17 Best Things to Do In Zermatt (+ Complete Zermatt Travel Guide!)
Are you looking for the best things to do in Zermatt this summer? We’ve got you covered! In this guide, we’ll share all our favorite things to do in Zermatt, including how to visit the three main mountain areas (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, and Rothorn), how to experience the best Zermatt hikes, and how to find the best views of the Matterhorn. We’ll also share a complete guide to visiting Zermatt in the summer, including how to get there, how to get around, what passes you’ll need, what to bring, how much it costs to visit Zermatt, and much more!
Many people will recognize pictures of the Matterhorn with its iconic triangular shape and pointed top, often seen towering over idyllic meadows, reflecting perfectly in a still lake, or providing an iconic evening backdrop above a glistening town of lights. But many might not know where to find this epic scenery or know about all the incredible things to do once you’re there!
The famous Matterhorn can be found in the small mountain town of Zermatt, Switzerland. This idyllic mountain town is tucked in a valley along the Swiss-Italian border, and it’s a must-visit on any Switzerland itinerary!
Though the views of the iconic Matterhorn alone are worth the trip, there are tons of amazing things to do in Zermatt that will make you want to put this scenic town on your bucketlist- especially if you’re looking for a place with outdoor adventure, amazing hiking trails, and epic alpine views. Zermatt has all of that and more, from scenic train and cable cars rides to epic hikes with up-close views of the Matterhorn, from underground ice palaces to the highest viewing platform in Europe, from flying down the hillside on mountain carts to searching for unique blacknose sheep, from relaxing and dining at gourmet restaurants to experiencing more adventurous activities like paragliding or summer skiing…
Phew, that’s a lot!
In this guide, we want to share all our favorite things to do in Zermatt to help you plan your perfect trip! Though Zermatt can be visited year-round and is a great winter destination for skiiers, our guide focuses on visiting Zermatt in the summer, when all the amazing hiking trails and viewing terraces are accessible.
We’ll also share a complete travel guide for visiting Zermatt in the summer, answering all the key questions for planning your perfect trip, like- how do you I get to Zermatt? How do I get around when I’m there? What passes do I need for Zermatt? How expensive is Zermatt? And much more!
Between all the trails, cable cars, viewpoints, and passes, planning a trip to Zermatt might seem a bit overwhelming (trust us- we get it!), but with this guide, we hope to make it all a bit easier.
So, let’s get to it!
In this Zermatt guide:
Things to Do in Zermatt, Switzerland
While it’s a relatively small mountain village, there are a lot of amazing things to do in Zermatt, especially if you love hiking, mountain views, and outdoor adventures!
When talking about the best things to do in Zermatt, most of them focus around three main excursion sites. These sites are located on three separate peaks around Zermatt, and to get to them, you’ll take a combination of cogwheel trains, gondolas, cable cars, and funiculars!
Riding the lifts will get you to all the best things to do in Zermatt, plus they have amazing views!
The bottom stations for each set of lifts to these three peaks can be found right in Zermatt, so they are easy to walk to, or take an e-taxi to if needed (Zermatt is a car-free town, but more on that later!). On the way up each peak, there are various stops at different midstations where you can get off to explore and enjoy the views, or you can just head straight to the top.
The three main peaks in Zermatt are:
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (on top of the Klein Matterhorn)
Gornergrat
Rothorn
For this guide, we’ll be focusing mostly on these three sites, since most of the best things to do in Zermatt (like sightseeing, viewing the Matterhorn, hiking, and enjoying lunch at mountain restaurants) are located on these mountains. But at the end, we’ll also give a couple additional things you can do in Zermatt with some extra time.
For each of Zermatt’s excursion sites, we’ll briefly go over how to get there and where to buy tickets as well as outline the best things to do on each peak, but be sure to head to our more detailed guides that we have for each of Zermatt’s main mountains for tons more information about the cable car routes, tickets, prices, schedules and things to do at each station stop along the way!
Guide to Visiting Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Guide to Visiting Gornergrat
Guide to Visiting Rothorn
Later on in our Zermatt Guide down below, we’ll go into more details about the logistics of visiting Zermatt, such as which travel passes might be useful for traveling in Zermatt, the best time to visit Zermatt, how much it costs to visit Zermatt, how to get around town, and more.
Best things to do in Zermatt: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Views from the terrace at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is a high mountain station sitting at what feels like the top of the world- well, it’s at 3,883 meters (12,740 feet), which might not be the top of the world, but it is actually the highest mountain station in Europe!
The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise sits on the summit of a peak called the Klein Matterhorn, and a visit here is definitely one of the most popular things to do in Zermatt. Up here, you’re high up in the frigid alpine environment, with views over an endless sea of jagged peaks and glaciers across three different countries (France, Switzerland, and Italy)!
Looking from the cable car up towards the summit of the Klein Matterhorn on the way to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
To get to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, you’ll ride a series of gondolas and cable cars from Zermatt to the summit. Along the way, there a few different stations where you can hop off to explore. These include: Furi, Schwarzsee, and Trockener Steg. Each station has its own set of experiences, views, and hiking trails worth exploring.
Riding the cable cars up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
In this guide, we’ll go over some of the highlights of taking the cable cars to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, but make sure to head over to our Matterhorn Glacier Paradise guide for tons more information and details about how to visit!
Here is a list of some of the best things to do in Zermatt located on this amazing cable car route!
Spend some time at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
The main attraction of this Zermatt cable car route is the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise that sits at the top of the Klein Matterhorn, and a visit to this site is definitely one of the most popular things to do in Zermatt.
The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise has the highest viewing platform in all of Europe- so you can bet you’ll get stunning views over the Alps!
But there’s more to do up here than just sightsee! Here are some of the best things you can do at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
Take in views- An elevator brings you to the highest viewing platform in Europe, with 360 degree panoramic views of peaks across not only Switzerland, but France and Italy as well. From up here, you get a unique view of the Matterhorn, and on a clear day, you can also see Mont Blanc in France, and the peaks of the popular Jungfrau region of Switzerland! When we visited, the mountains were covered in a layer of fresh snow which made the view that much more stunning, but regardless of when you go, the views from up here are truly incredible.
Matterhorn views from the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise viewing terrace
Endless mountain views!
Visit the Glacier Palace- Located 15 meters underneath the ground is a beautiful ice cave below the Theodul Glacier on the Klein Matterhorn. You’ll walk along beautiful ice walkways and see both manmade ice sculptures as well as naturally formed ice formations. We skipped this experience, but we heard it’s really cool (pun intended- because yes, it’s cold up here!) and something very unique to do, so if you have the time, we definitely recommend checking this out while you’re up here!
Hang out in the Cinema Lounge- If you need a break from the cold weather, you can hang out (quite literally) at the cinema lounge by relaxing in a hanging pod chair and watching a series of short films on the area, mountaineering, and the Alps.
Eat!- Have a bite to eat at the highest mountain restaurant in Europe (talk about lunch with a view!).
