Teacher Trekker

My trip to Zermatt to view the Matterhorn was only a short one, but still it was incredible to see. The visit was actually a part of a larger road trip to the Fiesch-Eggishorn (Aletsch Area). Fortunately, we were able to obtain my friend’s family car, eliminating the need to use public transportation. Although the train systems are very efficient, our agenda and timetable would have been negatively impacted had we used it as our primary method of transportation. There would have been too much double backing and standing around waiting for trains when I would rather be sightseeing. Train tickets are also extremely expensive, and although gas is costly too, it was more economical to drive in this case. However, there are train pass deals worth looking into. There are many options based on trip duration, class and specials so refer to the Zermatt Train Ticket information page or the Swiss Federal Railways/Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB) website for more information. Make sure to always run the numbers and check the timetables to determine what the best method of travel is for you based on budget and itinerary.

Road Tripping

The car was packed and with a full tank of gas we headed towards the highway by 9:30 a.m.. We left Buchs (St. Gallen Canton) and traveled west across Switzerland. During the drive, we passed countless lakes and mountainous terrain that displayed the natural beauty of the country. Although it was overcast, the weather was clear enough to enjoy the views along the way. My friend pointed out Walensee (lake), Sattel Mountain and Vierwaldstättersee (lake) to name a few. The water on the lakes was choppy, but people were still out fishing despite the waves and low temperature. As we drove down mountains, you could see that large sections of the surface were still the bright blueish green hue that is most reminiscent of the water during the spring and summer following the melting of the winter’s snow and glacial ice. It only made me want to visit during the summer even more.

During our drive towards Andermatt, we unfortunately missed the Gotthard Pass and the Devil’s Bridge. (More on that legend when I finally get to see it.) There was some disagreement between my friend and me over the GPS directions. I mapped out the route, but she said I was incorrect. I’m not from Switzerland, so I took her word for it. It turns out we were actually both partially correct and incorrect all at the same time. My route was correct, but we missed the turn off to get there. My friend knew where the pass was, but was unfamiliar with the exact route and disagreed with the GPS route. The GPS wanted us to go on an alternative route that neither of us were familiar with. The GPS route would have taken us in the correct direction had we chose to turn around and detour for 20 km of mountain roads. Rather than double back and spend any more time debating the route, we continued on our way. We decided that if we had the time, we could visit during the return trip, but due to the poor weather and extreme winds the pass was closed on our return. Again, something I’ll have to save for a spring/summer visit.

Furka Car Train

We continued driving on highway A4 towards the town of Realp where we needed to take the Furka Tunnel to circumvent the Furka mountain and continue west on our journey. Once we arrived in Realp we needed to pay a toll ($33CHF) to be able to access the car train. The train runs every 30 minutes so the waiting time will depend on the last departure. There is a small rest stop with a bathroom and kiosk for snacks and beverages while you wait. If you are interested in using this method of transportation make sure to refer to the Furka Car Transport website.

To be more precise we needed to get on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn’s Furka–Oberalp line. The train connects Realp in the canton of Uri with Oberwald in the canton of Valais. The base tunnel is 50,548 ft(15,407) in length. This year round train is now the primary means of transportation through the mountain and has replaced an old line that was unable to accommodate passenger vehicles specifically during winter. The preexisting line, the Furka Heritage Railway has been reopened and now operates from June until October giving travelers a nostalgic route over the Furkapass. None of this is to be confused with the traversing Furkapass road that was made famous in the James Bond film Goldfinger.

After a short while the train arrived. The loaded vehicles departed and an attendant began directing the three rows of waiting cars onto the train. Another attendant walked up and down the train making sure that the cars were as close together as possible in order to pack on as many vehicles as possible. The only real gaps were between train cars. Once all of the vehicles were situated we left the station. The majority of the trip (15 minutes) was spent in a pitch black tunnel. Everyone turned their cars off, which is economical, eco-friendly and probably smart in terms of the ventilation of the tunnel. Yet, it was freezing inside the car so bring a blanket or two to stay warm!

Back on the Road to Zermatt

After exiting the tunnel we continued along the same highway. From Oberwald it took approximately another 30 minutes (23 km) to reach our destination of Fiesch. Along the way we passed a number of small towns, each with their own unique architectural nuances and interesting churches. There was one town in particular with interesting looking wooden houses that were elevated. At one point there was a large open area occupied by cross country skiers.
I could’ve taken a million photos, but I insisted that we not stop, or we would never make it in time. From Buchs the trip took approximately 2 hours 15 minutes not including the waiting time for the train.

