convenient if we can get you on a USA shuttle or bus.
For departure on Sunday, March 16, several USA skiers have mentioned struggling to find departure flights leaving Zurich late enough in the morning or mid-day to allow reasonable ground transfer time from Klosters to Zurich (buses should be allowed 2.5 hours to be safe) and then a reasonable amount of airport security/check-in time (2-2.5 hours for Zurich Airport is needed). In some cases already, AXCS has recommended that skiers plan to leave Klosters in the evening on Saturday, March 15 -- then book an airport hotel (two recommendations can be found scrolling up this page) for the night of the 15th. It is reasonable we'll have double digits of folks wanting to do this plan and that should allow for a reasonable cost on an evening of the 15th Klosters-to-Zurich ground shuttle. There is always the option of using trains for these folks as well.
d.) For anyone hoping to stay in Klosters later than March 16, you should plan on taking trains for Klosters departures. The only exception is if you have a handful of friends also on the same schedule. Please also note that any "late extension" will require case-by-case special approval from the Lodging Coordinator and hotels. Get those requests in immediately!!!
******************
Monday, October 7 -- 1:00pm Pacific Time updates
--> AXCS Lodging Package Folks -- PLEASE READ!!!
A couple emails went out on Saturday, Sept 27 and today that described a glitch in the Lodging Package planning whereas the arrival date that AXCS was planning on all along for most USA folks (Friday, March 7) was one day earlier than the arrival date that Klosters hotels were planning on (which was based on most other nations).
We've worked the issue and this is the updated info.....
Kessler's Kulm Hotel: As of October 7, AXCS has confirmed with Kessler's Kulm Hotel that only two Main House double reservations might need first night special arrangements. All the Guest House singles and most of the double Main House reservations are "good to go" for starting on March 7.
Klosters Village Hotels (Piz Buin, Steinbock, Seven Alpina, Silvretta): As of October 7, AXCS has information from the Lodging Coordinator that we are "mostly good" for bookings to start on Friday, March 7. Getting that info dialed to exact details unfortunately will need to wait until after Oct 21 when the Lodging Coordinator is back from holiday.
In Weeks Upcoming.......
AXCS doesn't want anyone to be in limbo with your travel planning, so we are saying that folks should go ahead and proceed with making air reservations, etc., but note that we might eventually have to set some folks up for an alternative first night scenario if (in just a few cases) USA rooms aren't ready to occupy until Sat, March 8.
All USA folks in the Lodging Package are urged to send JD your travel plan as soon as you know when you are flying into Zurich (or other arrival plan) and also your departure info.
If we do need to do some work around scenarios, AXCS will use when you send your travel plans in as the "dividing line" for work around scenarios.
******************
Wednesday, September 25 -- 7:00pm Pacific Time updates
--> Very Important October 15 Trip Terms Date For AXCS Lodging Package Folks
We are quickly approaching an important “trip terms date” of Tuesday, October 15. So AXCS is making certain that all folks on the AXCS Reservation List are fully aware of some important trip terms related to cancellations after October 15.
As of October 16 (and lasting until 21 days before March 2025 arrival), any reservation cancellation that leaves a Team USA hotel room empty will be subject to a non-refundable amount deducted from deposit refunds of $160 per person (this covers AXCS fixed costs) plus 20% of the total per person cost for a hotel and meal plan package (required per MWC2025 contracts).
Folks that have been on past AXCS trips to the MWC are used to a one month later “fish or cut bait” deadline. But for this year, local lodging providers forced the Organizing Committee into the mid-October date — but conceded only charging a 20% non-refundable penalty (normally it's 30%).
Now if only one person from a couple cancels after October 15, but you still have a single booking in place -- neither AXCS nor hotel non-refundable charges apply. We’ll just shift deposit funds over to the remaining person to cover the final balance.
Where things are tricky is when two unattached people are sharing a double room. Traditionally in this case AXCS asks the person cancelling to help make up a portion of the cost for the remaining person to transition to single rates. If we make the remaining person somewhat “whole” on their suddenly added costs, the person cancelling is not subject to the hotel 20% — but is responsible for the $160 non-refundable AXCS fixed costs.
Note: In cases where a USA single or double room is left empty with a cancellation, AXCS will make a best effort to find a replacement booking. We not only can look for USA skiers to replace your spot, but we can also ask for skiers from other nations (provided they agree to work within the AXCS system). Depending on your cancellation date, we might have several months to look for a replacement, so there is a decent chance we can “bail you out” of the 20% hotel charges (but again, you will be responsible for the non-refundable $160 per person AXCS fixed costs).
Finally, for future reference, please note that once we get within the 20 to 7 days prior to arrival point, the non-refundable hotel charge moves up to 50% of per person cost. Then 6 days prior to arrival is when 100% of hotel charge is non-refundable.
********
--> AXCS Lodging Package Folks: If You Are Planning To Arrive Early or Stay Late, Please Notify AXCS Soonest of Your Planned Arrival/Departure Dates
Now that we are officially in the fall months, it is important that AXCS asks the hotels to make sure that we can arrange any "special dates" that have arrival earlier than Friday, March 7 or departure later than Sunday, March 16.
Note that it is better that we set your reservation up with the hotels using a wider date range early in the game, then "tighten" the dates later vs. staying with regular AXCS dates initially, then trying to expand your dates later.
