Zermatt Switzerland Ski Resort Guide by Snowjet

Zermatt, Switzerland in Brief

Zermatt’s reputation as one of the world’s top ski resorts is well deserved. It’s a historic, picturesque, car-free village with great restaurants, buzzing night life, stunning views of Europe’s highest mountains - including the iconic Matterhorn - and access to a vast and varied high altitude ski area. With 350km of piste skiing, spanning two countries, Zermatt is among Switzerland’s most extensive ski areas; but the quality of the off-piste terrain really sets Zermatt apart from the rest.

Zermatt Ski Flights

Flights to Sion, Zermatt’s local airport, are exclusive to Snowjet. Sion is just an hour and a half to two hours from resort, half the transfer time compared with the alternative airports. For a low cost onward transport option take advantage of the free airport shuttle bus to Sion station and catch the train to resort, changing at Tasch. Car hire and private transfers are also options, but need to be booked in advance. Of the two, a transfer is the better bet for Zermatt, since all vehicles must be left at Tasch station - the only gateway to the car-free resort - where parking is expensive. It’s worth picking up a trolley at Tasch station, as you can take them onboard the trains and use them to transport your luggage to your accommodation at the other end. Zermatt is huge, in ski resort terms, so this may be a bit of a trek; but many hotels offer a complimentary pick-up by milk-float style electric car. If you haven’t arranged your pick-up in advance beware: the electric taxis & horse drawn carriages are charged at over-the-odds prices on arrival.

The Mountain

Zermatt & the Matterhorn Ski Paradise Lift Map

Zermatt Lift Pass Rates

A glance at the predominantly red piste map will tell you that Zermatt and the wider Matterhorn Ski Paradise is an extensive intermediates’ playground. What the map doesn’t reveal is the area’s off-piste potential which is reputedly rivalled only by Chamonix. Or that the backdrop to skiing in Zermatt is arguably the world’s most spectacular.

The Zermatt lift pass covers the three interlinked areas of Rothorn, Gornergrat and Klein Matterhorn. The Matterhorn Ski Paradise pass covers these three areas plus the Italian resort of Cervinia which is lift-linked to its Swiss Neighbour. There’s plenty to occupy even the most experienced skier for a week on the Zermatt pass though and if you fancy a one-off change of scene you can always buy a day’s extension for the Italian side. Doing it that way is much cheaper than a whole area pass for the week, especially if you’re not sure you’ll need it.

Concentrating on Zermatt’s 3 areas:

The Rothorn has something to offer everyone. There are some are cruisey blues, motorway reds, challenging off piste itineraries and tree runs. The kids’ zone, Wolli’s Park, is also located in this sector, at mid mountain level on a sunny, wind-shielded plateau and close to a choice of restaurants where weary learners can rest and refuel. Head up to Rothorn early and you’ll find the slopes as quiet as anywhere in Zermatt. Come down late and you’ll get a picture postcard view of the sun setting behind the Matterhorn.

Gornergrat is a mountain of two halves with gentle meandering pistes on the west facing slopes and steep, wild freeride terrain on the north side. The fastest route up to this area is via the bubble from Furi but it’s worth taking the cog railway at least once as the leisurely ride offers fantastic views over the Gorner and Grenz glaciers. The railway is on the west side of the mountain where gentle, scenic pistes, dotted with restaurants wend their way the length of the track. The contrast with the north side’s steep, rugged, glacial terrain could hardly be greater – from the formidable 3400m summit of the Stockhorn lift over a thousand vertical metres of freeride terrain are accessible to the high mountain initiated and those skiing with a guide. The main face gets moguled between snowfalls but either side of the bumpy pitch there are often opportunities for fresh lines.

The Klein Matterhorn glacier is the best place for newcomers to find their feet. Up at that 3000+m of altitude you get the benefit both of optimum snow conditions and of stunning views. However, access to the glacier means quite a trek through the lift system and complete beginners will have to use the same lifts to download, as there is no easy route back to resort.

Zermatt Bars & Clubs

The nightlife in Zermatt is hard to beat with a buzzing scene from lift-close to the early hours. Our top pick is the awesome Bubble Bar. But there’s something for everyone, from home-from-home English pubs such as Potter’s Bar, with a choice of beers, hearty pup grub and big screen sporting fixtures to completely unique venues such as The Vernissage, with a bar, art gallery, restaurant and cinema in one remarkable building (where else can you watch a movie and have a 3 course meal in the interval?). Try the North Wall for cheap pizzas, a firm favourite with seasonaires; The Papperla Pub for lethal shots; The Brown Cow for live music and the best burgers in town; and Nelly’s bar for great wine and tasty unconventional food. Plus there are as many late night venues as you’ll find in any resort in the Alps. For cheese try either The Broken or The Village, or for something more suave with live music and cocktails: The Pink jazz club.

Zermatt Apres Ski

Zermatt has a lot more to offer than just skiing. One of the highlights for non-skiers are the winter walking trails, offering spectacular views and opportunities to sample superb mountain restaurants. Of the 20km of trails the walk up the valley towards Zmutt is thought to be one of the best. You can pick up a brief guide to all the winter walks in the area from the tourist office. If walking’s not your thing you can take a-once-in-a-lifetime sightseeing tour by helicopter! Back in resort you can swim, skate, curl or take it easy at one of the ‘wellness centres’. Or for something uniquely Zermatt, visit the museum of alpinism. It features a room dedicated to Briton Edward Whymper’s 1865 ascent of the Matterhorn which, although successful, claimed the lives of half of the party. Some of whom are buried in the town’s peaceful, central, graveyard, among many other climbing legends.

Something for the Kids

On the mountain, in addition to the kids ski area, the Wolli Park, there is a dedicated toboggan run. The massive 1.5km long run, which is accessible from the Gonergrat train, begins at Rotenboden (2819 m), ends at Riffelberg (2582 m) and lasts a hair-raising 5 minutes in the company of Dad or a more sedate 10 minutes with Mum. Back in resort use of both the natural outdoor ice rink and the indoor manmade one is free and skate hire is available from all nearby sport shops for a reasonable price. For something non winter, but still sports oriented, there’s an indoor climbing wall. Go on a Friday and benefit from a free induction to rope skills from a guide. The wall is open fairly late in the evening so this is one that’s aimed at teens. With all the activities available in Zermatt little kids and big are sure to sleep for the whole journey home.

Accommodation in Zermatt

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