Zermatt, the most complete 2024 guide
Welcome to Zermatt, one of the essential destinations if you are going to travel to Switzerland. In the middle of a bucolic valley, surrounded by peaks over 4,000 meters high and receding glaciers, you will find the town of Zermatt, which will welcome you with a main street full of flags, wooden facades and a tourist atmosphere that, despite being almost excessive, is unable to detract from its charm.
But the absolute protagonist of Zermatt is undoubtedly the Matterhorn, the perfect mountain, the kind any child would draw if you asked them to paint a mountain. Its silhouette emerging imposing over Zermatt is the most sought-after photo and, if the clouds allow it, I warn you that you won’t get tired of photographing it over and over again.
But Zermatt is much more than the Matterhorn. Zermatt offers a collection of attractions that are stunning and will make you never want to leave: hiking trails for everyone, snowy peaks, glaciers, forests, ski resorts, gorges, charming alpine villages, and even gorges and a suspension bridge.
If you go to Zermatt with children you will be spot on because it is an ideal destination for families. In my case, I was there in the middle of August with three children aged 6, 4 and 2 who enjoyed it to the fullest. Although some people only go for the day, I stayed four nights and still left things to see in Zermatt.
Where is Zermatt
To help you find your way, Zermatt is in the south of Switzerland, in the canton of Valais, already close to the border with Italy. So much so that its greatest attraction, Mount Matterhorn, serves as a natural border with the neighboring country. For this reason, this stone colossus, whose pyramidal shape is a total icon, is sometimes known by its Italian name, Cervino, and sometimes by its Swiss name, Matterhorn.
How to get to Zermatt
Zermatt’s privileged location, in the heart of the Alps and surrounded by peaks over 4,000 meters high, is its main attraction, but it also makes access to this alpine paradise somewhat peculiar. This is because it is not possible to reach Zermatt by car; it reminds you that it is a pedestrian village where no vehicles circulate, with the exception of small public transport buses for moving around within Zermatt and electric taxis that take you from the train station to hotels or other points in the village.
So if you are wondering how to get to Zermatt I can tell you that you can only access it by train. If you are going with your own vehicle or a rental car, you will have to leave the car parked (check the parking prices here) in the village of Täsch and there catch the shuttle train that in just 12 minutes drops you off in Zermatt. Täsch is about 6 kilometers from Zermatt and that will be the closest you can get by driving.
To reach Zermatt you can fly into Zurich, Geneva or Milan airports and then take the train to your final destination. However, the train is not direct in any of the three cases; you will have to make a transfer, which will usually be at the stations of Visp or Brig, depending on your origin. You can check specific information on which train combination is the best, as well as schedules and prices on the official website of the Swiss SBB railway network. Whether you arrive by train from any of these three airports, estimate in all cases that it will take you between 3 and 4 hours to reach Zermatt by train.
Besides needing the train to get to Zermatt, you will almost certainly continue using it during your stay there and for the rest of the days you travel to Switzerland, which is why you might be interested in buying the Swiss Travel Pass to save some money. If you don’t know what it is, here is a very comprehensive article where I tell you what it includes, how it works, and how much it costs.
Glacier Express, the panoramic train that takes you to Zermatt
Switzerland’s railway network is one of the best in the world and part of the ‘reason’ for that is the panoramic trains that cross the country from north to south passing through incredible places. Luckily, one of the most famous, perhaps the most famous, precisely takes you to Zermatt. It is the Glacier Express, the panoramic train that connects Saint Moritz with Zermatt for a journey of almost eight hours that you can divide, if you wish, over more than one day by staying at one of the intermediate stops. But if you prefer to do it all at once without waking up too early, you can take it from Saint Moritz at 8:50 AM and you will arrive in Zermatt at 5 PM. There is a restaurant car on board, of course, but if you don’t want to break the bank you can bring your own food on board.
Keep in mind that although it takes almost 8 hours, the distance it covers is only 290 kilometers. But the Glacier Express is the slowest express train in the world, but in this case, the slowness is part of its charm because it allows you to better contemplate the spectacular landscapes it passes through thanks to its panoramic windows. Get ready for a succession of lakes, forests, snowy peaks, tunnels, bridges and pay attention to the famous Oberalp Pass at an altitude of 2,033 m.
