Zermatt 1,605 m → Zürich HB 408 m
The train from Zermatt rattles down the Mattertal on a cog railway, swaps to a Swiss intercity at Visp, dives under the Bernese Alps and rolls into Zurich HB about three hours and twenty minutes later. Thinking about taking the train from Zermatt to Zurich? Here is the information you need to plan the trip: train times, fares, seats, luggage and the scenic highlights along the way.
There is no direct train from Zermatt to Zurich, and there never will be in the usual sense: the metre-gauge line out of car-free Zermatt ends at Visp in the Rhône Valley. From there, standard-gauge intercity trains run by SBB, the national train operator, take you north to Zurich HB. The good news is that the two services are timed to meet, and a single ticket covers the whole trip. It is the best way to get from Zermatt to Zurich, and the only realistic way to travel between the two cities without a car.
Zermatt to Zurich is 101 miles as the crow flies; the train covers about 250 km of track to get there.
Trains leave Zermatt at :06 and :37 past the hour, each with a timed connection to Zurich.
Typical connection time at Visp between the regional train and the intercity.
Approximate full-fare one way price in second class; saver fares and travel cards cut it a lot.
Read the trip as an elevation profile and it makes sense instantly: a steep fall from the foot of the Matterhorn to Visp, a flat run through the Lötschberg Base Tunnel, then a gentle glide across the Swiss plateau to Lake Zurich. Few routes in Switzerland pack this much scenic variety into a single day.
Zermatt station sits on Bahnhofplatz next door to the Gornergrat railway. Electric taxis and hotel e-buses drop you a few steps from the platforms, and the ticket office and luggage service are in the main hall.
The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, a narrow-gauge line opened in 1891, uses a toothed rack on the steepest sections. You pass Täsch, Randa, St. Niklaus and Stalden-Saas beside the milky glacial Mattervispa. Spend this part of the train journey from Zermatt at the window, not on your phone.
Visp is where the mountain line meets the main line. A short walk through the underpass takes you to the SBB train, and departure boards show the onward service clearly.
Straight after Visp the SBB train dives under the Bernese Alps. The tunnel cut the old mountain route by around an hour and emerges near Frutigen before the line drops to Spiez and the scenic shore of Lake Thun.
The train reaches Bern, the Swiss capital, about an hour after Visp. On some departures you stay in your seat; on others you change to one of the frequent SBB intercity trains across the Mittelland.
Zurich HB is the country's busiest station, with trams on Bahnhofquai, the old town across the Limmat and trains to Zurich Airport every few minutes. It is the end of the journey from Zermatt and the start of onward connections to other Swiss cities.
The change worries first-time travelers more than it should. The regional train is timed to meet the SBB service, and if it runs late you simply take the next connection half an hour later on the same ticket.
The middle doors are closest to the underpass, which matters with big suitcases.
Lifts and ramps reach every platform, so strollers, wheelchairs and ski bags are fine.
A timetable app on your phone shows the correct platform in real time.
Around 26 trains a day leave Zermatt for Zurich, at 6 and 37 minutes past the hour. The fastest train covers the 162 km (101 miles) in 3 hours 21 minutes, you change at least once, and the timetable repeats every day of the week. Use the planner to find yours, or work back from your flight.
Typical timetable pattern. Exact trains and platforms for your date appear in the search.
05:37 → 08:58Early enough for a midday flight.
21:06 → 00:40The last train that reaches Zurich the same night. There is no night train.
+20–30 minIn spring and late autumn, buses sometimes replace trains between Visp and Täsch. Check the operator website before you buy.
Swiss train fares are set by distance, so the full price of a ticket for a specific train does not rise as departure day approaches. What changes is the availability of discounted saver fares, which are limited and sell out first on busy dates in high season. Booking online in advance is the easiest way to ensure you get one.
| Ticket | 2nd class | 1st class |
|---|---|---|
| Full fare | ≈ $120–130 | ≈ $210 |
| With Half Fare Travelcard | about half | about half |
| Saver fares (limited, train-bound) | from ≈ $50 | higher |
| Typical price in our search | average ≈ $118, cheapest ≈ $90 | — |
| Booked early | from ≈ $59 | — |
| Children 6–15 | Half price; under-6s travel free | |
The cheapest tickets go to travelers who book in advance and stay flexible: the best time to book is about 70 days before departure, and fares are cheaper on early-morning and midday trains. Buy online, keep the ticket on your phone, and you skip the queue at the ticket office in Zermatt. One way tickets are the norm here, since a return simply costs double.
If you are touring Switzerland for several days, the Swiss Travel Pass covers this whole route and may be worth pricing out; for a one-off trip, a single one way ticket is usually simpler and cheaper than any pass.
