In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Switzerland
Zermatt
Stay 2–3 nights: one full day for Gornergrat or Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, one for a valley hike; skip if you want cheap Alps.
Zermatt is a car-free village at 1,620 m under the Matterhorn, reached by train from Visp in about 1 h 10 min. It is the most expensive mountain base in Switzerland and the busiest, but the lift network, the Gornergrat railway and the high trails are the reason people come. Two nights covers the classic viewpoints; three lets you add a long hike or a second summit day.
- Country
- Switzerland
- Best months
- Jul–Sep for hiking, Dec–Apr for skiing
- Avoid
- Nov (lifts and many hotels closed), late Oct–early Dec
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CHF
- Money
- Currency is the Swiss franc (CHF). Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere; euros are sometimes taken with change in francs.
- Daily spend
- Budget CHF 90–140 excl. bed · Mid CHF 140–230 excl. bed · High CHF 230+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt sell prepaid SIMs (ID needed); Swisscom covers the most mountain terrain.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Ambulance 144 · Rega air rescue 1414 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types J, C · 230 V · 50 Hz · Swiss three-pin sockets are recessed: thin two-pin (type C) plugs fit, but thick German Schuko plugs do not — bring a Swiss adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Service included; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.; Café or bar: Round up.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Optional; CHF 2–5 for porters.; Mountain guide: CHF 20–50 for a day, optional.
- Water
- Tap and fountain water is excellent. Restaurants usually charge for bottled water; ask for 'Hahnenwasser' / 'eau du robinet'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost CHF 1–2; restaurants and department stores are free for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | CHF 4–6 |
| Plate of fondue or raclette | CHF 25–40 |
| Main course in a village restaurant | CHF 25–45 |
| Beer: draught / supermarket can | CHF 6–9 / CHF 2–3 |
| Local bus single ride | CHF 2.50–3.20 |
| Gornergrat railway, one way | CHF 36–66 |
| Sunnegga funicular, one way | CHF 16 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- GVA · Geneva
- Train to Visp, then change for Zermatt; about 3 h 45 min total
- ZRH · Zurich
- Train to Visp, then change; about 3 h 30 min total
- MXP · Milan Malpensa
- Bus or train to Brig/Visp, then Zermatt; about 4 h+
- SIR · Sion
- Closest airport but very few flights; check the schedule
Typical fares
- Visp → Zermatt, train
- about CHF 20–25, about 1 h 10 min
- Täsch → Zermatt, shuttle train
- about CHF 8, 12 min
- Gornergrat railway, return
- about CHF 100, dynamic pricing
Get around
On foot: the village is small, 20 min end to end. Electric taxis and hotel porters cover bags. Two local bus lines link the station, the Gornergrat and Sunnegga stations and Winkelmatten; buses are free with a ski pass or train ticket, otherwise a single ride costs a few francs. Lifts and railways run from three separate stations in the village.
See and do
Known for
- Matterhorn
- Gornergrat railway
- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (Klein Matterhorn)
- Car-free village
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gornergrat | Gornergrat railway from its own station opposite the main station | About 45 min up |
| Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (Klein Matterhorn) | Cable car series from the village cable-car station | About 1 h up |
| Sunnegga and Rothorn | Underground funicular, then cable cars | About 30 min to Sunnegga |
| Saas-Fee | Train to Visp, then bus up the valley | About 2 h |
| Brig | Matterhorn Gotthard railway down the valley | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Bahnhofstrasse and station area
- Arrival street with shops, hotels and the Gornergrat station opposite; best for a short stay with bags.
- Village centre near the church
- Quiet lanes, restaurants and the river; 5–10 min walk from the station.
- Winkelmatten
- South end of the village, closer to the Matterhorn views and the Sunnegga side; 15–20 min walk from the station.
- Täsch
- Valley town 7 km down, with the big car park and shuttle trains; cheaper beds, but you commute in.Valley town 4.3 mi down, with the big car park and shuttle trains; cheaper beds, but you commute in.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | GrüeziGRUE-tsi |
| Thank you | Merci vilmalMER-si feel-mol |
| How much is it? | Was choschtet das?vas KHOSH-tet das |
| Can I pay by card? | Cha ich mit Karte zahle?kha ikh mit KAR-te TSA-le |
| Where is the station? | Wo isch de Bahnhof?vo ish de BAHN-hof |
| Help! | Hilf!hilf |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; three cheek kisses among friends; avoid: Skipping the greeting in shops
- Punctuality: Be exactly on time; avoid: Running for the train expecting it to wait
- Language: Greet in the local language, then ask for English; avoid: Speaking German in Geneva as a default
- Quiet: Low voices in trains; quiet carriages are marked; avoid: Speakerphone calls
- Money: Keep financial talk discreet; avoid: Asking people's salaries
- Recycling: Separate PET, glass and cans; avoid: Leaving rubbish in hotel or flat bins unsorted
Scams and watch-outs
- Cars cannot enter Zermatt: park at Täsch and take the shuttle train, or you face a fine.
- Electric taxis are near-silent; look both ways before crossing.
- Hotels sell out months ahead in ski season and around Christmas.
- Lift and railway prices are dynamic: the same trip can cost more at peak times.
- Above 3,000 m the cold and thin air hit fast; bring a layer even in summer.
Very safe for tourists; the real risks are altitude, cold, ice on paths and unmarked trail edges. Tell someone your route, check the mountain weather, and carry the Rega number.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Zermatt yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Matterhorn
- Gornergrat railway
- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (Klein Matterhorn)
- Car-free village
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Zermatt official tourism site: www.zermatt.ch
- Wikivoyage: Zermatt, revision 5301846 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5301846
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Zermatt
Bitte zu däre Adrässe
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Zermatt; most countries keep embassies in Bern and consulates in Geneva or Zurich. US citizens: register with the embassy in Bern.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/zermatt). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.