Oh, and there’s one more pretty neat thing you can do at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, which is next on our list…
Go skiing in the summer
Never thought you could ski in the summer? At Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, it’s possible, and it’s definitely a unique thing to do in Zermatt. The Klein Matterhorn has snow year-round and is home to Europe’s highest summer ski resort!
You can see a line of skiers heading up to the top of the ski slopes!
You can find more information about the Summer Snow Park on the Klein Matterhorn, including tickets and prices, here.
Hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
The Matterhorn Glacier Trail was our absolute favorite hike in Zermatt. This 6 km (3.8 mile) point-to-point trail begins at Trockener Steg and ends at Schwarzee. Along the way, you’ll walk through a moon-like landscape with non-stop in-your-face views of the Matterhorn the entire way. The trail can get a bit rugged in places, plus it’s mostly downhill and not too strenuous.
Hiking the Matterhorn Glacier Trail beneath the Matterhorn- one of the best hikes in Zermatt!
On a calm and clear day, you’ll catch lots of Matterhorn reflections on the trail’s many lakes!
Hike to the Hornlihutte
One of our favorite things we did in Zermatt was hike to the Hornlihutte. This hut sits at 3,260 meters (10,700 feet) at the foot of the Matterhorn, and is used as base for mountaineers looking to summit the famous peak.
The Hornlihutte sits right at the base of the Matterhorn!
The trail to the Hornlihutte is a detour off the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, so can be started at either Trockener Steg or Schwarzsee. Once off the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, the hike to the Hornlihuttte becomes steep and strenuous, with lots of exposed sections, loose rock, ladders, and metal steps, so it’s definitely not for the faint of heart. This combined with the high altitude certainly make this hike a challenge. But the views from this trail are absolutely stunning, and you’ll end up as close to the Matterhorn as you can possibly get as a non-mountaineer!
The Hornlihutte hike is filled with interesting trail features and epic Matterhorn views
At the hut, you can enjoy a bite to eat at the restaurant before retracing your steps back to the Matterhorn Glacier Trail.
Visit Schwarzsee
Schwarzsee is the closest cable car station to the Matterhorn that you can find in Zermatt, so it’s definitely worth a visit while on this cable car route!
Take in the iconic views of the Matterhorn, walk down to the shore of the picturesque Schwarzsee Lake, and take a photo with the famous Zermatt sign!
The famous sign at Schwarzsee
Walk across the Furi Suspension Bridge (The Hangebrucke)
This 100 meter long suspension bridge dangles 90 meters above the Gorner Gorge above Zermatt. From the small village of Furi, it’s about a 15 minute walk to this hanging bridge (less than a kilometer) with some slight elevation gain.
The Furi Suspension Bridge
After walking across the bridge, you can head back to Furi the same way you came, or make it a 3 km loop by continuing past the bridge and walking through the Dossen Glacier Garden, a collection of rocks and features left behind by glacial retreat. (Along the way you’ll also find a picnic spot with a playground for the kiddos!).
How to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
The bottom cable car station for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is found on the southern end of the town of Zermatt, here on Google Maps. From the train station located on the opposite end of town, it’s about a 20 minute walk (a little over a kilometer) but it could be closer depending on where you are staying. Or, you can take one of Zermatt’s e-buses- check out where to find a bus stop here. The e-buses are free to travel on with a lift pass!
From the bottom station, you’ll take a series of 3 to 4 lifts between 2 to 3 different cable car stations on the way to the top.
Views from the cable car to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. This is looking back towards the Trockener Steg station.
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car information: Check the current prices for Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable cars here and current schedules here.
Make sure to look at timetables and prices carefully, as they change throughout the year!
For lots more information about the cable routes to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and our experience, make sure to check out our complete Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Guide!
Best things to do in Zermatt: Gornergrat
Gornergrat is the second of three popular peaks found in Zermatt, and a visit here is definitely one of the best things to do in Zermatt. In fact, the views from this peak are some of the most iconic sights in Zermatt, and photos taken from the different points on this peak are often what attracts many people to the area in the first place!
To get to Gornergrat, an iconic red cogwheel train (the Gornergrat Bahn) travels all the way from the town of Zermatt to the summit, with various stops along the way. This scenic ride is the highest open-air cogwheel train in Europe, and has stunning views of the Matterhorn, Zermatt, and the surrounding Alps the whole way. This cogwheel train ride is definitely not to be missed if you’re vising Zermatt!
The scenic Gornergrat Bahn
While the ride itself is reason enough to visit Gornergrat, some of the best things to do in Zermatt are located all along this train route to Gornergrat, so let’s get into some of them now…
Visit the summit of Gornergrat
Gornergrat is the final station stop of the Gornergrat Bahn, and it has some of our favorite views in all of Zermatt.
From this summit, you’ll of course get iconic views of the Matterhorn, but the famous mountain is just one part of the stellar scenery you’ll see. At Gornergrat, you’ll be surrounded by the jagged peaks of the Alps and you’ll get one of the most incredible views of the massive Gorner Glacier as it cascades down from the Monte Rosa massif.
Incredible views of the Monte Rosa massif and Gorner Glacier from the Gornergrat summit!
Matterhorn views at Gornergrat
One of the best things to do in Zermatt is to simply spend some time exploring the different viewing terraces up here at Gornergrat, and there is also a short scenic loop you can explore as well.
Walking around the scenic loop at Gornergrat
At Gornergrat, you can also visit some shops, grab a bite to eat at a restaurant, and explore interactive exhibits, including a virtual reality paragliding experience at ZOOOM the Matterhorn.
Hike to Riffelsee
Visiting the small Riffelsee lake is perhaps the most popular thing to do in Zermatt.
The view of the Matterhorn from Riffelsee is probably one of the most well-known scenes from Zermatt. Why? This small lake is perfectly backdropped by the iconic mountain, and on a clear calm day has perfect reflections of the Matterhorn on its surface. When this happens, Riffelsee is an incredibly photogenic spot, and pictures from this lake make it onto most Zermatt guides and brochures!
A visit to Riffelsee is one of the best things to do in Zermatt
And the amazing thing about Riffelsee is that it’s super easy to get. Simply take the Gornergrat Bahn to the Rotenboden stop, and the lake is an easy five minute walk from there.
However, you can also include Riffelsee as part of longer hikes around Gornergrat (which we highly recommend!). You can hike from Gornergrat down to Riffelsee, and from Riffelsee you can continue hiking down to Riffelberg, Riffelalp, or even all the way down to Zermatt.
Hiking from Gornergrat to Riffelsee- one of Zermatt’s best hikes!
Hiking near Riffelsee
Hiking from Riffelsee to Riffelberg
Meet the Sheep
Zermatt isn’t just known for its famous mountain. It’s also known for its sheep! These unique and famous fluffy blacknose sheep are super cute, and a great place to find them is around Gornergrat!
During the summer months, a herd of these sheep roam the grassy slopes of the Gornergrat. They can be anywhere, but luckily they won’t be too hard to find. Just head on over to the blacknose sheep GPS tracker!
