Zermatt Ski Resort Switzerland
Zermatt ski resort in Switzerland is considered by many to be one of the best resorts in Europe, if not the world. With the amazing Matterhorn looming high over town, Zermatt is certainly one of the most recognisable & fits the bill for many of the aspects that skiers & snowboarders are looking for on a quintessential European ski holiday.
It feels like you can ski forever at Zermatt. Vast terrain amongst spectacular surrounds and cruising intermediate runs that seem to never end. For those without superhuman fitness, thankfully many of slopes are intersected with fabulous mountain restaurants where you can have a lavish long lunch!
The views across many of the European ski resorts are fantastic, but Zermatt ski resort is in a class of its own. The resort sits at the foot of the iconic Matterhorn (4,478m) and on the flanks of the heavily glaciated Monte Rosa (4,634m). To say the scenery is incredible is understating it. Whilst it’s more of a town now than a village, Zermatt Switzerland has maintained some of its traditional European charm with a preserved 'old town', car free all year round & with the occasional horse drawn carriage travelling down the cobblestone streets. Last but not least, Zermatt resort both oozes panache & is delightfully luxurious for those looking to glam up their ski holidays; or can still provide a fabulous ski holiday experience for those on a budget.
Pros & Cons for Zermatt Ski Resort
Pros
- Massive skiable vertical of 2,200m & diverse ski terrain interlinked with Cervinia in Italy.
- Paradise for intermediate skiers & snowboarders and those who like to cruise.
- Superb off-piste freeride terrain & high-alpine backcountry ski touring.
- Combination of high altitude, northerly aspect & glaciers guarantee quality snow conditions.
- Skiing is available every day of the year.
- Fabulous, modern & efficient lift system proportionate to the lift pass price & monstrous terrain.
- Highest lifted point in Western Europe.
- Mountain scenery is beyond amazing.
- One of Europe’s best après ski runs (in the Furi sector).
- Sensational on-mountain accommodation away from the village.
- Plenty of off-slope activities for those who don’t ski or snowboard.
- On-mountain restaurants are some of the best in the world.
- By Swiss standards, the nightlife is vibrant plus there are options for those that want to party hard & those that just want to sedately sip a cocktail.
- Access to Zermatt is beautiful & easy via the train.
Cons
- Can be expensive (lift tickets are Europe's most expensive but still half the price of a lift pass in Vail USA plus accommodation & food can be just as confronting from a fiscal point of view).
- Limited valley-based ski-in ski-out accommodation.
- Lift queues develop during peak periods at some locations (to be expected in one of Europe's best-known ski resorts).
- Some off-piste terrain gets skied out very quickly on powder days (the easy to access bits anyway!).
- Localised high winds across the upper glacier terrain can often force lifts in that section to regularly close, including the link to Cervinia, Italy.
- Terrain is not well-suited to first time skiers; novice areas are limited (compared to the size of the resort) & there is no valley trail suitable for beginners (downloading required).
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Zermatt is popular with families (numerous ski schools & child-care options), but there aren’t many nursery slopes, particularly in poor weather.
- Ikon Pass is valid in the resort. (See the Lifts & Terrain page for more details).
- Village is ‘private car free’ meaning one cannot drive into Zermatt, you will just get run over by a silent, electric taxi instead!
- Due to the sprawling nature of the town & the lack of lower village ski-in ski-out accommodation, it can be a long walk/journey to ski school drop off/pick-up points, which may not be too much fun with small children attempting to carry their skis. Free local ski buses fulfill a few important routes, or a taxi may be required.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
One of the main features of Zermatt skiing & snowboarding is the sheer magnitude of the slopes. Zermatt ski resort includes 210km of marked piste, plenty of marked off-piste routes & freeride terrain plus an ever-improving set of modern lifts which include every type of conveyance from trains, funiculars, cable cars, gondolas, chairlifts & surface lifts. The resort is generally snowboarder friendly with only a few long, flat traverses to negotiate, plus the surface lifts on the glacier (which can easily be avoided!). The immense skiable vertical of 2,279m is skiable in one go from top to bottom over a distance of 16km. Test your thighs on that one Grasshopper!
Check out the ski trail map for Zermatt below.
