One Day in Zermatt: Day Trip Itinerary, Map & Planning Tips
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Thinking of visiting Zermatt, Switzerland, for 1 day and wondering how to best plan your time so that you can see all the best sights of Zermatt in one day? In this guide, you can find the suggested Zermatt 1-day itinerary that covers the ‘musts’ in the most efficient way.
No matter if you are visiting in summer or in winter, this itinerary will help you make the most of your Zermatt day trip. Find out!
Zermatt is one of the most popular mountain destinations in the Swiss Alps. Best known as home to the most iconic mountain in Switzerland, the Matterhorn, and the steepest open-air railway in the world, Gornergrat Railway, Zermatt is one of those places that many consider a must-see in Switzerland.
And while there is so much more to see and do in Zermatt than you could cover in a day or even two, it is possible to see the ‘musts’ if you are visiting Zermatt for one day.
You won’t be able to see and experience everything, but you can certainly cover the two main places that make Zermatt world-famous: Gornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. In addition – if you plan your day well – you can also see some other nice places in Zermatt town.
In this article, we show you how to best plan your time so that you experience the very best that Zermatt has to offer in just one day. To make it easier to understand where everything is, we also created a map indicating all the places mentioned below. You can find it at the end of the article, together with a detailed 1-day itinerary with time indications.
PRO TIP: To maximize your time in Zermatt and avoid unnecessary hassle, stay near the railway station—it will make everything much easier. Hotel Butterfly is one of the best mid-budget options in the area.
READ ALSO: Switzerland Itinerary
TIP: While you can make a day trip to Zermatt and still see some of the best places, we recommend staying in town for two nights and spending at least 1 full day in Zermatt. It’s located quite far away from all the main towns in Switzerland, and so just getting there and back will take a long time. Even if you can only spend one night in Zermatt, it’s still better than just visiting Zermatt as a day trip.
But yes, even a day trip to Zermatt is possible. Here are some tours, and – further below- you’ll find our tips on how to best do it if you plan your own trip. Even if you start your day later or leave earlier, you can still see the same ‘must-see’ places on this itinerary. It will simply mean that you’ll have less time to explore them deeper.
Good to know: Our recommended 1-day Zermatt itinerary includes some places and short hikes that can only be done in summer. However, the main landmarks of Zermatt can be visited the whole year. And so this itinerary will work for a winter trip as well, minus the hiking.
Important: You’ll need 2 different tickets for this itinerary – the Gornergrat Railway day ticket and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise day ticket. Or you can get a Peak Pass which – for one day – costs the same as these two separate tickets and is easier.
The Peak Pass is really expensive if you only buy it for 1-2 days, but offers great value for a longer stay. With two days in Zermatt, it would be better to buy two tickets separately and visit one area per day. But with just one day in Zermatt (and if you want to see ALL the musts), there is no cheaper way to do it unless you decide to visit only Gornergrat OR Matterhorn Glacier Paradise but not both.
There is also a Peak2Peak Ticket which is best for those who are visiting Zermatt for one calendar day and already have some kind of other pass. If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, for example, then this ticket will give you the biggest discount.
TIP: The Swiss Travel Pass gives you big discounts on all tickets in Zermatt, plus it includes all the trains to get to Zermatt (and kids travel free – see our detailed guide via the link below for more info).
LEARN MORE: Swiss Travel Pass: Complete Guide
How to use this guide: First, you can find a detailed program with all the necessary information for the places we recommend visiting in Zermatt in one day. At the end of the article, you’ll also find a short overview of this itinerary, with time indications that will give you a good idea of what your day could look like.
We also included a shorter 1-day itinerary for those of you who are visiting Zermatt as a day trip and can’t get there early in the morning. Take a look!
Here’s how we recommend spending one day in Zermatt:
Gornergrat Railway
Time needed: 33 minutes for the train journey up the mountain.
Start your day in Zermatt with an early morning ride on the Gornergrat Railway. If you are staying in town, we recommend taking one of the earliest trains (7 am or 8 am). Not only will you beat the crowds, but you will also be able to enjoy some of the best scenery by going early (more info below).
Gornergrat Railway was built over 100 years ago and even today, it’s the steepest open-air cog railway in the world. It’s a very scenic ride that takes you to an altitude of 3,089 meters (10,134 ft) in just 33 minutes.
Along the way, you can admire the stunning Alpine Scenery. Depending on the season, you might start your 30-minute journey in the warm summerly weather down in the village and then step out on the snow on the mountain.
TIP: Sit on the right side of the train when going up (the side of the Matterhorn) for the best views. Also, be sure to choose a seat where the windows can be opened – that way you can take nicer pictures from the train. On the other hand, the views to the other side are also nice, especially when the views of the Matter Valley open up. A good thing is that if you take the train early in the morning, you’ll probably be almost alone and will be able to enjoy the views in any direction.
Good to know: If you are traveling during busy times and want to be sure to get the best seat, it’s now possible to pre-book priority boarding on Gornergrat Railway. You can book this upgrade together with your ticket or separately if you already have your tickets. See here for more info. If, however, you start your day very early and take one of the first trains, this shouldn’t be necessary.
Riffelsee
Time needed: If you only visit Riffelsee, count 20-30 minutes. This will give you plenty of time to walk to the lake, enjoy the views, and take some nice pictures.
Riffelsee is a tiny mountain lake best known for the picture-perfect mirror image of the Matterhorn. When there’s no wind and the water is calm, you can see the most beautiful reflections of the Matterhorn and the other mountains on the surface of this lake.
TIP: The best time for reflections is early morning. Therefore, we recommend that you visit Riffelsee first, before going all the way to Gorngergrat.
Good to know: Riffelsee Lake is just a short 5 minutes walk from the Rotenboden train station, which is one before the last station on the Zermatt – Gornergrat railway line. For more practical tips and info, please see our detailed guide to visiting Riffelsee.
LEARN MORE: Riffelsee Lake
An additional tip for early birds & in summer only. If you have 1 hour to spare, take a short and easy hike from Riffelsee to Riffelberg before continuing to Gornergrat. However, with just one day in Zermatt, you may have to be very selective about where you go, so only do this if you start your day early in the morning.
Gornergrat
Time needed: 30-60 minutes, depending on what exactly you choose to do.
After visiting Riffelsee, walk back to Rotenboden and take the next train to Gornergrat. During the peak season and after 8 am, trains run every 24 minutes, so you won’t have to wait long.
At Gornergrat, explore all the viewing platforms, do the short 360° Scenic Loop hike (just 20 minutes), visit Zooom the Matterhorn experience, a small chapel, and check out the shops at Gornergrat Kulmhotel. There’s also a restaurant here where you could also have some coffee.
LEARN MORE: What to See & Do at Gornergrat
Gornergrat Scenic Trail to Rotenboden
Time needed: 40-60 minutes.
After visiting Gornergrat, you could take a train back down towards Zermatt. However, if the weather is nice and you want to enjoy more of the spectacular views of this area, we recommend that you do some hiking here.
One of the nicest short hikes that you can do in Zermatt is a downhill trail from Gornergrat to Rotenboden, aka Gornergrat Scenic Trail, or hike nr. 15.