This famous train journey is not exactly cheap; the most economical second-class ticket in 2024 costs a whopping 191 Swiss francs. The good thing is that the Glacier Express is included in the Swiss Travel Pass, although you will be required to pay for the seat reservation, which costs 39 francs and rises to 49 francs in high season (from May 8 to October 24). As you can see, in this case buying the Swiss Travel Pass pays off and represents great savings.
What you save in Zermatt with the Swiss Travel Pass
In addition to saving on the expensive Glacier Express ticket as I just explained, if you arrive in Zermatt on a normal train you won’t have to pay anything extra.
Entering the Matterhorn Museum is totally free with the Swiss Travel Pass as you get free admission.
But what will interest you the most is that you save 50% on Zermatt mountain trains and cable cars . And this represents quite a bit of money, as you can see in the photo showing the summer 2023 prices. However, to apply this discount, keep in mind that you must buy the tickets directly at each ticket office and present your Swiss Travel Pass
To give you an idea, two of Zermatt’s most famous attractions, which are the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car and the Gornergrat rack railway, cost around 100 euros each, so with the Swiss Travel Pass you could go up both for the price of one since you will only pay 50% of the tickets. And so it adds up.
Where to sleep in Zermatt
where to sleep in Zermatt
Do you know how home exchange works?
If you have never heard of cooperative accommodation that allows you to travel around the world by staying in private homes while you leave yours, I invite you to read this article where I explain in detail how home swapping works.
I always use the platform HomeExchangee where for just an annual subscription of €160 (what in many cases would cost you one night in a hotel) you can do as many reciprocal exchanges as you want or as many as your guestpoints allow.
But if you prefer more traditional options such as a hotel or an apartment, don’t worry because the offer of accommodation in Zermatt is overwhelming, remember that you are in one of the most touristic places in Switzerland. To try to make it as economical as possible, I recommend trying to book as far in advance as possible to find better prices, choosing a room with a shared bathroom, or staying in a hostel like this one that even has views of the Matterhorn.
So you don’t waste hours searching, I have made a selection of three cheap hotels in Zermatt (understand cheap for the prices handled there which can reach €800 per night) but with good quality as they all have many reviews and a score of more than 8. I have tried to put a bit of everything to satisfy different needs:
–Hotel Garni Testa Grigia Finding rooms for less than €200 a night in Zermatt is quite a feat depending on the time you go. You might be able to achieve it here. It is also located right in the center and has earned a score of 9, so it looks very good.
–If you are traveling with children, need more space, or want to have a kitchen to save money by avoiding restaurants, take a look at Patricia Apartments which are very modern, comfortable, offer breakfast and, if you pay a supplement, you can access the pool and spa at the Alpen Resort Hotel. If I hadn’t found a swap home, this was my preferred candidate with the best price.
–Hotel Bahnhof This is one of the most in-demand hotels in Zermatt for those of us who don’t have money to spare. As you will see, it has very good and many reviews. In addition to not being very expensive, I like it because it has a communal kitchen that can be great for preparing dinner or making a snack to take on excursions. Oh, and if you go skiing in winter, they have a bus that drops you off at the nearest slope.
Are you prepared for what might happen?
Zermatt in 11 must-sees
After all this practical information for visiting Zermatt, now I’m finally going to tell you about the must-see places to see in Zermatt and where I was during my last trip to Switzerland with children. At the end, I’ll add other things to do in Zermatt that I didn’t get to do but that you need to know about.
And if you have time or are staying in the area for several days, below you will find more places to see near Zermatt. In my case, I spent four weeks in Switzerland based in Sion, in the same canton of Valais, so I took the opportunity to see more places in the surroundings of Zermatt.
