The village of Zermatt, located in the south of the canton of Valais in Switzerland, is an elite ski resort located in the north of the Monte Rosa mountain range. Since there is no air harbor on the territory of the property, it is most convenient to get here from the nearby Zurich or Geneva airport. And Switzerland’s transport infrastructure offers three ways to travel: by train, by car, or by taxi. When choosing a vehicle, it should be taken into account that it is forbidden to drive fuel-powered cars in the resort. So what is the most convenient way to get to the famous ski resort Zermatt, how to get to it as comfortably as possible and without delay?
How to get to Zermatt from Zurich
By train
Zermatt is 240 km from Zurich Airport. The train station (Zurich Flughafen) is located right in the building of the air harbor, which can be reached from the arrivals hall using special signs. From the third platform of the railway station, a train departs every half hour to Zermatt, but the flight is not direct: you will have to change in the city of Fisp. The cashier will provide you with detailed information about the route when purchasing tickets, or you can find out the route details at www.sbb.ch.
After a stop in Fisp, you will have just 7 minutes to transfer to a high-altitude S-bahn from a nearby platform heading to Zermatt. When changing trains in a hurry, many tourists forget their belongings in the car, so be careful. The staff at the station is quite responsive, and if you are confused and can’t find the train you need, be sure to ask the station staff for help. If you still miss your flight, wait for the next train, which will arrive in half an hour.
The ticket price for the Zurich-Zermatt train is 1.25 Euro. If you have a Swiss Pass tourist card, you will get a 50% discount. The total travel time is about three and a half hours. Tickets can be purchased on the website www.sbb.ch. Upon arrival in the village, the train stops at Zermatt Central Station, from where you can reach your desired hotel by taxi (price 10-15₣). There is no shortage of taxi drivers here: there are always several electric cars at the exit, ready to give you a lift to the hotel.
On a note! See this page for a description of the Matterhorn mountain that people come to Zermatt for.
By car
If the train option doesn’t suit you and you decide to get to Zermatt from Zurich by car, then don’t forget that you can only travel by electric vehicles in the resort. And in order to get to the village itself, you will have to park your car in the parking lot in the nearest village.
This is the village of Täsch, which is located 5 km from Zermatt. The road between them is closed. There is a large covered parking lot in Tesh that can accommodate 2,100 cars. The price of daily parking is 1.6 Euro, but if you park your car for a period of up to 8 days, the cost per day will be 1.5 euro/day.
Once you have put your car in safe hands, you need to get from Tesch to Zermatt. You can do this by taking the train that runs between the villages every 20 minutes. The round-trip ticket price is 1.62 Euro for an adult. It is only a 12-minute drive away. You can get from Tesch to Zermatt by using a taxi driver: this option will cost you approximately 1.5-1.7 Euro.
By taxi
To get to Zermatt, all comfort lovers can book a transfer from the nearest Swiss airport. The resort can be reached by car from Zurich in about 4 hours. The cost of the trip will depend on the type of car and the number of passengers. So, a taxi to Zermatt on a standard sedan for a group of four people will cost 6-7 Euro (1.50-1.60 Euro per person). If the number of passengers reaches 16, then you can get to the village by minibus for 12 Euro (75 Euro per person). If you choose this method, we recommend that you book a car from Zurich in advance, as the number of available cars is significantly reduced during peak season.
How to get to Zermatt from Geneva
By train
Zermatt is 230 km from Geneva Airport. Many tourists prefer to get to the village by train, because in addition to a comfortable trip, they are provided with picturesque views from the car window throughout the entire journey. The railway junction is located in the airport building itself, and it is easy to find it by following the signs. First you need to get to the station Genève-Aéroport, go to the ticket office and buy a ticket for the train Geneva-Zermatt. Trains in a given direction arrive hourly.
As in the case of Zurich, the flight from Geneva is not direct, but with a transfer in the city of Fisp. After a stop in Fisp, you will take a train to Zermatt, which takes you along the cog railway, rising almost 1000 meters in height. The journey time is approximately 3 hours 45 minutes — 4 hours. The cost of a ticket in economy class is 1 Euro without a discount. Upon arrival in Zermatt, you will disembark at the central station and take a taxi to your hotel. Tickets can be purchased online at www.sbb.ch.
If you decide to go by car instead of by train and have no idea how to get from Geneva to Zermatt, remember that you can’t get to the resort by fuel car. Here, the same algorithm of actions will be relevant as when traveling by car from Zurich: reach the village of Tasch, park your car, take a train or taxi to Zermatt. The only difference here will be the travel time — from Geneva you will reach the resort in about 3 hours.
By taxi
If you don’t want to waste your time searching for the right station or parking a car, then you can always get from Geneva to Zermatt with a taxi driver. This pleasure is not cheap, but it provides a quick and convenient trip to the resort. So, travel by registered car for four people will cost 6-7 Euro (1.5-1.75 Euro per person). If the group consists of 10-15 people, it is possible to travel by minibus, where each passenger will pay 6-7 Euro. You can always order a car from Geneva in advance on numerous specialized websites.
Conclusion
It is obvious that the transport infrastructure in Switzerland provides all the necessary conditions for tourists arriving here. We hope that after reading our article, you will get a detailed idea of what kind of transport goes to Zermatt, how to get to the resort from Zurich and Geneva airports quickly and comfortably.