Although we were going snowboarding in Fiesch, I wanted to visit the Matterhorn, so we continued towards Zermatt. We drove for an additional hour (56 km) to reach the town of Täsch. The glare from the sun was obnoxious and required extra slow driving along the hairpin curves that snaked their way up to mountain. The town of Täsch is the closest you can drive to Zermatt as the town is car free.

Once in Täsch we parked in a large multitiered parking complex that has over 2,100 available parking spots. We headed to the ticket booth to catch the Täsch – Zermatt Shuttle Train that departs every 20 minutes. Tickets cost CHF 16.40 and the ride only takes 12 minutes to get to the town of Zermatt. For more information please refer to the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn website.

Once off the shuttle train we then needed to get on the Gornergrat Bahn. It is actually the highest open air railway and the second highest overall railway and station in Europe at 3080 m (10,138 ft). It is only beat out by the nearby Jungfrau railway 3,454 m (11,332 ft). The stations are across the street from one another and easily recognizable. The Matterhorn Railway is a cog railway train that takes you from the Zermatt Station (which is actually called the Gornergrat “Railway” Station) to a number of stops on its way to the Gornergrat Station. Some of these stops allow passengers to access lodging and restaurants during both winter skiing and summer hiking trips. The ticket was not cheap at a cost of CHF 57 and that was at the afternoon discount rate. The regular price ticket was much more expensive. The train comes every 24 minutes and takes 30 minutes to get to the top. More detailed prices and timetables are available at the Gornergrat Bahn website.

We were interested in taking the gondola to the top of the Little Matterhorn, which is the closest and highest peak available to view the Matterhorn. The last gondola down to the base of the town is at 4pm. Had we arrived sooner in the day this would have been a possibility.

The Matterhorn

We reached Gornergrat Station at approximately 4:30-4:45 p.m. just in time for the sunset. There were numerous points around the Matterhorn that allowed for some phenomenal views. Actually, the Matterhorn is the most photographed mountain in the world. There were some rude picture takers, as there are at most major viewing points around the globe, but I managed to get in a number of phenomenal captures. Although the setting sun made face shots difficult, I was completely satisfied watching the sunset. Besides I wasn’t there to take a selfie. I was there to take in and capture the mountain. We retreated to grab hot beverages at the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat. We warmed up, while others ate around us. It was cafeteria style self-serve and not a regular restaurant. I ran outside to take a few photos of a small church before departing. After the sunset, we headed back down the mountain. Thirty minutes later we arrived at 6:00 p.m. and despite the bitter cold wind decided to explore the town of Zermatt before heading back to Fiesch. We were hungry!

Short Walk in Zermatt

From the Gornergrat Railway Station, we headed down Bahnhofstrasse to look for something to eat. We gave ourselves an hour to explore this main thoroughfare. It is packed with restaurants, bars, souvenir shops, sporting goods stores, boutiques, and designer shops. The hotels along this strip were elegant, especially the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof. There was an ice bar outside one of them. I’m not sure if it was a part of the hotel or independently owned. We briefly stopped to look at the Marmot Fountain, a bronze sculpture from the early 1900’s that pays homage to this mammal that lives in high-altitude meadows. Eventually we made our way past the Matterhorn Museum and finally St. Mauritius Church before turning back around. We did not stop in either. At the time, both were still open, but we didn’t have the luxury. Had I been staying in Zermatt for a few days, we certainly would have.

The timing was not in our favor and looking for a table at any restaurant was not easy. They were all filled up with many patrons on waiting lists. We figured it would take too long, but we did stop for a quick bite before heading back to the car. The sounds of Creedence Clearwater Revival caught my attention and to my surprise what did I find, but Stefanie’s Crêperie, a tiny outdoor counter or walk-in/takeout dining shop at Bahnhofstrasse 60, Zermatt selling primarily sweet and savory crêpes. There is a standing room only policy, and by that I mean a ledge to put your food on as you push back against customers waiting to be served as they cram their way in from the cold. Well if I thought Switzerland was expensive, then Zermatt truly is the playground for the rich. One single crêpe cost CHF 14 and all it was filled with was ham and cheese. It was actually very large for a crepe and it was good, don’t get me wrong. It is also one of your cheapest and fastest options in the area. I soon came to learn the monopolistic practices at Swiss ski areas are even worse then back home in the United States. We probably ended up saving money and time as a restaurant would have had much slower service and be much more costly.

