 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
I'm just in the process of booking a week in Zermatt at the end of Feb. I'm flying into Geneva, I know Zermatt is a traffic free resort so if I hire a car where do I leave it and how do I get my kit up to Zermatt from my cars parking place. In all should I hire a car or am I better taking the train from Geneva to Zermatt.
Thanks in Advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Alpinebullit, there's parking in Täsch, from where it's about 15 mins on the mountain railway to Zermatt. You can wheel on big luggage trolleys and off at the other end for a 5 CHF deposit, which is useful.
If you don't hire a car, you can get to Zermatt with one change from the airport by train - about 3.5 hours.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 17-01-07 14:35; edited 1 time in total
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thank you laundryman, . So if the train takes 3.5 hours, how long would the car journey take me and is it a drive worth doing.
Again thanks
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brian
brian
Guest
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Alpinebullit, I've done Geneva to Zermatt in under 3 hours, drive to Taesch and get a taxi up from there. We would probably have taken the train but for the fact that our flight arrived a bit late. The garage/taxi outfits are open 24 hours.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Alpinebullit, it's pretty much the same view (spectacular) whether by train or car.
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IIRC you have to pay quite a bit to park in tasch.
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Hi Alpinebullit,
You can park for free in Visp and then get the train up the rest of the way, it's a bit further down than Tasch.
I would recommend the train all the way from Geneva though, it's a nice journey and the trains are very good. It is very easy to get to the station from the Arrivals hall. You do have to change so there's abit of luggage hassle then. But you could check your bags in at the departure airport straight through to Zermatt, I have never done it but I know people who have. It comes on the train but you don't have to handle it. You can only do it with certain airlines, need to check which but you can on Swiss BMI and BA, not on Easyjet. Search for Fly Rail Baggage on the swiss rail website.
Even if your flight arrives too late to get the train all the way up to Zermatt that night you might be able to get as far as Brig, we have done that before and arranged a taxi to meet us at Brig station, it's a normal car and then when you get to the zermatt car free boundary they transfer you into an electric taxi to get to your accommodation. Some zermatt taxi numbers are:
Taxi Bolero 0279676060
Taxi Imboden 0279677777
Taxi Schaller 0279671212
HTH a bit
Sarah
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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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Alpinebullit, I enjoy train journeys, so I'd probably choose that route, but it involves a change. Car as you know involves parking in Tasch and taking the train or cab for the last few miles. I've done the drive in the summer; the last bit is pleasant, up the valley, but most of it is a dreary plod along the Rhone valley.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Alpinebullit, if you are going to do the train, then you are probably best off buying a Swiss Transfer Ticket (do a search on here...it's been discussed a few times)
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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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Thank you Elizabeth B, I think I've pretty much decided on getting the train and having a hassle free transfer up to Zermatt - I will look into the Swiss Transfer Tickets now, cheers 
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Hi Alpinebullit,
No problem, it's my favourite resort been 3 times in recent years.
Re. basic accomm I can recommend the Hotel & Apartments Alpenstern, http://www.zermatt.ch/alpenstern/e/apartments.html small friendly place, I am sure they will accept an odd duration becasue we did that once with them. They have nice well equipped apartments and hotel rooms, they serve breakfast only. It is well situated between the main rail station and Sunnega base station. We were really pleased with it for the cost.
If you need more basic then try the Zermatt youth hostel www.youthhostel.ch which apparently is fantastic, modern and comfortable and good value for money. Some friends stayed there (family of 6!) for a couple of nights once when they arrived early and couldn't get into their hotel because the hotel woul only take them sat-sat, anyway they said it was very good. It is situated near the Matterhorn lift base.
Re the Parking again, apparently you need to book your space in advance for Tasch.
Also if by chance you rent your kit, rent from one of the Flexrent shops in Zermatt, there is one just across the road from the Sunnega base station. The reason I recommend them is because you can store your kit with them every night and if you tell them where you want to ski the next morning they will move it to the right place. This is wonderful because you can finish one day on the Matterhorn, drop your skis in there, tell them that you want them at Sunnega the next morning and they'll be waiting for you! You can then go for your apres without your skis!
Very envious, not sure we'll get there this year!
Sarah
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You know it makes sense.
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Hi, you can drive from Geneva to Tasch and catch the train to Zermatt in well under 3 hours. Last time we did it took only 2.5 hours. There is no need to book in advance for Tasch parking currently, but don't know about end of Feb.
