The village of Zermatt, located in the south of the Valais canton in Switzerland, is an elite ski resort, located in the north of the Monte Rosa massif. Since there is no air harbor on the territory of the object, it is most convenient to get here from the nearby Zurich or Geneva airport. And Switzerland’s transport infrastructure involves three ways to travel: by train, by car or by taxi. When choosing a vehicle, it should be borne in mind that it is forbidden to drive fuel cars in the resort. So which transport is most convenient to get to the famous ski Zermatt , how to get to it as comfortably and without delay?
How to get to Zermatt from Zurich
Zurich Airport is 240 km from Zermatt. There is a railway station (Zürich Flughafen) right in the air harbor building, which can be reached from the arrivals hall by special signs. A train leaves for Zermatt every half an hour from the third platform of the railway station, but the flight is not direct: you will have to change trains in the city of Visp. A detailed reference about the route will be given to you by the cashier when buying tickets.
After a stop in Visp, you will have only 7 minutes to transfer to a high-altitude electric train departing from a neighboring platform towards Zermatt. When rushing transplants, many tourists forget their things in the car, so be careful. The staff at the station is quite responsive, and if you are confused and cannot find the composition you need, be sure to contact the station staff for help. If you are still late for your flight, wait for the next train, which will arrive in half an hour.
The cost of a train ticket to Zurich-Zermatt is 65 ₣. The total travel time is about three and a half hours. Tickets can be purchased at www.sbb.ch. Upon arrival in the village, the train stops at the central station of Zermatt, from where you can get to the hotel you need by taxi (price 10-12 ₣). There is no shortage of taxi drivers here: there are always several electric vehicles at the exit, ready to throw you to the hotel.
If such an option as a train does not suit you, and you decide to get to Zermatt from Zurich by car, then do not forget that at the resort you can only move by electric cars. And in order to get into the village itself, you have to leave your car in the parking lot in the nearest village.
Such is the village of Tesh, which is 5 km from Zermatt. The road between them is closed. Tesha has a large covered parking space for 2100 cars. The price of daily parking is 14 ₣, but if you park a car for a period of up to 8 days, then the cost per day will be 13 ₣.
After you gave your car in good hands, you need to get from Tesch to Zermatt. You can do this by taking a train running between villages every 20 minutes. The round-trip ticket price will be 15 ₣ for an adult and 7.5 ₣ for children (6-16 years old). The trip takes only 12 minutes. You can get from Tes to Zermatt using the services of a taxi driver: this option will cost you about 15 ₣.
To get to Zermatt, all comfort lovers can book a transfer from the nearest Swiss airport. Getting to the resort from the city of Zurich by car is possible 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 in a standard sedan for a group of four will cost 600-650 ₣ (150-160 ₣ per person). If the number of passengers reaches 16, then you can get to the village by minibus for 1200 ₣ (75 ₣ per person). When choosing this method, we advise you to book a car from Zurich in advance, since at the peak of the season the number of free cars is significantly reduced.
You will be interested: How much money to prepare for a vacation in Zermatt?
How to get to Zermatt from Geneva
The distance between Zermatt and Geneva Airport is 230 km. Many tourists prefer to get to the village by train, because in addition to a comfortable trip, they are provided with scenic views from the carriage window throughout the journey. The railway junction is located in the airport building itself, and it is easy to find it according to the signs. First you need to get to the Genève-Aéroport station, go to the ticket office and buy a ticket for the Geneva-Zermatt train. Compositions in a given direction arrive hourly.
As in the case of Zurich, the flight from Geneva is not direct, but with a change in the city of Visp. After stopping at Visp, you take the train to Zermatt, which takes you along the cog railway, rising to a height of almost 1000 meters. Travel time is approximately 4 hours. Ticket price in economy class is 28-30 ₣. Upon arrival in Zermatt, passengers disembark at the central station and take a taxi to the hotel. Tickets can be purchased online at www.sbb.ch.
Prices in the article are for February 2018.
If instead of a train you decide to go by car and have a pretty good idea of how to get from Geneva to Zermatt, remember that you cannot drive to the resort by a fuel car. The same algorithm of actions will be relevant here as when traveling by car from Zurich: drive to the village of Tesch, park a 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.
If you do not want to spend your time looking for the desired station or parking a car, then you always have the opportunity to travel 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 on a custom car for four people will cost 520 ₣ (130 ₣ per person). If the group consists of 10-15 people, then a minibus ride is possible, where each passenger will pay 50-60 ₣. You can always order a car from Geneva in advance on numerous specialized sites.
See also: What to see in Geneva – a selection of the most interesting sights .
Output
Obviously, the transport infrastructure in Switzerland provides all the necessary conditions for tourists arriving here. We hope that by reading our article you will get a detailed idea of what transport goes to Zermatt, how to get to the resort from Zurich and Geneva airports quickly and comfortably.
Video – 6 interesting facts about the resort of Zermatt.
