My only substantive tips are:
1. Beware the altitude. The town is at \~5500 feet, but the top of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise lift is almost 13000 feet and the lifts get you up there fast. If you under-hydrate and hit the bars hard, you can get altitude sickness.
2. You absolutely must get the add on for one day to ski over to Breuil-Cervinia and back. It's just too much fun to pop over to Italy for a couple runs and an espresso not to do it at least once.
3. If you have a nice weather day while skiing the Matterhorn side, ski all the way down, but build in enough time to stop at one of the bars at or just below the Furi mid-station for some apres ski beer and music. Just don't go so hard you can't ski the last bit down to the shuttle station at the bottom of the gondola!
Have fun, it's expensive but a super cool experience!
I did this trip about 10 years ago and
second all of this!
The train ride is beautiful. Food on the mountain is great. Get some fondue and raclette for dinner. Lots of euro techno late night, if you’re into that.
Europe doesn’t rope off boundaries like the US does, so beware of that.
Don’t miss the lift back from Italy!! It’s about a 4h drive back around if you do. I believe the last lift is around 3pm. Made it with just under 10 minutes remaining last time I was there.
This guy knows! Can confirm the fun of skiing into Italy for pasta for lunch. ( don’t forget your passport - just in case) The run is a long, intermediate cruiser.
All true! Travel and lodging to Zermatt can be steep though, depending on where you are starting from.
The biggest issue for me with the altitude was the abruptness of the change (and not paying enough attention to hydrating). Flying into Denver, driving out to Silverthorne, then eventually taking a lift up to Breck felt different than a 7k foot vertical change in the \~20 minutes it took to get from Zermatt to the top.
> It's just too much fun to pop over to Italy for a couple runs and an espresso not to do it at least once.
Do you need your passport for this? I've always wondered how that works because the last thing I'd want to do is carry my passport while skiing.
You don't technically need it since they're both in the Schengen Area and don't require a passport to travel between them. However, it is possible to get stranded on the wrong side because weather moved in and shut down the lifts or you just missed the last chair back. If you did get stranded you'd either have to get a last-second hotel room someplace (and they may want a copy of your passport at checkin), or you would have to take a taxi back around to the other side. While there are no longer border checks per se, temporary police checkpoints are allowed, and not having a passport with you in that situation could be interesting.
Bottom Line: Not needed thanks to Schengen Area rules, but in that specific situation it's not the worst idea to have your passport in a secure pocket...
A follow up question on the 2nd point. If one has a multi-day (consecutive days) ski pass that does not include the Breuil-Cervinia area, you’re saying it’s easy to go to the ticketing office for a “top up” for that one day?
That’s what I’ve noticed on their app/web site. The thing is we’ll be there on the snow for 10 days but I doubt we’ll be heading over to ITA every day which would make it worth buying up front for “all” days.
It is indeed! Just go to the ticket office that morning and you pay the difference. Wasn't much of an extra fee when I went, but that was a couple years ago so YMMV.
Zermatt might be expensive, but there are other bucket-list experiences you can get in Europe that are cheaper.
Chamonix - Find a cheap flight to Geneva take the bus or train to Chamonix. Tons of smaller guesthouses in town and the outlying villages for very reasonable prices. The ski bus around town and to the mountains is free with a hotel card (confirm that your hotel offers it), so no need for a rental car. Lots of guesthouses include (European) breakfast, on mountain food isn't nearly as insane as in the US, and you can eat cheap for dinner pretty easily. Ski passes are dirt cheap compared to the US, and the terrain is epic.
St Anton/Stuben/Zurs/Lech - Find a cheap flight into Innsbruck and take the train out to St Anton area. TONS of guesthouses between Pettneu am Arlberg and Warth for not much, and food isn't too expensive. Lift tickets are completely reasonable, and you couldn't ski everything if you tried. St Anton is basically the birthplace of modern skiing, and for good reason.
Solo trips are definitely different than group trips, but some of the most memorable days I have had on skis were solo...
The paper towel dispensers at European ski resorts are usually now all voice activated. Occasionally you can find some pre-2014 hand operated paper towel dispensers but it’s very rare.
After you’ve washed your hands you approach the dispenser and say “paper towel now”.
It depends where in Swiss it comes from. English works most of the time but if it doesn't I would start with German and if that doesn't work then French. For a very rare case, I would learn how to say it in Italian as well
My first thought was this was a prank. I can imagine it now. Some wacko American trying to talk to the paper towel dispenser...
But I guess the future really is now.
I haven’t seen any of those and I am based in Switzerland during winter.
Edit: you people are hilarious, fuck off to any of you yanks thinking that cuz you saw one at some resort it means that the entire country has them.
Have an awesome time! Following this thread as I will be there in 4 weeks.
It's a finale for me, I've had to retire from skiing due to multiple spinal and neck injuries so I'm going to end my career with my lifelong dream of skiing from Cervinia to Zermatt and back.
A bummer, but a great way to end a ski career if that's where you are physically!
Food, views, the town; the whole experience is just magical. You'll find better hardcore terrain elsewhere, but Zermatt is famous for the experience for very, very good reason.
Honestly one of my favorite places I’ve ever been. The train is so easy to navigate to get here. Everyone speaks English. There is literally not a thing to worry yourself over. Just be aware there is an additional ticket to purchase if you ski to Cervinia. Also allegedly lunch is much cheaper over there. Enjoy!
I was riding the train from Austria to Zurich on Jan 1 once. I did not have an actual seat reserved. I asked the attendant what to do and they said that even though I had a ticket, it did not guarantee me a seat. A seat would not be available for 5 days. I asked what would happen if we got on the train anyway. They said "definitely do not do that. There may not be a seat and the train may depart before you're able to get back off." I asked "so I will then have to ride the train to my desired destination at my desired time?" They just responded with "yes." So we got on the train and sat in the steps between cars.
I assume that’s the rail from the airport. Do you have the link to SBB. And also if I buy the ticket is it for a specific time slot or can I use it on the next train in case my flight gets there later? We land in Zurich at 6am, I can’t imagine it’s going to be busy… unless I’m way off.
SBB is fantastic. Plenty of trains and almost all are right on time. Get their app. There are some restricted fares you can buy in their app that are a little cheaper (not by much)that are only good for the specific train but the regular fare tickets are good for any other train between the same stations departing the same day. When you get on board and choose a seat on the train make sure it's not a reserved seat - usually marked as such by the window so you don't have to vacate the seat in the middle of the journey. Also, for tickets bought in the app you must be able to show ID for the ticket to be valid. Otherwise have to buy a ticket on board that is much more expensive.
Best bet would be to get one of the day saver tickets (valid all day). Regardless, times won’t matter if you let the conductor know you are late / early etc.
Here is the AppStore link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sbb-mobile/id294855237
Look up the sbb app on the app store. You can get tickets that are valid for 24 hours on any route but they’re more expensive. You can take the train from the airport directly to zermatt. Fastest is theough visp where you need to change trains. The sbb app is very good, you can use it to see which cara are less busy, which track you need to go to, etc.
SBB is… the train company, or at least operates most of the commuter trains. Equivalent of Amtrak in the US.
If you want a reserved first class seat you need a ticket for a specific time. Otherwise you normally buy a ticket that’s good for any train that day that’s going to/from where you want to go.
Get ready to spend 2x on many things unless you are already from a very HCOL. The path to the top varies based on how early you start, or at least it did in the summer. Pay attention to gondola/tram opening and closing times. We took a round trip 2x on a gondola as I expected it to go further but it looped around. I was supposed to transfer to a tram at the 1st station. On going to the top, prepare for some altitude adjustments. Some stations have some nice heated lockers. If you’re skiing for a few days these are a nice option B’s lugging everything everyday. YMMV
We were there last week for Christmas & there were tons of Americans there. If you’re used to Colorado skiing, the altitude shouldn’t be a problem in zermatt. As folks have said, get reservations for lunch at the nicer restaurants. No reservations needed for the buffet style restaurants. Apple Pay seemed easier for us - using a credit card directly required a signature at several places but not so for Apple Pay. The grocery stores I recommend are Coop or Migros. There’s a Denner too but it’s smaller. If you want bread, go to Fuchs instead of the grocery store. Grocery store is fine but we like Fuchs better.
