Guide: Winter In Zermatt, Switzerland

Written By The Scenic Detour Adventure Travel

A complete, first-hand guide for riding, exploring, eating, and après-ing in one of the most iconic mountain towns on earth from two adventurous people who worked remote here for 2 weeks in winter.

*We’ve included affiliate links in the article below to help direct you to the spots and gear that we love. Please consider using them if you’re booking a stay or gearing up for your Zermatt adventure!

Why Zermatt in Winter?

  • Car-free charm: Only electric taxis and horse-drawn sleighs. Walking becomes part of the experience.

  • Skiing 365 days a year: Thanks to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Winter conditions make it even better.

  • Epic scenery: From Gornergrat to Rothorn, the Matterhorn is always in view and the little town is adorable. Not to mention, since you have to get there by train, you get views of the Alps before you even enter!

  • Effortless mountain navigation: The Matterhorn App makes it incredibly easy to check lift status, weather, and public transit, which is perfect if you don’t feel like walking.

Ikon Pass Details

Zermatt is included on the full Ikon Pass, giving passholders 7 total days to use across both Zermatt (Switzerland) and Cervinia (Italy). Your pass grants access to all of Matterhorn Ski Paradise, including:

  • Rothorn

  • Gornergrat

  • Schwarzsee-Matterhorn Glacier Paradise

Ikon access is valid November 1, 2025 - April 30, 2026. Just scan your pass at the lifts, no pickup needed.

Shipping Your Skis/Snowboards to Europe

One of the biggest game-changers of our trip was using Ship Skis to send our gear from the U.S. directly to Europe. Instead of dragging snowboard bags through airports, trains, and tiny European streets, we had everything waiting for us when we arrived. 

Why We Loved Ship Skis

  • Door-to-door delivery: Our boards were delivered straight to our Airbnb in Austria before we crossed into the ski part of our trip in Italy, Switzerland, and France.

  • No hauling gear through multiple airports or onto trains. (This was so helpful for us because we were traveling to see Christmas Markets in Denmark, Germany, and Czech Republic, before the ski part of our trip.

  • Customs paperwork is handled for you, which makes international shipping painless.

  • Tracking updates the entire time so we always knew where our bags were. We also just threw Airtags into our board bags, so I could see them traveling over to us!

  • Pickup from your home in the U.S. (literally right from our front door) and delivery to any hotel, Airbnb, or lodging partner in Europe.

How It Worked for Us

We shipped our snowboards from the U.S. directly to our Airbnb in Austria.
When we arrived, the bags were already there waiting. 

From Austria, we then carried them onto the train when it was time to head to the Alps.

Ship early! International delivery windows can vary, so sending your gear 5-7 days before departure gives you plenty of buffer time.

How to Get to Zermatt (From Milan, Geneva, Zurich, etc.)

Zermatt Is Car Free

  • You cannot simply drive into Zermatt. Even if you’re coming by car, you’ll need to park outside (often in nearby Täsch) and take a shuttle train or taxi.

  • The easiest and most reliable way to reach Zermatt is by train. We used the Swiss Rail App, and it was very helpful to plan train stops. Plus, the mountains were amazing!

From Milan (Italy)

Here’s how we got there and how most people do it coming from Milan:

From Geneva (Switzerland)

If you fly into or travel via Geneva:

From Zurich (Switzerland)

Coming from Zurich or Zurich Airport:

Where We Stayed

Peaky Riders: Amazing for remote workers and long stays. It was by far the cheapest option for us. We slept in a twin bunk room and it worked just fine! Plus, we could store all of our riding gear in the downstairs boot-warming lockers.

Other places to Stay

Luxury:

Mid-Range:

Budget-Friendly:

A Perfect Snowboarding Day in Zermatt

There are so many ways to ski all of Zermatt, but this day is best for those that want to start slow and take in the views before heading over to tackle Glacier Paradise & the Italian side.

1. Start in the heated gear room
Most hotels have warm boot/board lockers which is such a nice way to start the day.

2. Walk into town for breakfast
Since Zermatt is car-free, strolling to a local bakery for pastries became our morning ritual.

3. Use the Matterhorn App (@zermatt.matterhorn)
Check public transit, lift status, weather, and routes. Super helpful if you don’t want to walk.

4. Take the Sunnegga underground funicular
Scan your @ikonpass and ride the Sunnegga Express under the mountain straight to the main lift hub.

5. Continue up to Rothorn
Rothorn sits at 3,103m / 10,180 ft with some of the best Matterhorn views. Weather changes fast up here so bring layers.

6. Enjoy mid-mountain breaks
We loved stopping for a beer or snack between runs. The mid-mountain scenery is unreal.

7. End the day with après at Hennu Stall (@hennustall_)
Lively, fun, great music, and a legendary place to finish your day.

8. Budget tip:
Zermatt is expensive: grab groceries, snacks, and simple meals at @denner_schweiz.

Other Must-Do Winter Activities

Hike on the glacier
Take a guided glacier hike near Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. The ice formations and high-alpine terrain are unforgettable. You can also walk unguided inside the glacier and see it from the inside at the top of the gondola in Matterhorn Glacier Paradise!!

Gornergrat Railway
A scenic cog train ride with panoramic views of 29 peaks over 4,000m. This takes you to mid-mountain so a fun option if you are looking to leisurely start your day. It does get crowded, so be sure to get there early before the crowds or you’ll have to stand the entire time in ski boots.

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise + Ice Palace
The highest cable car station in Europe plus a walk-through ice cave inside the glacier. The views here are incredible!!

Snowshoeing & Winter Hiking
Riffelalp → Riffelberg is a beautiful route with fewer crowds.

Tobogganing
A fun, fast run from Rotenboden to Riffelberg. We didn’t do this, but it looked like fun!

Explore the Village
Cafés, chocolate shops, boutiques, and hopping snowy streets. Everywhere you turn is picture-perfect. Make sure to check out the Matterhorn Museum - Zermatlantis in the center of town!! It takes you underground and we learned so much about the area. (This was Jamie’s favorite stop!)

Where to Eat

On-mountain:

  • Chez Vrony

  • Findlerhof

In town:

  • Schäferstube: fondue & raclette

  • Walliserkanne: Swiss classics

  • Soupi: the best soups in Zermatt

  • Manud Café:  brunch + natural wine

  • Fuchs Bakery: pastries & take-away breakfasts

How to Access the Mountain

Zermatt has three major ski areas:

  • Sunnegga / Rothorn: great progression terrain + amazing lunch spots

  • Gornergrat:  iconic viewpoints

  • Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: the highest lifts + access to Italy

Pro Tip:
Get the International Pass, or use your Ikon Pass if you want to ski into Cervinia. Always check wind closures in the Matterhorn App.

Where to Après

  • Hennu Stall (our favorite!!!)

  • Cervo Après Ski Terrace

  • Papa Caesar Lounge Bar

  • Schneewittchen Bar

Budget Tips

  • Shop at Denner (It’s VERY expensive to eat out, so we allowed ourselves a few dinners during the 2 weeks we were there, otherwise we got bread, meat, and cheese from the store and ate that every meal.)

  • Walk or use transit with the Matterhorn App

  • Stay somewhere with breakfast included

  • Bring snacks for the mountain

Packing List

Clothing

Gear

Toiletries

Other Essentials

The Scenic Detour Adventure Travel
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