Trains vers Zermatt

The Matterhorn is not Switzerland’s highest mountain. That honour goes to the Dufourspitze, but the Matterhorn is certainly the iconic Swiss peak, and no resort is more intimately associated with the Matterhorn than Zermatt. This is the mother of all Alpine resorts, and it’s much to the credit of local planners that Zermatt has not been completely wrecked by mass tourism.

No matter how chic your Mercedes, there’s no way you’ll be allowed to drive into Zermatt. The only way to Zermatt is by train. Sounds unusual? Well, everything about Zermatt is quirky, but it’s worth making the effort to visit. Few communities in Europe can match Zermatt when it comes to scenery and setting. The Pennine Alps rise up steeply behind the town, from where on clear days there are superb views of the Matterhorn and the Dufourspitze. And you don't need ice axe and crampons to really get up high. The Gornergrat mountain railway climbs up from Zermatt to well over 3,000 metres above sea level. (We don't sell tickets for the Gornergrat ride, but you can easily buy them in Zermatt).

The rail service to Zermatt is run by the Matterhorn-Gotthard-Bahn (MGB), a metre-gauge mountain railway with schedules and fares which are fully integrated into the Swiss national rail system. Since 2017, rail passes have been accepted on MGB trains.

MGB trains leave Zermatt twice-hourly for Visp, where there are connections with the main Swiss rail network. Alternate trains from Zermatt continue beyond Visp to Brig. The star departure of the day from Zermatt is the Glacier Express to St Moritz (which runs all year bar for a seven-week autumn break).

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