Going up to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Without a doubt, this cable car is the jewel of Zermatt because, unless you are an experienced mountaineer, it is the way to get as close as possible to Mount Matterhorn or Cervino, the emblem of Zermatt and one could almost say of Switzerland along with the famous Jungfrau. If you have ever eaten a Toblerone chocolate bar you will know what I’m talking about because the silhouette of this pyramid-shaped mountain appeared, until recently, on all its wrappers.
Even if it’s summer, wrap up very well because on board the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car you will reach 3,883 meters in height, even exceeding the height of the Jungfrau, the colossus of Interlaken. There is the last stop, Klein Matterhorn, the highest cable car station in all of Europe. When planning your visit to Zermatt, keep in mind that just going all the way up will take you almost 40 minutes, plus another 40 to return (unless you choose to get off at one of the intermediate stations and walk back to Zermatt), that is, an hour for the journey alone plus all the time you decide to stay at the top later.
To take this cable car you have to go to the Zermatt Bergbahne station which is not the same as the train, nor the same as the Gornergrat, nor the same as the Sunnegga. It was hard for me to locate them all, so below in the Zermatt map I’ve marked them for you to make it clear. There you will take the gondola towards Furi which continues to Schwarzsee (there is a very beautiful lake), then to Trockener Steg where you will have to get off and take the Matterhorn Glacier Ride, a modern cable car that in eight minutes will drop you off at the final station Klein Matterhorn. Along the way, enjoy the alpine views which are beautiful, peaks everywhere such as the Breithorn peak, at 4,165m.
Once at the top, you can admire the south face of the famous Matterhorn or Cervino from the panoramic platform that offers amazing 360-degree views of many peaks, both Swiss and Italian, exceeding 4,000 meters in height and even, on clear days, you will see the summit of Mont Blanc, meaning you will have three countries within sight. Additionally, in the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise there is an underground cinema where you can watch various screenings about the Matterhorn, as well as the well-known Glacier Palace, an ice cave carved under the glacier with sculptures and frozen formations.
The price of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car costs from 95 to 120 francs round trip, depending on whether it is winter or summer. Remember, with the Swiss Travel Pass, you get a 50% discount.
Admire the Matterhorn up close from Trockener Steg
I didn’t make it all the way there and stayed at the threshold, at the previous station, Trockener Steg, at 2,939 meters high, because strong gusts of wind kept the last section to the summit closed. What at first seemed like a bad plan later turned into a great one.
From Trockner Steg, just by walking a few meters, you have a beautiful full panoramic view of the Matterhorn with the small lake left by the Theodul glacier.
If you are traveling with children, for example, it is better to stay there because they can run around without any problems, and going to a higher altitude, especially with the little ones, might not be a good idea. In my case, I went up alone without the children, who stayed in Zermatt, and I would have loved for them to enjoy this special place.
Get ready to hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
From this beautiful spot at Trockener Steg starts the hiking trail Matterhorn Glacier Trail that goes down to the Schwarzsee lake passing very close to the glacier.
Although it can only be done in summer, go well prepared for the cold because even in those warmer months there could still be some snow.
It’s just under seven kilometers of descent that will take you about two hours. Once you arrive, rest while watching the activity of the mountaineers planning to climb the Matterhorn from the Hörnlihütte hut. You will also find a restaurant to recharge your batteries, if your wallet allows it. To return to Zermatt, take the downhill cable car at the nearby Schwarzsee station.
The Gornergrat train, a must in Zermatt
The Gornergrat rack railway departs from the center of Zermatt and should definitely be on your list of things to do in Zermatt. This historic train has been sparking smiles and looks of wonder in everyone lucky enough to ride it since 1898. It was Switzerland’s first electric train and offers beautiful views throughout the journey. We even saw marmots through the window!
This train makes various stops until the last one, which is Gornergrat at 3,089 meters high. There you will find a panoramic viewpoint incredible with peaks over 4,000 meters everywhere, such as Monte Rosa, and of course the almost omnipresent Matterhorn.
astronomical observatory,
Gorner Glacier.
A short circular walk of only 500 meters will give you unforgettable 360-degree views.
If you feel like walking more, from there you can walk down to the previous stop, the Rotenboden station at 2,815 meters high. Whether you arrive on foot or by train, Rotenboden is another top place to see in Zermatt. Keep reading.