This short hike offers spectacular views of the glaciers, the Matterhorn, and also of the Gornergrat Railway. If you want to take some nice pictures of the train and the Matterhorn in the background, this is an excellent place for that.
This hike goes to the Rotenboden railway station. So if you want to, you can also stop at Riffelsee Lake once again (or if you haven’t done it first thing in the morning).
LEARN MORE: Gornergrat Scenic Trail to Rotenboden
Make Your Way to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (& Quick Lunch)
Time needed: 40-90 minutes.
After visiting the Gornergrat area, you have two options for how to get to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at Klein Matterhorn: via Furi or via Zermatt town. The first option will only work in the high season when the Furi gondola is running and only if you have the Peak Pass. Whereas the second option will work the whole year and can be done if you have two separate tickets for the Gornergrat and the Matterhorn areas.
1. Take a train to Riffelberg, which is just one station lower from Rotenboden or two stations from Gornergrat. From Riffelberg, you can take a gondola to Furi, where you can jump directly on the gondola to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. If you didn’t pack a picnic lunch, you’ll find plenty of restaurants at all bigger gondola stations, just keep in mind that it will take some more time.
Also, the Furi – Riffelberg gondola only runs during the ski season and on the weekends in summer. No worries if it’s not running, though – you can still get to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise; but it will take a bit longer. See the second option below.
2. The second option – available in any season – is to take the train all the way down to Zermatt, walk through town, and then take the gondola to Klein Matterhorn from there. This will take you at least 40 minutes longer, so keep that in mind, but you could save time for lunch, so all in all it might be about the same.
When walking to the Matterhorn gondola through town, you could grab something small for lunch. There are supermarkets in Zermatt town center and also bakeries, cafes, etc. With just a day in Zermatt, I wouldn’t recommend having lunch at a restaurant as that would take up too much of your precious time.
TIP: It’s better to take a picnic for lunch or buy something small and eat it along the way, and then have a relaxing dinner in Zermatt after all the sightseeing.
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Time needed: 1 hour.
Located at Klein Matterhorn, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is another must-see in Zermatt. It’s a totally different experience than Gornergrat, but equally impressive. It would be really difficult to choose just one or the other, and that’s why we recommend visiting both these places, even if you only have a day in Zermatt.
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is the highest easily accessible mountain peak that you can visit in Zermatt. No matter what time of the year you visit, there is always snow here. People come to ski at Klein Matterhorn in summer!
There are several things to do at Matterhorn, including shops, restaurants, etc. The musts are the viewing platform and the Glacier Palace.
From the viewing platform, you have the most amazing views of the Matterhorn and countless other mountain peaks including the Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in the Alps.
Glacier Palace is located inside the glacier and deep under the eternal ice. You can walk through man-made ice tunnels and see all kinds of spectacular ice carvings and ice sculptures. There’s also a slide inside an ice tunnel – fun for young and old.
Good to know: Also in summer, you’ll need a warm sweater here. A windproof rain jacket is also good to have because you never know how the weather will be in the mountains.
TIP: On your way to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, you can upgrade your ticket for the last section of the gondola ride, from Trocknersteg. For a small additional fee, you can then take the Crystal Ride – a glass-bottomed luxury cable car that offers unparalleled views of the glacier right under your feet. It’s one of the most impressive things we have done in Zermatt and well worth a small extra fee.
LEARN MORE: What to See & Do at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Trockenersteg
Time needed: 30 minutes.
After visiting the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, take the same cable car one stop down and disembark at Trockenersteg. Before continuing your journey further down to Zermatt, we recommend that you walk to a small glacier lake right next to the cable car station.
This is where the Matterhorn Glacier Trail starts, one of the most beautiful hikes in Zermatt. With just a day in Zermatt, you won’t have time for this 3-hour hike, but you can at least see some of the best scenery at the beginning of this iconic hike.
Just a few decennia ago, this area was covered by a retreating glacier and the scenery here is really unique. Plus, you are really close to the Matterhorn and can get some nice pictures of the mountain and the lake.
After visiting the lake, return back to the cable car and take it one stop further down the mountain – to Schwarzsee.
Schwarzsee & ZERMATT Sign
Time needed: 30 minutes.
Schwarzsee is one of the many small mountain lakes in Zermatt where you can also see reflections of the Matterhorn. However, you’ll likely be here in the afternoon, so the chances for reflections are low. Not even to mention that people will likely be swimming here if you visit on a warm summer day.
Nevertheless, Schwarzsee Lake is worth a quick visit. You can also see a small chapel where the Matterhorn climbers come to pray before their ascent.
Another reason to stop at Schwarzsee is the ZERMATT sign. It’s a nice place to take some cool souvenir pictures of your day in Zermatt.
By the time you’ve seen all the places mentioned above, it will likely be late afternoon. Time to head to Zermatt and explore the town just a little bit. You can take a cable car from Schwarzsee all the way down to Zermatt town.
Zermatt Town
Time needed: ideally at least 1-1.5 hours.
It would be a pity to visit the Zermatt area and not see the town itself. So even if you only have a day in Zermatt, in addition to the Gornergrat and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, we recommend that you plan to spend some time in town as well.
One of the nicest things to do in Zermatt is to simply walk down the main street that leads to the railway station. It’s called Bahnhofstrasse (Station Street) and is lined with shops, restaurants, and hotels. You can find pretty much everything here – from Swiss chocolates to the most expensive watches, and from McDonald’s to fancy gourmet restaurants.
If you have at least half an hour to an hour to spare, we highly recommend visiting the Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis as well. It’s located on the main town square and its entrance looks like a giant glass igloo – you can’t really miss it.
The museum itself is hidden under the ground and is presented as a mid-19th-century village of Zermatt. It’s a great place to learn more about Zermatt’s history, the first mountaineers that climbed the Matterhorn, and see how a small village transformed into a world-famous mountain resort.
Right next to the museum, there’s also a big church. Behind it, you can find Mountaineers Cemetery. It’s just a small graveyard, where some of the famous mountain climbers are buried, but it’s really interesting to see. Ideally, you visit the museum first and then the cemetery.
One more place that’s really worth seeing and only takes a few minutes is the old part of town, aka Hinterdorf. This is where you can see some of the traditional wooden houses on stilts, typical to the Valais region in southern Switzerland.
TIP: You can find more information about all these places in our guide to the best things to do in Zermatt.
And that’s enough sightseeing for the day – time for dinner!
Dinner
By now, you’ll probably want to sit down, rest your legs, and have a nice meal to end your day in Zermatt.
There are lots of really good restaurants in town. However, it can also get very busy and some of the nicest hotel restaurants will often be fully booked in high season. So if you want to dine at a specific restaurant, be sure to reserve a table in advance, before you arrive!
But no worries if you didn’t plan anything upfront – there is plenty of choices, and you can find pretty much any cuisine here too.
TIP: We recommend looking for a nice local restaurant that serves Swiss dishes and trying some Swiss fondue, raclette, or other regional specialties. After all, you don’t travel all the way to Switzerland to eat pizza, hamburgers, or Asian food…
Suggested Zermatt 1 Day Itinerary & Map
So, this is our recommended Zermatt 1-day itinerary. Here’s a short recap once again, with hours indicated just for your reference (and based on the current summer train schedule). This is just meant to give you a better idea of how you could plan your time.