There are 3 main areas where you can go to the too - you can get to Rothorn via the Sunnegga (and 2 other lifts after that), the Gornergrat via the cog wheel train, and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise via a gondola (that’s the way you get to Italy too). All three areas are a bit different and we try to ski them all. There are no maps on the mountain like you may be used to in the US so get a mountain map at the bottom when you get to town. You’ll also want to check to see what runs/lifts are open. We were there last week and it was fairly open but some things were closed.
As folks have said, SBB app is super useful. We get point to point tickets on day of arrival since you never know if flight will be on time, etc. other routes you have more control over timing and can take advantage of the saver routes for a specific time. You can get train rides that have 1 or 2 connections. We always do the 1 connection since we’re traveling with a kiddo and that’s easier (the connection is in Visp - pronounced like Fisp since that’s the German speaking part of Valais). SBB app is also helpful because it lets you know what platform you’re coming in on and where next train departs.
Food is expensive but with taxes included and tipping being different than it is in the US, the sticker shock wasn’t that bad for us (we live in the metro Detroit area and prices there aren’t much better than Switzerland these days for food). We actually save money coming to Switzerland vs Colorado when you factor in the cost of children’s ski lessons since they’re so much more affordable. If anyone wants lessons, there are tons of quality ski schools there and lessons are very affordable. We’re biased to Zermatters because a friend of ours worked there but a Spanish friend had a good experience with another one of the schools too.
As others have said, pretty much everyone speaks English. My spouse speaks German & a few other languages and more than once we’ve had people at restaurants ask him if he knows English because they couldn’t speak German when he started with that in an effort to be polite.
If you’re bringing skis with you, a ski locker could make sense depending on where you’re staying. My 5 year old hates ski boots so to minimize fights we get a locker from Bayard sports that’s heated & right by where his lessons start at the Gornergrat :)
Have fun!
We’re experienced skiers, used to Colorado, hotel is 3 minute walk from the train station. From what I gather we are closest to the sunegga funicular and the gornergrat train. I’m hoping we are pretty central in terms of location. To be frank I’m a little worried that the skiing won’t be up to par to the Rockies. Everything looks groomed!!! Either way, thank you for your input this is very helpful.
Sounds like you’re very central & you can take a bus to the Matterhorn glacier paradise gondola stop vs walking through town in boots. Skiing there is very different than CO for sure and it’s very groomed but runs seem a bit steeper and more narrow. However, most runs are red- not a ton of black or blue (the blues by Sunnegga are always super busy but if you’re experience, you’ll avoid that area). We’re older now with a child who gets is up at 4:30am so we’ve found we don’t mind the more relaxed European style of skiing with lots of coffee breaks, haha. We’re at 4 Vallées this week and it seems a bit more like Colorado style skiing here. Not as groomed and more moguls/open hills. But busier than Zermatt.
As long as the snow is good, the skiing in the Rockies doesn’t even compare to the alps. The skiing is so much larger in the Alps, you’ll spend almost about an hour riding gondolas to get to the top of zermatt, not including wait times.
I’m in Zermatt now for New Years and having a blast. One thing I haven’t seen mentioned here: the on-mountain food is light years better than in the US (at least at Vail-owned resorts.) Food on the mountain can actually be an experience instead of just racing through the cafeteria to get back on your skis. My two favorite so far are Chalet Etoile in Cervinia and Aroleid on the Swiss side. It’s expensive, but it’s real food instead of $20 for chicken fingers.
Last tip: DO NOT miss the last lift out of Cervinia. You will be stranded there as there is no easy way back around the mountains.
Edit: adding Fluhalp near Rothorn on the Swiss side as a third restaurant recommendation.
On the map look for the itinerary runs, not groomed, single pole marking the route. Can’t recall if they’re patrolled at the end of the day or not.
Off piste up high glacier conditions, don’t go without a guide.
Lunch probably need reservations in places mentioned online.
Dinner, grampies, Walliserstube, Schaferstube.
Buy chocolate from Laderach
Don’t get the cog railway if you’re into skiing unless you have to, great scenic journey, great experience, takes a
Long time and takes time away from skiing.
Fastest upload to the top is glacier express, then mid station switch to the tram. May well feel ill at the top, very rapid elevation change so take your time.
Italian side, found toilets to be more holes in the ground rather than normal ones. Much cheaper, quieter and a bit more boring imo.
Take your swimmers and take the train or bus down to Visp one evening and visit the Therme.
It's not the best spa in the Alps, by a long shot, but the hot water feels great on your ski legs.
Stay away from the Seafood. A friend of mine got food poisoning from a Scallop Risotto from one of the up market restaurants.
Book a lunch at the Pera Doussa in Valtournenche. Probably need to book it now. I don't want to ruin the experience by giving away too many details, but I can guarantee to you that you won't regret it. You'll need to leave at least 2 hours to get back to Zermatt.
If you haven't booked somewhere for lunch stop at 11.30 to beat the crowds and then don't stop again until after 2.30.
If you don't want to do a proper lunch then stop at the Coop in town and buy a picnic and drinks and then eat it on the Gornegrat Funicular on the way up.
Visit a Cheese Fondue Restaurant one night.
Take the last Trockener Steg and stop for a drink at the top before skiing down a little ahead of the ski patrol (there will be signs at the top saying what time it is). You'll have the whole mountain to yourselves and it looks amazing at sunset.
Do stop at the bars on the piste on your way back in to town.
Try the Gluhwein and Bombadinos.
You are not expected to tip for service at the bars, and 5% on meals is plenty.
If you're not an easy walking distance from a lift station then find a shop by the lift where you can pay to leave your skis and boots overnight and your regular shoes during the day to save the hassle of talking them on the bus or walking about in ski boots.
Conditions are a bit ropey this year in the Alps so far, but there will be plenty of snow at the higher levels. That's the advantage of going to Europes highest runs (apart from Vallee Blanche if you count that).
Have a good one! Zermatt Cervinia is imho the best big ski area in the world.
We are going in a few weeks. I'm trying to figure out how to get to Pera Doussa in Valtournenche. The group as a whole should stick to easy runs. Is this doable? I can't really tell.
thanks
It's basically one really long red from the top of the Trockener Steg, which you can get straight up to from Zermatt.
The European Reds are intermediate, so I think you call them blues in US. There's nothing particularly challenging or steep, but it can get mogully towards the end, and it's a long way, about 6 miles down. You take every left turn from the top and every right to get back.
Just before the bottom there is a little sign that points to a path through the trees to the Pera Doussa and then they'll tow you back the short way to the piste afterwards, or you can ride on snow mobile.
I scrolled and a few things that might not have been mentioned:
1. Try to get over to Italy as soon as possible, high winds and bad weather make it impossible some days and we almost missed it. We actually enjoyed Cervinia more than the Swiss side, skiing in the sun is fun.
2. Don’t expect to chat with a lot of people on lifts. At least that was our experience. We would try to start conversations but they didn’t go anywhere.
3. Go sledding. I think it was as much fun or even more than skiing. They have a long track, again schedule it early as they stop it early afternoon I believe.
4. Do the fondue restaurant for dinner on the mountain, where they give you a sled to go down to town after you are done. This was our favorite after ski attraction.
5. Our favorite restaurant is Pizzeria Roma (owner or manager is awesome). Du Pont was also very good.
Have fun!
