Zermatt
The town of Zermatt is situated by the edge of the Mattertal Valley at a height of 1,620 meters and offers multiple glacier skiing possibilities, hiking trails, cable cars and many more attractions. With its beautiful old streets, charming restaurants and plenty of shopping the town can be found lying in the shadow of the Matterhorn Mountain which towers high above the valley.
The ski resort of Zermatt is a car free zone which means you can only travel around the town by foot, in horse drawn carriages, electric powered trolley buses or electric taxis. Zermatt is considered as one of the best skiing destinations in the world. Situated in the Valais canton in the western part of Switzerland, this village ski resort lies at the base of the famously photogenic mountain, the Matternhorn peak.
Zermatt is linked to Cervinia on the border of Italy. Skiing in Zermatt is not cheap at all, but the Swiss alpine charm of its slopes, plus car free environment of the village atmosphere may well be worth the extra cost.
Getting to Zermatt
The furthest you can go with your car would be in Tasch, where multi-storey car parks are provided for tourists driving on wheels. Parking cost is around 100 CHF (Swiss Francs) a week. From there to the village, transport staples are electro-taxis, electro-buses, and bicycles but you can also follow the local mode of travelling by the villagers, which is simply walking your way around. Other hotels employ horse drawn carriages to transport tourists.
If you are thinking of using the rail system to get there, the best option you have is catching the French TGV service going to Geneva. Get off at the airport and transfer to the Swiss service going along the Rhone Valley. Travel time from London until Geneva by train is approximately nine hours. Flight transfers are also available from Zurich, Basel, the Italian Milan and Sion, the closest major airport to Zermatt.
Zermatt: Ski Facts
Highest lift: 3820 m
Lowest Lift: 1620 m
Total vertical drop: 2200 m
Piste Length: 313 kilometres
Longest run: 17 kilometres
Snow Cannons: 129
Cross country: 9 kilometres
Total Lifts and Mountain Railways: 73
Snow Park: 2
The resort is naturally geared for intermediate and professional skiers but also offers nursery slopes for learners and areas for snowboarders. It has 21 black runs, 41 reds, and 12 blues.
Accommodation in Zermatt
Being one of the top ski resorts, Zermatt is also flocked with 4-star and 5-star hotels, high rated chalets, and other luxurious resort lodges. That is why the place is also branded as the ski getaway of the rich and the famous. Top accommodations are The Omnia, The Alpine Residence – Hotel Mirabeau, Aparthotel Zurbriggen, Hotel Alex, and Riffelalp Resort.
If you are on a tight budget, Zermatt really isnt for you and you may struggle getting accomodation, but there are also a lot of affordable self-catering apartments for you to stay. The cheapest option may be getting an accommodation in the Tasch village, but the apres ski is less lively and you would have to travel by train to the resort everyday.