Comfortable, clean and rarely crowded outside ski holidays. Intercity carriages have power outlets at most seats, luggage racks between seats and big windows. On the regional train to Visp there is plenty of space for bags and skis.
Wider seats in a 2+1 layout, quieter cars, more comfort and an easier time finding a free seat on busy Friday and Sunday afternoons. Worth it if you plan to work on the trip or travel in peak season.
Most intercity trains between Visp, Bern and Zurich carry a restaurant or bistro car for food and coffee. Wifi on board is limited (SBB offers free wifi mainly in stations), so download maps and tickets to your phone before you leave Zermatt.
Zermatt is a car-free town. Most hotels send an electric shuttle on request, or allow 10–20 minutes on foot.
Free, with no weight limit; skis go in the racks by the doors. The SBB luggage service can forward bags for a fee.
A bike needs its own ticket, plus a reservation on intercity trains from 21 March to 31 October.
Step-free at Zermatt, Visp, Bern and Zurich HB, with low-floor trains and boarding help on request.
The Glacier Express is the famous scenic panoramic train from Zermatt, but it heads east over the Oberalp Pass toward St. Moritz, not north. Here is how a Glacier Express detour via Andermatt compares with the direct route.
Best when you simply need to arrive in Zurich.
Worth it when the Glacier Express is the day's sightseeing.
| Option | Time | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Train | ≈ 3h20 | Half-hourly, city center to city center, no airport security or parking. |
| Car | ≈ 3h30+ | Cars must stop at Täsch; add the shuttle train and either a mountain pass or the Lötschberg car train. |
| Bus | — | No direct long-distance buses; buses only replace trains during works. |
| Flight | — | No airport in Zermatt; flying is not a realistic option for this distance. |
Flying makes no sense here: there is no runway in the valley and the train connects Zermatt to Zurich Airport anyway. Driving gives flexibility for side trips, but you spend the first and last part of the day parking and shuttling, and good parking in central Zurich is expensive.
Heading north, the right-hand side gives glimpses of Lake Thun. In the Mattertal the view switches sides, so there is no bad seat.
The best view of the peak is from the village, not the train, so time a last walk to the Kirchbrücke bridge before your departure.
Saturday is ski changeover day in winter and trains fill up. Midweek and midday departures are the calmest.
Conductors scan QR codes; there are no gates. Charge your phone, as power outlets are rarer on the mountain train.
From Zermatt, plan about 3h35 to the airport station, plus your airline's check-in buffer.
Unless you bought a train-bound saver fare, your ticket is valid on the next connection after a delay.
The fastest train covers the 162 km (101 miles) in 3 hours 21 minutes, and most connections take 3 hours 20 to 3 hours 25 minutes: about 70 minutes from Zermatt down to Visp, then roughly two hours on the intercity to Zurich HB.
Around 26 trains a day, roughly two an hour from 05:37 until the last same-day connection at 21:06. Every one needs at least one change, at Visp.
No. The line out of Zermatt is narrow gauge and ends at Visp, so every journey from Zermatt to Zurich involves at least one change. On some departures the intercity from Visp runs straight through to Zurich HB; on others you change a second time at Bern.
At Visp, where the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn regional train meets the SBB intercity trains. The connection is timed and usually takes about seven minutes. Many departures also include a quick cross-platform style change at Bern.
The average ticket from Zermatt to Zurich costs about $118, the cheapest standard tickets start around $90, and booking early can bring the price down to about $59. A full-fare second-class ticket bought on the day is roughly $120 to 130.
The first train from Zermatt leaves at about 05:37 and reaches Zurich HB just before 09:00. The last train that still gets you to Zurich the same night leaves Zermatt around 21:06 and arrives at about 00:40.
No. The regional train to Visp and the intercity trains to Zurich have no compulsory reservation. Only special panoramic trains such as the Glacier Express require one.
Yes, with a change at Andermatt, but taking the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Zurich is substantially longer than the regular route: five to six hours instead of about 3 hours 20 minutes, and a seat reservation is compulsory.
Yes, both the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn section to Visp and the SBB intercity leg to Zurich are covered. If you are only making this one trip, a single ticket is usually the simpler and cheaper option.
Yes. Trains continue from Zurich HB to Zurich Airport every few minutes, and the IC8 runs through to the airport without another change. Allow about 3 hours 35 minutes from Zermatt to the airport station.
In the Mattertal the river and rock walls switch sides, so no seat is a bad one. After the Lötschberg Base Tunnel, sit on the right-hand side heading north for glimpses of Lake Thun between Spiez and Thun.
Luggage and skis travel free on Swiss trains with no weight limit, as long as you can carry them. A bike needs its own bike ticket, and intercity trains require a bike reservation from late March to October.
Compare departures and fares for your date, then enjoy the ride down from the Matterhorn.
Check Zermatt to Zurich fares