Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermatt, Switzerland

Zermat (sic) is a beautiful town in Switzerland where one can ski and see the Matterhorn.

Zermatt is a village located (46°1′ N 7°45′ E) at the northern base of the Matterhorn in the German-speaking and predominately Roman Catholic section of the Valais canton in southern Switzerland. It is 62 km southeast of Gstaad, and only about 10 km from the border with Italy.

Zermatt has a permanent population of around 4,000 people, although the actual population varies considerably through the seasons as tourists come and go. The village is situated at the end of a south-facing valley, at an altitude of 1620m (5315 ft). The valley is a dead end; although the border with Italy is close, it cannot be crossed by road, as it traverses a glacier at an altitude of over 3000m.

Zermatt in Winter
The paradise for skiers - snow guaranteed
Zermatt, with its wind-protected southern location, embraces three skiing areas which enjoy superb snow conditions and the longest skiing season in the Alps.

The 313 km of ski runs include slopes ranging from the simplest to the most challenging.

Easy access is provided by an extensive network of 74 transport facilities, with high-capacity cableways, mountain railways and ski-lifts (incl. Cervinia, Italy) capable of conveying up to 75700 passengers an hour.

This white wonderland and the magic of the Matterhorn combine to create endless opportunities for ski-tours and a vast variety of all-inclusive arrangements.

Zermatt in Summer (Hiking and mountain climbing)
Zermatt has many opportunities for hiking. There are numerous well-marked footpaths and walks (400 km in all) which will take you through pine-scented mountain forests, to the shores of calm Alpine lakes and to the ice-blue glaciers. Mountain railways make it easy to reach the high altitude rambling areas. There are many mountain cabins and restaurants ready to offer a warm welcome and a leisurely rest.

Alpine tourism was the beginning of Zermatt's development. Situated at the foot of the Matterhorn and surrounded by 38 fourthousend-meter high mountains, Zermatt has always been the beloved goal for mountain climbers from all over the world. The Zermatt Alpine Center organizes training sessions, day tours, glacier walks every day, while for longer tours there are 80 state-registered mountain guides available for our guests.
Summer skiing

Summer skiing is possible too, on the everlasting glacial snow at the foot of the Matterhorn, between 2900 and 3900 meters a.s.l. in the superb mountain scenery of Zermatt. A snowy expanse free from crowds, with 6 ski-lifts, 1 chair-lift and 21 km of well-marked and safe pistes, among them a downhill run of 7 km with a 999 m difference in altitude.

" Zermatt - the village without cars "

This idyllic mountain village at the foot of the Matterhorn has developed into one of the biggest summer and winter resorts. There are no motorised vehicles in Zermatt. Besides electrically-powered cars and bicycles, the only form of transport allowed is horse-drawn sleighs and carriages.

Location

Zermatt is located at the foot of the Matterhorn in the Valais Alps in the south of Switzerland at an altitude of 1,600m. above sea-level.

The resort lies at the end of the Vispa Valley, which is reached via the town of Visp.
38 of Europe's 76 four-thousand-metre peaks are in the area surrounding Zermatt. Zermatt's ski area is connected to the ski area of Cervinia (Italy) via the Theodul pass (3,300m.) and the Testa Grigia (3'480m.).

To Zermatt by train
There are direct train connections in Brig and Visp to the modern narrow-gauge Matterhorn Gotthard railway, which arrives in Zermatt after a 90-minute journey through the romantic, rugged Vispa Valley.
1. The SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)
2. The DB (German Railways)
3. The SNCF (French Railways)
4. ZRT Zermatt Rail Travel AG

5. Scenic train

The world-famous scenic train "Glacier Express" begins or ends its

journey in Zermatt: The Glacier Express (St. Moritz/Davos - Zermatt)

6. Express trains

a. The TGV from Paris
b. The Pau Casals from Barcelona
c. The CISALPINO from Milan/Venice
d. The ES from Rome/Naples
e. The ICE from Vienna
f. The ICE from Stuttgart
g. The ICE and CityNightLine from Hamburg/Berlin

To Zermatt by plane

Zermatt is just a few hours from the international airports of Zurich, Geneva, Basel and Milan and has its own heliport, operated by the Air Zermatt company.
Airport Transfer : by train , by taxi , by helicopter (taxi flights)
The ES from London via Paris (TGV)

Transport in the village
- Electrically-powered bus
Zermatt is a car-free resort
It is easy to get around in Zermatt. Most distances can easily be covered on foot.

- "Electro" buses
Zermatt has two routes with electrically-powered buses which serve all major intersections.

In winter the bus service is included in the ski-pass.

- "Electro" taxis and horse-drawn carriages
→ List of taxi companies
Bicycles and mountain bikes
Bicycles and mountain bikes can be rented in most sports shops.