Here’s what your 1 day in Zermatt could look like:
- 8:00 Gornergrat Railway – from Zermatt to Rotenboden.
- 8:30 Riffelsee (#1 on the map).
- 8:52 Take a train to Gornergrat.
- 8:57 Gornergrat (#2 on the map).
- 10:00 Hike from Gornergrat to Rotenboden (#3 on the map).
- 11:12 Take a train from Rotenboden to Zermatt (OR – if possible a cable car from Riffelberg to Furi).
- 11:51 Arrive in Zermatt, get something small for lunch & walk to the Matterhorn cable car (walk from #4 to #5).
- 13:00 Take a cable car to Klein Matterhorn (gondolas run continuously).
- 14:00 Explore the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (#6 on the map).
- 15:00 Take a cable car to Trockenersteg and walk to the lake (#7 on the map).
- 15:45 Take a gondola to Schwarzsee, visit the lake, and take pictures with the ZERMATT sign (#8 on the map).
- 16:30 Take a gondola to Zermatt (#9 on the map).
- 17:00 Visit the Matterhorn Museum – Zermatlantis, Mountaineer’s Cemetery, and Hinterdorfstrasse.
- 18:30 Dinner.
TIP: If you can start your day at 7 am, I recommend also doing the short hike from Riffelsee to Riffelberg, then on to Gornergrat. For the rest, follow the same itinerary as above.
Good to know: Here you can find the timetable for the Zermatt – Gornergrat railway. As already mentioned, the first train is at 7 am and after 8 am and before 4-5 pm in the high season, the trains run every 24 minutes. So even if you miss a train here or there, it’s not a big deal. During the low season, trains run every 48 minutes, so you’ll need to plan a bit more carefully.
Further below, you can also find an alternative itinerary if you are planning an even shorter day trip to Zermatt.
And here is a map of Zermatt indicating all the places mentioned above.
SHORTER ITINERARY – if you arrive in Zermatt later and HAVE LESS TIME, I recommend starting with the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise first and leaving the Gornergrat area for later.
This is for a few reasons. First, the Gornergrat Railway gets very busy between 9-11 am and the trains also run later in the evening than the gondolas, so it will be more relaxed to turn it around.
Your Zermatt day trip itinerary could look something like this:
- 10:00 Arrive in Zermatt & walk or take a bus to the Matterhorn cable car (walk from #4 to #5).
- 10:15 Take a cable car to Klein Matterhorn.
- 11:00 Explore the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (#6 on the map).
- 12:00 Take a cable car to EITHER Trockenersteg OR Schwarzee (#7 or #8 on the map).
- Take a gondola to Zermatt, get something for lunch, walk through town, maybe also visit the Matterhorn Museum and Hinterdorfstrasse (#9 on the map).
- 15:12 Gornergrat Railway – from Zermatt to Gornergrat (#4 on the map).
- 15:45 Gornergrat (#2 on the map).
- 16:45 Hike from Gornergrat to Rotenboden (#3 on the map) & visit Riffelsee (#1 on the map). The later you come here, the more chance you have to see the reflections on the lake. The reflections are usually best early morning or late evening.
- 18:23 Take a train from Rotenboden to Zermatt. Keep an eye on the train schedule – there is just 1 train per hour after 4-5 pm, and the last train to Zermatt is usually at around 8 pm (in summer).
- 18:59 Arrive in Zermatt and dinner.
If you have even less time, you could shorten this by not doing the hike at Gornergrat and/or skipping Trockener Steg, Schwarzsee, or the museum in town. If the gondola between Furi and Riffelberg is open, that could also save you some time.
If you have more time, visit both – Trockener Steg and Schwarzsee.
Use these suggestions just as an indication and adjust the itinerary based on your own interests!
Getting to Zermatt
Zermatt is located in the Valais region in southern Switzerland. It’s separated from central Switzerland by high mountains with some serious mountain passes to cross.
So if you are just visiting Zermatt for a day from Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lucerne, or other main towns, it’s best to take a train (free with the Travel Pass). Driving to Zermatt by car for just one day would only make sense if you are already staying somewhat nearby and the drive is not more than 2 hours one-way.
Good to know: Zermatt is a car-free village and so no matter where you come from, you’ll have to take a train from Täsch to Zermatt. The train ride from Täsch to Zermatt takes 12 minutes and the trains run every 20 minutes. If you are coming by car, use the big parking garage by the Täsch railway station.
Zermatt Day Trips & Tours
You can easily get to Zermatt and see everything on your own, but there are also day tours available from some bigger cities and there are guided tours available once you get to Zermatt. See here for what’s available at the moment.
These day tours are very expensive, but so are the train tickets to get to Zermatt, not even to mention the tickets to Gornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
So if you add it all up, it’s a very expensive day trip, no matter how you do it – alone or with a guide.
READ ALSO: Best Day Trips from Lucerne
Where to stay
While you can visit Zermatt as a day trip, depending on where you are coming from, it will be a very long and rushed day. So if you can adjust your itinerary, we highly recommend spending at least one or two nights in Zermatt.
As already mentioned, even if you can stay just 1 night, it will already be more relaxed. But ideally, you spend at least 2-3 nights in Zermatt, so that you have 1 or 2 full days to explore.
Here are some hotel suggestions for a short stay in Zermatt:
- €€€€€ The Omnia.
- €€€€ Backstage Boutique SPA Hotel.
- €€€ Hotel Butterfly.
- €€ Hotel Alpina.
So, this is our guide to visiting Zermatt for a day. I hope that this helps you plan your time and see the very best that this stunning mountain resort has to offer.
TIP: If you found this guide helpful, be sure to check out our Switzerland travel guide. It contains an overview of all our articles about a big variety of popular destinations in Switzerland. Alternatively, see some of our favorites below!
Some of our favorite places in Switzerland:
- Jungfraujoch, Top of Europe
- Mt Titlis
- Mt Pilatus from Lucerne
- Mt Pilatus Golden Round Trip
- Lucerne Day Trips
- Grindelwald-First
- Trübsee (Engelberg)
- Schynige Platte
- Interlaken
- Skiing in Wengen & Skiing in Engelberg
The nicest cities:
Our favorite hikes in Switzerland:
- Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge Hike (near Zermatt)
- Best Hikes at Schynige Platte (near Interlaken)
- Oeschinensee Hike (close to Interlaken)
- Four Lakes Hike in Engelberg (near Lucerne)
- Bachalpsee Lake (Grindelwald)
- Stoos Ridge Hike (possible from Lucerne or Zurich)
- 5 Lakes Hike in Zermatt
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Hi Jurga,
This article is very helpful. I was looking for some suggestions. We will be arriving to Zermatt from Geneva in the morning and I was wondering if I could do matter on Matterhorn area after arrival in the afternoon and spend the evening visiting Zermatt town. Next day, we could follow your suggestion of going to Gornergrat early in the morning around 7 or 8 AM and be done by early afternoon as we will have to get to Interlaken area that day.
Would love to hear any suggestions or recommendations on this.
