Zermatt Seasonal Chalets

Our destination experts have compiled some essential information for those looking to join Zermatt for a longer stay so you can hit the ground running.

Switzerland’s efficient transport system makes travel to and from Zermatt (and around Europe!) straightforward and reliable.  One important thing to note for those looking for seasonal accommodation in Zermatt is that it is a car-free village, so you can not take your own transport directly to the village. But part of Zermatt’s charm is its pedestrian-friendly layout and lack of traffic despite its popularity.

Travel By Air

Zermatt is straightforward to access by public transport. You can take the train directly from both Zurich (ZRH) and Geneva (GVA) airports, and travel time from both airports is 3 to 4 hours.

If you are travelling from Italy or Southern Europe, Milan Airport (MXP) links to Zermatt by rail or road.

The regional airports of Sion (SIR) and Bern (BRN) are also in close proximity to Zermatt.

Travel By Train

The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn links Zermatt to Visp and the wider Swiss rail network. This route provides a vital link to the Swiss Alps and is essential for those living in Zermatt.

When travelling from Geneva or Zurich airport, change at Brig or Visp to connect with the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn for the last leg of your journey. Enjoy the incredible views on the way to Zermatt, snaking through stunning countryside. In winter, a wonderland of snow-capped peaks and majestic views awaits you.

From Visp, you can also access the Lotschberg Base Tunnel Line (LTB).  The LTB is a high-speed line that connects Visp to Bernese Oberland and further to Bern and Zurich, bypassing Brig.  Trains reach Visp from Zurich in approximately two hours on the fastest lines, making this an excellent option for those arriving from Zurich.

Brig is located in the upper Valais region and is a key transport hub for those living in Zermatt. From Brig, you can access major Swiss cities by rail and connect with Milan via the Simplon tunnel.

Bucket List Train Rides: The Glacier Express

For train lovers, the Glacier Express is a must-do experience. A ride on the Glacier Express takes you through some of Switzerland’s most dramatic scenery and links the resorts of Zermatt and Saint Moritz.

Soak in spectacular views of the Matterhorn as the route descends into the Mattertal Valley, passing through the Gomes region, crossing the Oberalp pass, the Rhine Gorge and the Unesco World Heritage Landwasser Viaduct.  The train, equipped with large panoramic windows, takes approximately eight hours to complete the full journey between the two resorts and offers uninterrupted views of Switzerland’s most iconic Alpine scenery.

Europe From Zermatt By Train

The joy of Europe is its easy access to different countries and cultural experiences. From Zermatt, you can reach other European destinations in a relatively short amount of time.

High-speed trains travel from Paris to Lausanne or Geneva, where you can connect to regional Swiss trains back to Zermatt. You can reach Paris from Zermatt by rail in approximately seven hours. ICE trains in Germany connect major German cities such as Frankfurt and Munich to Swiss cities, where you can take regional connections back to Zermatt.

Make the most of the efficient Swiss public transport to easily travel to other European hotspots for a quick jaunt—brunch in Paris or a weekend away in Berlin—Europe is your oyster!

Travel by Car

While Zermatt is a car-free village those with seasonal accommodation in Zermatt or annual accommodation in Zermatt may wish to have a car available.

The village before Zermatt is Tasch, the last point you can drive to before Zermatt.  There are long-term parking facilities here. A popular choice is the Matterhorn Terminal Tasch; however, other options are available.

The Matterhorn Terminal Tasch is a large multi-story car park complex with 2,100 spaces and offers long-term parking. The train station is in the parking terminal, so you can catch a shuttle train to Zermatt directly from the car park. The shuttle train from Tasch to Zermatt takes 12 minutes and runs every 20 minutes. Luggage trolleys are available.

Travel In Zermatt Village

Once you are settled in Zermatt, travelling around the resort is easy. The village is pedestrian-friendly due to its no-car policy, and it is easily walkable. Cycling is also a great way to get around Zermatt in the warmer months.

Residents and visitors can use a free public bus service to get around. The fleet is efficient, fully electric, and services typically run from morning to late afternoon.

The green line (Bergbahnen) connects the train station and the town centre with the cableway and the funicular stations, giving access to the resort’s ski slopes and hiking trails.

The red line (Winkelmatten) connects the train station, town centre, and the Winkelmatten district.

A fleet of electric taxis operates throughout the village. They are readily available at the train station and other locations in the village. The electric taxis can be pre-booked and have room for luggage.

Zermatt is a quintessential Alpine mountain town with plenty of amenities for daily life. It has pharmacies, banks, ATMs, a medical centre, and a post office.

For your weekly shop, the centrally located Coop is Zermatt’s largest supermarket. It is well-stocked with fresh produce, pre-prepared food, groceries, alcohol, an extensive wine selection, and general household items. The Coop is open until 8 p.m. daily. As this is Zermatt’s main supermarket, it can get busy, especially during peak season.

Migros, another well-known Swiss supermarket chain, is also located centrally.  It’s smaller than the Coop but stocks a good selection of produce, including alcohol and some speciality products.  Near the Zermatt train station, you will find Denner, a discounted retailer that stocks groceries, fresh produce, and a large selection of beer and wine. Denner’s is great for stocking up and checking out the weekly deals; it’s especially popular with seasonal workers!

When in Switzerland, make sure to take pleasure in sampling the region’s specialities and fresh local produce. Take a stroll in the morning to pick up some fresh bread and taste local cheese, cured meats and delicacies from across the region.

