A Phase 1 full-day ski pass is ₹1,600 for international skiers and ₹1,200 for Indian skiers. Phase 2 is ₹2,500 and ₹1,500. A weekly pass is ₹12,500 and ₹7,500. Single rides cost the same for everyone: ₹400 Phase 1, ₹550 Phase 2, ₹300 for the Kongdoori chairlift. Book through the official J&K Cable Car Corporation system.
2026 rates, published for the 2027 ski season (winter 2026–27). Last updated August 2026 Written by Shafat Ahmad Tantray and Bashir Ahmad Mir, Gulmarg Snowkings
What you pay to ski from the Gulmarg Gondola depends on three things: whether you are an international or Indian skier, which phase you need, and whether you want a single ride, a full day or a week.
This page gives the rates first, then the part that actually saves you money: working out which product suits the skiing you intend to do. The cheapest ticket is rarely the right one, and the most expensive one is not automatically better either.
What this page does not cover is the mountain itself. What you can ski from each phase, the terrain, the runs and the conditions are on the Gulmarg Gondola Ski Guide.
What does the Gulmarg Gondola cost?
Ski pass prices
| Pass | International skier | Indian / domestic skier |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1, full day | ₹1,600 | ₹1,200 |
| Phase 2, full day | ₹2,500 | ₹1,500 |
| Weekly gondola pass | ₹12,500 | ₹7,500 |
Single-ride prices
Single rides cost the same for international and Indian skiers. This surprises people, because full-day passes differ sharply by category. Single rides do not.
| Lift | Price, all skiers |
|---|---|
| Phase 1, single ride | ₹400 |
| Phase 2, single ride | ₹550 |
| Kongdoori chairlift, single ride | ₹300 |
Season pass
A season pass exists. The current rate is not published here because we do not have a confirmed figure, and we would rather leave a gap than print a guess.
Why other websites quote different prices
You have probably already seen Phase 1 listed at ₹800 and Phase 2 at ₹1,000 somewhere else, and wondered which is right.
Both are. They are different products.
Most travel and taxi websites quote return sightseeing fares. The rates on this page are skier products: a single ascent, or a full day of repeated laps.
The arithmetic lines up. A ₹400 Phase 1 single ride, taken up and down, is the ₹800 return fare quoted elsewhere. Phase 2 works out similarly, within rounding.
So the question is not which website is correct. It is which product you actually want. A sightseer riding up for the view and coming back down needs a return ticket. A skier riding up to ski down does not need the return leg, and a skier doing five laps needs a day pass rather than five singles.
Check that whatever you are buying is the ski access product, not a sightseeing return, and not a package sold by someone standing outside the station.
Which Gulmarg Gondola pass should you buy?
Your skiing should decide this, not the price.
Phase 1 full day: ₹1,600 international, ₹1,200 Indian
Phase 1 runs from Gulmarg up towards Kongdoori. It suits skiers working the lower mountain and anyone whose objectives do not need Phase 2.
Sensible for:
- Beginners progressing past the lowest slopes
- Lower-intermediate skiers
- Anyone skiing around Kongdoori
- Skiers not planning to go up to the Apharwat area
- Anyone wanting a full day of Phase 1 laps
If your instructor or guide has built the day around Phase 1, there is no reason to pay for Phase 2. This is the most common way visitors overspend, and it happens because Phase 2 sounds like the better ticket rather than the different one.
Phase 2 full day: ₹2,500 international, ₹1,500 Indian
Phase 2 continues up towards the Mt Apharwat area and opens the high terrain Gulmarg is known for. For advanced and expert skiers who came here specifically for that, it is usually the ticket that matters.
Relevant for:
- Advanced and expert skiers
- Experienced snowboarders
- Powder and freeride skiers
- Anyone skiing with a guide on appropriate upper-mountain terrain
A Phase 2 ticket does not mean every line above or below Phase 2 is appropriate to ski. More on that below, because it is the most important paragraph on this page.
Single rides: ₹400 Phase 1, ₹550 Phase 2
Useful when you only need one ascent: a single lap to ski down, an afternoon start, or a day built around one objective.
The break-even is worth knowing before you decide.
| Day pass | Equivalent single rides | |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 2, international | ₹2,500 | 4.5 rides |
| Phase 2, Indian | ₹1,500 | 2.7 rides |
| Phase 1, international | ₹1,600 | 4 rides |
| Phase 1, Indian | ₹1,200 | 3 rides |
An Indian skier is ahead on a Phase 2 day pass after three laps. An international skier needs closer to five.
That matters more than it sounds, because a big day in Gulmarg is often four or five gondola laps rather than ten. The terrain is large, the descents are long, the altitude is real, and queues can be significant in peak season. If you expect three or four Phase 2 laps as an international skier, singles may work out the same or better, and they leave you free to stop when the weather turns.
Is the weekly Gulmarg Gondola pass worth it?