Thank you,
Abhi
Hi Abhi, it all depends on when you arrive and how long the cable car to Matterhorn is running at that time of the year (check the timetables here). It tends to stop several hours earlier than the train to/from Gornergrat, which can make a big difference if you only arrive in the afternoon. But if you get to Zermatt in the morning and still have at least 3-4 hours before the gondola stops, then yes, your plan sounds good.
Have a great trip!
Hello, thank you so much for covering Zermatt and other locations in Switzerland. It’s exactly what I am looking for. You made planning so much easier. All the details are very helpful!
I will follow your Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat in 1 day! We prefer to do Matterhorn first since my family would like to ski in the early October. Is there a reason why you did Gornergrat first and switched it to Matterhorn for a shorter itinerary? We have a full day as we are staying in Switzerland so we have the time.
The next day, we plan to do your other itinerary for Furi with the suspension bridge and the Gorner Gorge. That was a great idea! Loved the variety of activites and being able to do them together. Will the Furi Suspension bridge still be open first week of October?
I got inspired by your itinerary for Interlaken with Geissbach Falls and Isetwald, as well. One question, the Lakeshore trail you did to Isetwald, is it from the top of the falls or after taking the funicular down then start from there? It’s only max of 1hour and would love to do it.
Thank you so much!
Hi Pam, the main reason to start the day at Gornergrat is that – at least in the high season – the train starts running a few hours before the Matterhorn gondola. So if you only have a day and want to make the most of it, it’s just more logical. Also, if people want to try to catch beautiful reflections at Riffelsee, it’s best to go in the morning. But if you are flexible and rather go skiing first, then just start with the Matterhorn. It would also make sense to visit Furi and/or Gornger Gorge on the same day since it’s all on the same mountain and on the same gondola route. So you could do Gornergrat separately, the next day.
The Furi Suspension Bridge hike should be doable in October. Gorner Gorge is normally also open until mid-October.
As for Interlaken, if I recall well, there are two trails from the waterfall to Isetwald. We took the lower one, closer to the lake. I think the other hike is not as nice since it goes through the forest and it’s also longer. When you arrive, you first take the funicular up, visit the waterfall, and then walk back toward the funicular (don’t take it), walk under its tracks, and down toward the lake. There are signs and if you are not sure, you can always ask.
@Jurga, wow! That is a great suggestion. I will do Matterhorn Glacier Paradise with Furi on the same day. Where can I find the duration of each leg (like from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise to Schwarszee)? how long is it? I want to know how long is travel so I know what activities we can do.
We will keep the lower trail in Isetwald in mind. Thank you again!
Hi Pam, I’m not sure what you are looking for – how long the gondola ride from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise to Schwarzsee is? It’s about half an hour. From Schwarzsee to Furi another 5 minutes or so. You will pass all these stations on your way to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise anyway – it’s on the same gondola line. However, in the low season, there might be no stop at Schwarzsee, depending on which gondola lines are operating (there is a direct line from Furi to Trockener Steg as well), so you have to check that for your specific travel dates. Or simply check it when you get there. There is really no need to plan every minute of your day in advance; it all becomes much clearer when you get there. Plus, you can’t predict the weather and foresee everything to the last detail anyway. Just have a rough plan and adjust if needed.
Enjoy your trip!
Thank you so much for all the information! If we can stay one night there, what would you recommend: get there late in the day, stay overnight and do all the things you listed then leave OR get there early, do all the thing you listed, then stay overnight and leave the next morning.
We arrive in Zurich on a Monday around 3 pm and have until Sunday morning then head to Budapest, so 5-6 days. (Thinking about the sleeper train from Zurich to Budapest vs flying). Tentatively we want to visit Zermatt, Grindelwald, Lucern, Appenzell (could skip if short on time) and Zurich sites if time. What would you suggest as an itinerary? Not sure if we should stay in each spot or do day trips out from say Lucern or other city. Thank you for any tips you can give us!
Hi Diane, if you have to choose one of the options, I’d arrive the day before and start exploring Zermatt town that same evening and the mountain peaks first thing in the morning starting with the Gornergrat train ride as early as you can. That way, you can beat the biggest crowds of day tourists.
As for itinerary suggestions, take a look at this 10-day Switzerland itinerary on our blog. If your trip is shorter than that, you can still use it, just skip the days/places that you are not visiting. But it will give you a good idea of how you could plan your time.
Have a great trip!
Thanks so much for this article (as well as the Mt Pilatus and Jungfraujoch articles)! Huge help in planning my trip and fantastic level of detail. Unravelling all possible tickets and passes has been a chore.
I just wanted to mention that it looks like there is a new ticket called the Peak2Peak pass that covers the exact itinerary you recommend – Matterhorn Paradise and Gornergrat with Furi-Riffelberg gondola between. Also gives you the full 50% off with Swiss Half Fare Card Rather that only 25% with the Peak Pass if you buy it at the ticket office. Looks like a really good deal.
Also Gornergrat offers a “priority boarding” option for CHF 7.00. While not a reserved seat, you do get to board the train 3 minutes before everyone else so you have a better chance at a window seat. Priority boarding can be purchased separately from your ticket.
Hi Neil, there are too many passes indeed. The Peak Pass which we described in detail in our article is very similar to Peak2Peak, but it includes a bit more – like the train to Zermatt from Randa/Täsch, bike transportation, etc. It’s also a better option for people whose visit is longer than 1 calendar day. The Peak2Peak is indeed a good pass, but mostly for those people who only visit for one calendar day and already have some kind of other pass. Also, if people without any passes just visit one mountain peak on any given day, then a separate ticket for just that area is usually better than any of these passes, as already explained in the article.
We prefer not to overload our readers with even more options as it’s already complicated as it is. But I’ll see if I can explain this one shortly in the article without confusing people even more… 🙂
As for priority boarding, wow, that’s a new one. Crazy how they monetize everything to the last bit.
Have a great time in Zermatt and hope your trip is not impacted by the recent floods. If you are traveling very soon, you may want to check this website for updates.
Hi Jurga, great article that is helping to plan my trip in July. I have 1 doubt. you state that the Furi-Riffelberg gondola is only on weekends in the summer? Is that still the case? I went to the timetable and it shows 29/6 – 18/8 only and doesn’t say restrict to weekends only? thanks for help confirming as I want to do both in the same day.
Hi Sue, I am not 100% sure but the schedule I found for the summer 2024, says that the Furi-Riffelberg gondola will be operating between June 29 and August 18 without mentioning any more details. So it looks like they are planning to keep it open daily in the peak season.
You can just ask what the situation is like when you are there. As said in the article, even if this gondola wouldn’t be open, you can still visit both areas; it just takes a bit longer.
This is amazing and EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED. Thank you so much for the awesome write up and all of the details and advice. This is absolutely fantastic. We are going to Zermatt for the first time this summer (2 nights, 1 full day) as part of an insane 30 day trip to Europe where we are going to see nearly half the continent. I want to make sure we get the most out of each stop and I feel like I am going to succeed now that I have discovered your site.
Glad to help, Ali. Sounds like you are planning quite an adventure. Try to slow down and simply be in the moment once in a while. Enjoy Europe!
PS We have tons of similar guides to many other popular destinations in Europe, so take a look at our destinations page or simply use the search button if you are looking for something specific.
Hi!
