Things to Do in Zermatt by Altitude

October 20, 2026

Zermatt activities are easiest to sort by height. The village sits at 1,620 m, mid-mountain stations such as Sunnegga and Furi are a short ride up, and the big viewpoints are above 3,000 m. Cars are left at Täsch, and the Zermatt Shuttle train covers the remaining 12 minutes for CHF 17.20 return, valid for 30 days. All prices here are Swiss francs (CHF), adult fares, with VAT included. This is one of the priciest resorts in Europe, so it pays to pick two or three headline outings and fill the rest of the stay with free walking.

In and around the village

The village itself is free to wander. The Kirchbrücke footbridge, the old barns of Hinterdorf and the lanes by the station need no ticket. The Gorner Gorge is a 15-minute walk from the south end of the village, and its wooden walkways cost CHF 5.50 for adults. It is a summer sight, closed from mid-October until the end of May, so bring a few francs in case the gate does not take cards.

Bikes and lifts work together. Mountain bikes can ride the Zermatt Bergbahnen lifts with a bike ticket, and on the Gornergrat railway they go uphill only from Zermatt, on a reserved space at CHF 10 per bike per trip. Trail totals quoted in brochures differ from one source to the next, so ask the tourist office for a current map before you pick a route.

Mid-mountain, 2,000 to 3,100 m

The Sunnegga funicular and the Blauherd and Rothorn lifts open up the Five Lakes Walk in summer and the ski runs in winter. Winter return fares on the 2026-27 table are CHF 26 to Sunnegga, CHF 51 to Blauherd and CHF 70 to the Rothorn. Families can head for the shallow lake at Leisee, where Wolli’s park has slides and a rope-hauled raft.

For something more adventurous, a mountain guide leads a fixed-rope route through the upper Gorner Gorge. It takes about four hours and costs about CHF 170.

High mountain, above 3,000 m

Gornergrat (3,089 m) is the most reliable big view. A summer return is CHF 132 and a winter return CHF 102, with Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare holders paying half. Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (3,883 m) is the higher choice, with a 2026-27 winter return of CHF 104. At this height the air is thin, so walk slowly, drink water, skip alcohol and go down if you get a severe headache, nausea or confusion. The top stage is closed to children under 3.

On the glacier itself, summer skiing runs on the Theodul glacier at Plateau Rosa until about midday, with a day pass at CHF 99 and two days at CHF 147 while the summer pass is on. Stay on marked pistes. Crevasses and snow bridges are real, and nobody should step onto a glacier without a certified mountain guide.

In the air and on skis

Winter brings the Matterhorn Ski Paradise, shared with Cervinia in Italy. One-day passes are priced dynamically, from about CHF 89 for Zermatt alone and about CHF 104 with Italy. Heli-skiing is a guided winter product that Air Zermatt flies to designated landing sites, and off-piste runs carry avalanche risk, so read the daily bulletin.

Tandem paragliding listings in 2025-26 ran from about CHF 240 for a standard flight to about CHF 460 for the highest launch near Klein Matterhorn, and photos and the lift to take-off may cost extra. Confirm the current rate when booking.

Water is cold and fast

The Mattervispa through the village is a glacial torrent in a stone channel and is not for recreation. Rafting departs from Visp in the valley, not from Zermatt. For a safe paddle or beach, Leisee at Sunnegga is the place.

Planning around closures

Lifts and trains pause every year in the quiet weeks. Expect the Gornergrat railway to stop for a couple of weeks in early November, the Sunnegga-Rothorn lifts to rest from mid-October to late November, and the Glacier Express to take its own break from mid-October to early December. Check timetables in October and November before building a plan around any of them. Cloud and storms build from late morning in summer, so ride up early. Mountain rescue is 144 and general emergencies 112.

Guided activities and tickets can be browsed through a GetYourGuide search for Zermatt activities . The official Zermatt Bergbahnen ticket page lists current lift fares, and UK government travel advice covers the mountain and glacier cautions.