Yes, there’s really a sheep GPS tracker!
Using this, you can embark on a sheep scavenger hunt and try to locate them around the different station stops of the Gornergrat Bahn, and if you’re lucky, you can catch them epically posing in front of one of the most iconic mountains in Europe.
We didn’t see them on the trails, but we were able to get a quick glimpse of them at their barn from the Gornergrat Bahn!
How to Visit Gornergrat in Zermatt
The bottom station for the Gornergrat Bahn is located right across the street from the train station on the Northern end of town. Between Zermatt and Gornergrat, there are 4 additional station stops where you can hop off the train and explore.
The Gornergrat Bahn
Gornergrat Bahn information: Check the current prices for the Gornergrat Bahn here and current schedules here.
Make sure to look at timetables and prices carefully, as they change throughout the year!
For tons more information about the Gornergrat train and our experience, and the different things to do along the route, make sure to check out our complete Guide to Visiting Gornergrat in Zermatt!
Best things to do in Zermatt: Rothorn
Rothorn is the last of the three main mountain sites in Zermatt. It seemed to be less popular than the other two, but the sights, trails, and adventures it offered were certainly no less amazing!
In a single trip up to Rothorn, you can catch the Matterhorn’s reflection in a scenic alpine lake, grab lunch at an alpine hut, ride a mountain cart down the mountain, dine at a gourmet restaurant, and do some amazing hiking with Matterhorn views.
Amazing mountain views from the Rothorn cable car route
To get to Rothorn, you’ll take a series of three different lifts, with two intermediate stations stops along the way (Sunnegga and Blauherd). Here, we’ll cover some of the best things to do in Zermatt along this cable car route.
Visit the Rothorn summit
The top of this cable car route is the Rothorn cable car station (on the summit of a peak called Unterrothorn).
As soon as you step out of the cable car, you’ll be greeted with panoramic views over the area, including views of the Matterhorn as well as the beautiful Findeln Glacier.
The view of the Matterhorn from Rothorn
The Findeln Glacier
Visiting the Rothorn summit is a great thing to do in Zermatt simply for these views- explore the viewing platforms, walk the small interpretive trail (the Peak Collection Trail), and have a bite to eat at the Rothorn restaurant for lunch with a view.
Hike the Crsytal Trail (the Kristallweg)
The Kristallweg was one of our favorite hikes in Zermatt, and it starts right at the Rothorn station. On this trail, you’ll hike down a steep gravel road- which may sound a bit boring, but trust us- what it lacks in interesting trail features it more than makes up for in views! The Matterhorn and the Findeln Glacier are frequently in sight on this hike.
Hiking the Crystal Trail in Zermatt
View of the Findeln Glacier and Fluhalp hut from the Crystal Trail
The Crystal Trail will bring you right near the Fluhalp alpine hut (where you can stop for some food or relaxation) before passing by Stellisee- a famous lake that’s next up on our list!
Heading towards the famous Stellisee Lake along the Crystal Trail
This one-way hike then ends at the Blauherd cable car station. It’s a short, relatively easy hike that will take under an hour and a half to complete (at just over 5 km one-way, or 3.2 miles), making this a nice scenic activity to do in the area.
Visit Stellisee (and hike the Five Lakes Trail)
Like its famous counterpart near Gornergrat (Riffelsee), Stellisee is another alpine lake with a picture-perfect Matterhorn backdrop, and if you’re lucky, you might catch a nice reflection of the Matterhorn on its surface.
It takes a little more effort to get to than Riffelsee, but not that much more. As we mentioned above, you can get to it along the Crystal Trail, but there’s also an easier way. From the Blauherd cable car station, it’s only a 1 km hike on a slightly downhill trail to get to the lake. Once there, be sure to walk around to the other side of the lake to get those epic Matterhorn views over Stellisee.
Views from the hike to Stellisee from Blauherd
From here, you can head back to Blauherd, or you can continue the hike! Stellisee is actually at the beginning of a very popular Zermatt hike- the Five Lakes Trail. This one-way trail travels from Blauherd to Sunnega, and is a good half day hike (about 10.5 km or 6.5 miles) that travels by Stellisee plus four other scenic alpine lakes.
Ride a mountain cart
Mountain carting is one of the most unique things to do in Zermatt!
One of the most unique (and most fun!) things to do in Zermatt is to ride the mountain carts at Blauherd! Ignite your inner Mario Kart, strap on a helmet, and speed your way down the gravel roads between Blauherd and Sunnegga with the Matterhorn in view.
It’s a quick and bumpy ride, but it’s certainly a memorable way to get down the mountain!
Dine along the Gourmet Trail
Another unique thing to do in Zermatt is to experience some fine dining along the hiking trails. One of the most popular reasons to visit Sunnegga along the Rothorn cable car route is to hike the famous Gourmet Trail.
This trail heads steeply downhill from Sunnegga for about one mile to a small mountain hamlet called Findeln. This small in-the-middle-of-nowhere hamlet has a handful of nice restaurants, including one Michelin-star rated restaurant.
You can hop around to different ones, or pick just one to enjoy a full course meal. If you’re interested, you can even buy a Findeln Gourmet Pass, which includes transportation to Sunnegga and then four courses at each of 4 different restaurants along the Gourmet Trail.
Fine dining with Matterhorn views? Sounds like a perfect way to spend an afternoon if you ask us!
The Gourmet Trail starts in Sunnegga and heads downhill towards Zermatt
How to visit Rothorn in Zermatt
The bottom station for the Rothorn lifts is located on the northeastern end of town, here on Google Maps.
From Zermatt, a series of three different lifts will take you first to Sunnegga, then to Blauherd, and finally to Rothorn.
Riding the cable car to Rothorn
Rothorn cable car information: Check the current prices for the different lifts to Rothorn here and current schedules here.
Make sure to look at timetables and prices carefully, as they change throughout the year!
For tons more information about the route to Rothorn and our experience, and the different things to do along the route, make sure to check out our complete Guide to Visiting Rothorn in Zermatt!
More things to do in Zermatt
Even though the three mountain excursion sites we listed above are often the main focus of a visit to Zermatt, there are still other things to do in Zermatt for those looking for more relaxing activities or something to do on rest days or bad weather days (and you’re likely to have some of those!).
Here, we’ll share a few additional things to do around town.
Explore the town of Zermatt
Matterhorn views from Zermatt town
The town of Zermatt is quite small and quaint, and also pretty walkable! With a free afternoon or evening, we recommend taking some time to stroll the streets and admire the old-town mountain architecture and Matterhorn views. Pop into different cafes and bakeries (Fuch’s Bakery is great and there are a few around town!), and browse the dinner menus of the restaurants to plan your meals.
Some spots we’d recommend in Zermatt include:
This viewpoint of the Matterhorn from a bridge near the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise station
This famous bridge with a view of the Matterhorn
The Bahnofstrasse is the main strip in Zermatt with lots of shops and restaurants. It runs south from the train station, ending at the Matterhorn Museum.