First of all, thanks for all the suggestions, they are great! I live in Zurich and my mum is visiting from Ecuador. I have bought a tageskarte for Saturday the 6th of January and the plan is to go to Zermatt. My mum is 70 years old and we can’t do lots of hiking, we would like mainly sightseeing. That said, do you think is worth it only doing Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and the museum in Zermatt? Do you have any other suggestion? We have to be back in Zurich at maximum 10pm. I mainly want to spend quality time with my mum and see the wonderful landscape.
Thanks a lot!
Hi Fernanda, there are a few things to keep in mind – first, you can’t predict the weather in advance. Second, hiking in January is out of the question (unless snowshoeing or at much lower altitudes than what is described in this article). And finally, the days are very short at that time of the year so it gets dark very early.
So if you get to Zermatt early in the morning and the weather is nice, then you could do Matterhorn as well as Gornergrat, and also the museum after you get back to town. Since you bought a day ticket already, try to make the most of it! As I said, you can’t hike at that time of the year anyway, so you’ll need much less time at the top and you should be able to visit both main mountain peaks. Also, since it’s ski season, the gondola connecting the two areas (Furi to Riffelberg) should also be working which would make it even easier to visit both areas in a short time. Enjoy!
@Jurga, Thanks for the suggestions! 🙂
Hi
I want to visit Zermatt, but have a really a very very limited time.
I may reach between 1 pm – 2pm (half day) in Zermatt and needs to go back to Zurich at night (have to check maybe the 2nd to the last train trip to Zurich)
Even if I want to see Matterhorn closer, most probably I can roam around the Old Town Center only.
However I still would like to know, if with this short period, if it’s still possible to see Matterhorn closer? Where to? If not, any particular place in Zermatt where at least I can have a photo background of iconic Matterhorn?
Thank you so much
Hi Alma, you can see Matterhorn from the village, but if you want to get closer, take a gondola to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. On the way back, disembark at the Trockener Steg and walk to the little lake near the gondola. You have a pretty nice close view of the mountain there too.
That being said, you really need a good 3-4 hours for a proper visit there and gondolas stop running at around 4-4.30pm, so if you only arrive in Zermatt at 2pm, it’s not really worth going up anymore, or just to Trockener Steg at best (it’s much cheaper than going all the way up too).
Another way is to take a train to Gornergrat and also stop at Riffelsee Lake (or hike down to the lake). You have a great view of the Matterhorn from there even though it’s technically further away. The advantage of this is that the trains to Gornergrat run much later in the evening, so you don’t have the same time pressure as at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Plus, the train to Gornergrat departs very close to the main railway station in the old town where you’ll arrive to start with.
Otherwise, just stay in the village and you can see Matterhorn (in the distance) from pretty much anywhere.
One more thing to keep in mind that if it’s cloudy or rainy you may not see it at all, so maybe check the weather forecast before deciding if it’s worth such a long trip. Even in the good weather, a short afternoon is really not enough to appreciate what Zermatt has to offer.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga,
Thanks a lot! 🙂
Thank you for these wonderful suggestions and insights into how to get the best of a limited time in Switzerland. Very very useful and practical.
I had one general question – if I were to need some transportation between towns, are there any websites or apps that help with arranging some drivers to take you from one place to another? It seems like the more organized transportation service tend to get quite expensive. Since Uber is not available outside of the main cities, I was wondering.
Thank you so much in advance for your help.
Hi Shyam, if you are not renting a car, by far the best way to travel around in Switzerland is by train. Alternatively, for certain destinations, you can also find guided tours. Depending on where exactly you go, sometimes these tours may give you better value than purchasing all the separate segments (train, bus, gondolas, etc.) by yourself. This is because many tours use their own buses and get group discounts. But otherwise, train is the way to go.
You may want to look into different passes and discount cards available to figure out what would be cheaper for your specific itinerary, but it takes a lot of time and research to compare all different options and your specific situation (e.g. kids of certain age have different discounts than adults or seniors, etc.).
Hi Jurga,
I am arriving in Geneva September 29th at 7:30am. I am having a hard time planing 4 full days in Switzerland because everything looks so beautiful.
I had in mind Zermatt, Interlaken, Grindelwald and Lucerne. We are athletic so we can do some hiking.
I was thinking of flying out of Zürich on October 3rd over to Venice I don’t have a time yet on having to leave Switzerland that day.
Any suggestions would be so helpful. I am learning so much reading your suggestions.
Thank You,
Angie
Hi Angie, you could spend 4 days in any of these destinations alone, so there are tons of possibilities on how to plan an itinerary. A lots also depends on your interests and the weather.
Anyway, if you want to see all these places, I think I’d start with a day in Geneva (see this guide for some ideas of where to go). Then take a train to Zermatt in the late afternoon so that you are already there and can start exploring early next morning. Then (again, late afternoon?) head to Interlaken. Spend the next day either at Grindelwald-First or go to Jungfraujoch and do some hiking around Kleine Scheidegg (I recommend the relatively easy Panorama Route to Mänlichen). In the late afternoon, you could spend some time in Interlaken (e.g. visit Harder Kulm). And then the next day Lucerne and potentially Mt Pilatus.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga,
Thank you so much what a huge help!
Hallo Jurga, thank you for your helpful details and wonderful itinerary. I have booked my flight to go to Switzerland mid March 2024 and expect to be in Zermatt evening of 19 March. Is that still high season and snowy. Can I do any of the things you mentioned on the way up to the viewing platform. Also I will be in Zermatt for 2 days so wondering what else is a must. Thank you very much. I hope the paths will not be icy!
Jan
Hi Jan, March is the peak ski season and there is normally snow everywhere in and around Zermatt. You could go skiing ;).
You won’t be able to do any hiking at the higher altitudes, but there are some winter hikes closer to the village. Snowshoeing, sledding, etc. could also be good options at that time of the year.
Take a look at our guide to the best things to do in Zermatt for some inspiration. In that article, you can also see which of the sights are doable the whole year and what’s only in winter.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga, Thank you very much Jurga. Your blog is great and inspiring. I look forward to trying out the Zermatt itinerary. Jan
Hello, Thank you for this wonderful itinerary! We are travel to Zermatt in July and staying 2 nights and 1/2 the next day. I was wondering if we aren’t doing any real hiking, maybe a the short hiking option you suggested, but we are going to go on the gondola do we need hiking shoes or will a good walking shoe suffice? I appreciate any help.
Hi Catherine, once you get there, you’ll want to do some hiking, especially at Gornergrat, so shoes with a good grip are really recommended. You will see tourists wearing all kinds of footwear and indeed, you’ll be fine on the train, gondolas, and at the main viewpoints. But the moment you step a bit outside the main areas, it’s all gravel and stones and rough terrain. I would recommend hiking shoes (not necessarily hiking boots) as I can’t imagine how you’d spend 2,5 days in Zermatt in the summer without venturing on at least a few hiking trails. Without knowing what you mean by walking shoes it’s difficult to say, but something like this or like this should be fine for a few short walks.
Have a great trip!
@Jurga, you’re very kind to answer! Thank you so much I will be taking hiking shoes!
Hi, I am traveling to Switzerland in mid-October and plan to visit Zermatt on a day trip. Can we go to Schwarzee in October? I checked the timetable on their website and it seems like the gondola is closed after 9/10. Any other way we can still explore it and take the picture with the Zermatt Sign? Thank you!