It breaks even at five Phase 2 days, which on a seven-day trip is roughly the ceiling rather than a safe assumption. For most one-week visitors it is a bet on the weather rather than a saving.
The arithmetic:
- International: ₹12,500 ÷ ₹2,500 = 5 Phase 2 days
- Indian: ₹7,500 ÷ ₹1,500 = 5 Phase 2 days
Ski Phase 2 on five full days and the weekly pass has paid for itself. Beyond that you are ahead.
Now the part the arithmetic does not show. On a seven-night trip you are unlikely to ski Phase 2 on seven days, because:
- Phase 2 goes on wind hold, and it does so routinely
- A 2nd or 4th Monday closure may take a day out (see below)
- Most people take a rest day, a lesson day, a lower-mountain day or a touring day
- Weather can close in for longer than a day
Five usable Phase 2 days out of seven is close to the maximum, not the expected case. Which means the weekly pass is not a discount. It is a wager that the gondola will run.
skigulmarg.com makes this point more bluntly and it is a fair one: they recommend against weekly passes altogether, on the grounds that in Gulmarg you never know when the gondola will open. We would put it slightly differently. The weekly pass is a reasonable buy if you are here for a longer stay, if you are confident of skiing Phase 2 most days, and if you accept that a bad weather week means you lose money. For a standard one-week holiday, day passes keep your options open at very little extra cost.
If you only ski Phase 1, do not buy a weekly pass
The break-even against Phase 1 day passes is 7.8 days for an international skier and 6.25 days for an Indian skier.
On a seven-day trip that is unreachable. A Phase 1 skier buying a weekly pass will almost always lose money, and it is a mistake nobody warns visitors about.
Work out your realistic days, not your nights
The number to divide by is not how many nights you are staying. It is how many days you honestly expect to ski Phase 2. Subtract your arrival day, your rest day, any planned lesson days on the lower mountain, and a realistic allowance for weather.
If that number is five or more, the weekly pass makes sense. If it is four, buy days.
What about a season pass?
A season pass is a different proposition entirely, aimed at people spending a substantial part of the winter here rather than visitors on a one-week holiday.
It can make sense for:
- Ski instructors and guides
- Local skiers
- Long-stay visitors and seasonal workers
- Anyone here for several weeks
- Skiers returning repeatedly across the winter
Ski-focused sources identify early January onward as the point at which a season pass becomes worth considering for a longer stay.
We have deliberately not estimated this figure. When you have the confirmed rate, the test is simple: divide it by the Phase 2 day rate for your category. That tells you how many ski days it takes to break even, and whether your trip realistically reaches that number.
The Kongdoori chairlift
₹300 per ride, the same for Indian and international visitors.
The chairlift is a separate lift-access option, running from the Kongdoori area up towards Mary's Shoulder. Depending on the day's snow, wind and where you intend to ski, it can be genuinely useful, and on days when Phase 2 is on hold it is sometimes the most valuable lift on the mountain.
The J&K Cable Car Corporation lists the Kongdori Chair Lift among its Gulmarg lift infrastructure.
What the chairlift actually reaches, and how it fits a day's skiing, is on the Gulmarg Gondola Ski Guide.
How to buy Gulmarg Gondola tickets
Book through the official J&K Cable Car Corporation system. The Corporation directs visitors to its official online ticketing and states plainly:
"Tourists and stakeholders are advised to book online and not to fall prey to touts or any other mischievous elements."
Source: J&K Cable Car Corporation
Official booking: etickets.jammukashmircablecar.com, J&K Cable Car Corporation
Before you travel, check the official system for:
- Current availability and time slots
- Current fares and ticket products
- Ticket conditions
- Operational notices
- Maintenance closures
Buying from anyone approaching you outside the station is how visitors get overcharged, and the Corporation's own warning is the clearest statement of that available. Tourist Safety in Gulmarg covers verifying who you are dealing with more broadly.
Timings
Reported gondola timings vary between sources, and we are not going to state one as official. Published figures range from a two-slot system running from 08:00 to 15:30, to Phase 1 operating roughly 09:00 to 16:00 with Phase 2 on a shorter window.
Check the official booking system for current timings before you travel. They change with the season and with conditions, and a figure printed on any travel website, including this one, is less reliable than the operator's own system on the day.
What matters practically for a skier: Phase 2 typically operates a shorter window than Phase 1, and the last uplift is earlier than you would expect. Plan your final Phase 2 lap well before you think you need to.
Maintenance closures
The Gulmarg Gondola is widely reported to close on the 2nd and 4th Monday of each month for preventive maintenance. This is consistently stated across independent sources, though we could not confirm it on the Corporation's own site at the time of writing.
Check the official system before finalising your dates.
Why it matters: on a seven-day trip, losing a day to a planned closure is a meaningful chunk of your skiing, and it changes the weekly-pass arithmetic above. If your trip spans a 2nd or 4th Monday, plan that day as a lesson day, a touring day, a lower-mountain day or a rest day rather than discovering it at the base station.