We walked around some more with the few minutes we had before the next scheduled departing train. It was really cold outside, so the best way to solve that problem was to head into a few stores. I wasn’t looking for snowboard pants or a Gucci bag, but I did enter a few souvenir shops comparing my options and prices. For CHF 16 I got my customary sticker and magnet, as well as a tote bag for a family member. It was probably the value purchase of the day.

Back to Fiesch

We departed on the 6:55 p.m. train to head back to Täsch. Twenty minutes later we were back in the car and on our way to our final destination of the day, the town of Fiesch. At 8:25 p.m. we arrived in Fiesch. It took a few minutes to first find the public parking area near the gondola and then find a spot.

We needed to take a gondola to go up the mountain to reach the hotel. The gondola was not going to arrive for a half an hour, so with the time we had to spare, we went to a local restaurant to grab a quick meal. (We called the hotel’s restaurant who told us their kitchen and most of the other local businesses besides the bars would be closed by the time we got there.) My concept of a quick meal as a New Yorker and the reality of dining at a Swiss restaurant in ski country approaching closing hours could not have been any further from each other.

We walked into Hotel Kristall Restaurant, which was the only other establishment open besides Talstation Bar/Lounge. We tried there first based purely on proximity (it didn’t require us to cross the street), but their kitchen was already closed for the evening. I was hungry and knew time was pressing, so I kept it simple and ordered a hamburger. Tick, tock, tick, tock the seconds turned into minutes, and there was still no food. I asked for the waiter to have the meal wrapped up, and I would eat it on the gondola or once we got to the hotel. With moments to spare he came out with my dinner wrapped in aluminum foil in the shape of a duck. He handed me the bill and my jaw hit the floor. I was in such a rush I didn’t even pay attention to the fact that the hamburger cost CHF 22, but after looking at the menu briefly, it was the cheapest thing on the menu besides soup. (Suddenly the crêpe didn’t feel as expensive.) The gondola was just arriving and we needed to rush out of the restaurant.

Gondola to Fiesch Ski Area

We loaded our gear onto the Fiesch Eggishorn Aletsch gondola for the 9:15 p.m. departure up the mountain. Had we missed it, we would have needed to wait another hour for the last gondola of the night. The gondola was packed with people, luggage, equipment and food. Many people get vacation rentals and bring everything with them in an effort to cut down costs. The ride only took 10 minutes to make it to the top of the lift. From there we walked to the Jungfrau Hotel to check in. Afterwards we unpacked and went to the closest bar, Steffi’s Kubstall for a few drinks before calling it the night. For more information make sure to read the Fiescheralp – Food, Beverage & Lodging article.

Conclusions

Let me tell you that was one heck of a day. I sympathized with my friend who had to drive the entire time, but it did not seem to deter from her good time. I love taking road trips, so one in a foreign country is no exception. The scenery during the entire drive was simply breathtaking. Switzerland has so much natural beauty that everyone will find something to appreciate about it. It felt at times like each snowcapped mountain you passed was even more precious than the next, until we reached the Matterhorn which demonstrated to the rest why it has been dubbed the king of the mountains. I love taking different methods of transportation and seeing how the rest of the world travels, so this was quite a unique experience. It was the first time I had ever ridden on a car train or a cog railway. I rarely say no to new experiences while traveling, and this was a day packed with firsts.

Zermatt and Fiesch are expensive. I knew that going in, but it adds up quickly compared to other global destinations. Trains and gondolas are also expensive, so I recommend that tourists purchase a Swiss transfer ticket, travel pass, card, etc. that can save you some money. There are many options based on trip duration, class and specials so refer to the Zermatt Train Ticket information page or the Swiss Federal Railways/Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB) website for more information.

All of this would not have been possible using public transportation in the time we had available to us. In one day I managed to drive half way across the country, see amazing natural landscapes as well as one of the most famous mountains in the world and a luxury ski town in the Swiss Alps. How can I really complain? My only wish would have been the benefit of additional time to do things slower, explore more and not rush so much. It was an action packed day that may have been overreached its bounds, but we managed to cover a lot of territory and sightseeing in a short period of time.