Hi Zoya, if the gondola is closed, that means that there is no way to get there unless hiking all the way up (not recommended even in the summer). October can be quite wintery at these altitudes. They reopen the gondolas for the ski season, but that’s yet a few weeks later when there is enough snow for skiing.
There is so much more to do in Zermatt without the sign, so just enjoy your trip and make the most of it. You can find some suggestions on what to see in this article (remember that at that time of the year, you’ll have fewer options).
Have a great trip!
Thank you for this post. We just spent 4 days in Zermatt and followed your recommendations. We were the only people on the 20min loop walk you recommended and sat on a bench just taking in the view. I think Zermatt might be the most beautiful place in the world.
Thanks for your kind feedback, Cathy. Isn’t it incredible how so few people walk beyond the main viewpoints… Anyway, glad to hear that you made the best of your visit and enjoyed Zermatt so much. It’s well worth a longer visit if you ever get the chance to return.
Happy travels!
Hi Jurga,
A really helpful and detailed itinerary and website with great resources. Thank you for doing this!
We arrive around 1pm at Zermatt from Interlaken the following weekend in May and have 2 Nights and 1.5 full days in Zermatt. Would you suggest Gornergrat visit in the afternoon on Day1 and do the full Matterhorn Glacier Paradise for Day2?
At this time of year, is the Gornergrat to Rotenboden trail open? Hoping to catch the early evening reflections of Matterhorn on Riffelsee.
Finally, is there a link to a full day Matterhorn Glacier Paradise experience/itinerary including hikes?
Many thanks in advance!
Hi Melissa, in general, it would be a good plan to do Gornergrat on the day of arrival since the trains run later, and then Matterhorn Glacier Paradise the next day.
However, it’s quite unlikely that any of the hikes at the highest altitudes are snow-free at this time of the year. I just checked the webcam at Gornergrat and it’s still completely white at the top.
You can walk to Riffelsee from the Rotenboden train station, but I think that Riffelsee itself is probably still covered by snow. May is really too early for any hiking at that altitude. The same counts for Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
So taking all this into account, I really don’t know what to suggest. It’s still worth going to the top at both places for the views (if the weather is good). And you can probably find some nice walks near the village, plus visit the village itself. I think your best bet it to stop at the visitor’s center when you arrive and ask them what they recommend at this time of the year. They will know which places are snow-free already and will be able to give you recommendations for what can actually be done.
Have a great trip!
@Jurga, thank you so much!
Brilliant, and thank you so much.
Have a great trip!
Hi Jurga,
Thank you so much for your magnificent post, it definitely has been the most helpful source of information for me.
One quick question though, when making the trip to Glacier Paradise, what type of ticket did you buy?
The website has a single trip fro Zermatt to Glacier Paradise… but it doesn’t have a single trip ticket price from Glacier Paradise to Trockenersteg, where we want to hike down to Schwarzsee. Did you get the round trip ticket from Zermatt to Glacier Paradise?
Many thanks in advance!
Hi Lucy, you can just get a regular round-trip ticket for the Glacier Paradise (like this one) and you can leave the gondola at one station and then take it again at the next one. It wouldn’t make sense to buy separate tickets to skip just that one small part of the gondola.
Have a great trip!
Hi Jurga,
This is by far one of the best one day guides!!
If I stay in Tasch, how much extra time I need to consider for the itinerary?
Hi Abraham, the train ride between Tasch and Zermatt is just over 10 minutes. So you can do everything just the same as when staying in Zermatt.
Thank you so much for all of this detailed information! I will be in Zermatt in the beginning of March for 2 days. We plan to arrive in Tasch by train at 14:30, check in at our hotel, and then head straight to Zermatt. Is this enough time to go to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and do all your recommendations before dark? Then the next day, my husband is going to ski and I want to follow your advice for the Gornergrat Railway, Museum, walk around, etc. Any advice on how to dress for temperature or anything else specific to a non-skier in March? We were planning to leave late morning the following day, so I’m going to squeeze in whatever else you recommended that is left! We are also debating on if it is worth it to get the Swiss Travel Pass for just 6 days. Any advice? What does it cover in the Zermatt area? Thank you so much!
Hi Ellen, it’s practically impossible to visit Mattherhorn Glacier Paradise if you arrive in Tasch so late. By the time you get to Zermatt and to the gondolas, they will almost be closing. Even if you could make it to the top, you would have to go down immediately before the gondolas stop for the day. So I’m not sure how much you could actually see/do at the top.
Gornergat could be easier in the late afternoon as the trains keep on running later in the evening. And you probably need less time there in winter since you can’t really go hiking at this time of the year. Still, it gets dark quite early, so keep an eye on that too.
You may want to double-check the schedule for the gondola and the train for your travel dates.
You could easily visit both these places on the full day though.
For the Swiss Pass, it only makes sense if you take lots of trains/public transport every day. It only gives discount for the gondolas etc. so usually not worth it just for that.
For the clothes, a winter jacket, gloves, hat, buff/scarf, and waterproof hiking boots are a minimum. You can also wear ski pants and winter boots and you’ll probably enjoy it all better unless it’s exceptionally warm for the season.
Hope this helps.
@Jurga, Very helpful. Thank you so much!
Hello. Thank you for all the extensive write up and sharing! Definitely gives us readers a better idea on how to plan our trip. I have an upcoming visit to Zurich on 21 April and I am planning to stay from 21 April to 26 April before going to Munich on 27 to 29 April.
I have the Zurich Marathon happening on the 23 April. Will you recommend that I travel out to Lucerne, Interlaken or Zermatt to stay for one night between 21 and 22 April (return back to Zurich for the marathon on 23 April before travelling out again from 23 April to 26 April? Your advise will be greatly appreciated! (:
Oh and for the Zermatt hikes, is it recommended in April?
No, you can’t do much hiking in the Swiss mountains in April. Practically everything at somewhat higher elevations is still covered with snow.
Hi Terence, everything is possible, but it’s really your choice whether you want to travel that far if you only have a day every time. Zurich to Zermatt is over 3 hours one-way, so likely at least 7 hours in total if you go there and back on the same day. If you go, I’d recommend spending a night in Zermatt.
Alternatively, you could just take shorter day trips like Lucerne and/or Mt Pilatus or Rhine Falls.
You can also take a look at our guide to the best day trips from Lucerne – many of those are just as well doable from Zurich.
Hope this helps. Hav a great trip!
Absolutely wonderful blog. Thanks so much for this. We are planning a 14 day trip in May starting from Geneva in a rental car.. We shall stay 2 days in Thonon les Bains and then visit Zermatt. Do you think it’s makes sense to stay at Sion Airbnb and make a day trip to Zermatt since we have a car? Any other place you can suggest. I don’t know what to do with the car otherwise if we stay at Zermatt for 2 days since it’s car free. Any advice on how to plan this segment of our trip will much appreciated.
Thanks and regards
Trupti
Hi Trupti, you can spend a week in Zermatt and never get bored, so two days is really not too much. You can leave your car at the railway station parking in Tasch.
