Going to Zermatt was like a childhood dream for me. Snow capped mountains. Alpine villages. Glaciers as far as the eye can see. The matterhorn. For a kid from Queensland this this all seem so far removed from reality for me. Yet here I was, catching a 40 pound flight for an overnighter in Zermatt.
Quick Stuff
Flight – £50 – 1 hour flight time from Gatwick
Train – £75 – 4 hours with 1 to 2 stops
Accomodation – £100-300 per night.
A Surprise Long Weekend
On the 19th of august I ended up with a surprise long weekend due to a umm err royal circumstance. With me having just moved to the UK I thought it was an amazing opportunity to see some of Europe. A quick check on easy jet and flight were booked. I was heading off to a place I’d always dreamed of.
Things to know
Flying
Leaving from Gatwick it’s a 60 minute, surpisingly easy flight to Geneva (keep in mind, im used to dirivng 9 hours in a weekend just to see my family). One point to note, it’s from GATWICK. If you get this confused with heathrow it’s a 100 pound taxi to get to the right airport. I learnt this the hard way from my trip to Iceland. Read about it HERE.
Learnings!
So quick thing to mention, most European phone number have EU roaming. Switzerland isn’t in the EU. If you expect your phone to work in Switzerland, it won’t. Wifi is pretty hard to come by. It costs £10 from a vending machine in the airport for a sim. Definitely worth it.
Languages
Just a quick point to note here, there is no national language for Swizerland. Geneva is closest to France so speaks French, Zermatt while technically closest to Italy speaks German and the East of Switzerland wile close to Germany, speak French. Confusing I know.
Transit
On arriving in Geneva it’s an easy transit to the train station. Out the front and on the left is a pretty simple way of putting it. The ticket machines can be confusing however there’s an ‘english’ option on the bottom left. Book a ticket to Zermatt for about £50. It will leave from platform 3 and be going via Lausanne. The info board and ticket combination can be confusing however just follow the first name that is on the ticket which SHOULD be Lausanne.
At Lausanne you will be transitioning to the Zermatt train, a lovely ride that winds through the valley on its way to Zermatt. Passing waterfalls, glaciers and unique mountainside rail views. Keep in mind that if you drive you’ll have to park at Tasch and get on the train for the last section to Zermatt anyway.
Arriving in Zermatt
Arriving in Zermatt, is a European assault on the senses. Thin mountain air fils the lungs while vibrant signs for luxury watch brands and ski hire adveristments fill the eyes. Coupling this, starry eyed tourists in bright ski gear litter the street to round out the image of the main street of Zermatt. One very international place for a mountain village.
What to do
If you’re like me, you’ve only got a limited amount of time. So here’s what I did in my time!
Check out the mountains
The Matterhorn is ever present in Zermatt. You literally can not miss it. However don’t forget the to learn the weishorn, breithorn and Rifflehorn. These are all visible from town.
Climbing / Snow sports
These are two different activities depending on what time of year you visit. I’m here in Summer and I’m here to climb so the swiss alps offer some of the best summer climbing the world has to offer. I’ve written another story on my climbing here. If you’re here in winter, I’m sure you’re in good hands in one of the worlds premium ski parks.
Swiss cheese fondue
This is a must try local delicacy. I was confused at first. Is it a meal? Is it a starter? I was by myself so just thought I’d attack it. Served with bread and a skewer, you put the bread in the cheese and end with deliciousness. Definiately try!
Gluevune
Seems to be served here no matter what climate. A drink of german origin (I believe?) made form wine, cinnamon, schnapps and whatever else they’ve put in. It will warm you on cold days and fire you up on cold nights.
Hiking
Keep in mind I’m here in summer so hiking is available. In winter it’s not. From Zermatt itself there are multiple hikes ranging form 4 kilometres to 20 kilometres. You can find more info HERE.
Mountain biking
Zermatt is very well known for summer mountain biking, you can hire a bike from XXX for XXX and within minutes be on some of the worlds most pristine mountain biking trails.
See the cows
This may seem like a funny one, but take a walk towards the west end (matterhorn end) of Zermatt, up into the upper town and you’ll not only see a new alpine village but also herds of cows with bells on their necks. This noisey bunch was unique for me and I loved it.
Chocolate
Swis chocolate is a th8ing. We all know this. So no surprises you can get it many palces. I recommend XXXX and XXXX. It’s quite expensive but very delicious.
Take in the streets
Zermatt is extremely globalised for what was obviously once a little mountain village. However one doesn’t have to look very for to see its origins. Take a wander down any of the sidestreets to see some of the original buildings from a century ago. Some are still used, some are used for storage and others are abandoned.
Trip to the museum
I didn’t fit in time to do this, however after my time in what I would perceive as perilous conditions in the mountains, it’s something I would love to return to see. The Matterhorn museum follows the centuries long obsession of people with summiting the matterhorn, for better or for worse.
Going Home
It’s the exact same route to get home, don’t forget that if you dind’t get a swiss sim, there’s no internet anywhere so make sure you know where you’re going. Screenshot your maps route so you know what train you’re on and what stops you’re going through. I leanrt the hard way. If you’re not going back to Geneva then off to Bern you go and I wish you a splendid time!
