Zermatt village
First-timersThe main street and the station: restaurants, shops and most of the beds.
Zermatt city guide
Things To Do In Zermatt
A car-free mountain village under the Matterhorn, with Europe's highest cable car station above it, skiing on a glacier all year, and the most photographed mountain in the Alps at the end of the main street.
1
Hostels in the city
8.2
Average, from 3,571 reviews
4,478 m
The Matterhorn
3,883 m
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Europe's highest cable car station
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Petrol cars in the village
A car-free village with the Alps' most famous mountain at the end of the street
Zermatt is a village at the head of a valley in the canton of Valais, and it is car-free: you arrive by train, and within the village you walk or take small electric taxis.
At the end of almost every street stands the Matterhorn, 4,478 metres, the pyramid that everyone recognises. It was first climbed in 1865, a first ascent that ended with four of the seven climbers killed on the way down, and the mountain has claimed more than five hundred lives since.
Above the village, a network of railways and cable cars reaches extraordinary height. The Gornergrat railway climbs to over 3,000 metres for a panorama of the Matterhorn and the Gorner glacier. Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, at 3,883 metres, is the highest cable car station in Europe, and its glacier allows skiing all year round.
It is very expensive and very beautiful. The Glacier Express, a panoramic train, runs from here to St Moritz.
Two or three days, and the weather decides everything.
Where to stay
A single car-free village strung along the valley floor.
Täsch
ValueThe village down the valley where drivers park, with cheaper beds and a twelve-minute shuttle train.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 1 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Zermatt
Take the Gornergrat railway, a cog line opened in 1898 that climbs to over 3,000 metres. At the top you look straight at the Matterhorn with the Gorner glacier below and more than twenty four-thousand-metre peaks around you. It is expensive; the Swiss Travel Pass gives a discount.
Go to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, at 3,883 metres, the highest cable car station in Europe, for the glacier palace and year-round skiing. Take the altitude seriously.
Walk the Five Lakes trail, from Blauherd, which passes five mountain lakes — Stellisee is the one where the Matterhorn reflects in still water on a calm morning.
Visit the Matterhorn Museum in the village, which tells the story of the first ascent in 1865 and its disaster.
Walk the mountaineers' cemetery by the church, where many of those killed on the surrounding peaks are buried.
Take the Glacier Express to St Moritz if you have a day to spend on a slow panoramic train.
Free things
Free things to do in Zermatt
The view of the Matterhorn from the village is free, and from the bridge over the Vispa near the church it is the classic shot.
The mountaineers' cemetery is free.
The hiking trails around the valley are free — it is the lifts and railways that cost. Walking up to Zmutt, an old hamlet above the village, is free and beautiful.
The old part of the village, Hinterdorf, with its traditional larch-wood barns on stone stilts to keep out mice, is free to walk.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Zermatt
Among the most expensive places to eat in Switzerland. A main is CHF 32 to 50 (about €34–53).
Raclette and fondue are Valais traditions — raclette in particular comes from this canton.
Mountain restaurants on the ski slopes and trails are expensive but spectacularly placed.
Coop and Migros in the village are the budget answer, and many visitors self-cater.
A beer is CHF 8 to 11 (about €8.50–11.50).
Nightlife
Going out in Zermatt
Après-ski in winter is the main event, with bars on the slopes and in the village busy from mid-afternoon.
In summer it is quieter, with climbers and hikers going to bed early.
A beer is CHF 8 to 11, and cocktails more.
It is a mountain village first; the nightlife follows the ski season.
Getting around
Getting around Zermatt
Zermatt is car-free. Arrive by train via Visp, or drive to Täsch and take the shuttle train, about twelve minutes.
Within the village, walk or use the electric buses and taxis.
The Gornergrat railway and the cable cars to Glacier Paradise and Sunnegga leave from the village.
The Glacier Express runs to St Moritz in about eight hours, and is famous for being slow — it is a sightseeing train rather than a fast connection.
The Swiss Travel Pass covers the train to Zermatt and discounts the mountain railways.
Costs
What Zermatt costs
Among the most expensive places in Switzerland. Beds are CHF 50 to 110 (about €53–117), a main CHF 32 to 50, and a beer CHF 8 to 11.
A day is €110 to €180 before lifts.
The mountain railways and cable cars are the main cost, and a ski pass is expensive.
Staying in Täsch saves on beds.
The walking is free, and the Matterhorn from the village costs nothing.