That being said, May is a bit of a shoulder season and – depending on the weather – most hikes high in the mountains won’t be accessible yet. So whether it’s worth staying longer, really depends on what you want to see and do. And on the weather, but you can’t predict that.
With 14 days in Switzerland, you can do a lot. I’d highly recommend spending some time in the cities like Geneva, Lucerne, Bern, maybe also Lausanne and Basel. The area around Interlaken/Jungfraujoch is amazing too and you can easily fill a few days there even in May. You can find quite a few guides about most of these places on our blog. There’s really not one best way to plan an itinerary, so pick the places that interest you the most and see how you can best combine it all.
TIP – for any places in the mountains (especially if you want to do some hiking), be sure to check the gondola/train schedules to see if they are open yet. Most places start to open up in May, but some open earlier and some later in the month. Places like Gornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt, or Jungfraujoch or Titlis are open the whole year round. Also Mt Pilatus should be reachable by cable car from Kriens.
Good luck with the planning!
@Jurga,
Thank you so much Jurga. Yes I am taking all the help I can from your blog for the trip planning.
Is the railway station parking at Tãsch free?
Hi Trupti, there are several places where you can park in Täsch. The most convenient is the Matterhorn Terminal Täsch parking right at the station. At the moment, it costs 16 CHF per day.
You can reserve your parking spot on their website in advance if you are traveling in the very busy season and worry that there wouldn’t be any space left (I think it’s only necessary on very busy weekends in the ski season or when there are any special events in Zermatt). Most recently, we traveled in the peak summer season and didn’t reserve, and it wasn’t a problem at all – plenty of space. We left our car there for a few days, almost a week actually, and paid when we left.
@Trupti,
Thanks for the detailed information Jurga
Hi,
First of all thanks for your blogs! I used them all in planning.. I am now in Switzerland and enroute to Zermatt in a day or 2. Would be opting for Gornegratt and not the Glacier Paradise but I was wondering if I can still reach tk the Zermatt sign thru Gornegratt route? I see it only in the Glacier paradise route in your article. Thanks and more power!
Hi Marizon, the ‘Zermatt’ sign is located at Schwarzsee, which can be reached via the same gondola as the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (see the map in our article; it’s at #8). If you are going to Gornergrat, you won’t be passing there. So you would need to get back to town and then take the gondola to Schwarzsee. This will make it much more expensive for you too – because instead of just getting the tickets for Gornergratt, you’ll need to get an additional ticket, or a day ticket.
If you go to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, then Schwarzsee is just a quick stop that doesn’t add any extra cost and requires very little time. But I’d say it’s not really worth it if you would go just for the sign, especially in this season.
Enjoy Zermatt!
@Jurga, thanks! Opted fotr Glacier Paradise as I used Gornegrat to ascend for my paragliding so did both in 2 days! On to the next trip.. Thanks to your very useful and informative blogs.
Hi!
Really nice and informative article!
Is this itinerary also good for mid December in regards to the gondolas and trams and acsessing the peaks?
Also, we will be starting in ZRH, staying for a couple of days, want to to Zermatt but have room for one more city. Could you give a suggestion?
Thanks so much in advance!
Sylvia
Hi Sylvia, yes, if you just visit Gornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, you can also use this itinerary in December. Keep in mind that the lakes and the walking trails will be covered by snow, so just focus on the main mountain peaks. Also, the days will be much shorter and gondolas will stop early. Maybe start with Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and visit Gornergrat afterward. After you’re done in the mountains, explore the town.
As for additional suggestions, Lucerne would be a great choice if you would like to visit a city (you can also take a day trip to Bern if you have extra time). See here our suggestions for the best things to do in Lucerne and the best day trips from Lucerne.
Hope this helps. Have a great trip!
Great article. We are planning to go to Zermatt in early October. We will be coming from Amsterdam or Brussels. Do you recommend flying into Geneva or Zurich to take the train to Zermatt?
Hi David, I’d check how the flight prices are and decide based on that. Flying to/from Switzerland is usually quite a bit more expensive compared to the rest of Europe because there is less competition. You may find much cheaper flights to Basel compared to Geneva or Zurich, but this depends on so many factors. So check that first.
For the rest, traveling by train within Switzerland is very convenient. The train journey from Zurich to Zermatt is a tiny bit shorter than from Geneva, but that difference is really not much (3h15 vs 3h40 or so). It’s about the same from Basel too.
Hi Jurga, may I know why you have suggested doing the Gornergrat to Rotenboden hike after Riffelsee & Riffelberg? If we do the Gornergrat to Rotenboden hike first and continue on to Riffelsee & Riffelberg, we could save on the train ticket cost? Am I missing something? Would like to understand the rationale for the sequence you suggested.
Hi Felix, I think I explained it in the article. It’s only IF you want to see Riffelsee and the smaller lake right down the path in the early morning around SUNRISE. That’s when you have most chances to see the reflections. Early morning is also the best time to spot marmots, and there are many of them along the hike between Riffelsee and Riffelberg. Otherwise, it’s indeed simpler to start at Gornergrat and just hike down.
For train tickets, it doesn’t matter- if you have a day (or multi-day) ticket you can take the train as often as you like. But if you are buying a one-way ticket only, then you should probably go all the way to Gornergrat too.
Hope this helps.
Enjoy your trip!
@Jurga, Thanks for the quick and very helpful response! Appreciate that 🙂
Great article. Quite helpful. Thank you so much for this.
Glad to help, Lokesh. Enjoy your time in Zermatt!
Hello, really great informative articles. We currently are in lake Maggiore, sweltering in heat (38 grad) and have to return to Southern Germany this week. Looking at driving options, we are thinking of driving to Zermat (or nearby town) stay overnight and continue driving the next day. As expected, we are fully summer clothing geared so matterhorn visits are probably out of the question. Is the weather in Zermat suitable for thin pants and light jackets, and is there enough to do without going up the mountain? We enjoy scenery and just looking at the beautiful Alps is joy enough (for this stopover).
We do hope to make another trip down to area and enjoy all the topics mentioned. Thanks so much.
Hi John, I’m not sure if this answer is not too late for your trip. But everything depends on the weather. If it’s sunny and warm in July, you can usually visit everything in Zermatt in shorts and a light sweater. If it’s a grey day, then indeed, you’d need warmer clothing. But even then, light pants and a light jacket should be more than sufficient. Ideally, you have closed shoes (hiking shoes are best, or sporty sneakers if you don’t hike much).
There’s plenty to see in Zermatt at lower altitudes, also if you don’t want to hike (far). The higher you go, the colder it gets, so you can just opt for the places that are located lower, e.g. Furi area or Schwarzsee, also Sunnegga. Here you can find more inspiration on what to see and do in Zermatt.
Have a great trip!
Hi Jurga! Your blog has been a lief saver for trip planning – just wanted to get your opinion. If I’m planning to first go to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and the Glacier Trail, do you feel that the Gornergrat is a must-see? Will there be lakes similar to Riffelsee along the Glacier Trail? Just trying to be mindful of cost/time given the passes can add up. Thank you! 🙂
Hi Natasha, if you just have one day in Zermatt, indeed, you could just focus on one area and save a lot of money on the tickets. There’s a lot to do along the Klein Matterhorn gondola route, including things mentioned in this article, but also hiking to Furi suspension bridge and/or to Zmutt village. You can read about these places in our ‘best things to do in Zermatt‘ guide.