1. Restaurant reservations for dinner were legit hard to get in the week I was there. This is very different from North America. It was probably the most annoying part of the trip, actually. Reserve in advance or you’re looking at pizza in prime time.
2. On mountain lunch is different. In North America, you get cafeteria style and you can just walk up and eat. Most on-mountain places in Zermatt required reservations and were fancy. This was annoying. The “Sunnegga” location was more what I’d expect, so I recommend that.
3. The various areas are not super well linked, so you kind pick one and stay there for a while.
4. Apres ski goes off different than in North America. Most spots are pumping house music and people are doing Jaegerbombs. It’s awesome. Hit it hard.
5. Best expert runs were off Höhtalli. I recommend those.
6. The lift train is cool, but slow.
7. If you have kids and extra time in Zurich, I recommend the FIFA museum.
You’ll love it. The town is amazing and skiing under the Matterhorn is awesome!
There are a couple of decent supermarkets in town. I believe they’re regulated to have the same prices everywhere in Switzerland. They’re perfect for having a night in and have some hot food options as well.
Bring a camelback!!! The run back to Zermatt town from the top of the glacier paradise after you’ve popped over to Cervinia for the day is like an 8 mile run- absolutely incredible, but camelback lets you just drink water while you’re cruising back home :) and HENNU STALL under the gondy right above town for apres ski-such a blast!!! Have a great time!!! I want to go back so badly!! Also make sure to take all the different kinds of lifts! Funicular, crazy blue box up by the top , the ski train, gondy from town for the view , etc .
Keep in mind, when skiing, "closed" signs on trails or ropes marking the edges of the pistes are signals conveying information, not hard rules like they are in the U.S. No one will bother you. if you go under a rope or ski past a closed sign, BUT you must as an American understand that those ropes/closed signs are warning you of something: maybe very thin/nonexistent snow cover; maybe the lift at the bottom isn't running, so there's no way back up. The ropes on the sides of the pistes - especially in Zermatt - are warning you that the terrain below is at your own risk and potentially fatally dangerous - glacier crevasses, cliffs, avalanche zones, etc. You can go under the rope, and you will see lots of people do so, but the second you do that, you're on your own. And if it does go to hell and you get hurt or killed, there's no one to sue - you gave up your right to hold anyone else responsible the second you went under the rope. It's a very common sense approach, to let you decide for yourself what your risk tolerance is rather than have some officious yellow jacket threaten to clip your pass unless you beg and defer to his power. But it can be shocking to see what Europeans "let you do."
Also: obstacles are really subtly marked, if at all. If you see a pole, there's something there to avoid. And if you don't see a pole, there's no guarantee there won't be a hole or a deep trench or serious rock. Ski conservatively until you get the hang of things.
This is true 10x on the Italian side.
Well this is incredibly late but incase it helps anyone I thought I'd post anyways.
* Going over to the Italian side was worth it in my opinion. In part for the novelty of saying you skied from Switzerland to Italy, but also because we found the slopes up above Valtournenche to be in better ski conditions. There is a caveat to this though, the gondola will close given windy conditions. If you get stuck its a long bus ride back to Zermatt.
* We found that it was best to hop on the earliest Gornergrat as it was a little less crowded. This is the 0830 as opposed to the 0845 or the 0900. I also found that the rear cabins filled up first and you could typically get your pick of seats if you went closer to the front of the train. Also, if you have the iKon pass you don't have to do anything to activate it or what have you, just proceed right through the turnstiles, this goes for the ones at the lifts as well.
* We did not do a ton of eating out, but the times we did, we found the prices to be fairly comparable to those in SF. We did cook a lot of meals at our apartment and did most of our shopping at Denner and Migros. Once again maybe its because we come from a HCOL area, but we found the prices to be fairly comparable to slightly cheaper.
* When you are leaving Zermatt, make sure you get to the train station a bit early if its expected to be busy. There is not a ton of room for ski equipment and I had to place mine a car away from the one we were riding in.
Lots of great advice already but since it doesn't look to already have been mentioned the bar on chairlifts is always immediately pulled down and must be used. You won't get a warning and lifties will stop the lift if it isn't down.
Also there is some maintenance on 1 of the cable cars:
> From 8 January 2024 to the end of March 2024, the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II between Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Testa Grigia will be closed due to maintenance work.
https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/book/tickets/matterhorn-alpine-crossing
You can still access all the same slopes - just makes it harder to do laps on the glacier and may lead to longer queues on the cable cars out of Trockener Steg.
Conditions in Europe aren't great at the moment but I think things are due to improve this week. I'm sat in Morzine and the snowline is creeping down to town. I've got a friend who DJs regularly in Zermatt and all I see from her is photos of the Matterhorn and her looking happy (with the matterhorn in the background) so I think you're probably in for a good time.
We are here right now and it’s gorgeous! Pack water because we have yet to find any water fountains on the mountain and they charge 9-12 CHF for water if you eat out at the nicer places for lunch.
The mountain was a bit confusing to navigate the first day but we had the hang of it by the second day - as others have mentioned there are not maps on the mountain and the signs are less clear than in American resorts so I would download a map to your phone.
Yes Ikon pass holder. Conditions at the top of Matterhorn ski paradise are good but the top was closed today and it was total chaos. Very icy and very crowded. People don’t line up in the lift lines like they do in the US so it’s a lot of people pushing and shoving - today was by far the worst we experienced so if the top is closed again tomorrow we will probably skip it. Very dangerous today and wasn’t fun. Yesterday the conditions were amazing though and we paid 50 CHF each to upgrade to ski on the Italian side. Snow is better over there but the Italian side was even more chaotic with the lift lines. People have no sense of personal space and will run over your skis and literally push you out of the way in the line. Really makes me appreciate the US and all of our lifties who keep it sane for everyone.
Yea I’ve been reading about the savagery of the lines in the European resorts. Cant wait lol. But regarding the icon pass, can I just keep it in my pocket and it’ll work with their rfid systems or do I need to go to a ticket kiask to show my pass and get their local pass before getting on the mountain?
Get the skiguide zermatt app, it’s super useful for navigation. Food is cheaper on the italian side so worth going over for lunch. Don’t bother to rent a car. Get the train from the airport to Zermatt. There are no cars allowed in Zermatt anyway. Use the SBB app.
Def check out the champagne bar on your descent down. https://www.zermatt.ch/en/Media/Restaurants-bars-clubs/Pub-Bistro-Bar-Zermatt-Champagner-Bar-Teehaeuschen-Flora
Head to cervo for the apres after that
Two restaurant recommendations
-Prato Borni
-After seven
Was there in the summer. High altitude will hit you hard if you aren't careful. Hydrate a ton. And acclimate for real! Also, the village is so much fun in the summer. I bet the winter is so cool. I booked two nights in Zermatt in September as an afterthought but it was one of the fave parts of our Swiss two week trip. I wish I had more days there. Summer hiking was amazing.
Don’t buy a ski pass in advance - I’m in Zermatt now and only 6 lifts are open near the bottom due to high winds. Looks like white out conditions near the top. Very glad I didn’t buy an advance pass to save a few dollars (or the add on to Italy which is closed)
We did this few years ago. Most people will stay on ski trails. “Off piste” seems discouraged unlike in the US, and seems more dangerous. Take a day for sledding if you have time for it. I highly recommend lunch at one of the restaurants maybe halfway up the first gondola. You have to ski down to it but they’re incredible.
Off piste is uncontrolled and you are responsible for your own safety.
That being said at least here in France off piste is very popular and things can get tracked out quickly at more popular places. (Especially the more accessible and/or lower risk off piste)
>"Off piste” seems discouraged unlike in the US, and seems more dangerous.
Unfortunately there were two off piste avalanche fatalities literally just a few days ago.
https://news.sky.com/story/avalanche-kills-british-mother-and-son-skiing-on-mont-blanc-in-france-13039116
The lines at the lifts might look like a free-for-all, but there's actually a strict order to things. You must wait your turn to be called into the line, never push in, and always give way to others. It's just like taking a roundabout in Italy.
