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Helena Blackburn
Cristytravels
Before heading out on your Ski getaway, don’t forget to grab your ski passes well beforehand!
You can find prices and discounts for different types of ski passes on the official Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Webstie
Make sure to snag them at least two weeks prior to your trip because the tickets will be sent to you by mail. We opted for the 3-day international ski pass allowing us to enjoy the best of both Swiss and Italian slopes. These tickets costed us 286 CHF per pass, or 318 dollars. Be sure to check for discounts when purchasing your ski passes. Save yourself some time and don’t bother searching for third party sellers, the Matterhorn glacier paradise website will be your best bet to purchase ski passes. Getting your ski passes sorted in advance is crucial to ensuring a smooth start to your Zermatt adventure.
Your gateway to Zermatt will begin with a flight into Zurich or Geneva. Opting to fly into Zurich, you can add to your trip by exploring the city’s charms before venturing into the snowy mountains where you’ll enjoy all the winter sport activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and sledding.
You can easily explore all the main points in Zurich in 2-3 days and even include a day trip to Lucerne. If you’re interested in adding this to your trip, check out my post 3 Days in Zurich
The Polar Express awaits to transport you from Zurich to Zermatt, treating you to breathtaking views along the way. If you’re planning on taking advantage of the amazing Swiss train system and public transportation, it’s worth looking into getting the Swiss Travel Pass. This pass includes unlimited travel by train, bus, and boat. Including the Glacier express. I would absolutely recommend traveling throughout Switzerland via public transport. It’s easy, clean, safe, and exceptionally scenic.
If you’re just looking to purchase train tickets as you need them, consider using the Omio for your bookings. Their platform is easy to use and always has the best prices in my experience.
When it comes to hitting the mountain lifts, renting skis is a breeze! We opted for Express Bayard Zermatt, a trusted rental company with two convenient locations in town. Express Bayard Zermatt offers a variety of winter sports equipment rentals, including skis and snowboards. I found that this ski resort has a lot more skiers than snowboarders compared to other ski resorts in the US, either way you will be able to rent whatever equipment you need.
Keep in mind Zermatt is a car free town so you’ll likely be doing a lot of walking with your ski-gear. Choosing the location nearest to your hotel is key. At Bayard they offered a wide range of high-quality skis and equipment, making it easy to find the perfect for all experience types. I recommend making a reservation with them online prior to arriving. Here you can fill out your size, experience and any other information. They were super helpful and even allowed us to return our skis a day earlier for a partial refund since ski conditions were not ideal on our last day.
Since Zermatt is car-free, be prepared for a fair amount of walking during your visit. With several hills in the area, comfortable shoes are a must. Arriving by train ourselves, we walked from the train station to our hotel with our luggage in tow.
Although it was only about a ten-minute walk, traversing snowy paths with luggage can make it feel more like twenty. If you’d rather not walk, you can easily hail an Etaxi, which are readily available throughout the town. Some luxury hotels even offer Etaxi services for added convenience. For those arriving by car or seeking more information on parking options, you can find more info here.
Once you get on the mountain, the convenience of the lifts makes it easy to access different slopes, adding to the overall ease of getting around.
It’s no secret that Switzerland is renowned for its expensive offerings. Zermatt, a quaint car-free ski town nestled amidst the Alps, takes this reputation to new heights. After a day on the slopes you can enjoy various après-ski activities in Zermatt.
As two avid food enthusiasts, my husband and I were eager to indulge and explore the culinary delights that Zermatt has to offer. The key is making sure that you’re avoiding the overpriced tourist traps.
Iglu-Dorf Snowbar – The best vibe for true après-ski. This unique igloo hotel offers an outdoor snow bar right off the slopes with an incredible view of the Alps.
Käse Melted – If you want to try some traditional Swiss fondue, this is the spot. The restaurant is small and located inside the beautiful hotel ‘Resort La Ginabelle‘. I highly recommend the delicious truffle fondue. Reservations are required.
Hornox Alpine Grill Zermatt – Offers a great steakhouse meal with a cozy candlelit wooden cottage atmosphere. Semi-upscale with a nice wine selection. Reservations recommended in high season.
Republic Zermatt – Burger bar with a laid-back sports bar atmosphere. Offers enormous burgers, good Swiss beer, and pool tables. Reservations are definitely recommended here, as they tend to get busy.
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