Ski Zermatt: Mountain Layout & Where to Stay
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- čas přidán 17. 09. 2023
- Zermatt is an incredible ski and snowboard resort. The sixth largest in the world according to Ski Magazine. But if you go, what can you expect in terms of mountain and terrain layout? And what part of the town should you stay in?
GETTING THERE
If you fly, you'll likely land in Zurich or Geneva. Each of those airports has a train station where you can hop on a train to Zermatt, though at least one transfer is required. Still, it's extremely convenient. If you drive from the airport to Zermatt, you'll have to take a car train at Realp, and the traffic can get bad on weekend afternoons, so try to get to the car train as early as possible. Otherwise, it could add an hour or more to your drive. You'll also have to park your car at Täsch and take a train for the last 15 minutes because cars are not allowed in Zermatt. The best parking garage at Täsch is the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, which is at the train station. You can reserve your parking space in advance on their website.
LAYOUT
One way to approach the mountain layout is to divide the mountain into four sections: (1) the Sunnegga side, (2) Gornergrat, (3) the Glacier Paradise side, and (4) the Italian side, which is actually the separate ski resort of Cervino, Italy.
GLACIER PARADISE
The Matterhorn Express gondola is the most direct way up this side, which has glaciers at the summit, plenty of intermediate skiing, a terrain park, and close up views of the Matterhorn. After taking the Matterhorn Express gondola, you access the summit by taking the Glacier Paradise rail car. This is the highest point in Europe accessible by rail car. From there, you can ski or snowboard back to Zermatt, or access Cervino. The Glacier Paradise side of the mountain has great beginner train at the summit when there is sufficient snow, but is generally intermediate with occasional advanced, steeper terrain.
THE TOWN OF ZERMATT
Zermatt is a decent sized town. And there are only three ways up the mountain. The Matterhorn Express gondola for the Glacier Paradise side, the Gornergrat railway for Gornergrat, and the funicular for Sunnegga. The funicular and Gornergrat railway are relatively close to each other in the center of Zermatt. The Matterhorn Express gondola is approximately a 15 minute walk from the center. If you don't stay within walking distance of these two areas, you may have to take a bus, a taxi or hotel shuttle in the morning. Or walk for a long time.
ITALIAN SIDE
Cervino is accessible from the top of the Glacier Paradise side. You will need a separate lift ticket for Cervino, which you can buy at any Zermatt ticket location or in Cervino. This is true even if you have the Ikon Pass, which only includes Zermatt. The border is sometimes closed, so take advantage when it's open. Although the slope to access Cervino is steep, the rest of Cervino is the most ideal terrain for beginners. There are great long rolling slopes that are not too steep. And you can have pasta and coffee in Italy!
THE SUNNEGGA SIDE
Sunnegga arguably has the most advanced terrain at Zermatt. You can find decent tree skiing, extremely steep slopes, and open above-tree line skiing. And of course, like the rest of Zermatt, plenty of dining options on the mountain.
GORNERGRAT
Gornergrat provides an on-mountain hotel accommodation at the top of the Gornergrat railway, along with an observatory. It's the next best option for beginners and intermediates after the Italian side. But the terrain becomes noticeably more difficult as you head closer to Sunnegga. The train does take quite a bit of time to ascend the mountain, so be aware of that.
As a local, this was well done and detailed. Only one mistake: you DO NOT tell people to skip HennuStall. It's the best thing on the mountain. Seeing drunk people stumble into the night on their skis at 7/8pm is a sight to behold.
Haha! Thanks, and quite true about Hennu Stall!
What about Furi to Trockener steg lift? It seems to be direct..
@@shshjkl Good question. That tram remains on the map, but when I've been there the past two years, I haven't seen it operating. If it is operating, that's definitely a more direct route.
I"m planning my trip to zermatt and found your video SO GOOD!! I was smiling the entire way through. And it was super informative to understand the layout of the mountains and logistics of getting around! Thanks for taking the time to make this content.
So glad it was useful! Hope you have a great time there - it's an awesome resort!
I was there this past March, had an amazing blue bird powder day!
The most gorgeous place,there is no other! Awesome, really awesome.
Good video. One thing to add is that if you want to go over to Italy, check the forecast for wind in the afternoon, you don’t want to get stuck with the way back closed because of high winds. Taxi is like three hours and $$$
Great point! Opening and closing of the border can happen at any time and that's a long alternate way back.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. VERY ORGANIZED. VERY INFORMATIVE. VERY CLEAR. OT WAS SO CONFUSING AND YOUR VIDEO MADE IT ALL CLEAR!!!!!!
