 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi... I've just been doing some digging for a second trip, solo and for a long weekend in April.
Google maps is telling me that Malpensa to Zermatt is only 2 hr 40mins.... surely that's not right?.... pretty much the same as Geneva!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's using the Simplon rail tunnel, which is one of several in Switzerland where you drive onto a train and sit in your car while the train takes you through. As such, google maps is using the shortest possible time, assuming that you time it exactly right and drive straight onto the train which then departs immediately.
I've not used that one, but with others I'd generally factor in a good half hour faff as a bare minimum, and that one seems to only run every ninety minutes or so, so your timing would need to be spot on for the delay to be that short. So it could be anything from +30 minutes if you're _very_ lucky to +2 hours if you don't time it right and/or there's a lot of traffic.
Of course the _best_ airport for Zermatt would be Sion, but sadly despite occasional announcements there are still no UK routes there, so unless you're travelling from Rome or Majorca (or a couple of other provincial Italian airports) and are prepared to pay in the order of 1000 chuffs for the privilege it's still not an option.
EDIT: Oh and of course don't forget to add on another good forty minutes to park your rental car at Täsch and get the train up to Zermatt proper, then ten minutes or so to walk or get the little electric taxi to your final destination. (I'll walk if it's less than ten, taxi if further away).
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thought it was too good to be true... thanks
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Google Maps is showing you the drive over the Simplon Pass (rather than under it in the car train). It is a beautiful drive but often closes during the winter after heavy snow (although they do a good job of getting it open again). In summer with a hire car it is as good an option as Geneva. In winter I would have it last on the list of airports. They are building a rail link from Malpensa to the Swiss rail system. When that is up and running in a couple of years it will be a great option.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
| Google Maps is showing you the drive over the Simplon Pass (rather than under it in the car train). |
The 2 hour 40 minutes route was definitely using the train. Going over the top adds another 40 minutes or so, per google, but as you say is not really a viable option in winter.
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Thanks all. I fancy Zermatt (obvs) but not a full week, can't afford it!.... train transfer is a long one and the hire car is nearly a 3 hour trip from Geneva, 4 from Zurich.....
Prob to Cervinia and ski over!!
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3 and a 1/2 from Basel but in my experience (because it’s a small airport) you can save 1/2 an hour plus getting through the airport and picking up
a hire car etc. At peak holiday periods when Geneva goes mental possibly an hour saved.
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Geneva to Zermatt by helicopter is about 45mins.
Very quick. Great scenery.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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It’s a toss up between Zurich and Geneva. Geneva gets my vote normally as it doesn’t handle the same volume of long haul flights that Zurich does. The trains at Zurich can be packed.
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| Run28 wrote: |
| It’s a toss up between Zurich and Geneva. |
?
Per google maps:
from Geneva Airport
to Zermatt, 3920
2 hr 40 min to 3 hr 20 min (230 km)
from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg
to Zermatt, 3920
3 hr 30 min to 4 hr 20 min (230 km)
from Zurich Airport
to Zermatt, 3920
3 hr 40 min to 4 hr 30 min (255 km)
Basel can be viewed as a viable contender due to much shorter passage through the airport, as well as much closer rental car pick-up and quicker road exit. For each of these criteria Geneva is slightly worse, with Zurich the worst of them by some margin. (Based on years of meeting people at, as well as personal use of all three).
Edit: the original question and previous replies were all about driving; for rail connections the equation is slightly different yes, and Basel loses out due to the bus connection between airport and SBB Station.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 19-09-23 10:04; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I guess lots of airports could be viewed as a viable contender. We've been travelling 2/3 times a year for 30 years to Zermatt and only used Geneva or Zurich.
Might need to try Basel.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Run28 wrote: |
I guess lots of airports could be viewed as a viable contender. We've been travelling 2/3 times a year for 30 years to Zermatt and only used Geneva or Zurich.
Might need to try Basel. |
I much more often do it by train than car. I would always look at the three airports and choose the cheapest flight. The difference in train journeys (even with bus connection to train station at Basel) is not enough to bother me. I might feel differently if I was carrying a lot of luggage.
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
| Run28 wrote: |
| It’s a toss up between Zurich and Geneva. |
?
Per google maps:
from Geneva Airport
to Zermatt, 3920
2 hr 40 min to 3 hr 20 min (230 km)
from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg
to Zermatt, 3920
3 hr 30 min to 4 hr 20 min (230 km)
from Zurich Airport
to Zermatt, 3920
3 hr 40 min to 4 hr 30 min (255 km)
Basel can be viewed as a viable contender due to much shorter passage through the airport, as well as much closer rental car pick-up and quicker road exit. For each of these criteria Geneva is slightly worse, with Zurich the worst of them by some margin. (Based on years of meeting people at, as well as personal use of all three).