What happens on a wind-hold day?
A gondola ticket does not guarantee the lift runs. Strong wind, weather and operational issues affect gondola operations, and Phase 2 is held more often than Phase 1 because of its exposure.
For an expert skier who travelled here specifically for Phase 2 powder, this is frustrating. It is also normal, and it is part of what skiing in Gulmarg is.
The wrong response is to treat the ticket as a reason to ski terrain that is otherwise inappropriate. A ticket you have paid for is not an argument about snow stability, and "we paid for Phase 2" is one of the more reliable ways to talk yourself into a bad decision. Risk Management on the Mountain covers that trap properly.
The right response is to look at what is actually available:
- Whether Phase 1 is running
- Whether the chairlift is running
- Lower-mountain and tree terrain, which is often excellent on a windy day
- Current visibility and snow conditions
- Whether a touring or lower-angle objective makes more sense
A wind-hold day is not a lost day in Gulmarg. It is a different day, and the lower mountain in a storm can be the best skiing of a trip.
Do not confuse a ski pass with a sightseeing ticket
The Gulmarg Gondola is a two-stage ropeway operated by the J&K Cable Car Corporation, and it carries far more sightseers than skiers.
A visitor riding up for the views has a completely different objective from a skier ascending to ski down, and the ticket products reflect that. This is why fares quoted on general travel sites do not match the ones on this page.
If you are here to ski, make sure you are buying ski access. Check what the ticket covers, which phase it covers, and whether it is a single ride or a full day.
Which pass suits which skier?
| Skier | Starting point |
|---|---|
| Beginner | Phase 1, or beginner lift access on the lower slopes |
| Lower intermediate | Phase 1 |
| Intermediate | Phase 1 or Phase 2, depending on ability and conditions |
| Advanced | Phase 2 |
| Expert freeride skier | Phase 2 |
| Powder skier | Phase 2, conditions permitting |
| Snowboarder | Phase 1 or Phase 2 by ability |
| Skiing 3–4 Phase 2 laps in a day, international | Compare singles against the day pass |
| Long-stay skier, 5+ Phase 2 days | Compare weekly against days |
| Several weeks or a full winter | Season pass |
| Sightseeing visitor | A sightseeing gondola ticket, not a ski pass |
This is a starting point. Terrain and conditions decide what you actually ski.
One important thing about Phase 2
Phase 2 is not simply a higher version of Phase 1. The character of the mountain changes as you go up.
Above Phase 2 you are in natural alpine terrain where avalanche hazard exists, visibility deteriorates quickly, weather changes fast, navigation matters, and terrain consequences can be serious. Gulmarg Avalanche Center advisories band the alpine at 3,000 m and above, and the gondola top station sits at 3,980 m, so essentially everything you ski from Phase 2 is in that band.
A Phase 2 ticket is not a statement that the upper mountain is open or safe to ski.
The ticket gives you access. Your ability, the conditions and your decisions determine what you should ski.
- Mountain Safety in Gulmarg: what makes this mountain different from a resort
- Avalanche Safety in Gulmarg: the avalanche problem and the forecast
- Gulmarg Ski Guides: skiing the upper mountain with someone who knows it
2026 rates, published for the 2027 ski season
| Product | International | Indian / domestic |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 full day | ₹1,600 | ₹1,200 |
| Phase 2 full day | ₹2,500 | ₹1,500 |
| Weekly gondola pass | ₹12,500 | ₹7,500 |
| Phase 1 single ride | ₹400 | ₹400 |
| Phase 2 single ride | ₹550 | ₹550 |
| Kongdoori chairlift single ride | ₹300 | ₹300 |
| Season pass |
Pricing note. These are the 2026 rates supplied for publication as applicable to the 2027 ski season. Gondola operations, ticket products, tariffs, timings and terms can and do change. Verify current rates on the official J&K Cable Car Corporation booking system before purchase. Last updated August 2026.
Planning your skiing around the gondola
We run ski school and guiding operations off this lift every day of the season, and pass choice is part of trip planning rather than an afterthought. If you are not sure which product suits your week, tell us what you ski and what you are hoping to do here, and we will tell you honestly, including when the answer is the cheaper ticket.
Gulmarg Snowkings, founded 2006 by Shafat Ahmad Tantray and Bashir Ahmad Mir. J&K Tourism permit JKAT00005678, backcountry team certified through AIARE, Avalanche Canada and the Kashmir Avalanche Association, 2,500+ skiers guided from 40+ countries, zero avalanche accidents among our guided clients since 2006.
+91-9596300570, phone or WhatsApp.
Related: Gulmarg Gondola Ski Guide, Gulmarg Ski Terrain Guide, Ski & Snowboard Lessons in Gulmarg, Gulmarg Ski Packages