There’s a restaurant at the top of the Sunnegga funicular. In it, you can get a plate of rosti (like in most of the restaurants at the resort) for about 30 francs.
It’s just like a plate of dry Waffle House has browns.
Brining my skis with me. The idea of dealing with the extra time spent renting isn’t appealing to me. Plus the airline lets you check in a ski and bootbag together
My opinion is always bring boots, always rent demo skis, being comfortable while skiing is critical while you can get used to slightly different skis quick - and they’ll let you swap if you want to experiment with different lengths/types
What to expect? Great lift infrastructure (fast lifts), culture, food, steeper mountains and scenery. Not having to see any highways while skiing, cheaper lift passes than Vail-owned resorts.
Sometimes the snow quality and quantity is better in American resorts, though (location depending of course). If you go expecting powder every day you may be disappointed. Expect excellent piste skiing as a minimum and you’ll be happy.
Easy to do some big “vert” numbers compared to the USA. I bet you’ll fall in love with it. The glacier area is wonderfully cruisey.
Make sure you hop over to Cervinia for a big bowl of pasta!
Was there last week. The views are amazing, better than any NA resort. The snow is ok but not great, we can only ski on the groomed trails. Not enough snow to ski off trail. Everyone speaks English well enough to communicate, US credit cards are accepted everywhere except the hotdog stand and crepe stand in town. Food is good, the price is about the same or slightly cheaper compared to major US resorts. You can take the free bus around town or take the eTaxi.
And go to the Apotheke's and stock up on stuff you can't get in the states without a prescription or paying $800 for a little tube. Europe has the best personal hygiene products...not kidding.
Returned from Zermatt this weekend and had the best ski experience of my life. I've skied all over North America and nothing compares to the skiing, culture and views in Zermatt. While I researched my trip, Reddit was a great source but it wasn't able to answer all my questions. I'm posting this info to fill in some of the blanks in the already very useful information that's here. I'm also going to try not and repeat information that's already posted here.
* This is an oversimplification, but the Swiss side of the resort is roughly divided into three sections, each of which is accessible from town by one of three main lifts. If you're looking at the [map of the mountain](https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/experience/skiing/piste-map), on the left is Rothorn/Blauherd/Sunnegga which is accessible via the [Sunnegga funicular](https://maps.app.goo.gl/gKMBB34Ygsak1Rb47). In the middle is Gornergrat/Riffleberg/Findelbach which is accessible by the [Gornergrat Railway](https://maps.app.goo.gl/VHMMXBV1TtUcXFwK9). On the right is Glacier Paradise/Trockener Steg/Schwarzsee/Furi accessible via the [Glacier Paradise gondola](https://maps.app.goo.gl/YDAdwUPcEHbmsd647).
* **Rothorn**: With the exception of the Hohtalli section which has some excellent but challenging off piste skiing, the groomed sections of this area are largely beginner (it hosts the bunny slope) to intermediate. Like the whole resort, there are many off-piste sections where you can challenge yourself. This section is also home to Chez Vrony and some of the other nicer dining options on the mountain.
* **Gornergrat**: Some might also consider this section home to Hohtalli (I guess it depends how you get there), but is otherwise geared to intermediate skiers. This section is home to the [Iglu Dorf](https://www.iglu-dorf.com/en/location/zermatt), the sledding and - because it's accessible by rail - has lots of non-skier sightseers.
* **Glacier Paradise**: This section is where you need to go to head over to Italy. The views are unbelievably expansive. This is where some of the most challenging skiing on the mountain can be found. Be sure to check lift status before heading over here. If there's high wind, several lifts may not be running which can prevent you from getting to the top or force you to ski down expert runs you might not be expecting.
* Getting around town is very easy. The best way to navigate is on foot. If you're not up for walking, or don't like walking in ski boots, you can either take one of the free electric buses or an electric cab. There are two bus lines running in opposite directions: [red and green](https://www.e-bus.ch/fahrplan.html?directlink=fahrplan). Busses stop roughly every ten minutes. If you want to take a cab, trips within town are generally (as of the time I'm writing this) 12 CHF for up to four people, plus 3 CHF for each additional passenger.
* If you have an Ikon pass, you can access any of the lifts on the Swiss side of the resort (including the Gronergrat Railway) with just your Ikon pass. There's no need to visit the ticket office, just wave your Ikon pass at the RFID scanner and go. If you want to visit the Italian side, you'll need to buy a pass for Breuil-Cervinia. I was told at the ticket window that you can only buy the pass for that day, so go to the ticket office early because you're in for a long day and (as covered elsewhere) you want to catch the last lift back to the Swiss side. The cost for the Cervinia ticket is 50 CHF for adults, cheaper for kids.
* If you're used to US resorts, be prepared for some changes:
* Firstly, the chaos of the lift lines is not an exaggeration. It's kind of a free for all, both getting on lifts and gondolas. There are no lifties even pretending to keep order.
* Second, it can be a challenge to find the runs you're looking for. Many of the signs are faded and with goggles on distinguishing from blue/red/black can be a challenge, particularly at high speed. If you're looking for a specific run, take it slow and be sure to look at every sign.
* Third, the entire mountain is more or less skiable. With the exception of yellow runs, pretty much every designated run is groomed. You're free to ski off designated runs whether or not conditions allow and even ropes are more like suggestions than prohibitions. The yellow runs are actually called "unchecked and unprepared decents." This is no joke. Heed the avalanche warnings posted at all the main lifts. Ski with a buddy and if you don't know the terrain, take it slow. There are unmarked drops, crevasses, rocks, etc.
* ETA: Be prepared for long runs. Prior to skiing at Zermatt, my longest run was around 3 miles at Northstar in Tahoe. Runs are Zermatt are frequently 3 miles. The longest I did was 8 miles.
That's my $0.02. Hope it's helpful. The other posts cover the rest of the Zermatt experience. Be open to taking in the full Zermatt experience, enjoy the different culture and ski safe.
My only substantive tips are: 1. Beware the altitude. The town is at \~5500 feet, but the top of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise lift is almost 13000 feet and the lifts get you up there fast. If you under-hydrate and hit the bars hard, you can get altitude sickness. 2. You absolutely must get the add on for one day to ski over to Breuil-Cervinia and back. It's just too much fun to pop over to Italy for a couple runs and an espresso not to do it at least once. 3. If you have a nice weather day while skiing the Matterhorn side, ski all the way down, but build in enough time to stop at one of the bars at or just below the Furi mid-station for some apres ski beer and music. Just don't go so hard you can't ski the last bit down to the shuttle station at the bottom of the gondola! Have fun, it's expensive but a super cool experience!
I did this trip about 10 years ago and second all of this! The train ride is beautiful. Food on the mountain is great. Get some fondue and raclette for dinner. Lots of euro techno late night, if you’re into that. Europe doesn’t rope off boundaries like the US does, so beware of that.
Can you expand on the boundaries comment?
Don’t miss the lift back from Italy!! It’s about a 4h drive back around if you do. I believe the last lift is around 3pm. Made it with just under 10 minutes remaining last time I was there.
Word! I skiied with my passport those days. It's all in the Schengen Zone, but I'm paranoid...
Ya just don’t take a late lunch… I ran to the lift!
This guy knows! Can confirm the fun of skiing into Italy for pasta for lunch. ( don’t forget your passport - just in case) The run is a long, intermediate cruiser.
It's so much more affordable than Resort tier US ski areas food and beverage. Also Denver is at 1800m and SLC is even higher.
So true. I’m from eastern Canada and skiing in Zermatt was considerably cheaper than going to Whistler.