As for the lakes, Schwarzsee could actually be quite nice for Matterhorn reflections if the conditions are right. So you could potentially start your day there, as soon as gondolas start to run. The only issue is that they start much later than e.g. the Gornergrat railway, so by the time you get there, it might be too late for reflections. But you can always try.
Having said all this, Gornergrat is a totally different destination than Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. It’s not about the Riffelsee lake, more about the glacier that you get to see there, the train trip itself, the hikes at the top, etc. So I’ll never say it’s not worth it – it totally is. But you can’t see ‘everything’ in a day anyway, and so you can definitely have a great day if you decide to skip it as well.
Have a great trip!
@Jurga, thank you for the prompt and detailed response. I was also wondering – did you go in June? Planning on going in June next year, along some other cities in Switzerland/Europe, and am wondering if a warmer jackets (e.g. thin down jacket) would be needed instead of the sweater + windbreaker you suggest
Hi Natasha, we’ve been to Switzerland many times in various months. There’s just one certainty in the mountains is that the weather is uncertain. 🙂 You never really know how the weather will be until a few days in advance.
The best advice I can give you is to layer up so that you’ll be able to adjust to any weather you get. In general, June is quite warm already, but once we had snow in the mountains in July as well (it melted the same day though). We personally never pack thin down jackets for Switzerland in summer, but I can definitely see situations/places where you could use it. But you could just as well do with a warm sweater and a wind/rain jacket as well. The advantage of the latter is that you can layer up and use just one, whereas a warm jacket is all or nothing.
Hope this helps.
Your post has really helped me feel more confident going into see the Matterhorn. I have a question. We only have one day and can start early. The Matterhorn paradise trail hike sounds amazing. If I follow the pattern you have listed I don’t know if we would have time to hike it and make it to the cable car before it closes.
Do you think it would be better to do this itinerary in reverse so we can do the hike and still have time to go on the Gornergrat Railway. I think that closes a little later in the day. I just want to try and see and do as much as week can in one day.
Thanks
Hi Stacia, yes, if you start early and don’t waste too much time on other things along the way, your plan could work too.
So try to get to the Matterhorn cable car as soon as it opens, visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, then get back down to Trockenersteg and do the Matterhorn Glacier hike ending at Schwarzsee. Then take a cable car to Furi where you could take a gondola to Riffelberg, and from there a train to Gornergrat. If the gondola between Furi and Riffelberg isn’t open, you’ll have to get down to Zermatt first and take a train from there to Gornergrat.
Good luck!
Oh what a beautiful explanation.
It shows your deep interest in travelling as well others travelling with best of time.
Your article is as good as wishing someone
” ALL THE BEST ”
one cannot go wrong with your suggestions.
Thank you for your kind words, Yogesh. Have a great trip!
Hi Jurga,
Love your detailed post! I’ve been reading so many Swiss Itinerary and yours is the best I’ve read so far. Thank you for these! The map and pointers really help in my planning 🙂
Thank you for your kind feedback, Fionn. Have a great time in Switzerland!
Hi Jurga,
You have excellent writing skill with each place and in great detail. With you blog, I plan my 9 days Swiss trip in June 2022. For my last two days in Zermatt, I will have 1 and half day in Zermatt. Arrive at 1pm and full next day.
Want to cover Gornergrat, lake Raffelsee (May be early in morning), small hike from Gornergrat, Matterhorn, Trockenrsteg, lake Schwarzsee and Zermatt town walk.
What you suggest to cover on first half day?
What you suggest for next full day?
Should I buy peak2peak pass for 2 days or should I buy separate each day ticket (1 day for Garnergrat and 1 day for Matterhorn)?
Appreciated your reply.
Thanks
Hiten Patel
Hi Hiten, if you get the Peak Pass for two days, you’ll have more flexibility when to go where (also see how the weather is). Since the Matterhorn cable car stops running much earlier than the Gornergrat train, I think I’d go to Gornergrat on the first day and see how much you can get done there.
Even if you start at 2-3 pm, you should be able to see the main places at Gornergrat. Check out Riffelsee too – late in the afternoon/ early evening, it might have nice reflections.
Then the next day focus on the Klein Matterhorn area. See this guide for suggestions on what to do at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. At the bottom of that article, you can find additional suggestions for things to do along the same cable car route. In the late afternoon explore the town itself.
Hope this helps.
Hi Jurga
Thank you for this article. I am traveling to Interlaken in mid-April. I am planning to visit Zermatt for a day. I have to be back at Interlaken around 6 pm. I am planning to start early from Interlaken. Any suggestions or changes to the itinerary?
Thanks in advance.
Regards
Jitendra
Hi Jitendra, all the suggestions are already in the article. Just adjust it to your schedule and interests.
All I can say is that it will likely be a very rushed day… I’d also check the weather and only do this if the forecast is extremely good. Otherwise, there are so many other amazing places closer to Interlaken, like e.g. Jungfraujoch, Grindelwald (although you wouldn’t be able to do that much in the mountains at this time of the year here), or simply the lakes of Interlaken itself.
Hello Ms Jurga. Thanks for the detailed information. We are planning to visit in May 2022 (19th -21st May) to Zermatt. I have read mixed reviews about visiting Zermatt in May. Based on your experience what trails can be considered during this period? Seems most of the trails will be closed during this period.
Hi Nirav, yes indeed, May is normally too early for hiking in Zermatt, and most of the best trails will be inaccessible.
You can still enjoy amazing scenery at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and also visit Gornergrat, plus the town itself has some nice things to offer. But if you also want to go hiking, your best bet would be to just ask at the tourism office if/which trails are open when you are already there.
A lot will depend on the weather over the next weeks too. There are might be some trails at lower elevations that are accessible at this time of the year, but I really can’t help you with that.
Have a great trip!
Hi Jurga,
Thank you for this article – I’m planning a day trip to Zermatt from Interlaken as part of my honeymoon, and this is super helpful! As I’ll be visiting in winter (Feb), what changes would you suggest to the itinerary? Should I skip the lakes (Riffelsee, lake at Trockenersteg, lake at Schwarzsee)?
Hi Alicia, first of all – congratulations and hope you have a fabulous honeymoon in Switzerland!
Visiting Zermatt for just a day in the winter, I think I’d just focus on the two main places – Gornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, plus some time in the town itself.
It will take you about 2.5hrs just to get to Zermatt from Interlaken, plus the same amount of time to get back, so your day is already quite short. Furthermore, there is less daylight at this time of the year and you can’t do much on the mountain after dark anyway. So try to get to Zermatt as early as you can, and cover the main highlights (I think I’d start with Matterhorn Glacier Paradise first since the trains to Gornergrat run later than gondolas to Klein Matterhorn). The lakes will be frozen anyway, so you won’t see much more than just a white patch of snow where the water should be. It will still be beautiful, just not something to make much extra effort to get out of the train/gondola for. At Schrwarzsee, you could probably still go and see the ZERMATT sign – makes for some nice souvenir photos.
Have a great time!
@Jurga, thank you and really appreciate the suggestions! Can’t wait to see the amazing sights in Zermatt!