Zermatt has a reputation for being expensive, and lifts and hotels do cost a lot. But the village is also one of the best places in the Alps for free and low-cost days, because the scenery is the main attraction and much of it can be reached on foot. A smart budget trip pays for one or two big mountain days and fills the rest with walks, viewpoints and short sights.
Getting here and getting around
Rail is the main way in, with trains about every half hour to the village, and non-residents of Switzerland and Liechtenstein can use the Swiss Travel Pass on the national network. If you drive, park at Täsch and take the shuttle train, which runs every 20 minutes and reaches Zermatt in about 12 minutes, which is cheaper than a taxi. Inside the village, most places are within walking distance, and a free e-bus runs on two routes, the Ski-Bus and the Winkelmatten line, to save legs. A luggage service from the national railway lets you check bags and collect them in Zermatt.
Free sights in the village
The Hinterdorf, the old quarter of dark larch barns on stone stilts, costs nothing. Nor does the village walk, a gentle circuit of about 1.8 kilometres that passes the church square, the English Church and the mountaineers cemetery. The tourist board also maps eleven photo points for the Matterhorn, and several, such as the church bridge and Kirchplatz, are public places in the village. The Golden Spot, a restored gilded locomotive on the Gornergrat set up for photographs, is free year-round once you are there.
Free and low-cost walks
The hamlet of Zmutt, at 1,936 metres among alpine pastures and reached along a gentle footpath, gives you about 20 wooden houses more than 500 years old, a chapel and the Matterhorn above the fields. The Findlerweg, a 3.9 kilometre downhill route from Sunnegga through Findeln to Winkelmatten, needs only the funicular up. The Furi suspension bridge trail needs the gondola to Furi, or a long walk, and the bridge is closed in winter. Between them these walks give you far more than a week of day trips would cost on the lifts.
Low-fee sights
The Gorner Gorge, open from late spring to early autumn, charges only a few Swiss francs, with reduced fees for children aged six to fifteen and free entry under six. The Matterhorn Museum charges a modest admission by Swiss standards and keeps seasonal hours, so check the schedule. Both are good value and both work in poor weather, the gorge as a cool shelter on hot days and the museum on cloudy ones.
Choose your paid days
The lift tickets are the biggest cost. A single trip to the Gornergrat summit, about half an hour by cogwheel railway to 3,090 metres, or to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at 3,883 metres gives the headline view. You do not need both. Pick the one that fits your weather and interests, and use the Riffelsee walk from Rotenboden to turn a Gornergrat ticket into a half-day of walking as well as viewing. Buy tickets in advance when you can, and avoid paying for a ride on a day when the forecast shows cloud.
Eating and drinking
Mountain restaurants and village dining are priced for resort demand. A good rule is to make lunch your big meal on the walk, at a terrace such as the ones in Findeln, and have a lighter, cheaper evening. Carrying a picnic and a flask on the longer walks saves a surprising amount, and a hotel with a kitchen or breakfast included lowers the daily total further.
Where to stay
Hotel Bahnhof is the budget stay near the station, with private rooms, bunk accommodation and a shared kitchen where you can cook your own meals, although breakfast is not included and there is no parking. Hotel Dufour Chalet, about a ten minute walk from the station, includes a buffet breakfast in the rate, which saves a meal a day. Compare rates for the changeover weeks, when Zermatt is quieter and prices can be lower, but check which lifts and restaurants are operating.
A sample free day
Take the funicular to Sunnegga, walk the Findlerweg through Findeln, stop for a terrace lunch, then wander the Hinterdorf and the church square in the afternoon. You will have seen the Matterhorn from three angles and spent only on the funicular and lunch.
