Can I go by car to Zermatt?

Zermatt is car-free. Access by private car is only permitted to Täsch. From Täsch, one continues to Zermatt by train or by taxi or limousine service.



No, you cannot drive a private vehicle into Zermatt, as it has been strictly car-free for decades to preserve its alpine air and tranquil environment. If you arrive by car, you must stop at the neighboring village of Täsch, located about 5 kilometers away. In Täsch, you will find several large parking facilities, including the Matterhorn Terminal, where you can leave your vehicle for the duration of your stay. From there, you take a shuttle train (the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) which runs every 20 minutes and reaches Zermatt in about 12 minutes. Within the village of Zermatt itself, the only vehicles permitted are small, whisper-quiet electric taxis, delivery vans, and hotel shuttles, alongside horse-drawn carriages. In 2026, any unauthorized attempt to drive into the village results in heavy fines, as the road between Täsch and Zermatt is restricted to residents and service providers with special permits, ensuring the town remains a peaceful haven for hikers and skiers.

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To this day, internal combustion cars and vans remain banned from Zermatt, though there are fewer horse-drawn carriages around. That's because the town did eventually relent, and eventually decided that it would allow small electric vehicles to drive on its streets.

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It is a car-free town, so you can't drive all the way there. However, you can drive to a nearby town and get a taxi pick-up or train from there. Read on for more detailed info on how to get to Zermatt, Switzerland.

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By car you can drive to the village of Täsch, which is about five km from Zermatt. There are various parking facilities to leave your car there during your holiday. You can also park your car at our partner hotel, the Matterhorn Inn in Täsch.

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The Matterhorn Terminal offers 2,100 covered parking places. The car park is an official point for transfer from your car to the shuttle trains to Zermatt, as the Alpine village is car-free. Car park tickets can be booked online or purchased at the car park.

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The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise can be reached from Zermatt in a journey time of around 40 minutes, including changes. Here you can find the return ticket to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. At an airy 3'883 metres of altitude you will find Europe's highest mountain station.

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The nearest airports to Zermatt are Sion, Geneva, Zurich and Milan, and the quickest way to reach Zermatt from them is using a ski resort transfer service, although you can also come by train or by hiring a car. Zermatt is car-free so the final approach is via the mountain cog railway from Tasch where there is parking.

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The town of Zermatt in the heart of the Swiss Alps should be your next eco-friendly holiday destination. Here's why: Zermatt is a car-free destination. Private vehicles are allowed only as far as Täsch. From here, visitors have to either take the train or hire small electric cars.

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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.

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Zermatt prides itself on being a car-free village, promoting sustainability and preserving its natural beauty. Visitors can explore the village by walking or using the sustainable eTaxi or eBus. Zermatt is accessible only by train or authorized transfer companies.

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The ski runs in Zermatt are classified as follows. Blue (easy), Red (intermediate), Black (difficult) or Yellow (marked but neither groomed nor checked – so equivalent to Double Black). Out of 200km of runs on the Zermatt side, 9km are black runs and 38km are yellow.

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Zermatt is known throughout the world for its skiing, especially Triftji for its moguls. The high altitude results in consistent skiing continuously throughout the summer. Skiing in Zermatt is split up into four areas: Sunnegga, Gornergrat, Klein Matterhorn and Schwarzsee.

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Zermatt has a wide verity of activities for non-skiers, there are the famous mountain restaurants, a selection of boutique shops, a range of Spa's, art galleries and a cinema. There is also the Matterhorn museum or you could take a historic tour of Zermatt with a knowledgeable guide.

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With the high peak of Zermatt sitting at 3899 meters (12792 ft), altitude sickness can be very common, especially for travelers coming from sea level.

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