The price of the Gornergrat rack railway is 101 francs round trip. Yes, it’s expensive, but the landscape is truly worth it. Remember that with the Swiss Travel Pass you save 50%.
This historic train, easily recognizable by its maroon color, has its own Gornergrat Bahn station, located on a corner just opposite the main train station (the one you arrived at first). At that link, you have the exact location. In summer there can be some queuing, so go with time.
Riffelsee, the most beautiful lake in Zermatt
If there is an iconic place from which to contemplate the Matterhorn or Cervino, it is, without a doubt, Lake Riffelsee, whose glacial waters become the perfect mirror to reflect the mountain.
If you brought a sandwich or something to snack on, this is certainly the perfect place to sit on the ground and enjoy the views at your own pace.
Rotenboden station
Riffelberg
This summer of 2023, they were opening a botanical circular route to show you the different alpine flowers that grow in the surroundings of Zermatt. It departs right from Rotenboden station and will take you only half an hour to complete it.
Sunnega, lots to do
Look for another different new station in Zermatt to take the underground funicular that ascends to Sunnega, at 2,288 meters, another essential place that you can’t miss. From there, as you are seeing happens with almost all ascents, there is a lot to do—so much so that we went up two days.
The round-trip funicular to Sunnega costs 28.50 Swiss francs. Once again, with the Swiss Travel Pass, you save 50%.
Take note, as I will tell you everything you can do once you arrive in Sunnega. Once you step outside, you encounter the silhouette of the Matterhorn again, which you can contemplate while eating something on the panoramic restaurant terrace that is there.
Meanwhile, you can decide your next steps: stay in Sunnega or take another cable car up to Blauherd. Once there, more decisions: do the 5 Lakes hike or continue ascending by another cable car to the top of Rothorn. I’ll tell you about all these options in detail, starting with those offered by Sunnega.
Save money with the Swiss Travel Pass
This Swiss transport pass is perfect for getting around by train. It also includes buses, trams, metro, discounts on cable cars and mountain trains, and free access to museums and attractions.
Resting in Wolli Park, the most spectacular playground in Zermatt
Whether or not you go to Zermatt with children, it’s worth visiting the Wolli Park playground, named after Wolli the little sheep, who is something like the mascot of Zermatt. It’s right next to the station where the Sunnegga funicular drops you off.
The park is beautiful just for the incredible views of the Matterhorn. In fact, I would tell you that if your budget is very tight and you can only go up to one of all the places I’m telling you about, I would choose Sunnegga. It’s by far the cheapest ascent and the panoramic view of the Matterhorn is also very beautiful.
The park, in addition to the slides and swings area that is more traditional, has a water circuit where children will have a great time. Bring a change of clothes so they don’t suffer and don’t get cold afterwards.
Just right next to it, there is a small open wooden shelter with picnic tables for eating (that’s what we did) and even a barbecue area with firewood included which unfortunately was closed because there was a risk of fires this summer.
To keep the fun going, in the lake there is a wooden platform that takes you from one shore to the other just by pulling the rope. Fun for children and the not-so-young, I can attest to that. In summer, if you dare, you can take a dip in the lake.
Route to Zermatt through an alpine village
One of the best activities to do in Zermatt is hiking, as you can see there are routes everywhere, for all levels, including some adapted for people in wheelchairs, reduced mobility, or strollers. Ask specifically for them at the Tourist Office located next to the train station. In this link, I leave you all the hiking routes in Zermatt.
In this case, from Sunnegga, and since we were with three very young children, we chose to do the route that goes down to Zermatt from Sunnegga passing near the alpine village of Findeln. A scene of most bucolic little wooden houses that will make you feel like Heidi.
It will take you two hours to reach Zermatt while you contemplate the Matterhorn again and enter a beautiful forest. It’s an easy route, but obviously you need good mountain shoes that grip well because there are areas with many loose stones, roots, and going down it’s easy to fall.