The Matterhorn Museum, which is fairly inexpensive and takes you through the history of Zermatt and early mountaineering on the Matterhorn.
The Matterhorn from town
The entrance to the Matterhorn Museum
Walk through the Gorner Gorge
An easy but unique thing to do in Zermatt is to visit the scenic Gorner Gorge. Here, you’ll walk along wooden walkways perched along cliffsides of a narrow ravine carved by the river below.
The Gorner Gorge is about a 20 to 30 minute walk from the northern end of town (the train station area). There’s a small entry fee (so be sure to bring cash).
Check out the goat parade
Yup- you read that right. There’s a parade…of goats. Step aside blacknose sheep- you aren’t the only cool animals in town!
These unique black and white goats (called blackneck goats) are cool to see, and you can hear them coming from a mile away with the clinging and clanging bells that they sport around their necks.
In fact, for about 6 weeks each summer, these goats take part in Zermatt’s Goat Parade! Two times a day, at 9 am and again at 5 pm, the goats will march down the Bahnofstrasse from their barn on the southern end of town up to their pasture by the heliport (just past the train station). This will definitely be one of the most unique (and cutest!) parades you’ll probably ever see!
We visited in September and so we sadly missed the official goat parades, but we actually still kind of got to experience them in a way!
We stayed in an apartment near the train station, with a balcony that looked over the slopes behind the train tracks. Each morning, we saw the goats being herded from their little barn near the train station out across these grassy slopes right by our balcony! The jingle of their bells was super soothing as they grazed outside our windows and wandered across the valley. Then at night, we usually saw (and heard!) them heading back in for the evening!
Go on an adventure
For the more adventurous spirits, there are several things to do in Zermatt to get the adrenaline pumping.
Paragliding is a common adventure sport in Zermatt, and we saw plenty of people making their way up the mountains in preparation for taking the leap.
We don’t have experience with this in Zermatt ourselves, but a quick Google search of “Zermatt paragliding” will yield lots of reputable companies that you can further research.
Paragliding in Zermatt
Another great thing to do in Zermatt for getting amazing views is to take a helitour! We can only imagine the incredible views you’d get of not only the Matterhorn but the massive glaciers and surrounding Alps. Check out Air Zermatt for more information on tour options.
You can have a beginner mountaineering experience by climbing the Breithorn (the snow-topped mountain that sits right next to the Klein Matterhorn) with a guide. https://zermatt.swiss/en/p/breithorn-ascent-01tVj000005EvjbIAC
The Breithorn as seen from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Can you see the tiny ants trekking across the snow towards the Breithorn?
Things to Do in Zermatt on a Map
We know we threw a lot at you, so we wanted to put it all in one place. This map of Zermatt is taken from the official Zermatt website, but we’ve highlighted all the best things to do in Zermatt that we mentioned in this guide for easy reference!
Below, we’ve also created a Google Maps of all the best things to do in Zermatt that you can reference while travelling around in Zermatt!
Zermatt Travel Guide
Okay, now that we’ve gone over some of the best things to do in Zermatt, it’s time to go over some extra things you’ll need to know for visiting Zermatt- things like how to get there, how to get around, when to go, what passes you’ll need- you know, all that important stuff.
So, let’s get into it all now!
How to get to Zermatt, Switzerland
The small mountain village of Zermatt lies in the southwestern corner of Switzerland, right on the border with Italy, and very close to the French border on the west.
To get to Zermatt, you’ll fly into either Geneva or Zurich and then drive or take the train to Zermatt. It’s likely Zermatt will be just one part of your Switzerland or Alps itinerary, so here are some distances to Zermatt from other common cities nearby:
Chamonix (France) to Zermatt: 2 hours 15 minutes by car, about 4 hours by train
Geneva to Zermatt: 3 hours by car, 3.5 hours by train
Interlaken to Zermatt: 2 hours by car or train
Zurich to Zermatt: About 3.5 hours by car or train
Lucerne to Zermatt: About 3 hours by car or train
It’s important to note, though, that Zermatt is a car-free village (more on that later), so if you do plan on driving to Zermatt, you can’t take your car into town. Instead, you’ll have to leave it in the town just before Zermatt (Tasch) and take the train or a taxi into Zermatt from there. This is why we really don’t recommend renting a car if you plan on staying in Zermatt for a few days or more. Rentals are expensive, and you’ll just be paying more money for the car to sit in Tasch while you take public transport into Zermatt anyway and explore.
Because of this, it’s most common to get to Zermatt by train. Train travel in Switzerland is super easy and convenient, so it’s a popular way to get around the country in general.
From any of the major cities we mentioned above, you’ll most likely take the train into a town called Visp, where you’ll then transfer onto the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn- the train that will travel into Zermatt through a scenic mountain valley. This train ride takes about an hour. From the train, you can’t see the Matterhorn, but if you want nice views over the valley, sit on the left side heading into Zermatt! As you get closer to Zermatt, you’ll start seeing bigger mountains, waterfalls, and glaciers.
More information on Switzerland trains
Before we visited Switzerland, I was a little worried that the train system would be confusing or hard to figure out, but fortunately, once we arrived I realized that couldn’t be further from the truth, and there was really nothing to worry about!
Trains in Switzerland are super easy and convenient. The stations are generally pretty small, and everything is well-labelled. Monitors throughout the stations and on each platform make it easy to figure out where you need to be for your train, and monitors inside the trains display all the stops the train makes so you know when your stop is coming up. All the announcements are generally multilingual, too (typically German, French, and English).
Trains run frequently (we noticed the common routes typically have departing trains every half hour or so), and are pretty punctual. There was only one instance during our entire time in Switzerland where we had a delayed train, but all our subsequent connections were delayed as well and still lined up perfectly, making our connections smooth.
When you look at a train route, it might seem that the connection time between trains is short and tight (something I was a bit worried about before going!), but trust us- they are plenty of time. Like we said, most stations are small, everything is well-labeled, and you can get from one platform to another very quickly.
Some additional tips for riding trains in Switzerland:
How to buy tickets for the trains in Switzerland: Tickets for trains in Switzerland can be bought in a number of ways. You can simply go up to the ticket counter and buy from an agent, or a lot of stations have self-serve kiosks which are easy and quick to use. You can also buy tickets online on the official Switzerland transportation website (SBB). This site is super helpful- after typing in your departing and arrival locations and clicking on a train, a detailed view of the route is shown, with connection times, platforms that will be used at each station, and even helpful maps. You can select one-way or round trip tickets for first or second class (most commonly, people buy second class as it’s cheaper- first class tickets don’t seem worth the price for such short rides!).
The ticket kiosk in the Zermatt train station
When to buy Switzerland train tickets: You can buy Switzerland train tickets far in advance, or literally minutes before the train departs. We often bought tickets just a few minutes before, as we were often making snap decisions on things we wanted to do.
