What Is Zermatt? The Car-Free Village Beneath the Matterhorn
A car-free village, three lift bases and some of the highest skiing in the Alps, explained before you plan.
Zermatt
A car-free village beneath the Matterhorn in Valais, with high-altitude skiing linked to Italy and year-round glacier terrain.
Zermatt is a mountain village in the German-speaking part of Valais, at about 1,608 meters, beneath the Matterhorn. It has been car-free for decades: visitors arrive by train, and inside the village people move on foot, by electric taxi or by the free e-bus. The skiing is some of the highest in the Alps, with a lift network that crosses into Italy and glacier terrain open far beyond the usual winter season.
Two practical questions shape a Zermatt trip: how you will get there with luggage, and how close your accommodation is to the lift base you plan to use most. Our guides start there, then cover the skiing and the seasons.
Start here
How the car-free village, its three lift bases and the ski area linked to Italy fit together.
Quick facts
- Canton
- Valais, Switzerland (German-speaking)
- Village altitude
- About 1,608 m
- Landmark
- The Matterhorn, 4,478 m
- Cars
- Car-free; drivers park in Täsch and take a shuttle train
- Ski area
- Matterhorn Ski Paradise: 360 km of pistes, 52 lifts, linked to Cervinia
- Highest lift
- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, 3,883 m
- By train
- About 3.5 h from Zurich Airport, 4 h from Geneva
- Lift bases
- Sunnegga funicular, Gornergrat railway, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car
Plan your trip
Where to Stay in Zermatt: Lift Access, Quarters and Arrival
Choose by your main lift base, the walk to restaurants and the level of quiet you want.
Getting to Zermatt: Trains, Täsch and Arriving Car-Free
Trains from the airports, driving to Täsch, luggage and getting around a village without cars.
Skiing in Zermatt: The Matterhorn Ski Paradise Explained
The three lift bases, glacier terrain, the link to Italy, lift passes and off-piste safety.
When to Visit Zermatt: Ski Season, Summer Skiing and Hiking
Winter and peak weeks, spring skiing, summer hiking and glacier skiing, and the quieter shoulder months.
Staying in a private chalet
See Zermatt chalets with Chalet Lux Rentals (opens in a new tab)
Chalets and apartments in Zermatt Centre, Winkelmatten and nearby areas. Confirm the walk to your lift base for the specific property. The publisher has an ownership interest in this rental business.