How to Ski in Zermatt, Switzerland

Home of the famous Matterhorn, Zermatt is located in the Alps of Switzerland and is universally regarded as one of the world's premier ski destinations. With its long runs and excellent snow, Zermatt also offers a very long skiing season, beginning in early fall and extending into late spring.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lift ticket
• Accommodations

Go Skiing in Zermatt

1. Buy a train ticket into Zermatt from Täsch, the closest major town. You can also get a train into Zermatt from both Visp and Brig, located further down the valley. Zermatt is car-free to minimize air pollution.

2. Have your lodgings booked well in advance. Zermatt is a wildly popular ski destination, and spots fill up fast, particularly around Christmas and New Year's Eve. A range of options to suit all budgets are available in Zermatt and the surrounding area.

3. Choose the ski area you want access to. While most travel literature will state that Zermatt has three ski areas (Klein Matterhorn, Gornergrat and Rothorn), it is actually more accurate to divide them into two (Gornergrat-Rothorn and Klein Matterhorn-Cervinia). Lift ticket access is granted to one area or the other.

4. Take advantage of professional ski instruction, readily available at all ski sites in Zermatt. Always stick to ski hills appropriate to your skill level, and ask a staff member for assistance if you are uncertain of where you are or how difficult a certain run is. You are unlikely to encounter a language barrier, as English is widely spoken in heavily traveled Zermatt.

5. Get off the beaten track. Advanced-level skiers are encouraged to explore the so-called off-piste areas (areas located away from the major designated ski runs). This is where you'll find Zermatt's legendary moguls and untouched plains of powder snow.

6. Plan your ski trip to Switzerland using a reputable online resource like Ski-Zermatt.com (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• If you want lift-ticket access to both ski areas in Zermatt, expect to pony up for a hefty surcharge.
• If you are driving to Zermatt, consider leaving your automobile in a car park in Visp. You can do so free of charge if you procure a permit from the ticket office when you pay train fare to Zermatt.
• Be sure to acclimatize yourself to the high elevation before doing any skiing. Every ski area in town reaches an elevation exceeding 10,000 feet, making altitude sickness a possibility.
• Always employ a local ski guide if you are going to head off-piste. Avalanches and other natural dangers can pose serious threats to unsuspecting visitors unfamiliar with the local terrain.

Resources

• More information at Ski-Zermatt.com

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