Edit: the original question and previous replies were all about driving; for rail connections the equation is slightly different yes, and Basel loses out due to the bus connection between airport and SBB Station. |
Basel is much overlooked. We’ve been going to the 4V for 20 years plus and have often gone through Basel because of the rapid turnaround. Plus the flights from Scotland tend to be much cheaper.
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You know it makes sense.
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Wouldn't it be great if you could fly into Bern - it is their capital!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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............just checked Basel flight and they're good value and I cant get them from Manc which is a bonus - £93 +bags return first week in April - not bad at all
Jungfrau - 2.5 hrs
Zermat - 3.5 so a bit too far but it brings in places like Adelboden in just over 2 hours
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Poster: A snowHead
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Basel is an excellent airport, many friends have used it and all report a very positive experience.
The only fly in the ointment is the ticket vending machine for the bus to take you into the railway station. Causes a bit of head scratching!
Bern @Gaz_H, only really worked if you had a private pick up arranged. Never forget that the Swiss did not put a railway through this airport which in fairness resembles a flying club rather than an international airport.
My favourite story from Bern was collecting two friends from an incoming flight. The aircraft door opened and my mate was first down the steps. I glanced up at the huge Breitling clock hanging above me.
Friends came through with light luggage we walked across the road to the car and set off.
A quick glance at the car clock revealed the whole disembarkation had taken "12" minutes!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Whitegold wrote: |
Geneva to Zermatt by helicopter is about 45mins.
Very quick. Great scenery. |
And how much does that cost you? I can't even imagine...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Question about Basel - what country does the car hire area fall under (for winter tyres etc.). I'm aware the airport's close to the border - it looks like it's on the French side on maps.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@denfinella, the airfield is in France.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
@denfinella, the airfield is in France.
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With a corridor to Switzerland so there is an entry from both France and Switzerland (like Geneva) but I have no idea if there is any car hire on the Swiss side.
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@denfinella, there is definitely car hire on the Swiss side. From memory hertz and Europcar at least. I assume there is also on French side so just be clear what side you are booking from (like gva).
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@Gaz_H, not the Capital - just the seat of federal government because Zurich and Geneva cant get along 
We use Basel if traveling en famille as its small, quick and the lounge is excellent. We drive CH-Fr Because the french side car park is about 1/3rd the price of the long term CH one
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@denfinella, you can hire cars from either French or Swiss side. Cars rented from French side might not have the Swiss motorway vignette.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@jonm, thanks. So basically the same as Geneva?
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@denfinella, I've hired from both sides, all very easy and convenient with cars just steps away from each end of the terminal building, no queues and quickly away...unlike Geneva!! 
As others have said the Airport is located entirely on French territory, but has a Swiss side with a fenced customs road leading south into Swiss territory.
Often the hire prices are cheaper on the French side, but probably won't come with a Swiss vignette and are unlikely to have snow tyres in winter.
From the French side, you can exit straight onto the motorway junction, from where you can travel north or south. Head south and it isn't far until you hit the Swiss border and get asked to purchase a vignette, as you are entering Switzerland on a motorway, so you can't hide!! I'm sure there must be an agreement for the French side hire offices to peel off any vignettes they find on cars returning too! 
From the Swiss side you have to exit south using the customs road that crosses the French territory until you hit the edge of Basel where you have to shimmy around a bit to join the motorway avoiding the Swiss customs area, seeing that you already the cleared Swiss border inside the airport. Once on the A3 South it crosses the Rhine twice to bypass Basel city centre.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Nadenoodlee wrote: |
@Gaz_H, not the Capital - just the seat of federal government because Zurich and Geneva cant get along
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Way off topic but I am 100% here for this sort of pedantry.
There is no international legal (or other) definition of “Capital City”. That is not surprising as it doesn’t really have any status in international relations (countries are of course free to designate a city as their capital city if they wish). The dictionary definition is simply the city where the main seat of the highest level of national government is based. So, when in 1848 the Swiss said they would not have a capital city but Bern would be the “Federal City” where the national government would be based, that could be translated as “we will not have a capital city but Bern will be our capital city”. Delightfully Swiss.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@luigi, cheers. I see the customs road on the map now.
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| JohnMo wrote: |
Way off topic but I am 100% here for this sort of pedantry.
There is no international legal (or other) definition of “Capital City”. That is not surprising as it doesn’t really have any status in international relations (countries are of course free to designate a city as their capital city if they wish). The dictionary definition is simply the city where the main seat of the highest level of national government is based. So, when in 1848 the Swiss said they would not have a capital city but Bern would be the “Federal City” where the national government would be based, that could be translated as “we will not have a capital city but Bern will be our capital city”. Delightfully Swiss. |
I'm glad they didn't ask me this when I did my Swiss citizenship interviews 3 or 4 years ago, I would have failed this one on a technicality!
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