********
******************
Thursday, July 25 -- 2:00pm Pacific Time updates
--> AXCS Lodging Package Updates
Note: We have added quite a few folks over the past six weeks and now only have a very few rooms still open at Kessler's Kulm Hotel only. If anyone has friends still thinking about joining us -- you might tell them to get busy joining us!
The updated Team USA chart is found here.
Because there has been so much "action" the past 6 weeks, it would be very helpful if everyone within the AXCS Lodging Package could double check the chart and make sure that you are still listed in the correct room configuration and for the number of beds you want. We want to make sure we have those details correct even this far in advance!
If you have already bought air tickets or already know that you will arrive/depart Klosters on different dates than arrival on March 7 and departure on March 16, you can email update info to JD in the AXCS Office to update the USA Chart at any time.
A reminder that the Lodging Package final balance process will take place in the fall months. Given the lodging terms are a little different this year (you can find the terms on the lower half of this page), AXCS still needs to work on a few details with the MWC Organizers and hotels to finalize the most efficient final payment process for all of you. Stay tuned.
At this time, there is no particular urgency to define your exact dates of arrival and departure. As mentioned previously, you can flex your arrival/departure from the original target of arrival on Friday, March 7 and departure on Sunday, March 16. However, please remember that we need to clear early arrivals on a case-by-case basis with each hotel.
As a reminder, the column marked "AXCS 24/25" refers to whether or not you have already renewed AXCS membership for the 2024/2025 ski year (which starts November 1). If you see "not yet", that means that you have current 23/24 AXCS membership now, but will need to renew this fall.
********
--> Engadin Discount Tied to MWC2025 Registration
Information about the special Engadin Ski Marathon registration offer for MWC2025 skiers is now available. The Organizing Committee has now made all the arrangements for this offer and all the info is posted on this page.
Note that you need to register for the MWC2025 first before you are eligible for special ESM pricing and special pricing is only available for the full and half ESM -- not the other events going on the week prior to the MWC2025.
As per previous email updates, if you are not interested in the ESM discount, there is no particular rush to register for MWC2025 until we get into the fall months.
********
--> Important Passport and European Travel Notes To Be Aware Of
Be sure to look at your passport this summer to make sure that your passport expiration date is at minimum three months later than your planned return date from the MWC2025 next March. This is because Switzerland has a three-month passport validity rule. So if you are planning to fly home on March 16, 2025 -- your passport needs to expire no earlier than June 16, 2025.
You want to double check this item now so that if you need to renew your passport early you have plenty of time to get that done.
Also notable is that AXCS has researched a brand new ETIAS travel requirement (an on-line travel authorization) being put in place for pretty much all European nations in 2025. After several delays in the rollout, the new ETIAS system does not appear to be a requirement at the time of our travel for the MWC2025.
However, looking ahead to future MWC trips to Europe after 2025 -- we'll want to keep to keep this new requirement in mind.
Note: The future ETIAS requirement should not be confused with the companion entry/exit EES system which does not require any advance action by travelers and may be functional by the end of 2024 (although it has also had delays).
********
--> Random MWC2025 Notes
-> AXCS has confirmed that everyone staying in any of the official AXCS hotels will receive a free Davos Klosters Premium Card for the length of your stay which gives you free local train and bus rides along with other benefits. This is a particularly handy perk for folks staying at the Kessler's Kulm Hotel.
***
-> AXCS recommends that all of you sign up for the free and informative MWC2025 email newsletter. The Organizing Committee (OC) has already sent a couple emails and will continue to do so over the coming year. Each one is interesting, informative, and will get you fired up for a great trip next March!
******************
Tuesday, May 28 -- 2:00pm Pacific Time updates
--> USA Lodging Package Reservation Updates
-> AXCS has been informed by Klosters hotel sources that there was an inadvertent error in the original package pricing given our association with nightly hotel occupancy taxes not included in the price quote in some cases. In turn, AXCS has now adjusted the pricing passed on to members. We wanted to get prices 100% accurate prior to starting the deposit payment process.
Here is a listing of accurate pricing for each of the AXCS hotels.
In addition to the prices, AXCS has included our best current information for hotel cancellation terms over the coming 10 months.
******************
Friday, May 10 -- 9:00am Pacific Time updates
--> Initial USA Lodging Package Reservation Updates
-> Currently USA allocations of hotel rooms at the four Klosters village hotels are entirely filled with pretty significant wait lists in place.
Team USA does have a good open supply of open double and single rooms at Kessler's Kulm Hotel which is located on the ridge separating Klosters and Davos. USA skiers staying a Kessler's Kulm at the MWC2027 loved both the hotel and the ability to ski-in/ski-out on the ski trails on the ridge that also directly connect to the extensive Davos ski trail system. All of those ski trails are never used for the MWC2025 races so they will be open daily throughout the event. Train access to Klosters takes 16-18mins (1-2 trains every hour) on a very smooth and beautiful route. The same train gives access to Davos in just 9-10mins.
Any USA skier that wishes to place an initial reservation at Kessler's Kulm can do so by emailing AXCS << axcs at xcskiworld dot com >>. You will need at least one person in the booking party to have current 2023/24 AXCS membership in place for the initial reservation. Deposits are not due until June 14.