If you do purchase train tickets far enough in advance, you might see an option to purchase either a point-to-point ticket (the standard option) or a Supersaver ticket. The Supersaver tickets are discounted (with the price increasing as the departure date of the train gets closer), but the catch is that they are specific for one specific train only and cannot be changed or modified. Buying a Supersaver ticket in advance is a good way to save money if you have a very strict itinerary and know each train you’ll be taking, but if you don’t want to be locked into specific timetables and schedules, it’s probably not a good idea to buy this. The standard point-to-point tickets are generally good for any train with your selected itinerary for the entire day.
The SBB app: Ok, here’s our biggest tip for train travel in Switzerland- download the SBB app! This app makes it super easy to search for trains and purchase tickets, and it’s a good way to keep track of all your train tickets and manage them in one place. You can see the exact route, connections, and platforms for your journey as well.
It’s also helpful because you can enter any of your Swiss Travel Passes into the app so it will automatically give you the appropriate discounted price when you search for trains.
And finally, booking a train on the app allows you to cancel tickets for free any time before the departure. We learned this the hard way- the first set of tickets we bought as “guests” on the SBB website and needed to cancel them, which we could only do for a fee and done at the train station. With the app, it could have been done for free with the click of a button.
Travel passes: If you purchased any Swiss passes (like the Swiss Travel Pass or the Half-fare Card), make sure to have those downloaded to your phone in an easy to access location. When checking tickets, train conductors will also ask to see your pass if you purchased your ticket at a discounted rate.
Luggage: You’ve probably heard before that backpacks are the preferred choice of luggage instead of suitcases when travelling in Europe and in our opinion, Switzerland is no exception. We saw lots of people lugging around giant suitcases and struggling on the trains since there really isn’t a ton of room to store them. We were happy to have just our travel backpacks with us!
How to get around Zermatt
Okay, you’ve made it to Zermatt! Yay! Now, how do you get around? Like we said above, Zermatt is a car-free village, but luckily it’s a relatively small area.
We found that Zermatt is very walkable. For example, to walk from the train station on the northern end of town to the lift station for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise on the southern end of town, it’s about a 20 minute walk (about 1.5 km).
We did enjoy walking through the streets, admiring the quaint mountain town architecture and flower-filled apartments everywhere. If you do plan on venturing beyond the downtown area, though, expect uphill walks as you head closer to the outskirts of town.
Zermatt is a pretty quaint and walkable town
If you don’t feel like walking, especially if you are just getting into town with your luggage, you can also take an electric taxi. These little vehicles can be found zooming everywhere around town, and we thought they were the cutest things! They are often waiting at the train station for people just getting into town, or you can have your hotel arrange a taxi pick up for you. We’ve seen quotes of 20-30 CHF to get across town, but we never used them so can’t give specific rates from our trip. Check out this booking site here for more info.
A Zermatt taxi
Zermatt does also have electric buses to take you around town or to the different lift stations. The rates are posted at the stops in town but if you have a Peak Pass or ticket to one of the lifts, you can travel on the bus for free to that station. Check out the Zermatt bus timetables here, with more information on each of the bus stops here.
Something we really loved about Zermatt being car-free and using only electric vehicles, though? Sitting outside on our patio at night and hearing nothing but the wind or distant bells ringing, rather than the sounds of motors and exhausts! So, there are trade-offs…
You’ll want to keep alert for the fast taxis zooming around the crowded Zermatt streets!
What passes do I need in Zermatt?
As you can see from our list above, a lot of the best things to do in Zermatt require riding various cable cars and lifts up into the mountains. So at this point, you’re probably thinking that you’re gonna need a whole lot of tickets and passes to get access to all these things. And… you’d be right.
Each of these lifts in Zermatt requires their own tickets, and they can add up pretty quickly in price. Switzerland ain’t cheap!
But…the good news? There are ways to lessen the blow to your wallet just a little bit.
The bad news? This is done with a slew of travel passes- and there are a lot of different ones- that can be pretty confusing to figure out when you’re just starting to plan your trip to Switzerland. These passes are pricey, but offer discounted travel on Switzerland’s public transport (including mountain lifts, trains, and buses) for a set number of days.
There is a mix of more general country-wide travel passes and passes for more local areas. Each pass has different areas of validity that you really have to study to see what is included and what’s not, what’s discounted and by how much, and how passes can be combined to get even bigger discounts.
If you really want to try to save money in Zermatt, and in Switzerland in general, it’s worth really planning out your Switzerland itinerary in advance- which trains will you need to take? Which mountain lifts do you want to go on? How many days will you be in each location?
The answers to all these questions will help you calculate a rough estimate of transportation expenses to help you figure out how much you could potentially save by buying one or more travel passes.
Before our trip to Switzerland, I found myself diving into Excel spreadsheets and doing lots of math to figure out which passes might be worth investing in- it seemed so overly complicated!
We’ll try to simplify the whole Swiss Travel Pass confusion here, specifically as they relate to visiting Zermatt (but keep in mind if you plan on visiting other places in Switzerland, you’ll have even more passes to consider!).
The Swiss Travel Pass
First, we’ll talk about passes for general travel around Switzerland. If you plan on traveling to more places in Switzerland besides Zermatt, one of these passes will probably be worth it for you. You’ll find there are a whole slew of these, but the ones most relevant to a tourist visiting Switzerland short-term are:
The Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Travel Pass Flex
The Swiss Half Fare Card
The Swiss Travel Pass is a one-time purchase based on the number of days you plan to be in the country. This pass will get you free unlimited travel on pretty much all Switzerland trains and buses, and discounts of 25-50% on most mountain lifts (including 50% off the lifts in Zermatt!). Head to the Switzerland Travel Center site to see a map of validity which shows everywhere this pass works and what the discounts are, to see the prices, and to purchase your pass (we recommend purchasing the pass for second class tickets to save money! Traveling first class really isn’t necessary with such short train trips).
As good as this pass sounds, we decided that it wouldn’t be worth it for us. It is quite expensive, and when we added up our potential travel costs, this pass actually wouldn’t have saved us money. Of course, the more trains you plan on taking across a shorter timespan, this pass becomes more worth it, so it really just depends on how much you’ll be moving around during your time in Switzerland.
The Swiss Travel Pass flex is the same thing as the regular travel pass, but you can use it on non-consecutive days. This pass is more expensive, and will usually not be worth the cost, but you can check prices here.
The Swiss Half Fare Card was the pass we chose to travel around Switzerland, and we think it has the best deal for saving money. It’s a one-time purchase that is valid for an entire month, and gives you 50% off all train and bus travel, and pretty much all mountain lifts as well (including the ones in Zermatt!). Given that it’s much cheaper than a Swiss Travel Pass and is valid for much longer, it’s often the better deal. Check out the current prices and map of validity on the Switzerland Travel Center site.
Which Switzerland pass should you buy?
To determine which of these Swiss travel passes is best, it will definitely require some forethought and planning. Making an itinerary in advance is a great idea so that you can map out which trains and mountain lifts you’ll be using.