Don’t miss the historic Fuchs bakery, which has four locations across Zermatt and is well-cemented as a local favourite. In addition to two shops, two of the Fuchs Bakeries have cosy cafes where you can stop by and enjoy a treat and a spot of Swiss hospitality. The latest generation of the Fuchs family is following in the footsteps of its founder, Franz Ledifer, who established the first variation of the Fuchs bakery in 1885. The team supplies pastries, confectionery, and fresh bread; all products are hand-made and fresh daily.

Stop by the charming Metzgerei Bayard to pick up some homemade sausage, cured meats, cheese, wine, and other Valias specialities. The shop also serves grilled sausages in summer and winter, which make for a quick, fast, and filling snack!

Try the local Matterhorn butchers on Hofmattstrasse. They sell high-quality cuts of meat alongside local produce and cheese from the nearby Horu Kaserei, Zermatt’s local cheesery.

Mirjam and Reta Gobba are at the helm of Horu Kaserei (Horu Cheese Factory), and business is booming. The couple has been making cheese, yoghurt, and butter from Zermatt’s local dairy herds and supplying local speciality shops, bakeries, hotels, and restaurants across the region. Orders can also be made by phone and picked up directly from the chessery.

Zermatt is the perfect place to blend work and play and is well-suited to digital nomads and remote working. Make the most of the Alpine outdoor lifestyle, travel Europe and ski and snowboard to your heart’s content in the winter.

Our annual accommodation options in Zermatt offer modern luxuries, including high-speed internet, making working from home a breeze.  But for those looking for co-working spaces, Zermatt has several options.

Mayer Concepts offers co-working and rentable office space in two locations in Zermatt. These spaces are suitable for a range of needs and have flexible rental options, from hourly rental to longer-term hire. Whether you require somewhere to hold a meeting or a quiet professional office space for a week or longer, this is a fantastic option.

Pura Worka provides a stylish and modern co-working space in the centrally located Hotel Zermama. It has 20 open spaces available and rentable private meeting space on request. This is an excellent spot to network with other professionals in a warm and inviting environment. Facilities include high-speed internet, free tea and coffee with a barista on site, a shower, personal lockers, an outdoor terrace, and a relaxation lounge.  Alcohol is available to purchase for an after-work drink.

When it comes to keeping fit, Zermatt has plenty of options, from embracing the outdoors to strength training, yoga, pilates and everything in between!

Many of our Zermatt long-term rentals come with in-house fitness equipment, so you can work out from home. However, there are plenty of other options to enjoy in Zermatt, and it’s a fantastic way to get out into the community.

The Fitness Viking Centre has an excellent reputation with visitors and locals alike. It provides a one-stop shop for functional fitness and is a ten-minute walk from the Zermatt train station. This is one of Zermatt’s largest gyms, with a training area of 400 square metres spread across two floors with indoor and outdoor training areas. It offers a range of memberships, from drop-ins to monthly and annual memberships.

Zermatt Kraftwork Fitness is another fantastic option. It provides state-of-the-art fitness equipment for all your cardio and strength training needs. It is set in a spacious, modern environment and has flexible hours from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The Zermatt Sports and Fitness Centre is a community hub in summer and winter. It offers a full range of fitness facilities, including a fitness room, indoor swimming pool, climbing wall, and indoor and outdoor tennis and squash courts. During the winter, it has both an artificial and natural ice rink popular for ice skating, ice hockey, and curling. Skates are available to rent on-site. The centre offers a range of group fitness classes, and after a full-on workout session, wellness facilities, including a sauna and steam bath, are available.

For those looking for specific pilates or yoga studios, try Zermatt Balance. This studio offers a range of pilates, yoga, and cardio classes, from small group classes to individual training sessions.

For those considering annual accommodation in Zermatt, this unique destination is a treat year-round, with plenty to do regardless of the season.

Thanks to its high-altitude location, Zermatt’s ski season typically runs from late November through April. Embrace Zermatt’s winter wonderland vibes with skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, winter hiking, ice skating, and sledging. During peak ski season, Zermatt is buzzing with plenty of entertainment, festivities, and a vibrant apres-ski scene.  If you fancy a change, remember you have Cervina to explore. The two resorts are linked, so you can easily cross the border to Italy.

As the season begins to warm, spring conditions bring quieter crowds on the slopes. This is a fantastic time of year to watch local wildlife and enjoy the world-class hiking and climbing in the region.

In April, Zermatt hosts its annual Zermatt Unplugged festival, an unmissable experience of incredible acoustic music set to the most stunning of backdrops.  The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is open year-round, and no matter what the season, the view from the top is mind-blowing, surrounded by the majestic views of 38 Alpine peaks and 14 glaciers.

Summer skiing on the Theodul Glacier is an epic experience, and Zermatt is one of only a few places in the world that can offer it. Around 21 kilometres of slopes are open on the glacier in the summer, as well as the summer snow park, which features jumps and rails for a spot of summer freestyling.   The Gornergrat Railway runs year-round and puts on special sunset rides during the summer.

The warmer months are the perfect time to soak in the area’s incredible outdoor scenery, and Zermatt is a mecca for adventure sports, climbing, hiking, and mountain biking.

As autumn draws in and the days shorten, make the most of the magnificent fall colours across the region, especially the larch trees turning yellow. Autumn is a peaceful season in the village with low crowds. Before you know it, Christmas will be around the corner, and you will want to do it all again.