Thanks so much! Glad it helped.
LOL Cervino... also known as Breuil-Cervinia. Cervino is the Italian name for the Matterhorn.. fyi.
Nice video, I stayed near the Sunegga funicular and always made it back in time so very limited walking in that way.
There is a direct aerial tram from Furi to Trockener Steg which opens on crowded times in the morning.
Last, most important thing: the connection to Italy is not always open. Avoid early and late season if you want to enjoy that.
you have the best channel for cool slope reviews!
Thanks so much!
Best and most informative video from Zermatt i have seen so far! 👏👏👏
Thanks so much! I've been there several times now, so I've learned a few things to share!
This is the best guide of any ski resort I have ever watched!
Thanks so much for the huge compliment!
Thank you very much for this! Extremely useful for my trip in December
Awesome! Hope you have plenty of snow!
Brilliant video thank you. We go to Austria every year but wanted to visit Matter Horn for ages. Thanks for putting this together and to locals for small recommendations 🙂👍🏻
well done. Your enthusiasm is palpable.
Thank you for sharing. It's very informative and helpful for first-time visitors.
Terrific video. Short and super informative. Thanks!
THANKS. Fantastic information.
Great job man!! This is one of my favs on Zermatt so far!.
Thanks so much!
One of the most helpful videos! thanks so much!
Thanks for the comment!
That was an fantastic video. Both interesting and informative. You are quickly becoming one of the best online ski content creators. I especially enjoy how you incorporate resort logistics into your videos. That look on your face as a kid in the horse-drawn carriage 😂 … the odor of manure appears to have been strong.
Thanks so much for the kind words. It means a lot! Yes, the memory of the manure is strong. I remember leaving the hotel to go look at the toy store and having to watch where I walked and trying not to breathe in the air too much!
This was really fun and full of cool info.
Thanks so much!
Love your video, these are exactly the information for first timer visiting Zermatt. I’m planning to go to Chamonix with IKON pass this winter. Wish you have a video talking about that also. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much! Glad it was helpful. I'm going to Chamonix this year too, so I unfortunately won't have a video posted before you go!
Thank you this was very well done, I am a regular visitor to Zermatt
Thanks so much!
It is one of my favourite resorts. Always stayed on the Italian side in Cervinia to save some serious cash then skied over to Zermatt. Won't have any problem reaching as far as Sunnegga then getting back, as long as you are efficient (doesn't work when I have to lead a bunch of friends - can't afford to get stuck) and don't take the gornergrat railway which is super slow. And imo the restaurants in Cervinia are better than Zermatt. Also piste 7 in Cervinia is absolute joy.
Totally agree about Cervinia. The food is incredible and I really love the layout. I have always stayed in Zermatt, so given the add-on pass for Cervinia, I really only do one day a year. I always regret not having spent more time there!
Stayed in both myself, will always go back to Zermatt.
More chic, enjoyable after ski strolls, views, lifts, specialised equipment stores and overall a more luxurious experience for ski and after.
Last season I stayed for 3 nights bought the pass for both regions and couldn't snowboard once as the crossing was closed for skiing due to strong winds.
Was a bummer being open to public to look down but not ski down..really wanted to go down for a polenta al cervo, local meat dish in my favorite restaurant in Cervinia, visited the previous year.
@@emanuel_antohe I am going this March 2024, where do you like to stay in Zermatt?? Thanks!
@@rainmaker3700 changing different hotels around the center. This january i booked Antares.
You need the best weather for it, just a bit of wind could end you up the wrong side
Excellent job. Good video.
Thanks so much!
Surprised by apres ski on the slopes? Never been to Austria I guess 😅
Great video!
My husband & I are going to Zermatt this May 2024. We dont ski and can only do easy hikes due to bad knee. We will definitely explore Zermatt using cable cars, funiculars, etc. What pass/ticket should we buy to be able to explore the area? Also, we know staying in the center is very expensive, any idea where to stay for budget travellers that is near the center for 2 nights? No need for fancy hotels as long as we have private bathroom. Thanks
How long is the cable ride from zermatt to Cervinia to actually start skiing?
Great vid! I went there in Jan. Did not manage to find the tree skiing you mentioned
Thanks! Hopefully you had decent snow. Last year wasn't ideal. Those trees were under the Blauherd chairlift in Sunnegga.