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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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sarah, thanks for the recomendations, I'm trying find as basic as possible accomodation in Zermatt for now because I've only just got back from 10 days in Obertauern. But both of the options you have given me look great and are good posibilities, however at the moment, accomodation availability wise it looks like I'm having to put the planned trip back from the end of Feb to either 18th or 25th March which is a shame because I'd found really cheap flights going out to Geneva at the end of Feb, but I guess that just gives it extra time to put some more snow down for me
Thanks everybody for all your help. Cheers.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Alpinebullit, depending on what you are looking for.....it may be worth staying in Tasch. I stayed in the Best Western there, over easter for around £28 per night (b&b). It was cheaper than the price the youth hostel in Zermatt were wanting.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Alpinebullit, the trains run from about 0600. They're every 20 mins and the journey takes 12 mins. That puts you near where many of the hotels are, but it's still quite a way from Zermatt station to anywhere you can put your skis on.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Alpinebullit, there are about 4 hotels in Tasch....right opposite the train station. Tasch in itself is basically a carpark, but the hotel was really nice, had free wi-fi and a gym/sauna/whirlpool that was free to guests. The hotel has a restaurant/bar, but isn't really "kicking". The breakfasts were good, and the hotel has it's own bakery....so nice smells of bread....mmmm.
The journey from Tasch to Zermatt takes 12 mins and they run at about 20 min intervals. The station in Zermatt is right across the road from the Gornergrat station. If you want to go from one of the other lifts, then there is a very regular electric bus service, although I walked it. The train journey from Tasch isn't included in the lift pass, buit you can buy a pass for that journey that gives you unlimited travel for less than a day return. That way if you want to come back to the hotel, have a shower and then go back to Zermatt for the evening, then you can. It was cheaper for me to buy this than it was to pay to park the car (the hotel has it's own carpark that is free for residents).
If I had an unlimited budget, then staying in Zermatt is more convenient (although the tpwn is spread out so it may not be).....but I got a really double room en suite in a nice hotel for less than a dorm bed in the youth hostel.
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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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laundryman, and Elizabeth B, thanks for the advice and help it is very much appreciated with me never having skied Zermatt before. The availability situation is looking grim in the centre of Zermatt for my midweek to midweek dates and with it also now looking more and more likely that I may be travelling up to and skiing alone in Zermatt, I'm going to look into the Tasch option over the weekend, I think I may be able to make it work for me. If I wanted to go up to Zermatt in the evenings do you have any idea what time the last train down to Tasch is?? Can I get one back down at say just before midnight??? Elizabeth B, the hotel you stayed in, in Tasch sounds nice! laundryman, how far is it timewise or distance from where the train from Tasch comes in to a point where I can be getting my skis on or getting on a lift up to the skiing?
Can't wait 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Alpinebullit, there are three ways into the mountains: to Sunnega, Gornegrat or Klein Matternhorn (and then to Cervinia, if you like). They're sort of left to right as you walk out the front of the station. There are now links between the areas on the mountain, so you don't have to go all the way back into town to move between them. The easiest option from the station is Gornegrat - as Elizabeth B says the terminus is right opposite the main station where you arrive from Täsch . You can either take a direct train to the top (which takes about 40 mins) or a stopping train and get off at an intermediate station. Alternatively, to get to the Sunnega sector you can take a 10 min walk (or shorter bus (free) or taxi ride) to a funicular (a fairly short ride, but then you probably want to hop on to another lift straight away.). The third option is a long (25 min?) walk (again you have the bus or taxi option) to the Klein Matterhorn side - where you have the option of a cable car or bubble lift. This is the most extensive ski area.
Clear as mud? Here's a piste map of Zermatt/Cervinia (pdf) which might help. (The lift from Riffelberg to Furi, shown as under construction, is actually operational now.)
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The trains down to Tasch run until 2am from memory...
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Looking at the timetable for tonight, the last train is at 23:20.
There is a dedicated Zermatt-Tasch train...the mainline ones don't let you off/on at Tasch.
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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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Thanks.
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FAQ
, I've stayed in places ranging from particularly bad to very very good!! How long would it take me to get from Tasch to Zermatt in the mornings, would it be possible to get first lift in the mornings. How did you find it worked out for you, did it work out well. Also are there any restaraunts or bars in Tasch? Just so I can have a beer after a hard day on the mountain 