Safety
Staying safe in Zermatt
Crime is negligible. The risks are altitude and mountains, and they are serious.
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, at 3,883 metres, is reached by cable car in about forty minutes, which is far faster than the body can adjust to. Headaches, dizziness and nausea are common. Move slowly at the top, drink water, and go down if you feel unwell.
The Matterhorn has killed more than five hundred climbers. Climbing it is for experienced mountaineers with a guide, not a bucket-list add-on.
Never go onto a glacier without a guide. Crevasses are hidden under snow.
Weather changes fast. Check forecasts and webcams.
Emergency number is 112, and Swiss mountain rescue, Rega, is 1414.
Day trips from Zermatt
Glaciers, a panoramic railway and a slow train across the Alps.
Gornergrat
Over 3,000 m, facing the Matterhorn and the Gorner glacier.
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Europe's highest cable car station, at 3,883 m.
Five Lakes walk
Five mountain lakes, one reflecting the Matterhorn.
Saas-Fee
Another car-free village, ringed by glaciers.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Skiing on a glacier in August, and the mountain that defines everything.
Staff pick
10–13 December
Magic Mountain
Magic Mountain in Zermatt, Switzerland, is an annual electronic music and art festival that transforms the alpine town into a hub of creativity and…
27 Jun – 10 Oct
Folklore Music Weeks
Zermatt Folklore Music Weeks is a unique event where attendees can immerse themselves in the rich, local culture by watching numerous folkloric groups perform…
30 Jun – 13 Oct
Guided Village Tour With A Tasting
Curious minds will be delighted by the village tour, where they'll learn about the unique architecture of Valais barns, the pre-tourism livelihoods of Zermatt's…
3 October
Mountain Drinks Battle
Two teams, Adler Hitta and Winestories, bring their best wines and drinks for you to judge. The event includes a flying 5-course lunch accompanied…
7 October
ALTO Trail Weekly Runs
ALTO TRAIL Club & Lab is CERVO’s alpine trail running hub created with mountain guide Martin Anthamatten. You can join a group run every…
14 October
Alto Trail Weekly Runs
ALTO Trail Weekly Runs is a community-focused alpine trail running event hosted by CERVO in collaboration with mountain guide Martin Anthamatten. You can join…
Hostels
Where to stay in Zermatt
A small, expensive scene in the village; Täsch is cheaper. Live from Hostelworld.
When to go
July to September for hiking, December to April for skiing. The glacier allows skiing year-round.
Jan
Ski season
Feb
Best ski conditions
Mar
Spring skiing, long days
Apr
Late season skiing
May
Between seasons
Jun
Hiking opens
Jul
The best hiking month
Aug
Warm and busy
Sep
Clear air, fewer people
Oct
Autumn, lifts closing
Nov
Between seasons
Dec
Ski season opens
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average village highs at about 1,600 m. The summits are far colder. The Matterhorn is often hidden by cloud — mornings are usually clearest.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros — you will pay in Swiss francs, at roughly 1.06 euros to the franc.
Shown in euros for comparison; you pay in Swiss francs. The doing line is mountain railways and lifts, which set the budget here.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Zermatt travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Can I drive to Zermatt?
No — the village is car-free. Drive to Täsch and take the shuttle train, about twelve minutes, or arrive by train via Visp.
Will I get altitude sickness?
Possibly, at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. It is 3,883 metres, reached by cable car in about forty minutes, which is much faster than the body adjusts to. Move slowly at the top, drink water, and go down if you feel unwell.
Can I climb the Matterhorn?
Only as an experienced mountaineer with a guide. It has killed more than five hundred climbers since the first ascent in 1865, which itself ended with four of the seven climbers dying on the descent.
Gornergrat or Glacier Paradise?
Gornergrat for the classic view of the Matterhorn and the glacier, by historic cog railway. Glacier Paradise for extreme height and year-round glacier skiing. Both are expensive; check the webcams.
Where do I see the Matterhorn reflected?
At Stellisee, on the Five Lakes walk from Blauherd, on a calm morning.
How expensive is it?
Among the most expensive places in Switzerland. Beds CHF 50 to 110 (about €53–117), and a day around €110 to €180 before lifts. Staying in Täsch helps.
What is the Glacier Express?
A panoramic train from Zermatt to St Moritz, taking about eight hours. It is famously slow — a sightseeing journey rather than a connection.
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