To do this, you can go to the SBB site to get an idea of what prices will be for each train and lift you want to take. Add these all up to get a total for all full price transportation. Then, add the prices together after applying the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card rates, plus the cost of the travel pass, and simply compare the totals to see which is cheaper.
Zermatt passes
Now we’ll get into more local passes for Zermatt specifically.
Each set of Zermatt lifts has its own tickets and pricing. You can simply buy individual tickets for each lift right at the station- either at the ticket counter, or there is usually a self-service kiosk that is very easy to use. (You can also buy them online but we never had issues buying them at the station just before hopping on the lift.)
And remember! If you have the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card, you get 50% off full price tickets for all the lifts in Zermatt. Just make sure to have your travel pass on you to get your discount when buying the tickets and when lift operators are checking your tickets!
You can buy one-way or round trip tickets between any of the stations on a cable car route. For example, you might want to buy a one-way ticket from Zermatt all the way to the top of a route, but then decide to hike down to the midstation, and buy a one way ticket from the midstation back down to Zermatt. Or, you can simply buy a roundtrip ticket between Zermatt and the summit and use the lifts the entire time.
When you do this, you can get off the lifts at any midstation en route to explore before hopping back on and continuing up or down the mountain. But this is important: You cannot re-ride any portion of the journey. For example, if you buy a ticket from Zermatt to a summit, then hike from the summit down to the midstation, you can’t get back on the lift and head back up to the summit unless you buy a new one-way ticket from the midstation to the summit. If you buy individual tickets like this, it’s only good for one time on each part of the journey.
At each mountain station in Zermatt, you’ll scan your lift tickets when getting both on and off the lift or train, which is how the system keeps track of where you’ve been and why you can’t re-re-ride any portion of the route.
This is why it’s good to think about everything you’d like to do and plan out your day in advance as best as you can- so you don’t end up buying tickets you actually won’t be using or you don’t end up having to re-ride a portion of the cable car route.
Most stations along each route have kiosks or ticket counters where you can buy tickets to other stations. So even if you just buy a one-way ticket up the mountain, you can buy individual one-way tickets back down the mountain to different stations. This is what we often did, and we ended up with so many different tickets that they ended up feeling like collector cards!
The Zermatt Peak Pass
The Zermatt Peak Pass is a one- time purchase that gets you unlimited rides on all the Zermatt lifts that go to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, and Rothorn for a set number of days. Plus, it gets you into certain sites that typically have extra fees as well as free use of the local bus and the local train between Zermatt, Tasch, and Randa.
The Peak Pass is convenient to have, as it allows you to ride and re-ride all the Zermatt lifts on one ticket- but it is a bit pricey. You do get 25% off the price if you have a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card, but still, it’s pretty expensive, and we actually didn’t think it was worth it for us.
If you’re staying right in Zermatt and plan on going up each of the peaks once, it’s likely more cost-efficient to just buy the tickets individually. And if you plan on doing a lot of hiking between the stations on the way down the mountain, this pass will also probably not be cost-efficient. This pass really only becomes worth it if you plan on going up the peaks several times, or want the ability to freely go up and down each mountain as much as you want without worrying about constantly having to buy new tickets.
You can head to this Zermatt website to see prices for the Peak Pass for different numbers of consecutive and non-consecutive days and to buy the ticket.
We actually wouldn’t recommend buying the Peak Pass too far in advance, or a pass that’s good for a ton of days- you’ll want to wait to check the forecasts and make sure the weather is good. Otherwise, the pass will kind of be wasted. We spent four days in Zermatt, 2 of which were rained out. If we had bought the 3 or 4 day Peak Pass in advance, we wouldn’t have gotten its full use. We were glad we decided to just wait and buy individual tickets for each lift once we got to Zermatt and knew what the weather was going to be.
The Zermatt Peak2Peak Pass
This is yet another local Zermatt pass that is good for people who have a very short time in Zermatt. This ticket allows you to visit both Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat in a single day at a reduced price. Plus, the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card get you a 50% discount on the Peak2Peak Pass.
This is a good option for people who have one or two days in Zermatt and want to get the most out of their time. We opted out of this option since we wanted to dedicate a full day to each of these peaks and we had the time to do so, but it’s a good deal for those who don’t plan on doing any big hikes and can squeeze both peaks into a single day.
Speaking of time…
How much time do you need in Zermatt?
Ideally, spend as much time as you can in Zermatt! It’s a small area, but there really are a lot of things to do in Zermatt.
That combined with the fact that weather in Zermatt can be quite fickle means you’ll want as much time as you can get to make sure you can explore the different peaks around town and actually see the Matterhorn- I mean, that is what you came all the way to Zermatt for after all, right?
We do know, though, that Zermatt will likely be just one stop on a bigger trip through Switzerland or the Alps, so your time will be a bit limited. We get it- ours was, too!
With that said, we would say that four days is the ideal amount of time to spend in Zermatt. This gives you one full day to spend on each of Zermatt’s three main peaks, with one day of contingency time in case of bad weather. If you have two days of bad weather, two full days in Zermatt will still be enough time to visit all three peaks, you’ll just have to squeeze two of them into one day- easy to do if you plan your days carefully and don’t mind skipping out on some of the bigger hikes.
You can visit Zermatt in just one or two days- you’ll just have to pick and choose which peaks you’d want to visit and keep your fingers crossed that the Matterhorn is out at some point during your visit!
Speaking of the Matterhorn being out, let’s get more into that now…
What is the weather like in Zermatt?
This is a pretty important topic for visiting Zermatt- I mean, the whole point in coming to this cute mountain village is to see the iconic Matterhorn. So having good weather is key.
But, the kind of bad news here is that the weather in Zermatt can be pretty fickle and unpredictable, as mountain weather typically is. The Matterhorn itself often makes its own weather, too, so even if it’s a perfectly sunny and clear day out, the Matterhorn may be hiding behind a veil of clouds (this is especially common on summer afternoons). We even heard firsthand stories of people spending up to four days in Zermatt and only seeing the Matterhorn for a total of 15 minutes. It’s hard to predict whether or not the mountain will be out on any given day- it really just comes down to luck!
On one of the days we visited Gornergrat, morning views were clear. By mid-afternoon, clouds moved quickly around the Matterhorn, and for the rest of the day, the mountain was hidden despite clear skies everywhere else.
We (well, mostly I) obsessively checked the weather forecasts while in Zermatt, and we found that you can’t totally rely on the forecasts here. They constantly change, and often, different apps and websites will say different things! We generally resorted to just checking the forecast the night before, and looked at a few different sites to get a good overall picture of what the weather might do the following day and then plan from there.
Weather apps for Zermatt that we used were:
Snow-forecast: This is a good one for showing the weather at different elevations in the mountains around Zermatt.
MeteoSwiss: The official weather site for Switzerland.
Zermatt’s official site: This shows weather specifically for Zermatt, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, and Gornergrat.
