Travel to Zermatt with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Surrounded by over 20 towering mountain peaks, and exuding an authentic sense of tradition, Zermatt attracts skiers and snowboarders from all over the globe, eager to sample the resort’s superb ski slopes.

Zermatt is a harmonious blend of old and new: traditional wooden chalets sit alongside contemporary hotels, while horse-drawn carriages contrast with modern street scenes. The centre of the town is pedestrianised and, without the drone of cars, the streets of the ski resort are alive with an exuberant human bustle.

Zermatt’s slopes are spread over three separate ski areas, with 394kms of slopes available to visitors. Of these, 55 per cent of runs are devoted to intermediate skiers and 36 per cent to advanced skiers. Zermatt is not the ideal resort for absolute novices, with only nine per cent of the total ski slopes allocated to beginners. The resort has a modern system of 60 lifts, with an uplift capacity of 75,180 skiers per hour. The lofty top elevation is situated at 3,900m, affording year round skiing.

Nights are vibrant in Zermatt, with over 100 restaurants to choose from, and scores of cafés, bars and discos featuring a lively party scene. For calmer night-time entertainment, the ski resort hosts concert performances and folklore evenings. The town is well-equipped with entertainment facilities and visitor services, with a museum, a cinema and childcare facilities, among other amenities. There are approximately 13,000 beds in Zermatt, in hotels, traditional chalets, apartments and guesthouses.

If you aren’t satisfied by the 394kms of slope area in Zermatt, the Italian resorts of Cervinia and Valtourneche are just across the border, and linked by ski lifts to Zermatt. Passes for these resorts can be acquired from Zermatt itself.

The ski season at Zermatt runs throughout the year, with skiing possible during the summer months, due to the resort’s lofty top elevation of 3,900m. Zermatt can be accessed by road or rail, or by a combination of air transportation with one of the former options.

Skiing in Zermatt

The Swiss resort of Zermatt, situated close to the Italian border, beneath the magnificent Matterhorn, is internationally renowned for its extensive ski and snowboard area, its state-of-the-art facilities and fabulous après-ski, and is without doubt one of the world’s top ski resorts.

Zermatt comprises a vast ski area made up of three separate areas, with a cumulative slope distance of 394kms. Of these, most are designed for intermediates and advanced skiers (50 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively), while beginners have only nine per cent of the pistes.

Zermatt’s slopes are serviced by an efficient system of modern lifts with the ability to transport as many as 75,180 skiers every hour. There are fabulous off-piste trails in Zermatt, and a massive section of challenging cross-country skiing, suitable for both skiers and snowboarders. Additionally, snowboarders have access to a superb snow park. Two hundred instructors provide skiing and snowboarding tuition.

Owing to its high elevation, Zermatt offers skiing all year round, with summer skiing between May and November. The resort can be accessed by flying to either Zürich or Geneva and hiring a car, or taking public transport the rest of the way.

Après-ski in Zermatt

Zermatt far outshines most ski resorts with its fabulous off-slope and après-ski activities, making it an excellent resort even for non-skiers. Alternative winter pastimes on offer include curling, helicopter skiing, horse-drawn sleighing, natural ice-skating, mountaineering, paragliding, dog-sledding, gorge adventures, and much more.

Zermatt’s nightlife is legendary, and one of the resort’s greatest drawcards. Over 100 restaurants serve both Swiss and international cuisine, and the town is permeated with cafés, bars and discos featuring a bubbly music, dancing and a thriving social scene. Concert performances and folklore evenings provide a cultural slant to nightly entertainment. Zermatt has a large range of lodging options, from top-end hotels, to traditional chalets, to private apartments and more.

Skiing in Zermatt is complemented by a vast range of other pursuits, both indoor and outdoor. Alternative adventure possibilities include: curling, helicopter skiing, horse-drawn sleighing, natural ice-skating, mountaineering, paragliding, dog-sledding and gorge adventures; while a museum and cinema provide opportunities for more serene amusement.

Transportation in Zermatt

Zermatt ski resort is located in Switzerland’s southwest region, approximately 235kms from both Zürich and Geneva. The resort can be reached by several practical methods of transportation, but the most hassle-free of these is to fly to Geneva’s Cointrin Airport, or Zürich International Airport, and hire a car or take a train transfer to the resort. Alternatives are self-drive or rail transportation from the UK.

Zermatt is situated 924kms from the French port of Calais, which can be accessed from the UK by car ferry across the English Channel. From here, the route travels through France and Switzerland, taking between 9 and 10 hours to reach the resort. Most of the drive is via major highways, with toll fees adding up to roughly €40.

If you fly to Geneva or Zürich and hire a vehicle to access the resort, the drive from the former is via Visp and Tasch, or alternatively via Luzern, Brunigen and Brig from Zürich.

Zermatt has its own train station, making it easily accessible via rail. From London’s Waterloo station, or from Ashford in Kent, take the Eurostar to Paris. Board an overnight train to Basel, and then catch a connecting train to Brig. From Brig, trains travel regularly to the resort. Trains going directly to the resort are also available from the international airports at both Geneva and Zürich.

Zürich’s and Geneva’s international airports are equally convenient in terms of accessing Zermatt, with both offering direct rail transportation to the resort. However, the journey between Geneva and Zermatt takes four hours, while from Zürich it takes five hours to reach the resort. Alternatively, you can hire a car from either of the airports and drive to Zermatt.

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