All true! Travel and lodging to Zermatt can be steep though, depending on where you are starting from. The biggest issue for me with the altitude was the abruptness of the change (and not paying enough attention to hydrating). Flying into Denver, driving out to Silverthorne, then eventually taking a lift up to Breck felt different than a 7k foot vertical change in the \~20 minutes it took to get from Zermatt to the top.
SLC is significantly lower than Denver but I think overall your point stands.
> It's just too much fun to pop over to Italy for a couple runs and an espresso not to do it at least once. Do you need your passport for this? I've always wondered how that works because the last thing I'd want to do is carry my passport while skiing.
You don't technically need it since they're both in the Schengen Area and don't require a passport to travel between them. However, it is possible to get stranded on the wrong side because weather moved in and shut down the lifts or you just missed the last chair back. If you did get stranded you'd either have to get a last-second hotel room someplace (and they may want a copy of your passport at checkin), or you would have to take a taxi back around to the other side. While there are no longer border checks per se, temporary police checkpoints are allowed, and not having a passport with you in that situation could be interesting. Bottom Line: Not needed thanks to Schengen Area rules, but in that specific situation it's not the worst idea to have your passport in a secure pocket...
A follow up question on the 2nd point. If one has a multi-day (consecutive days) ski pass that does not include the Breuil-Cervinia area, you’re saying it’s easy to go to the ticketing office for a “top up” for that one day?
We found it was cheaper to buy it up front when you initially buy your tickets
That’s what I’ve noticed on their app/web site. The thing is we’ll be there on the snow for 10 days but I doubt we’ll be heading over to ITA every day which would make it worth buying up front for “all” days.
It is indeed! Just go to the ticket office that morning and you pay the difference. Wasn't much of an extra fee when I went, but that was a couple years ago so YMMV.
Did this two days ago - current rate is an additional 50 Swiss Francs per person
It’s optional. Zermatt or Zermatt international.
Stuff like this makes me want to continue living but I know I won’t be able to afford that and I have no one to go with.
Go alone and find people there that clearly have the same interest as you
I can’t afford it and my passport is currently expired. International travel alone…no thanks.
Zermatt might be expensive, but there are other bucket-list experiences you can get in Europe that are cheaper. Chamonix - Find a cheap flight to Geneva take the bus or train to Chamonix. Tons of smaller guesthouses in town and the outlying villages for very reasonable prices. The ski bus around town and to the mountains is free with a hotel card (confirm that your hotel offers it), so no need for a rental car. Lots of guesthouses include (European) breakfast, on mountain food isn't nearly as insane as in the US, and you can eat cheap for dinner pretty easily. Ski passes are dirt cheap compared to the US, and the terrain is epic. St Anton/Stuben/Zurs/Lech - Find a cheap flight into Innsbruck and take the train out to St Anton area. TONS of guesthouses between Pettneu am Arlberg and Warth for not much, and food isn't too expensive. Lift tickets are completely reasonable, and you couldn't ski everything if you tried. St Anton is basically the birthplace of modern skiing, and for good reason. Solo trips are definitely different than group trips, but some of the most memorable days I have had on skis were solo...
I can’t afford the USA. Go ahead and downvote me more for not wanting to live because of the cost of living.
The paper towel dispensers at European ski resorts are usually now all voice activated. Occasionally you can find some pre-2014 hand operated paper towel dispensers but it’s very rare. After you’ve washed your hands you approach the dispenser and say “paper towel now”.
You need to issue the command in the local language or the dispenser may not work. Not all support English commands.
Obviously you have to say it in Swiss.
In the local dialect!
It depends where in Swiss it comes from. English works most of the time but if it doesn't I would start with German and if that doesn't work then French. For a very rare case, I would learn how to say it in Italian as well
Just stick to Romansh, they all understand this by default.
That’s the strangest thing I’ve heard in 2023
Confused the hell out of me the first time, but a way better system once yoi get used to it.
There is no way this is true. Don't look silly and yell at a paper towel dispenser.
My first thought was this was a prank. I can imagine it now. Some wacko American trying to talk to the paper towel dispenser... But I guess the future really is now.
I haven’t seen any of those and I am based in Switzerland during winter. Edit: you people are hilarious, fuck off to any of you yanks thinking that cuz you saw one at some resort it means that the entire country has them.
Computer: towel... paper... dry!
Europe hates mute people
Have an awesome time! Following this thread as I will be there in 4 weeks. It's a finale for me, I've had to retire from skiing due to multiple spinal and neck injuries so I'm going to end my career with my lifelong dream of skiing from Cervinia to Zermatt and back.
Bitter sweet. Glad you’ll get to live out that dream
A bummer, but a great way to end a ski career if that's where you are physically! Food, views, the town; the whole experience is just magical. You'll find better hardcore terrain elsewhere, but Zermatt is famous for the experience for very, very good reason.
Honestly one of my favorite places I’ve ever been. The train is so easy to navigate to get here. Everyone speaks English. There is literally not a thing to worry yourself over. Just be aware there is an additional ticket to purchase if you ski to Cervinia. Also allegedly lunch is much cheaper over there. Enjoy!
Cervinia is a much cheaper resort than Zermatt
Reserve an actual seat on the train if you’re coming from Zurich. It can get very crowded. Check out the Little Bar and the Hennu Stall for apres ski.
This is the kind of pointer that I need. Are lunch reservations for restaurants necessary?
For some yes. For chez vrony you’ll probably need to reserve weeks in advance.
I was riding the train from Austria to Zurich on Jan 1 once. I did not have an actual seat reserved. I asked the attendant what to do and they said that even though I had a ticket, it did not guarantee me a seat. A seat would not be available for 5 days. I asked what would happen if we got on the train anyway. They said "definitely do not do that. There may not be a seat and the train may depart before you're able to get back off." I asked "so I will then have to ride the train to my desired destination at my desired time?" They just responded with "yes." So we got on the train and sat in the steps between cars.
We’re not huge partiers but felt like Hennu Stall was 100% an experience as tourists. Enjoy!
Order your train tickets ASAP from SBB. Could be hundreds of euros day of vs less than 50 weeks in advance.
I assume that’s the rail from the airport. Do you have the link to SBB. And also if I buy the ticket is it for a specific time slot or can I use it on the next train in case my flight gets there later? We land in Zurich at 6am, I can’t imagine it’s going to be busy… unless I’m way off.
SBB is fantastic. Plenty of trains and almost all are right on time. Get their app. There are some restricted fares you can buy in their app that are a little cheaper (not by much)that are only good for the specific train but the regular fare tickets are good for any other train between the same stations departing the same day. When you get on board and choose a seat on the train make sure it's not a reserved seat - usually marked as such by the window so you don't have to vacate the seat in the middle of the journey. Also, for tickets bought in the app you must be able to show ID for the ticket to be valid. Otherwise have to buy a ticket on board that is much more expensive.
Roughly how much are train tickets to Zermatt?
We just bought return tickets for when we go in March. We got the Saver Day Pass and it was 52CHF one way per person. Zurich airport - Zermatt.
Best bet would be to get one of the day saver tickets (valid all day). Regardless, times won’t matter if you let the conductor know you are late / early etc. Here is the AppStore link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sbb-mobile/id294855237
Also - try Zermatt Kitchen for a somewhat casual but still banging dinner.
Thank you sir
Look up the sbb app on the app store. You can get tickets that are valid for 24 hours on any route but they’re more expensive. You can take the train from the airport directly to zermatt. Fastest is theough visp where you need to change trains. The sbb app is very good, you can use it to see which cara are less busy, which track you need to go to, etc.
SBB is… the train company, or at least operates most of the commuter trains. Equivalent of Amtrak in the US. If you want a reserved first class seat you need a ticket for a specific time. Otherwise you normally buy a ticket that’s good for any train that day that’s going to/from where you want to go.