Aside from looking at forecasts, another one of our favorite tips for visiting Zermatt is to check the webcams! The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise page has webcams for many of the stations on each of Zermatt’s three peaks, and checking these will let you know whether or not the Matterhorn is out before you decide if it’s worth your time and money to head up.
Sometimes, Zermatt might be in an inversion and it will look cloudy and foggy from town. But a look at the webcams might show that all the mountains are out from the higher mountain stations.
Or, it might be that low-lying clouds are hanging in one valley and blocking views from, say, Gornergrat, but the views from Rothorn out to the Matternhorn are crystal clear.
Rising above the clouds on the way to the Rothorn summit. On this morning, the town of Zermatt was in a cloud, and the middle station of Blauherd was also socked in. But Sunnegga and Rothorn had amazing views out to the Matterhorn.
So basically, being flexible, and using a combination of forecasts and weather cams at the last minute to decide your next move will allow you to have the best shot at seeing the Matterhorn and getting the full Zermatt experience.
What was our experience like in Zermatt?
Well, we were there for 4.5 days, and we think we can paint you a pretty representative picture of what you can expect.
On the day we arrived in Zermatt at around noon, it was a clear and sunny day and the Matterhorn was out, but just as we started heading up the Gornergrat in the afternoon, clouds quickly moved in around the mountain. By the time we got to the top, we had seen the last few glimpses of the Matterhorn before it disappeared for the entire rest of the day. We still had a beautiful day up at Gornergrat, we just couldn’t see the Matterhorn.
The Matterhorn was hiding behind a wall of clouds, but the rest of the views were great!
The next two days in Zermatt were rainy and cloudy, and none of the mountains were out, so we couldn’t do much.
Our fourth day in Zermatt was perfect! We had crystal clear skies, and even the Matterhorn stayed out all day! We felt so lucky.
A blue-bird day in Zermatt
On our final day, it was a mostly overcast and gloomy day with a bit of an inversion for most of the morning, but somehow, the Matterhorn stayed out for most of the day until midafternoon when the top half started clouding over.
Afternoon clouds and gloomy skies around the Matterhorn
Overall, we think we got a pretty typical range of weather while in Zermatt. Because of our experience, we definitely think it’s really good to be flexible when you’re here- which is why we don’t recommend buying any lift passes too far in advance. We’d recommend waiting until at least two days before making any solid plans so that you can check the forecasts. The lift tickets are really expensive, and in our opinion, it would be a waste to go up to the mountains with rain and no views.
That said, if the Matterhorn itself is not out but it’s a clear day otherwise, we’d say it’s still worth a trip up to the peaks, because the Matterhorn isn’t the only view in Zermatt. The whole valley is surrounded by stunningly beautiful mountains and glaciers that make the journeys to the peaks worth it.
Best time to visit Zermatt
Zermatt is a year-round destination, but our guide focuses on visiting Zermatt in the summer for hiking and sightseeing. If you plan on visiting in the summer, we’d say the best time to visit Zermatt is between July and September. In June, there will likely still be snow on the higher elevation trails, like the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, and even the trail to Riffelsee. Depending on the year, the snow can clear by late June or early July.
July and August are the peak months to visit Zermatt. Crowds will be at their highest, however, the weather is really nice, with temperatures at their warmest (about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, or 21 degrees Celsius during the day, dropping to 50F, or 10C at night).
But another really good reason to visit Zermatt in July or August is for the longer lift schedules. During peak months, lifts to the three different peaks start running earlier in the day and stop later in the evening, meaning you’ll have more time to explore and might feel less rushed trying squeeze things in, especially if you have a limited time in Zermatt. If you miss the last lift down any of the peaks, you can always hike back to Zermatt on the vast trail system, but it will be a long and steep hike back down!
We visited Zermatt in early September, both to avoid the peak summer crowds but still experience good hiking weather. September typically has pretty decent weather- it’s historically less rainy than the summer months, and temperatures are still pretty mild.
However, during our entire trip to the Alps that year (not just Zermatt), we had a bit of bad luck! For the few weeks we were traveling in the French and Swiss Alps, we experienced the whole gamut of weather, from 85 degree Fahrenheit (30 degree C) heatwaves with thunderstorms, to giant rain systems, all the way to an unseasonal polar vortex that brought 35 degree F (2 degree C) temperatures and feet of snow to the high elevation trails. It was a crazy few weeks!
Because of our experience, we find it hard to recommend visiting Zermatt, or the Alps, in September, though I do know our experience was a bit unusual. This is all to say, come to Zermatt expecting anything!
What to Pack for Zermatt
Layers- Many of the best things to do in Zermatt are found in the mountains at high elevations, and it can get chilly and windy at these mountain stations. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise can be especially cold. When we visited in early September, we experienced freezing temperatures on the Klein Matterhorn and the whole viewing terrace was frozen over.
Freezing conditions up at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise!
Rain gear- Come prepared for rain no matter when you visit Zermatt- a rain coat and pack cover are super useful to have.
Rainy days in Zermatt are likely!
Good hiking shoes or boots- Many of the trails in Zermatt, even the shorter ones, are rugged and steep with lots of gravel and loose rock. Despite how popular they are, they aren’t exactly walks in the park- so come prepared with the proper footwear!
Typical trail conditions on the hikes around Zermatt
Sun protection- Most of Zermatt’s cable car routes are exposed and at high elevation, so sunscreen and a hat are extra important.
Where to stay in Zermatt
There are plenty of accommodation options in Zermatt ranging from Airbnbs to hotels to guesthouses, inns, and apartments.
Some of the more expensive ones have beautiful views of the Matterhorn and high-end facilities and dining options. Cheaper options include small apartments without views.
We opted for the latter, as we’d be out and about for most of our time in Zermatt anyway, and accommodations can be pretty pricey. If you’re looking to save money, we highly recommend booking several months in advance before all the cheaper options get snatched up.
If your accommodation is outside of the center for town, just know that you’ll likely have a bit of an uphill walk to get to it. Everything is pretty walkable from the train station, but you can always get an e-taxi, especially if you’re coming from or going to the train with all your luggage.
How expensive is Zermatt?
As you may know, Switzerland is not cheap, and Zermatt is no exception (though it was cheaper than some other places we visited in Switzerland…I’m looking at you, Interlaken). However, we traveled to Zermatt directly from Chamonix in France, so were met with a bit of sticker shock going from one country to the other.
Switzerland is one of the most expensive European destinations you can visit, so even if you like traveling on a budget like us, it’s hard to not spend a lot (as much as you might try). This was definitely a departure from the norm for us, but we knew we had to spend more than we’re used to if we wanted to visit this bucketlist country, so we saved appropriately and just mentally prepared for the damage.
Here are some things to note about costs in Zermatt specifically.
In terms of accommodations, Zermatt has a whole range you can choose from, and we recommend booking early. We waited a bit too long (until about a month out from our trip) and by that time, a lot of the cheaper places were gone. We booked one of the cheapest we could find at the time. It was a nice apartment with a surprisingly ideal location right near the train station and the Gornergrat Bahn station, but there were no Matterhorn views (which was fine- we saw it plenty of times during our time in Zermatt!).
