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Zermatt Ski Resort: 360 km of Pistes, Lift Pass Prices From CHF 89 and the Summer Glacier Season

Zermatt ski resort guide for 2026-27: 360 km of pistes, lift pass prices in CHF, summer glacier skiing, Cervinia, heli-skiing and how to arrive.

By Wijet Editors

Zermatt ski resort: skiers on a groomed run in front of the Matterhorn on a clear winter morning

At a glance

Zermatt ski resort at a glance

Pistes
360 km
Four ski areas around the car-free village, per MySwitzerland, Nov 2026
Highest lift
3,883 m
Klein Matterhorn, top of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, per Zermatt Tourism, Nov 2026
One-day winter pass
From CHF 89
Zermatt area; CHF 104 with Cervinia, per matterhornparadise.ch, 2026-27 prices, Nov 2026
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Nov 7, 2026 to Apr 30, 2027
Dates listed by Zermatt Tourism, Nov 2026
Summer skiing
21 km of runs
Theodul Glacier, per Zermatt Tourism, Nov 2026

The Zermatt ski resort has 360 km of pistes in four ski areas, and a one-day winter pass starts at CHF 89 for the Zermatt side or CHF 104 if you add Cervinia in Italy (MySwitzerland and matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026). The top lift, at Klein Matterhorn, reaches 3,883 m, high enough that the glacier also runs a summer ski season.

This guide is written for the skier who wants the mountain done properly: how the four areas differ, what the 2026-27 lift passes cost, when to come, how Zermatt compares with Cervinia, how heli-skiing works, and how to arrive without a car. For hotels, go straight to our Zermatt luxury hotels guide.

Zermatt Ski Resort at a Glance

The resort is also sold as Matterhorn Ski Paradise, the name of the lift company’s cross-border area that joins Zermatt with Cervinia and Valtournenche. The village itself sits at 1,608 m (MySwitzerland, Nov 2026) and has no cars: private vehicles stop at Täsch, about 5 km away, and a shuttle train covers the rest (Zermatt Tourism, Nov 2026).

ItemDetailSource
Piste length360 km across four ski areasMySwitzerland, Nov 2026
Secured freeride trails36 kmMySwitzerland, Nov 2026
Highest pointKlein Matterhorn, 3,883 mZermatt Tourism, Nov 2026
Village elevation1,608 mMySwitzerland, Nov 2026
Winter pass validityNov 1, 2026 to May 3, 2027matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026
Summer glacier runs21 kmZermatt Tourism, Nov 2026
Cross-border cable carMatterhorn Alpine Crossing, 90 minutes to Cerviniamatterhornalpinecrossing.com, Nov 2026

The Ski Areas

MySwitzerland names four areas: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Sunnegga-Rothorn, Gornergrat-Stockhorn and Schwarzsee. One pass opens all of them, and the Peak Pass covers the Gornergrat, Sunnegga-Rothorn and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (MySwitzerland, Nov 2026).

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Schwarzsee

This is the high, snow-sure end. The cable car runs from the village via Furi and Trockener Steg to Klein Matterhorn at 3,883 m, which Zermatt Tourism calls the largest and highest summer skiing area in Europe. The lift company lists Matterhorn Glacier Paradise for November 7, 2026 to April 30, 2027 (Zermatt Tourism, Nov 2026).

Sunnegga-Rothorn

The Sunnegga funicular is where beginner and intermediate lessons meet in the morning (Evolution Ski School, Nov 2026), and it is the side of the mountain for a long lunch. The MICHELIN Guide lists Chez Vrony in Findeln, about 2,100 m up beside a slope, as a regional Swiss restaurant with Matterhorn views and a terrace that fills quickly. It carries no star or other distinction on its page, opens 11:30 to 17:00 and takes its own bookings (MICHELIN Guide, Nov 2026). The walk from the Sunnegga funicular station is about 20 minutes.

Gornergrat-Stockhorn

The Gornergrat is reached by cogwheel railway from the village station rather than by gondola. The railway is not included in the lowest-price pass periods at the start and end of winter (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026), so check that before you buy the cheapest dates.