The Zermatt ski resort piste trails are incredibly well geared towards intermediates with minimal beginner terrain & no return valley trail suitable for beginner skiers & snowboarders. The supposed black runs are rather tame with only a few steep pitches on the groomers, but super-fun nonetheless. Several of the intermediate valley trails can become 'advanced' toward the end of a busy day, so treading warily is worthwhile. The vast off-piste is where the main fun is for advanced & expert riders. Like many other European ski resorts, you’ll get the most out of the complex off-piste terrain if you go with a guide & start early.
Skiing at Zermatt is across three main ski areas. The Klein Matterhorn-Schwarzsee area is the largest of the zones & includes the massive vertical drop of 2,279m back to town & largely north-facing snow-sure slopes. Our favourite zone here is around the Hirli chairlift. The Sunnegga-Rothorn sector has terrain for all ability levels, including some tree skiing plus the best mountain restaurants (like Chez Vrony). Gornergrat-Stockhorn has everything in between. Gornergrat has diverse terrain with spectacular beginner & intermediate cruising, whilst the adjacent Stockhorn has the big vert freeride terrain. Dare you take the Rote Nase cable car? You should - not nearly as intimidating as it looks & super fun off-piste skiing.
Regarding lift lines, the lift system at Zermatt is good enough to deal with the busiest days, however there is one major congestion point. Trockener Steg has a convergence of skiers, snowboarders & pedestrians (tourists) that, despite the huge carrying capacity of the gondola, simply cannot cope with mid-morning crowds heading up to the summit (& Italy!). If heading up to the top of Klein Matterhorn (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise) go early.
Interconnected with Cervinia-Valtournenche
Zermatt skiing is big, but the terrain becomes gargantuan for a few extra francs or euro to get the interlinked 'International' lift pass with Cervinia-Valtournenche in Italy. Oft referred to as the Matterhorn Ski Paradise, the combined ski area offers up 360km of piste & access to some superb Italian hospitality in a quieter, more affordable ski area. One would be remiss in skiing Zermatt without at least once heading across to a famous Cervinia rifugio for lunch!
See the full Matterhorn Ski Paradise trail map.
Summer Skiing Zermatt
Zermatt is one of only two ski resorts in the world with skiing every day (assuming the weather plays ball!). Up to 26.5km of intermediate slopes are available on the glacier during the 'summer' season. Ironically, lift tickets for this limited terrain can cost more than in winter!
For more information on ski lifts, terrain, lift passes & maps, see our Zermatt Skiing & Snowboarding page.
Snow & Weather
Zermatt is a world class ski resort for many reasons not the least of which is the snow. Not only is it located amongst the highest mountains of western Europe, but Zermatt also has the highest lifted piste terrain in Europe & is one of only two ski resorts with 365 day a year skiing (the other being Hintertux Glacier in Austria). Most of the ski & snowboard terrain is above 2000m elevation ensuring superb snow quality.
Weather has a major influence on the day-to-day lift operations at Zermatt. At higher elevations strong winds can ruin your day, particularly around the high glacier terrain at Klein Matterhorn. During the Powderhounds first visit to the region, attempts to ski Zermatt via Cervinia failed for several days in a row due to high winds closing most lifts. We had a similar experience occurred a few seasons later, but with only the glacier lifts closed, the wind created some wonderful wind-blown powder stashes that we harvested in other parts of the ski resort!
Avalanche danger can also impact the ski resort. Heavy snow seasons have created extreme (category 5) avalanche conditions at times. Skiers need to be aware of the hazards in the off-piste & crevasse danger on the glaciers. A closed zone above Schweigmatten between Furi & Riffelberg is particularly dangerous.
Where is Zermatt Switzerland?
Zermatt is in the German speaking 'upper' region of canton Wallis (Valais), southwest Switzerland, close to the Italian border. Closest international airports are Geneva (GVA) (2½hr) & Zurich (ZRH) (3½hr). Zurich is the recommended entry point for intercontinental travellers due to its more diverse flight origins.
The Zermatt ski resort can only be reached by train or helicopter! The train is the recommended mode of travel to Zermatt with the journey being one of Europe's best rail trips via the Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway via the town of Visp. Trains link the airports of Geneva & Zurich to Visp. Search & book here for all train tickets to Zermatt.
Zermatt’s car-free village requires those driving to park in the down-valley town of Tasch & then complete the short train trip to Zermatt. Once in Zermatt, there are electric taxis to get around or walking is pleasant too.
For detailed information on how to get there, see our Travel to Zermatt page.