5 Lakes Route, another Zermatt essential
Now it’s the turn of another very famous hiking route in Zermatt. The 5 Lakes route begins in Blauherd at 2,571 meters high. To get there, you have to take the funicular to Sunnegga and from there the cable car to Blauherd. The price to go up to Blauherd from Zermatt is 58.50 francs round trip. Again, you save 50% if you have the Swiss Travel Pass.
The Zermatt 5 Lakes Trail as its own name indicates, passes through different lakes: Stellisee, Grindjisee, Grünsee, Moosjisee and Leisee. They are all different.
The trail is very well signposted, so there is no getting lost. It will take you about two and a half hours to complete the almost ten kilometers of the route, although it will be more because you will stop to take many photos.
It is a great route to do with children because also, in summer, you can swim in Lake Leisse, and there is also a small playground.
However, we stopped halfway just after starting because the sky threatened rain and it was too many kilometers to risk it with the three little ones. On the shore of Stellisee we decided to turn back.
Ruta de las marmotas
The alternative we chose to do in Blauherd given the rain clouds, was to do the marmot trail that goes down from Blauherd to Sunnega. It is an easy trail although you have to be careful because there is a lot of loose stone and the occasional steep fall. If you go with a baby, the baby carrier backpack will help.
It is just under four kilometers downhill which will take you around an hour and a quarter. Although everything will depend on how much you are entertained by the marmots you find along the way.
In our case, there were quite few and seen from very far away. Even so, the route is very beautiful with views of the Matterhorn, which this time, like the marmots, was also rarely seen as it was covered by clouds. Where we did see this alpine animal, many of them, and very close up, was on the Spielboden marmot trail, in the nearby Saas-Fee valley. Take note!
Along the trail, there are several explanatory panels about the life of marmots and also wooden sculptures of the different animals that inhabit the Zermatt valley. recom
Ascender al Rothorn
Another plan you can do from Sunnega is to take the large cable car that takes you up to Rothorn, at more than 3,100 meters high. Getting to Rothorn from Zermatt will cost you 81.50 francs round trip, half if you have the Swiss Travel Pass.
A good piece of advice, both for going up here and to any other peak in Zermatt, is that you always check the weather conditions beforehand because you might see practically nothing when you get to the top.
That is exactly what happened to me when I reached Rothorn; I didn’t see much because there were too many clouds. If the day is clear, you can see the entire Zermatt valley from the top, including the Matterhorn, of course, and another good handful of peaks and glaciers.
Additionally, it happened that in this summer of 2023 there were construction works, so the view was a bit bleak. But if you are luckier, you will be able to enjoy it, and even if you like hiking and feel strong enough, you can take the trail that goes up to the Oberrothorn, at 3,415 meters high.
Exploring the center of Zermatt
Okay, it’s not all about going up and up the mountain. Set aside some time to get to know the center of Zermatt, crossed by the Vispa river, which also has its charm. Wherever you go, you will end up strolling along Bahnhofstrasse, the main street of Zermatt and its commercial artery full of restaurants and all kinds of shops.
Continue the walk along Hinterdofstrasse, a picturesque street that takes you back to Zermatt’s past with old wooden barns crowded together and flowers everywhere.
It is also worth visiting St. Mauritius Church next to which some mountaineers who died attempting to summit the Matterhorn are buried.
Cross the Kirchbrücke bridge to photograph the Matterhorn once again and look for a musician in the squares playing the famous alphorn.
Zermatt with children
Although you have already seen quite a few great plans to do in Zermatt with children, such as playing in the Wolli park in Sunnega, looking for marmots, or simply having a picnic in front of the Matterhorn by taking the Gornergrat train, here are more ideas.
-Wolli Wonderland themed trail
In Switzerland, they know very well how to motivate children to walk through nature and the Wolli children’s trail in Zermatt is the best example.
Along a trail that crosses the forest, you will find up to 17 stops where the little ones will have to complete missions or solve riddles to help Wolli the sheep, Zermatt’s mascot.
Although you can obviously walk the trail for free (on Google Maps you will see it marked as Riedweg), to do all these challenges you need a box that costs 25 francs and is for sale at the Zermatt tourist office. Inside you will find all the accessories that the children will use along the way.