For food, a cheaper meal will run you about 20-30 CHF, while 30-50CHF is more typical, but you can easily spend much more at nicer restaurants. We chose to save money by mostly buying groceries at Coop (on main street near the train station) or Migros on Hoffmatstrasse, and cooking in our apartment. We did also like to get small snacks or breakfast pastries at Fuchs Bakery, which has a few locations around town. We loved their cheesy pretzels!
And of course, transportation is big expense- particularly the lift tickets, which are all pretty expensive. For us, buying them all individually (along with having the Swiss Half Fare Card) was the most economical, but you can consider the other passes we mentioned above to see if they’d save you money based on your own plans. Each time we bought tickets, I cringed a little inside, but going up the lifts to see the amazing views and access the trails was the whole reason we came to Zermatt in the first place! I knew we couldn’t skimp on these and miss out, or I’d regret it later.
A super delicious pastry from Fuchs Bakery!
Our Zermatt budget breakdown
To give you an idea of how much you might spend in Zermatt, we’re sharing our complete budget breakdown for our time in Zermatt.
This Zermatt budget is for 4 nights/5 days and two people traveling with a midrange budget. All costs were converted from CHF to US dollars.
Accommodations: $855.34
Eating out (this includes 2 cheap meals out plus some stops at the bakery): $112.75
Groceries: $93.98
Lifts: $415.93 (Note that this total includes us having to unexpectedly go up the Gornergrat twice, so this includes an additional $110 that we didn’t necessarily didn’t have to spend.)
Activities (mountain karting): $35.49
Transportation: $203.18 (This includes the train from Chamonix into Zermatt, and then the trian out of Zermatt to Interlaken.)
Travel Passes: $283.52 (This was the cost for two Swiss Half Fare Cards which we used throughout our time in Switzerland to save money on travel.)
TOTAL COST FOR ZERMATT: $2,000.19
TOTAL COST PER PERSON: $1000
Yikes! Just reliving this amount of spending is giving me anxiety.
We do feel that despite the high total cost above, we spent pretty minimally in Zermatt. Are there ways you can spend less than this? Sure!
One big thing is to book your accommodation earlier than we did like I said before. We probably ended up spending a few hundred extra dollars that we didn’t need to because we hemmed and hawed over booking something and waited too long!
Another way to save money in Zermatt is to just not eat out at all- Coop and Migros for the win!
Also keep expensive extra activities to a minimum. While you can paraglide, ski, take helitours, or get guided experiences in the mountains, these will quickly add up. The only extra activity we did was mountain karting, which wasn’t too expensive and so this helped keep our spending down.
Finally, if you really want to save money in Zermatt, you can choose to skip one or two of the mountain excursion sites. We were adamant about visiting all three to make the most of our time there and don’t regret it! But, if you just want to lay your eyes on the Matterhorn and maybe hike a short trail or two, visiting just one of these peaks will be adequate, and will help your wallet a ton!
More tips for visiting Zermatt
Here are some final frequently asked questions about Zermatt that are good to know before you go!
What language do they speak in Zermatt?
The main language you’ll likely come across is German, but because Switzerland has many official languages and because it’s on the country’s border, you may also hear some French or Italian as well.
We don’t speak German and had no issues communicating. Everyone we interacted with, including all the ticketing staff, spoke great English. We even dined with a friendly local one night at a restaurant who spoke perfect English.
Even on the Swiss trains, all announcements were made in several languages, including English, so getting around shouldn’t be a problem.
What currency do they use in Zermatt?
Zermatt, and all of Switzerland, uses the Swiss Franc (CHF). We actually never had to use cash in Zermatt, as most things could be paid for with credit card. We suggest keeping a small amount on hand for just-in-case things, like if you visit Gorner Gorge, or need to store luggage at the train station.
Store hours
Stores in Zermatt close on the earlier side (between 7-8 pm). If you’re planning to buy groceries and cook dinner, plan ahead. We came down on the last train back from Gornergrat and were bummed to find we couldn’t shop for food!
Altitude
While in Zermatt, expect to feel some effects from altitude. Most of the best things to do in Zermatt require ascending thousands of feet above the valley to different cable car stations in the mountains. Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, for example, is over 3800 meters (over 12,500 feet) in altitude. And because you can make this elevation gain relatively fast on cable cars and lifts without much time for acclimation, you might feel the effects at the top. Expect to feel more tired than normal climbing stairs and walking around, and if you do any hiking, you might be slower than normal.
Storing luggage in Zermatt
If you arrive to Zermatt earlier in the day and can’t check into your hotel or Airbnb quite yet, but you want to explore or take advantage of nice weather while you can, you do have the option to store your luggage at the train station for a fee. The lockers are located downstairs in the station, and they have all different sizes that range in price from about 5 CHF to 13 CHF for the day.
Some of the lockers take credit card, but some are cash only, and when we arrived midday all the credit card-based lockers were taken, so we suggest having some cash on you if you plan to store any luggage.
Luggage lockers in the Zermatt train station
How crowded is Zermatt?
We won’t lie- Zermatt is a popular place to visit in Switzerland, so it can get crowded. July and August are the peak months to visit, so here is where you’ll see the largest crowds.
We visited Zermatt in September, and we were a bit worried about how crowded it would be, but honestly we didn’t find it to be that bad! There were tons of people in town walking the streets. Bahnoffstrasse in the evening was especially crowded and congested.
We saw the most crowds in Zermatt on the town’s main streets!
However, surprisingly, we didn’t experience very many crowds up at the mountain excursion sites. Of course, the main viewing platforms were always filled with people. But we did our best to get early starts and to plan to be at more popular places first thing in the morning or more towards evening, so most of the trails we hiked were never busy.
But even so, we rarely experienced any waits or lines for any of the cable cars, no matter the time of day.
There were a lot of people here, but it wasn’t overwhelming, and nowhere near the crowds we experienced in one of Switzerland’s other tourist hotspots- Interlaken. So we really can’t complain!
More Zermatt Guides
In this guide, we gave a brief overview of all the incredible things to do in Zermatt, but if you’re looking for more detailed information to help you plan your trip, check out all our other Zermatt guides!
Complete Guide to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: How to Get There and Things to Do
Complete Guide to Gornergrat: How to Get There and Things to Do
Complete Guide to the Rothorn Cable Car Route: How to Get There and Things to Do
The Perfect 1 to 4 Day Zermatt Itinerary
How to Hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
Hiking to the Hornlihutte in Zermatt: The Complete Trail Guide
How to Visit Riffelsee: Zermatt’s Famous Lake (Plus How to Hike the Nearby Trails!)
The Crystal Trail in Zermatt: The Complete Trail Guide
Heading to Zermatt soon? Which of these things to do in Zermatt are you looking forward to the most? Let us know if you have any questions, and happy travels!