Zermatt & the Matterhorn

Getting in: the car-free rule is real

Zermatt does not allow combustion cars. Drivers park at the multi-storey terminal in Täsch and take the shuttle train up the last stretch of valley, which runs frequently through the day and takes only a few minutes. Rail travellers change at Visp onto the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, a metre-gauge line that climbs the Mattertal past St. Niklaus and Randa. From the Bernese Oberland the whole journey is roughly two hours; from Geneva it is closer to three and a half with one or two changes.

In the village itself, movement is on foot or by small electric taxi. Hotels will meet guests at the station with an electric cart if you ask in advance — worth arranging if you are carrying heavy luggage, because the village is longer than it looks on a map.

The three directions, and how to choose

With two full days, the sensible split is Gornergrat on the clearer morning and Sunnegga or a valley walk on the other. Add Glacier Paradise only if glacier scenery and permanent snow are specifically what you came for, or if you intend to cross the watershed into Italy on the Alpine Crossing, which links Zermatt with Cervinia by lift and requires border documents.

Walks that use the lifts intelligently

• Rotenboden to Riffelberg — descend one stop from the Gornergrat line past the Riffelsee, the small tarn that reflects the Matterhorn on windless mornings. Around an hour, mostly downhill, and the single highest-value walk in the valley.
• The 5 Lakes Walk — a loop from Blauherd via Stellisee, Grindjisee, Grünsee, Moosjisee and Leisee to Sunnegga, with reflections in several of them. Half a day at an easy pace.
• Gorner Gorge — a boardwalk through a narrow slot just outside the village. Short, shaded and a good rain option, though it operates seasonally.
• Europaweg towards Randa — a serious high-level route on the valley's eastern flank, with a long pedestrian suspension bridge near Randa. This is exposed mountain terrain, not a stroll; check conditions and closures before setting out.

Timing: seasons and the light

Zermatt has two high seasons, winter for skiing and July to September for walking, separated by two quiet shoulder periods. Those shoulders are the trap. In late spring and in November many lifts, mountain restaurants and some hotels close for maintenance, the higher walking trails may still be under snow, and the village can feel shut. If your dates fall in those windows, verify each individual lift's operating calendar rather than assuming the resort as a whole is open.

For photography, the Matterhorn's east face catches the first light, which is why the Gornergrat sunrise service that runs on selected summer dates is so popular. Failing that, the earliest scheduled train up still puts you on the ridge well before the crowds and before the afternoon cloud that commonly builds around the summit from midday onwards.

Honest trade-offs

Onward from the valley

Zermatt is the western terminus of the Glacier Express, the slow panoramic service to St. Moritz that takes most of a day and requires a seat reservation. The same route can be ridden in stages on ordinary regional trains at your own pace, which many travellers prefer. Either way it leads into the west-to-east traverse. If you are heading back north instead, the line through Visp connects towards Bern, Interlaken and the Jungfrau region.

Work out the ticketing before you arrive — the rail planning guide explains which discounts commonly apply to mountain railways and where reservations are compulsory.