What is not included is a map with directions on how to get to the start of the route. Note that it is not that simple. In summer, the fastest way to get there is to go to Sunnega station, enter as if you were going to get on the cable car and, before that, you will see a tunnel that exits to the left. Go through there, go up in the elevator that you will find and turn left upon exiting. From there you have about 15 minutes of walking uphill (yes, the beginning is a bit discouraging but it’s worth it) until the start of the themed trail that goes off to the right. It is not very well signposted, so I’m leaving you the complete map of the route including how to get there and how to return to Zermatt.
My kids had a great time. It is accessible with a stroller as long as it has large wheels. But keep in mind that there is a good climb before starting and that to return you will have to retrace the entire path. If you don’t have a stroller, the route becomes circular. The themed stations as such end right next to the tracks where the Gornergrat train. Once there, cross the tracks and take the path that goes down to Zermatt.
-Zermatt playground
Save some free time for the little ones to enjoy the playground with views of the Matterhorn in the center of Zermatt. Swings, climbing tower, trampoline, wooden playhouse… it has everything. Further along there was another smaller one, but this one known as Obere Matten, next to the tennis courts, was the most popular.
-Treasure hunt
Another route to do in Zermatt with children, this time for free, is the treasure hunt. You will have to go to the tourist office and ask for the map that will take you through the center of Zermatt. The children will look for clues that, as they solve them, will give them numbers to get the final combination that opens the padlock of the treasure chest in the tourist office itself.
What’s inside? I can’t tell you because when the little ones finished, the tourism office was already closed.
-Save money
You should know that in Zermatt children under 9 years old don’t pay anything for the cable cars, nor for the funicular or the Gornergrat train. Furthermore, from 9 to 16 years old they get a 50% discount on the fare.
If your plan is to go in winter to slide down the slopes, children under 9 years old ski for free in Zermatt.
Discount on your eSIM for Switzerland
More plans of things to do in Zermatt
Despite staying for four nights, I still left things to see in Zermatt. I’ll leave them here for you to keep in mind when planning your visit to Zermatt.
-Matterhorn Museum
This museum is one of the key places in Zermatt if you want to learn about its past. Here you will see what life was like in the 19th century, you will see replicas of old wooden houses, you will learn about some of the most famous expeditions to the Matterhorn, you will review the history of skiing and learn many things about this emblematic mountain.
The price of the Matterhorn Museum is 12 francs per adult, 7 francs for children aged 10 to 16, and free for children under 9. Admission is included in the Swiss Travel Pass. Watch out for the opening hours as it is closed in the morning and only opens from 3 pm to 6 pm, and in the summer from 2 pm to 6 pm. Even so, verify the schedule here for the date you go.
-Gorner River Gorge
9:15 AM to 5:45 PM
-Getting lost in the village of Blatten
There are several villages or small clusters of wooden houses scattered throughout the Zermatt valley. The village of Blatten is very close to Zermatt and you can walk there after visiting the Gorner Gorge.
–Crossing the Furi suspension bridge and seeing the Dosen glacier garden
When to visit Zermatt?
You can visit Zermatt at any time of the year. If you’re interested in skiing, obviously winter is the best season when the entire Zermatt ski area is open.
But if you want to enjoy all the places you’ve seen here,I recommend going to Zermatt in summer.It’s during the warmest months when you can be sure that all the trails and cable cars are open, and you can even take a dip in the lakes. Obviously, there is much more tourism and hotel prices in Zermatt go up. Even so, I was there in the middle of August and I wasn’t overwhelmed by the crowds.
I think thata good time to visit Zermatt can be June or late Septemberwhen there won’t be so many people, prices are more moderate, and everything is open.
As I mentioned before,I advise you to go to Zermatt for several daysto be able to enjoy everything there is at leisure. If you’re going without children, maybe two days is enough in summer because there are more daylight hours and you can combine ascents. Just keep in mind the cable car descent schedules because many finish around 5 PM.
If you go to Zermatt with children, at least three nights because the pace is slower and they will want to play and play.
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