Gotcha! I’ll look for it when I go again in Jan. Also hitting up Chamonix while I’m in the area. Taking a page out of your WFH in Europe playbook
Super helpful, thanks! How about Chamonix or Andermatt? I’m headed to Chamonix/Zermatt/Andermatt this Feb 😎 🤙
Thanks! I'm working on an Andermatt video too - that's a great resort to couple with Zermatt since they're so close. Add in Chamonix, and it sounds like an awesome trip!
@@SkiBoyNY. yea. Really looking forward to this one. Thanks again for the videos. Very useful info and shots are great. We’ll done.
Thank you for a very informative overview. I'm trying to plan and have been a little overwhelmed by the maps I'm finding. Your video is extremely helpful. But to clarify, can you access the entire mountain regardless of which lift you stay near?
Yes. Once you go up the Sunnegga funicular, the Gornergrat train or the Matterhorn Express gondola, you will be able to ski or board to the other areas, including Italy if the border is open. It just may take some time depending on where you are and where you want to go.
If u know plz, is blue in Zermatt really compatible with green "beginner" in USA???? And the red zermatt with the blue USA? I hope Zermat's codes are more advanced where a blue is actually a blue in USA and a red in Zermatt is a black in USA?! Plz your input is appreciated
Ik this question is going to come off dumb but Does the Matterhorn express gondola and the Matterhorn glacier paradise cable car come included with the ski pass or do you have to buy a separate ticket for those ? 2:11
Not a dumb question at all! Prior to the Ikon Pass, when I bought a ski pass for Zermatt, it included all of Zermatt - both the Glacier Paradise tram and the Matterhorn Express gondola. Italy (Cervino) was extra. I've had the Ikon Pass the past two years, so I haven't had to buy a ski pass, but I can't imagine they've changed it. If you're a tourist who only wants to go to the summit, maybe you can get a cheaper pass, but if you are buying a ski pass, I should cover all of Zermatt.
@@SkiBoyNY. thank you, that perfectly explained what I was looking for, I’m headed to Zermatt this January and I have everything booked including my 7 day ski pass and that was the only thing I was unsure of but now I know they are included, thank you again 👍
Is it summer time ? Is it snowing!?
Very informative video! My friend and I just booked our flight for a week in Zermatt. We are intermediate/advanced skiers from Utah with Alta as our home ski area. Any recommendations on a reasonably priced hotel (reasonable by Zermatt standards)?
Thanks! With Alta as your home area, you might enjoy the terrain at Sunnegga the most, even though it's a bit of a trek to get over to Glacier Paradise and Italy from there. We stayed at the Hotel Schweizerhof when I was a kid, which is relatively close to the funicular to Sunnegga, but that may not be reasonably priced. Recently I've been staying in apartment rentals, so I'm unfortunately not up on the hotel scene. Rentals can be a good alternative, but Europeans tend to start booking the best priced ones a year out!
@@SkiBoyNY. thanks for the info. I’ve been checking out ARBNB and VRBO as well but not a great selection.. We may have to spend the $’s and get a hotel close in.
@@jtmet5 Yes, that tends to be the problem in Zermatt. My sister used to rent a great apartment there that the owners would always be able to book 11 months out!
Great video! Are most the runs narrow/cat track style or are there some open bowls? Also, it looks like you spent a lot of time riding lifts. Are lift logistics a hassle or are there high-speed quads where you can do easy laps?
Thanks so much! Most of Zermatt is above the tree line, so it's wide open. The narrow/cat track type terrain is toward the bottom of the mountain where there are trees. Aside from a couple of Poma lifts, the lifts are all high speed detachable chairlifts, gondolas or trams. So very modern. Of course, there are the Sunnegga funicular and Gornergrat train, which I would say are a hassle/slow, but you can avoid them relatively easily. The Italian side does have some old, slower chairlifts, but it's not too much of a hassle. Just slow. There are plenty of places to do easy laps all over the mountain!
Thanks for the feedback, which is super helpful! We've been debating towards going to Zermatt or Chamonix. We're leaning towards Chamonix due to ease of travel from Geneva and overall costs, but Zermatt looks pretty awesome. @@SkiBoyNY.
@@CK-gx1ug If it matters, the skiable terrain of Zermatt is much more contiguous. If you want to ski all of the terrain that makes up Chamonix, you will unfortunately have to take buses to some of of the areas. Far less connected. But Chamonix has a much larger town from what I remember.
