How much does a weekend at the snow really cost?

“We’re just two hours from the coast and the snow.”

One of the big reasons people move to Canberra — and why we love living here — is because we’re so close to the snowfields. Life in the capital means experiencing four full seasons and the convenience of a 2.5-hour scenic drive to the powdered-covered mountaintops of the south-west.

But how much does a weekend at Thredbo during snow season actually cost in 2024?

We looked into how much you’d need to fork out if you headed to Thredbo from Canberra on Friday afternoon and returned Sunday afternoon after two full days of skiing. Prices are for two adults and two children (aged 7 to 12).

Travel

Driving is going to set you back around $150 in petrol, and you'll need to hire snow chains. It’s compulsory for two-wheel drive cars to carry chains on NSW Alpine National Park roads.

You'll also need to pay to get into the national park, which is $30 per day per car.

Petrol - $150
Tyre chain hire - $50
Access to Kosciusko National Park x 3 days - $90

Total travel cost $290

Gear

I mean the snow is fun and all but you need so much stuff. You can grab a package that includes standard carve skis, boots, poles, jacket and pants for $89/day for an adult or $42/day for a child.

The kids are going to need a helmet (that's another $12/day) each and snow shoes for everyone at $36/day each.

You’ll also need to purchase your own gloves for all that snowman building, which could cost anywhere from $10 from Temu to $200 from Burton.

We also recommend a good pair of skiing goggles when hitting the slopes. Hire generally starts from $10 a pair.

Hire of skis, boots, poles, jacket, pants, shoes, goggles + $30 gloves for two adults (x 2 days) - $560
Hire of skis, boots, poles, jacket, pants, helmets and shoes + $30 gloves for two kids (x 2 days) - $420

Total gear cost $980

Lift passes

Lift passes are a necessity for a couple of days on the slopes, but they're the most expensive part of the trip. Thredbo lift passes cost $210/day on weekends for adults. Kids aged 7 to 12 are $115/day on weekends.

Thredbo weekend lift passes for two adults and two kids x 2 days - $1,300

Total lift pass cost $1,300

Accommodation

Staying close to the action overlooking the snow-capped mountains is all part of the experience. For this article, we’re choosing to stay at the Snow Goose apartments.

Snow Goose apartments (4 people for 2 nights) - $1,214

Total accommodation cost $1,214

Total cost of weekend ski trip to Thredbo (including $350 for meals and drinks) - $4,134