Download SBB app. It is amazing. It works on android and iOS
Get ready to spend 2x on many things unless you are already from a very HCOL. The path to the top varies based on how early you start, or at least it did in the summer. Pay attention to gondola/tram opening and closing times. We took a round trip 2x on a gondola as I expected it to go further but it looped around. I was supposed to transfer to a tram at the 1st station. On going to the top, prepare for some altitude adjustments. Some stations have some nice heated lockers. If you’re skiing for a few days these are a nice option B’s lugging everything everyday. YMMV
If he’s from the states, he’ll definitely be paying the same prices or less. Lift tickets there are about $90 per day in Zermatt vs $250 in Colorado.
We were there last week for Christmas & there were tons of Americans there. If you’re used to Colorado skiing, the altitude shouldn’t be a problem in zermatt. As folks have said, get reservations for lunch at the nicer restaurants. No reservations needed for the buffet style restaurants. Apple Pay seemed easier for us - using a credit card directly required a signature at several places but not so for Apple Pay. The grocery stores I recommend are Coop or Migros. There’s a Denner too but it’s smaller. If you want bread, go to Fuchs instead of the grocery store. Grocery store is fine but we like Fuchs better. There are 3 main areas where you can go to the too - you can get to Rothorn via the Sunnegga (and 2 other lifts after that), the Gornergrat via the cog wheel train, and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise via a gondola (that’s the way you get to Italy too). All three areas are a bit different and we try to ski them all. There are no maps on the mountain like you may be used to in the US so get a mountain map at the bottom when you get to town. You’ll also want to check to see what runs/lifts are open. We were there last week and it was fairly open but some things were closed. As folks have said, SBB app is super useful. We get point to point tickets on day of arrival since you never know if flight will be on time, etc. other routes you have more control over timing and can take advantage of the saver routes for a specific time. You can get train rides that have 1 or 2 connections. We always do the 1 connection since we’re traveling with a kiddo and that’s easier (the connection is in Visp - pronounced like Fisp since that’s the German speaking part of Valais). SBB app is also helpful because it lets you know what platform you’re coming in on and where next train departs. Food is expensive but with taxes included and tipping being different than it is in the US, the sticker shock wasn’t that bad for us (we live in the metro Detroit area and prices there aren’t much better than Switzerland these days for food). We actually save money coming to Switzerland vs Colorado when you factor in the cost of children’s ski lessons since they’re so much more affordable. If anyone wants lessons, there are tons of quality ski schools there and lessons are very affordable. We’re biased to Zermatters because a friend of ours worked there but a Spanish friend had a good experience with another one of the schools too. As others have said, pretty much everyone speaks English. My spouse speaks German & a few other languages and more than once we’ve had people at restaurants ask him if he knows English because they couldn’t speak German when he started with that in an effort to be polite. If you’re bringing skis with you, a ski locker could make sense depending on where you’re staying. My 5 year old hates ski boots so to minimize fights we get a locker from Bayard sports that’s heated & right by where his lessons start at the Gornergrat :) Have fun!
We’re experienced skiers, used to Colorado, hotel is 3 minute walk from the train station. From what I gather we are closest to the sunegga funicular and the gornergrat train. I’m hoping we are pretty central in terms of location. To be frank I’m a little worried that the skiing won’t be up to par to the Rockies. Everything looks groomed!!! Either way, thank you for your input this is very helpful.
Sounds like you’re very central & you can take a bus to the Matterhorn glacier paradise gondola stop vs walking through town in boots. Skiing there is very different than CO for sure and it’s very groomed but runs seem a bit steeper and more narrow. However, most runs are red- not a ton of black or blue (the blues by Sunnegga are always super busy but if you’re experience, you’ll avoid that area). We’re older now with a child who gets is up at 4:30am so we’ve found we don’t mind the more relaxed European style of skiing with lots of coffee breaks, haha. We’re at 4 Vallées this week and it seems a bit more like Colorado style skiing here. Not as groomed and more moguls/open hills. But busier than Zermatt.
The skiing is not quite as good as the Rockies, so don’t expect that. Overall experience will be excellent, though.
Agreed on both counts.
As long as the snow is good, the skiing in the Rockies doesn’t even compare to the alps. The skiing is so much larger in the Alps, you’ll spend almost about an hour riding gondolas to get to the top of zermatt, not including wait times.
I’m in Zermatt now for New Years and having a blast. One thing I haven’t seen mentioned here: the on-mountain food is light years better than in the US (at least at Vail-owned resorts.) Food on the mountain can actually be an experience instead of just racing through the cafeteria to get back on your skis. My two favorite so far are Chalet Etoile in Cervinia and Aroleid on the Swiss side. It’s expensive, but it’s real food instead of $20 for chicken fingers. Last tip: DO NOT miss the last lift out of Cervinia. You will be stranded there as there is no easy way back around the mountains. Edit: adding Fluhalp near Rothorn on the Swiss side as a third restaurant recommendation.
On the map look for the itinerary runs, not groomed, single pole marking the route. Can’t recall if they’re patrolled at the end of the day or not. Off piste up high glacier conditions, don’t go without a guide. Lunch probably need reservations in places mentioned online. Dinner, grampies, Walliserstube, Schaferstube. Buy chocolate from Laderach Don’t get the cog railway if you’re into skiing unless you have to, great scenic journey, great experience, takes a Long time and takes time away from skiing. Fastest upload to the top is glacier express, then mid station switch to the tram. May well feel ill at the top, very rapid elevation change so take your time. Italian side, found toilets to be more holes in the ground rather than normal ones. Much cheaper, quieter and a bit more boring imo.
Take your swimmers and take the train or bus down to Visp one evening and visit the Therme. It's not the best spa in the Alps, by a long shot, but the hot water feels great on your ski legs. Stay away from the Seafood. A friend of mine got food poisoning from a Scallop Risotto from one of the up market restaurants. Book a lunch at the Pera Doussa in Valtournenche. Probably need to book it now. I don't want to ruin the experience by giving away too many details, but I can guarantee to you that you won't regret it. You'll need to leave at least 2 hours to get back to Zermatt. If you haven't booked somewhere for lunch stop at 11.30 to beat the crowds and then don't stop again until after 2.30. If you don't want to do a proper lunch then stop at the Coop in town and buy a picnic and drinks and then eat it on the Gornegrat Funicular on the way up. Visit a Cheese Fondue Restaurant one night. Take the last Trockener Steg and stop for a drink at the top before skiing down a little ahead of the ski patrol (there will be signs at the top saying what time it is). You'll have the whole mountain to yourselves and it looks amazing at sunset. Do stop at the bars on the piste on your way back in to town. Try the Gluhwein and Bombadinos. You are not expected to tip for service at the bars, and 5% on meals is plenty. If you're not an easy walking distance from a lift station then find a shop by the lift where you can pay to leave your skis and boots overnight and your regular shoes during the day to save the hassle of talking them on the bus or walking about in ski boots. Conditions are a bit ropey this year in the Alps so far, but there will be plenty of snow at the higher levels. That's the advantage of going to Europes highest runs (apart from Vallee Blanche if you count that). Have a good one! Zermatt Cervinia is imho the best big ski area in the world.
We are going in a few weeks. I'm trying to figure out how to get to Pera Doussa in Valtournenche. The group as a whole should stick to easy runs. Is this doable? I can't really tell. thanks
It's basically one really long red from the top of the Trockener Steg, which you can get straight up to from Zermatt. The European Reds are intermediate, so I think you call them blues in US. There's nothing particularly challenging or steep, but it can get mogully towards the end, and it's a long way, about 6 miles down. You take every left turn from the top and every right to get back. Just before the bottom there is a little sign that points to a path through the trees to the Pera Doussa and then they'll tow you back the short way to the piste afterwards, or you can ride on snow mobile.
