Getting to Zermatt from Zurich is perhaps the most common route to Switzerland’s best ski resort.
There are several options to travel from Zurich to its famous slope. In this post from Zermatt specialists Matterhorn Chalets, we cover these key points:
- How far is Zurich from Zermatt?
- Which airlines fly into Zurich?
- Zurich to Zermatt by car
- Zurich to Zermatt by train
- Zurich to Zermatt by helicopter
- Zurich to Zermatt by taxi
- Sightseeing in Zermatt
- Other options to travel to Zermatt
How far is Zurich from Zermatt?
Zurich airport is 200km to the Matterhorn Ski Paradise as the chough (an Alpine crow) flys.
By road, it is 30 km more, so 230km, with a typical driving time of 3h40m. A train transfer usually takes either 3h12m or 3h19m (knowing you can rely on Swiss trains to run on time!)
Which airlines fly into Zurich?
Internationally, most major airlines operate flights arriving into Zurich. From the States, there are 22 direct flights a day from New York, 5 each from Boston and Chicago and 4 each from Los Angeles or San Francisco.
From the UK, Swiss Air, BA, Easyjet, Lufthansa all operate flights into Zurich airport.
Zurich to Zermatt by car
If you hire a car at the airport you can drive straight to Tasch and park before getting the shuttle to the resort. You won’t use it once you are in the resort as the town is car-free.
The fastest route is along the highway via Zug, Andermatt and Brig (3h43m). However, this is only suitable in summer. In winter the Furka Pass will be closed, so you should take the road that takes you past Lucerne and Interlaken (3h54m) – an even more scenic drive.
Alternatively you can travel via Bern, Thun, the Gopenstein/Kanderstag car train tunnel, Visp and then up to Tasch before Zermatt
Make sure that you have a car with snow tyres and/or chains before you set off on this journey in winter.
Find out about where you can charge an electric vehicle in Zermatt.
Zurich to Zermatt by train
Trains run direct from the airport to the valley station of Visp every two hours during the day, travelling via Bern.
The second stage of your train journey is to catch the scenic rail ride that is also part of the Glacier Express, up the valley from Visp. Trains run twice an hour from 0500 to midnight, and the journey takes just over an hour.
Total time for these train transfers are 3 hours and 12 minutes. You can rely on this exact time…we are in Switzerland, after all!
You can also travel to Zermatt from the UK by train.
We can help book your train travel and the best price through our concierge service if you are staying with Matterhorn Chalets.
Zurich to Zermatt by Helicopter
The quickest way to arrive in Zermatt from Zurich is take a transfer in a helicopter. That will reduce your transfer time to only sixty minutes.
A helicopter taxi will cost around CHF6100 with Air Zermatt and we can book this for you if you are staying with Matterhorn Chalets through our concierge service.
We can also arrange heliskiing trips in Zermatt for you during your stay in resort.
Zurich to Zermatt by taxi
If you don’t want to drive the car or get on a train, then a private transfer is the solution for you.
The two main taxi companies both have a fleet of vehicles for you to choose, from minibuses to limousines. We can book these for you via our concierge service if you book your Zermatt accommodation with us.
Sightseeing in Zermatt
If you have some connection time, then Zurich is a beautiful city and well worth spending some time sightseeing in. You could even add a short stay before or after your ski trip.
We can help book hotels in Zurich for you via our concierge service.
Other options to travel to Zermatt
If you are flying into Switzerland for Zermatt ski trip, your other flight options are Geneva, roughly three hours away by road or three and a half by rail, or you could fly into the much closer Sion airport where you are less than an hour away from the ski resort.
Serviced Chalets and Apartments in Zermatt
If you want to know more about your travel options or to talk to someone about booking accommodation in Zermatt, give one of our team a call or look at our website.
