MySwissAlps.com includes How to reach mountain restaurants from Zermatt in December
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My wife and I are not snow skiers. How do we visit the Zermatt mountain restaurants in December, or should we wait until the summer? Thanks
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According to Google AI – Most mountain restaurants in Zermatt open for the winter season in early-to-mid December, lining up with the full opening of the winter ski slopes. Because December transitions from late autumn to full winter, accessibility splits between ski-in/ski-out (accessible only via ski slopes) and pedestrian-friendly options (accessible by mountain railways or winter walking trails).
Hope that helps.
Hello again
I think it would be appropriate to deal here with your inquiry in the Basel thread (reply 2) regarding possible excursions from Zermatt.
The Problem with Zermatt is that it is remote from other resorts and other interesting destinations. So if the weather is poor…
Historic Towns.
Brig (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/brig/) has direct trains from Zermatt, but they take about 90 minutes! The only other serious possibility I can think of is Sion, the capital of Valais canton. You change trains at Visp. The journey takes two hours.
Other Mountain Resorts
Saas Fee (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/saas-fee/) is stunningly beautiful. Some people (including me) think it is the most beautiful place in the whole of the Alps.
To reach Saas Fee you take the train as far as Stalden-Saas. At Stalden you walk out of the station and immediately turn left along a road which goes uphill alongside the railway. After about 60 metres you reach the main road, and a bus stop with a substantial bus shelter. The 511 bus which runs every 30 minutes Brig-Visp-Stalden-Saas Fee stops here.
The whole journey takes about two hours. (Slightly less on the way back, and the bus pulls into the station yard.)
Turn left on leaving the bus station at Saas Fee and walk downhill for about 300 metres. You come to the ‘Panorama Bridge’. From this bridge there is a fantastic view of snow-covered peaks and glaciers. (Note however that in mid-winter the sun will disappear behind the mountains at about 14 30 – 2 30 pm.)
About 300 metres beyond the bridge is the bottom station of the cable cars up to Felskinn and Mittelallalin. With the STP 50% discount the trip up is value for money. But be prepared for very long queues at the bottom and intermediate stations.
Fiesch and the Eggishorn (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/eggishorn/) should perhaps also be considered. There are through trains from Zermatt to Fiesch; at Fiesch the train and cable car stations are in the same building!; the view from Eggishorn over the Aletsch Glacier – the largest glacier in Europe – is fantastic; the price I paid two years ago, about 31 CHF with the STP discount, was tremendous value for money.
However, the train takes two hours and 20 minutes to get from Zermatt to Fiesch. There is only limited catering at Eggishorn. There is much more at the intermediate station of Fiescheralp.
Grächen is a mountain village not too far from Zermatt. Take the train as far as St Niklaas, then the bus up to Grächen. The journey takes just over an hour.
Best wishes
Roger
i
Roger
Thanks, but how do you know all this and at this level of detail? Very amazing! These are some great ideas. Hopefully the weather will be good.BigDad
Janelle,
Thanks for your research. I am trying to find out if a particular mountain restaurant is practical to walk to in the snow, versus only ski in-out. Since a restaurant hasn’t been mentioned I assume that it would be too challenging to walk the snow trails. I don’t want to walk down to a restaurant, then discover the walk back up will take more effort that I’m wanting to give.
Thanks,
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Just to add a bit of side interest in Saas Fee
If you are a fan of the Last Christmas video by Wham (George Michael) there is now a life size cutout of Andrew Ridgeley and Kathy Hill standing at the Felskinn cable car recreating the scene.If you are really keen, you could stand next to them and wave
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Big dad have you tried asking AI about the particular restaurant or seeing if their website or reviews note accessibility in Winter.
Lioner thanks for the tip, I like fun kitschy things and could enjoy a “Last Christmas” moment in December.
Hi Big Dad,
Some mountain restaurants are located close to the mountain lifts and easily accessible to non-skiers.
You can check out the list on the Zermatt website: http://www.zermatt.swiss/en/discover-experience/culinary/mountain-restaurants
Regards,
Anna
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