The International pass adds the Italian side. On the lift company’s price page, a one-day Zermatt pass starts at CHF 89 and the International version at CHF 104, and an extra day in Cervinia and Valtournenche on a Zermatt pass costs CHF 53 (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026). Ski operations in Cervinia start on November 7, 2026, per the same site.

The Matterhorn Alpine Crossing is the cable car route between the two countries. It has run since July 1, 2023, takes 90 minutes from Zermatt to Cervinia and crosses the border at nearly 3,500 m (matterhornalpinecrossing.com, Nov 2026). Zermatt Tourism lists it for November 7, 2026 to April 30, 2027, and the lift company shows tickets from CHF 127.50 (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026).

Lift Passes and Prices

Prices below are the lift company’s 2026-27 winter figures in CHF, all marked “from” because they move with the date of travel. The lowest tier applies November 1 to 27, 2026 and April 19 to May 2, 2027 (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026).

PassZermattInternational (with Cervinia)Source
Half day (from 12:15)From CHF 68Not offeredmatterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026
1 dayFrom CHF 89From CHF 104matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026
3 daysFrom CHF 209From CHF 232matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026
6 daysFrom CHF 384From CHF 432matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026
7 daysFrom CHF 436From CHF 492matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026
14 daysFrom CHF 728From CHF 796matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026
SeasonFrom CHF 1,750From CHF 1,850matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026

The season pass price rises with the purchase date, reaching CHF 1,960 (Zermatt) and CHF 2,070 (International) from December 1. Children under 9 ski free with a photo pass, ages 9 to 15 pay half, and on Saturdays the Zermatt pass is free for children under 16 (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026).

When to Ski Zermatt

Winter: November to April

Glacier Paradise is listed from November 7, 2026, and the pass is valid until May 3, 2027 (Zermatt Tourism and matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026). The lower areas open later: Sunnegga-Rothorn and Gornergrat start on November 28, 2026, and close on April 11 and April 18, 2027 respectively, per the lift company. The two cheapest windows are the opening weeks of November and the last two weeks of April. The Gornergrat railway caveat above applies in both.

Summer Glacier Skiing

Zermatt Tourism describes 21 km of summer runs on the Theodul Glacier, reached from Klein Matterhorn at 3,883 m. The area closes at midday to protect the snow for the next morning, so the day starts early, and a summer snowpark sits within it (Zermatt Tourism, Nov 2026). In 2026 the summer pass ran from May 4 to October 31: a one-day adult pass was CHF 99, or CHF 84 between May 23 and June 26 (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026). The 2027 summer prices are not yet published.

Zermatt or Cervinia?

Choose Zermatt for the car-free village and its Key hotels. Choose Cervinia for the Italian side of the same area, where ski operations start on November 7, 2026 (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026). Because the two are linked, the real choice is where you sleep and which pass you buy: the International pass costs CHF 15 more a day than the Zermatt pass at the one-day “from” price (CHF 104 against CHF 89), while a single Italian day on a Zermatt pass costs CHF 53 extra. Anyone who wants both countries in one day can use the Alpine Crossing cable car, which takes 90 minutes one way.

Heli-Skiing and Private Guides

Heli-Skiing With Air Zermatt

Air Zermatt, based in the village since 1968, flies from the Zermatt or Raron heliport. Its page names landing sites that include Monte Rosa (4,200 m), Aeschihorn, Testa Grigia, Unterrothorn and Alphubel, and the day’s site depends on snow and avalanche conditions (air-zermatt.ch, Nov 2026).

Rules matter here. Glacier and off-piste runs are only permitted with certified mountain guides, while slope-side landings such as Unterrothorn and Testa Grigia need no guide, and the ski pass is not included in the flight price. Off-piste heli-skiing is typically possible from March through April or May, depending on snow, avalanche risk and weather (air-zermatt.ch, Nov 2026).