Zermatt Accommodation
The sprawling old mountain village offers a broad range of accommodation. Several wonderful ski in ski out options exist high above the town of Zermatt for a range of budgets including the iconic Kulm Hotel Gornergrat 3100 & on the opposite side of the valley, the more traditional Hotel Schwarzsee. In Zermatt itself, accommodation features many 4 & 5 star hotels where you can spend money galore and enjoy the luxury, fabulous food plus stunning views of the dramatic Matterhorn.
If you are watching your pennies, there are also several excellent and convenient 1 & 2-star hotels (some with very cheap dormitory rooms) like the Hotel Bahnhof & Hotel Weisshorn. Alternatively, staying off the mountain in Tasch or further down the valley in Visp or Brig can be an option if happy to make day trips, but we recommend staying at least 2-3 nights in Zermatt itself to get the full experience of this unique location.
Search & book all Zermatt ski accommodation.
Zermatt's atmospheric main street, Bahnhofstrasse, features numerous major hotels (including the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof & Unique Hotel Post) along with luxury shops, restaurants & bars. Many other Zermatt hotels are packed into the central area very close to the main street & include the wonderful Backstage Boutique Spa Hotel. On the eastern bank of the river is a quieter zone with a collection of excellent hotels (like the Hotel National Zermatt), restaurants & bars near the Sunnegga funicular.
There is negligible ski-in ski-out accommodation in Zermatt village and what exists is not centrally located. The “town lifts” are the Gornergrat railway near the Zermatt train station, the Sunnegga funicular past the river and the Furi gondola - a 1km walk from the centre of town. Electric taxis, hotels shuttles & a bus system aid transportation between accommodation & lifts. Walking is nice too! Close to the Furi gondola base & valley return ski trail are a nest of hotels including the Hotel Plateau Rosa & its ultra-modern opposite number the Matterhorn FOCUS Design Hotel.
The Winkelmatten area (once a separate hamlet) has many chalets & apartments. It is located on a steep hill south of Zermatt, affording impressive views of the Matterhorn and is close to the Furi ski lifts.
For more info & recommendations on the best accommodations, see our Where to Stay in Zermatt page.
Food, Après & Nightlife
One could be forgiven for being in another country when sampling the Zermatt bars & restaurants, & that's a good thing. It is better than most Swiss ski resorts & more akin to Austria or Italy, albeit with a typically Swiss price tag.
On-mountain restaurants like Chez Vrony, the après ski run back down to Zermatt from Furi & 'hole in the wall' eateries like Soupi are a wonderful feature of a great ski resort. Some of the town's high-end restaurants, whilst perfect on service & ambiance, don't quite deliver the value for dollar (or franc as the case may be) in the flavour department. Money is better spent at the lower end of the market like a 'Stinky Burger' at the Brown Cow Bar in the Unique Hotel Post complex!
For more information see our Zermatt Food & Nightlife page.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Ski rentals are available throughout the Zermatt village. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Zermatt Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
A mind-boggling array of ski instructors, ski schools & mountain guides ply their trade in the Zermatt ski resort. If you are wanting to safely explore the off-piste or improve your skills, search & book the best options via our Zermatt Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Facilities & Activities
Zermatt has an abundance of off-slope amenities including lots of family-friendly facilities & services. There are shops galore, restaurants serving everything from cheap & delicious soups to gastronomically divine cuisine & plenty of bars to give your liver a good hiding! Many wonderful mountain restaurants can be accessed via 'non-skier' friendly funicular, train & cable car, so everyone can enjoy the food & views.
Activities include wonderful paragliding, helicopter sightseeing flights around the Matterhorn, cross country skiing, scenic winter walking trails & a special 10min evening toboggan run that can be coupled with a fondue dinner. A cable car trip up to the top of the Klein Matterhorn is also popular to explore the ice museum glacial caves.
Review
The Powderhounds have been to Zermatt on multiple occasions, including most recently in 2024, and each time, despite some trials, have never been disappointed. We have been there in summer (was wonderful by the way!). We were thwarted by high winds on occasions. We have been stymied by avalanches. We have been distracted by deep powder in Cervinia & never got across the border. We have had the stars align with a combination of fresh snow, white-outs, wind, blue skies, cold temperatures & some seriously gorgeous skiing! And we have skied here in balmy spring conditions that were positively stunning. We are always due to return because we love it so much! Click on the review link in the left column (or top of page on a mobile) to read all the inciteful prose!
See how Zermatt compares to the rest of the Swiss ski resorts on the Switzerland ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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