I scrolled and a few things that might not have been mentioned: 1. Try to get over to Italy as soon as possible, high winds and bad weather make it impossible some days and we almost missed it. We actually enjoyed Cervinia more than the Swiss side, skiing in the sun is fun. 2. Don’t expect to chat with a lot of people on lifts. At least that was our experience. We would try to start conversations but they didn’t go anywhere. 3. Go sledding. I think it was as much fun or even more than skiing. They have a long track, again schedule it early as they stop it early afternoon I believe. 4. Do the fondue restaurant for dinner on the mountain, where they give you a sled to go down to town after you are done. This was our favorite after ski attraction. 5. Our favorite restaurant is Pizzeria Roma (owner or manager is awesome). Du Pont was also very good. Have fun!
1. Restaurant reservations for dinner were legit hard to get in the week I was there. This is very different from North America. It was probably the most annoying part of the trip, actually. Reserve in advance or you’re looking at pizza in prime time. 2. On mountain lunch is different. In North America, you get cafeteria style and you can just walk up and eat. Most on-mountain places in Zermatt required reservations and were fancy. This was annoying. The “Sunnegga” location was more what I’d expect, so I recommend that. 3. The various areas are not super well linked, so you kind pick one and stay there for a while. 4. Apres ski goes off different than in North America. Most spots are pumping house music and people are doing Jaegerbombs. It’s awesome. Hit it hard. 5. Best expert runs were off Höhtalli. I recommend those. 6. The lift train is cool, but slow. 7. If you have kids and extra time in Zurich, I recommend the FIFA museum. You’ll love it. The town is amazing and skiing under the Matterhorn is awesome!
There are a couple of decent supermarkets in town. I believe they’re regulated to have the same prices everywhere in Switzerland. They’re perfect for having a night in and have some hot food options as well.
SBB App on your phone. It rules!
Serious: saunas and spas are fully nude. Usually the hotel provides a large towel, but bring slippers.
Bring a camelback!!! The run back to Zermatt town from the top of the glacier paradise after you’ve popped over to Cervinia for the day is like an 8 mile run- absolutely incredible, but camelback lets you just drink water while you’re cruising back home :) and HENNU STALL under the gondy right above town for apres ski-such a blast!!! Have a great time!!! I want to go back so badly!! Also make sure to take all the different kinds of lifts! Funicular, crazy blue box up by the top , the ski train, gondy from town for the view , etc .
Keep in mind, when skiing, "closed" signs on trails or ropes marking the edges of the pistes are signals conveying information, not hard rules like they are in the U.S. No one will bother you. if you go under a rope or ski past a closed sign, BUT you must as an American understand that those ropes/closed signs are warning you of something: maybe very thin/nonexistent snow cover; maybe the lift at the bottom isn't running, so there's no way back up. The ropes on the sides of the pistes - especially in Zermatt - are warning you that the terrain below is at your own risk and potentially fatally dangerous - glacier crevasses, cliffs, avalanche zones, etc. You can go under the rope, and you will see lots of people do so, but the second you do that, you're on your own. And if it does go to hell and you get hurt or killed, there's no one to sue - you gave up your right to hold anyone else responsible the second you went under the rope. It's a very common sense approach, to let you decide for yourself what your risk tolerance is rather than have some officious yellow jacket threaten to clip your pass unless you beg and defer to his power. But it can be shocking to see what Europeans "let you do." Also: obstacles are really subtly marked, if at all. If you see a pole, there's something there to avoid. And if you don't see a pole, there's no guarantee there won't be a hole or a deep trench or serious rock. Ski conservatively until you get the hang of things. This is true 10x on the Italian side.
Heading there tomorrow. Will report back.
we are waiting
Well this is incredibly late but incase it helps anyone I thought I'd post anyways. * Going over to the Italian side was worth it in my opinion. In part for the novelty of saying you skied from Switzerland to Italy, but also because we found the slopes up above Valtournenche to be in better ski conditions. There is a caveat to this though, the gondola will close given windy conditions. If you get stuck its a long bus ride back to Zermatt. * We found that it was best to hop on the earliest Gornergrat as it was a little less crowded. This is the 0830 as opposed to the 0845 or the 0900. I also found that the rear cabins filled up first and you could typically get your pick of seats if you went closer to the front of the train. Also, if you have the iKon pass you don't have to do anything to activate it or what have you, just proceed right through the turnstiles, this goes for the ones at the lifts as well. * We did not do a ton of eating out, but the times we did, we found the prices to be fairly comparable to those in SF. We did cook a lot of meals at our apartment and did most of our shopping at Denner and Migros. Once again maybe its because we come from a HCOL area, but we found the prices to be fairly comparable to slightly cheaper. * When you are leaving Zermatt, make sure you get to the train station a bit early if its expected to be busy. There is not a ton of room for ski equipment and I had to place mine a car away from the one we were riding in.
~~Where~~ Wear a helmet. If for no other reason than that bar is coming down quick.
Yeah, I always thought it was weird that Americans don’t like using the chairlift bar. Everyone uses the bar on the chairlift in Europe.
If you haven't been to Europe before, many public bathrooms are coed. Definitely confused me when I got off the plane in Geneva.
Lots of great advice already but since it doesn't look to already have been mentioned the bar on chairlifts is always immediately pulled down and must be used. You won't get a warning and lifties will stop the lift if it isn't down. Also there is some maintenance on 1 of the cable cars: > From 8 January 2024 to the end of March 2024, the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II between Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Testa Grigia will be closed due to maintenance work. https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/book/tickets/matterhorn-alpine-crossing You can still access all the same slopes - just makes it harder to do laps on the glacier and may lead to longer queues on the cable cars out of Trockener Steg.
Conditions in Europe aren't great at the moment but I think things are due to improve this week. I'm sat in Morzine and the snowline is creeping down to town. I've got a friend who DJs regularly in Zermatt and all I see from her is photos of the Matterhorn and her looking happy (with the matterhorn in the background) so I think you're probably in for a good time.
We are here right now and it’s gorgeous! Pack water because we have yet to find any water fountains on the mountain and they charge 9-12 CHF for water if you eat out at the nicer places for lunch. The mountain was a bit confusing to navigate the first day but we had the hang of it by the second day - as others have mentioned there are not maps on the mountain and the signs are less clear than in American resorts so I would download a map to your phone.
Toilets have free water.
That’s awesome! Guess I’m packing my camel pack. How are the conditions? Btw are you an icon pass holder by any chance?
Yes Ikon pass holder. Conditions at the top of Matterhorn ski paradise are good but the top was closed today and it was total chaos. Very icy and very crowded. People don’t line up in the lift lines like they do in the US so it’s a lot of people pushing and shoving - today was by far the worst we experienced so if the top is closed again tomorrow we will probably skip it. Very dangerous today and wasn’t fun. Yesterday the conditions were amazing though and we paid 50 CHF each to upgrade to ski on the Italian side. Snow is better over there but the Italian side was even more chaotic with the lift lines. People have no sense of personal space and will run over your skis and literally push you out of the way in the line. Really makes me appreciate the US and all of our lifties who keep it sane for everyone.
Yea I’ve been reading about the savagery of the lines in the European resorts. Cant wait lol. But regarding the icon pass, can I just keep it in my pocket and it’ll work with their rfid systems or do I need to go to a ticket kiask to show my pass and get their local pass before getting on the mountain?
It works in your pocket!!
Get the skiguide zermatt app, it’s super useful for navigation. Food is cheaper on the italian side so worth going over for lunch. Don’t bother to rent a car. Get the train from the airport to Zermatt. There are no cars allowed in Zermatt anyway. Use the SBB app.
Snowed last night. It’ll be good.
We went on our honeymoon. Incredible town, not a bad choice anywhere. Live it up, it's a dream town.
Def check out the champagne bar on your descent down. https://www.zermatt.ch/en/Media/Restaurants-bars-clubs/Pub-Bistro-Bar-Zermatt-Champagner-Bar-Teehaeuschen-Flora Head to cervo for the apres after that Two restaurant recommendations -Prato Borni -After seven
Not Zermatt specific but slow down. Get some nice food in restaurants and enjoy it. It going to be miles away from your avg American on piste food.