Listed prices include Unterrothorn at CHF 80 per person, Testa Grigia at CHF 140, and the guided “Zermatters” descent at CHF 490, with per-person rates applying to groups of four or more (air-zermatt.ch, Nov 2026). For heli-skiing beyond Zermatt, read our heli-skiing guide. Chartering a whole helicopter is a different calculation, covered in helicopter charter cost.

Private Instructors

Evolution Ski School lists a private full day with hotel pick-up at CHF 525 in low season and CHF 595 in high season, and a three-hour half day at CHF 255 to CHF 335 depending on the slot and season (zermatt.swiss, Nov 2026). The page does not define the season dates, so ask when you book.

Where to Stay for Skiing

Our Zermatt hotel guide ranks the rooms. For skiing, the useful distinction is location.

In the village. Two hotels hold a MICHELIN Key here: Mont Cervin Palace, founded in 1852, which meets guests at the station with a horse-drawn carriage and has the one-star restaurant Capri, and Backstage Hotel Vernissage, with a private cinema and the one-star After Seven (MICHELIN Guide, December 8, 2025). MySwitzerland also lists The Omnia and Grand Hotel Zermatterhof as five-star hotels (Nov 2026).

Toward Sunnegga and Findeln. This puts you closest to the lunch terraces, a short walk from the Sunnegga funicular, and the beginner lesson meeting point.

On the mountain. MySwitzerland lists Europe’s highest outdoor pool and spa at 2,222 m, a reminder that the high end of the resort is not all in the village (Nov 2026).

Getting There Privately

Zermatt has no airport and no road to the village. The usual route is a flight to Sion, Geneva or Zurich, then the train, or a transfer to Täsch and the 12-minute shuttle train, which runs every 20 minutes (Zermatt Tourism, Nov 2026). By rail, Zurich Airport is about 3.5 hours from Zermatt and Geneva about 4 hours. Zermatt Tourism also lists a private one-way transfer from Zermatt to Zurich from CHF 971, for travel between November 6 and December 4, 2026.

Sion (ICAO LSGS, IATA SIR) lists Zermatt among the ski areas it serves, and its website shows air taxi and handling services (sionaeroport.ch, Nov 2026). Air Zermatt, based in Zermatt, lists a heliport in the village and one at Raron, a useful combination if you want to reduce road time. Mountain weather can delay flights, so leave a day of slack. From London, see London to Geneva by private jet.

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If you prefer the rails, the Glacier Express leaves Zermatt for St. Moritz on an eight-hour panoramic ride. For other resorts, compare our luxury ski resorts guide, and see our travel hub for more trips.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to ski at Zermatt?
A one-day winter pass starts at CHF 89 for the Zermatt area and CHF 104 with Cervinia, a six-day pass from CHF 384, and the season pass from CHF 1,750 (matterhornparadise.ch, 2026-27). Private lessons run CHF 525 to CHF 595 a day (zermatt.swiss, Nov 2026).
What is the best place to stay in Zermatt for skiing?
Stay in the village for hotels and restaurants, or near the Sunnegga funicular for the shortest walk to the lifts and lunch terraces. Two village hotels hold a MICHELIN Key: Mont Cervin Palace and Backstage Hotel Vernissage (MICHELIN Guide, December 2025).
Which is better, Zermatt or Cervinia?
They share one ski area, so the choice is mostly where to sleep. Zermatt is the car-free village, while Cervinia is on the Italian side; the International pass from CHF 104 a day covers both (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026).
What is the best month to ski in Zermatt?
The glacier at 3,883 m opens November 7, 2026 and runs to April 30, 2027 (Zermatt Tourism). The cheapest pass windows are November 1 to 27 and April 19 to May 2 (matterhornparadise.ch, Nov 2026), and off-piste heli-skiing is typically March to May (air-zermatt.ch).
Is skiing in Switzerland possible in the summer?
Yes, at Zermatt. The Theodul Glacier has 21 km of summer runs reached from Klein Matterhorn at 3,883 m, and the area closes at midday (Zermatt Tourism, Nov 2026). In 2026 a one-day summer pass was CHF 99 (matterhornparadise.ch).

Sources

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