@@SkiBoyNY. What would you say are the top 3 ski resorts/towns you've been to in Europe?
When you ski to Cervinia, do you actually touch base at the village itself? How to go back to Zermatt please???
You certainly can go all the way to the base at Cervinia, but you don't have to. It's a big enough resort that there are chairlifts and a tram that can take you back to the top from mid-mountain. If you take the tram back to the top, you can cross back over into Zermatt.
Nice video. Question: you mentioned that it is possible to get from Glacier paradise to Sunnegga by skiing/lifts - is it possible to get all the way back to glacier paradise from Sunnega with lifts?
Thanks! Absolutely. You can go in the reverse direction as well, but it takes some time too. If you're starting at the base of Sunnegga, you do have to take the funicular first. And then it will be a mixture of chairlifts and gondolas.
@@SkiBoyNY. Nice. Also, what does the Ski pass not cover (aside from italy) Is the gornergrat railway accessible with ski pass or do i have to buy daily tickets. Also how getting to glacier paradise from gornegrat - do i have to go back to furi or are there other ski lifts that will take me there
@@lrz180 A pass for Zermatt will cover all the lifts in Zermatt, including the Gornergrat train and the Sunnegga funicular. So you don't have to worry about not being covered. I don't remember there being tickets for individual sections of Zermatt. And to ski or board from Gornergrat to Glacier Paradise, you'll have to head to Furi, like you said, but you can't actually ski or board there directly from Gornergrat because the final section is uphill. So you head down from Gornergrat to the bottom, where you can take a short segment on the Riffleberg Express gondola back up to Furi. It sounds more complicated than it is.
Do you need to carry an ID/passport while skiing Zermatt??
How do I find lift tickets for the mountain?? Are they all the same mountain? Are they under the same resort? Their website is so confusing
You can just go to any ticket office and buy a pass for Zermatt. That will cover Gornergrat, Sunnegga and Glacier Paradise. It will not cover the Italian side (Cervino). You'll have to ask for that as an add-on, and they'll only sell it to you if the Italian side is open. If you buy a multi-day pass, I'm not sure if you have the option to add Italy as part of the pass at the time of purchase or whether you'll have to add it each day. I don't believe that they sell individual passes for Gornergrat vs. Sunnegga vs. Glacier Paradise. Tourists who aren't skiing or boarding and want to go to the summit can certainly buy a ticket just to go up to the Glacier Paradise summit. Same with Gornergrat. Hope that helps!
Wait... you made it all the way to Cervinia and nobody corrected your mispronunciation? Chair-vin-eee-ah.. Otherwise, great video. Very informative.
How is it over the summer? I want to go end of June
I actually haven't been to Zermatt over the summer, but I saw so many beautiful lakes surrounded by green pastures and snow capped mountains while driving through Switzerland that I definitely want to visit in the summer, and I'm sure Zermatt would be a great spot to check out. If you're into hiking/climbing, I've seen that you can scale at least part of the Matterhorn along one of its ridges. And even when you're done visiting Zermatt, there are wineries that you can visit along the short drive from Tasch to Verbier.
@@SkiBoyNY. awesome! Im going to stay at the hostel in Zermatt and go for skiing/ hiking
The highest point in Europe is Mount Elbrus, not Matterhorn. Nice video though.
i have time and money to go, but no buddies to go with :(
Sono gia' stata al confine della montagna perche' quella montagna segna come una bussola l'orientamento del dito indice. Montagna nel senso giallo, di chiesa. Da un lato e' il cervino (il toro) e dall'altro e' Matterhorn. Bisogna che sia la neve e il ghiaccio a dare accoglienza. La neve puo" accogliere o rifiutare. La neve rifiuta cio' che va a sinistra. Vi mando tutto il filmato. Una era li' ma il terreno, la neve e il ghiaccio l'ha rimandata in italy. Me subito al village, all'Old Zermatt dove ho preso una camera per una notte. Vi mando i filmati. Poi il cimitero vittime della montagna, che e' una vetrina di 'miniature' da tavolo. video. Old Zermat perche'. Noterete che esistono due tipi di architetture a Zermatt: in mattoni e vernice a bianco e gli chalet, in legno. Old Zermatt mi indica (a me) lo chalet in legno come elemento favorevole ed empatico.
"This does not look like North America" you must not have spent much time in the San Juans.