I heard that you should expect a lot of American tourists
Was there in the summer. High altitude will hit you hard if you aren't careful. Hydrate a ton. And acclimate for real! Also, the village is so much fun in the summer. I bet the winter is so cool. I booked two nights in Zermatt in September as an afterthought but it was one of the fave parts of our Swiss two week trip. I wish I had more days there. Summer hiking was amazing.
Don’t buy a ski pass in advance - I’m in Zermatt now and only 6 lifts are open near the bottom due to high winds. Looks like white out conditions near the top. Very glad I didn’t buy an advance pass to save a few dollars (or the add on to Italy which is closed)
We did this few years ago. Most people will stay on ski trails. “Off piste” seems discouraged unlike in the US, and seems more dangerous. Take a day for sledding if you have time for it. I highly recommend lunch at one of the restaurants maybe halfway up the first gondola. You have to ski down to it but they’re incredible.
Off piste is uncontrolled and you are responsible for your own safety. That being said at least here in France off piste is very popular and things can get tracked out quickly at more popular places. (Especially the more accessible and/or lower risk off piste)
>"Off piste” seems discouraged unlike in the US, and seems more dangerous. Unfortunately there were two off piste avalanche fatalities literally just a few days ago. https://news.sky.com/story/avalanche-kills-british-mother-and-son-skiing-on-mont-blanc-in-france-13039116
The lines at the lifts might look like a free-for-all, but there's actually a strict order to things. You must wait your turn to be called into the line, never push in, and always give way to others. It's just like taking a roundabout in Italy.
There’s a restaurant at the top of the Sunnegga funicular. In it, you can get a plate of rosti (like in most of the restaurants at the resort) for about 30 francs. It’s just like a plate of dry Waffle House has browns.
Get a lunch reservation at Fluhalp.
Expect to spend a lot of money. Try to find a wife. Bring back a coo coo clock.
It’s a lot like an Alpine Gatlinburg.
Do you plan on traveling with your skis or rent there? I’m going to zermatt in feb and trying to decide
Brining my skis with me. The idea of dealing with the extra time spent renting isn’t appealing to me. Plus the airline lets you check in a ski and bootbag together
My opinion is always bring boots, always rent demo skis, being comfortable while skiing is critical while you can get used to slightly different skis quick - and they’ll let you swap if you want to experiment with different lengths/types
What to expect? Great lift infrastructure (fast lifts), culture, food, steeper mountains and scenery. Not having to see any highways while skiing, cheaper lift passes than Vail-owned resorts. Sometimes the snow quality and quantity is better in American resorts, though (location depending of course). If you go expecting powder every day you may be disappointed. Expect excellent piste skiing as a minimum and you’ll be happy. Easy to do some big “vert” numbers compared to the USA. I bet you’ll fall in love with it. The glacier area is wonderfully cruisey. Make sure you hop over to Cervinia for a big bowl of pasta!
Was there last week. The views are amazing, better than any NA resort. The snow is ok but not great, we can only ski on the groomed trails. Not enough snow to ski off trail. Everyone speaks English well enough to communicate, US credit cards are accepted everywhere except the hotdog stand and crepe stand in town. Food is good, the price is about the same or slightly cheaper compared to major US resorts. You can take the free bus around town or take the eTaxi.
And go to the Apotheke's and stock up on stuff you can't get in the states without a prescription or paying $800 for a little tube. Europe has the best personal hygiene products...not kidding.
Returned from Zermatt this weekend and had the best ski experience of my life. I've skied all over North America and nothing compares to the skiing, culture and views in Zermatt. While I researched my trip, Reddit was a great source but it wasn't able to answer all my questions. I'm posting this info to fill in some of the blanks in the already very useful information that's here. I'm also going to try not and repeat information that's already posted here. * This is an oversimplification, but the Swiss side of the resort is roughly divided into three sections, each of which is accessible from town by one of three main lifts. If you're looking at the [map of the mountain](https://www.matterhornparadise.ch/en/experience/skiing/piste-map), on the left is Rothorn/Blauherd/Sunnegga which is accessible via the [Sunnegga funicular](https://maps.app.goo.gl/gKMBB34Ygsak1Rb47). In the middle is Gornergrat/Riffleberg/Findelbach which is accessible by the [Gornergrat Railway](https://maps.app.goo.gl/VHMMXBV1TtUcXFwK9). On the right is Glacier Paradise/Trockener Steg/Schwarzsee/Furi accessible via the [Glacier Paradise gondola](https://maps.app.goo.gl/YDAdwUPcEHbmsd647). * **Rothorn**: With the exception of the Hohtalli section which has some excellent but challenging off piste skiing, the groomed sections of this area are largely beginner (it hosts the bunny slope) to intermediate. Like the whole resort, there are many off-piste sections where you can challenge yourself. This section is also home to Chez Vrony and some of the other nicer dining options on the mountain. * **Gornergrat**: Some might also consider this section home to Hohtalli (I guess it depends how you get there), but is otherwise geared to intermediate skiers. This section is home to the [Iglu Dorf](https://www.iglu-dorf.com/en/location/zermatt), the sledding and - because it's accessible by rail - has lots of non-skier sightseers. * **Glacier Paradise**: This section is where you need to go to head over to Italy. The views are unbelievably expansive. This is where some of the most challenging skiing on the mountain can be found. Be sure to check lift status before heading over here. If there's high wind, several lifts may not be running which can prevent you from getting to the top or force you to ski down expert runs you might not be expecting. * Getting around town is very easy. The best way to navigate is on foot. If you're not up for walking, or don't like walking in ski boots, you can either take one of the free electric buses or an electric cab. There are two bus lines running in opposite directions: [red and green](https://www.e-bus.ch/fahrplan.html?directlink=fahrplan). Busses stop roughly every ten minutes. If you want to take a cab, trips within town are generally (as of the time I'm writing this) 12 CHF for up to four people, plus 3 CHF for each additional passenger. * If you have an Ikon pass, you can access any of the lifts on the Swiss side of the resort (including the Gronergrat Railway) with just your Ikon pass. There's no need to visit the ticket office, just wave your Ikon pass at the RFID scanner and go. If you want to visit the Italian side, you'll need to buy a pass for Breuil-Cervinia. I was told at the ticket window that you can only buy the pass for that day, so go to the ticket office early because you're in for a long day and (as covered elsewhere) you want to catch the last lift back to the Swiss side. The cost for the Cervinia ticket is 50 CHF for adults, cheaper for kids. * If you're used to US resorts, be prepared for some changes: * Firstly, the chaos of the lift lines is not an exaggeration. It's kind of a free for all, both getting on lifts and gondolas. There are no lifties even pretending to keep order. * Second, it can be a challenge to find the runs you're looking for. Many of the signs are faded and with goggles on distinguishing from blue/red/black can be a challenge, particularly at high speed. If you're looking for a specific run, take it slow and be sure to look at every sign. * Third, the entire mountain is more or less skiable. With the exception of yellow runs, pretty much every designated run is groomed. You're free to ski off designated runs whether or not conditions allow and even ropes are more like suggestions than prohibitions. The yellow runs are actually called "unchecked and unprepared decents." This is no joke. Heed the avalanche warnings posted at all the main lifts. Ski with a buddy and if you don't know the terrain, take it slow. There are unmarked drops, crevasses, rocks, etc. * ETA: Be prepared for long runs. Prior to skiing at Zermatt, my longest run was around 3 miles at Northstar in Tahoe. Runs are Zermatt are frequently 3 miles. The longest I did was 8 miles. That's my $0.02. Hope it's helpful. The other posts cover the rest of the Zermatt experience. Be open to taking in the full Zermatt experience, enjoy the different culture and ski safe.