Zermatt railway station
Encyclopedia
Zermatt railway station is a metre gauge
railway station serving the car-free mountaineering
and ski resort
of Zermatt
, in the Canton
of Valais
, Switzerland
. It is the southern terminus of the BVZ Zermatt-Bahn
(BVZ), which connects Zermatt with standard gauge
lines at Visp
(served by SBB-CFF-FFS
) and Brig
(served by SBB-CFF-FFS
and BLS AG
). Since , the BVZ has been owned and operated by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB), following a merger between the BVZ and the Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO).
The station is also adjacent to the valley terminus of the Gornergratbahn
mountain railway
, which rises 1484.4 metres (4,870.1 ft) in only 9.35 kilometres (5.8 mi) to its mountain terminus at the summit of the Gornergrat
.
Every day, several Glacier Express
trains, which are operated at this point by the MGB, either originate from, or terminate at, Zermatt station. The MGB also operates regional services to Brig at hourly intervals.
Additionally, due to Zermatt's car free status, the MGB has a frequent special shuttle train service between Zermatt and nearby Täsch
, where people travelling to and from Zermatt by combustion-engined vehicles are required to park their vehicles. For most of most days, this service operates at 20 minute intervals.
Frequent services are also operated by the Gornergratbahn.
Metre gauge
Metre gauge refers to narrow gauge railways and tramways with a track gauge of . In some African, American and Asian countries it is the main gauge. In Europe it has been used for local railways in France, Germany, and Belgium, most of which were closed down in mid 20th century. Only in Switzerland...
railway station serving the car-free mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
and ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
of Zermatt
Zermatt
Zermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants....
, in the Canton
Cantons of Switzerland
The 26 cantons of Switzerland are the member states of the federal state of Switzerland. Each canton was a fully sovereign state with its own borders, army and currency from the Treaty of Westphalia until the establishment of the Swiss federal state in 1848...
of Valais
Valais
The Valais is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland in the southwestern part of the country, around the valley of the Rhône from its headwaters to Lake Geneva, separating the Pennine Alps from the Bernese Alps. The canton is one of the drier parts of Switzerland in its central Rhône valley...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It is the southern terminus of the BVZ Zermatt-Bahn
BVZ Zermatt-Bahn
The Brig-Visp-Zermatt-Bahn – officially known between 1991 and 2002 as the BVZ Zermatt-Bahn – is a metre gauge railway in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. Its 44 kilometre long line links the communities of Brig and Visp in the Rhone Valley with Täsch and the car free holiday resort of Zermatt...
(BVZ), which connects Zermatt with standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
lines at Visp
Visp railway station
Visp railway station is a junction station at Visp , in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. It has a modern station building completed in 2007, and is served by two standard gauge lines and a metre gauge line....
(served by SBB-CFF-FFS
SBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
) and Brig
Brig railway station
Brig railway station is an important railway junction in the municipality of Brig-Glis , in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland...
(served by SBB-CFF-FFS
SBB-CFF-FFS
Swiss Federal Railways and SFR are not in official use) is the national railway company of Switzerland headquartered in Bern. Formerly a government institution, it is since 1999 a special stock corporation with all shares held by the Swiss Confederation or the Swiss cantons...
and BLS AG
BLS AG
BLS AG is a Swiss railway company created by the 2006 merger of BLS Lötschbergbahn and Regionalverkehr Mittelland AG. It is 55.8 % owned by the Canton of Berne, and 21.7 % by the Swiss Confederation. It has two main business fields: passenger traffic and infrastructure.BLS has a subsidiary BLS...
). Since , the BVZ has been owned and operated by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB), following a merger between the BVZ and the Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO).
The station is also adjacent to the valley terminus of the Gornergratbahn
Gornergratbahn
The Gornergratbahn is a nine-kilometre metre-gauge mountain rack railway, with Abt rack system. It leads from Zermatt, Switzerland , up to the Gornergrat...
mountain railway
Mountain railway
A mountain railway is a railway that ascends and descends a mountain slope that has a steep grade. Such railways can use a number of different technologies to overcome the steepness of the grade...
, which rises 1484.4 metres (4,870.1 ft) in only 9.35 kilometres (5.8 mi) to its mountain terminus at the summit of the Gornergrat
Gornergrat
The Gornergrat is a ridge of the Pennine Alps, Switzerland, overlooking the Gorner Glacier to the south. It can be reached by the Gornergratbahn rack railway from Zermatt...
.
Every day, several Glacier Express
Glacier Express
The Glacier Express is an express train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The train is operated jointly by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and Rhaetian Railway...
trains, which are operated at this point by the MGB, either originate from, or terminate at, Zermatt station. The MGB also operates regional services to Brig at hourly intervals.
Additionally, due to Zermatt's car free status, the MGB has a frequent special shuttle train service between Zermatt and nearby Täsch
Täsch
Täsch is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is located about north of Zermatt. The local language is Swiss German.-History:Täsch is first mentioned in 1302 as Tech. In Latin it was known as Pera....
, where people travelling to and from Zermatt by combustion-engined vehicles are required to park their vehicles. For most of most days, this service operates at 20 minute intervals.
Frequent services are also operated by the Gornergratbahn.
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn services
- Glacier express - several trains daily
- Regional services - 1tph
- Shuttle services - frequent
See also
- Glacier ExpressGlacier ExpressThe Glacier Express is an express train connecting railway stations of the two major mountain resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt in the Swiss Alps. The train is operated jointly by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and Rhaetian Railway...
- Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
- BVZ Zermatt-BahnBVZ Zermatt-BahnThe Brig-Visp-Zermatt-Bahn – officially known between 1991 and 2002 as the BVZ Zermatt-Bahn – is a metre gauge railway in the Canton of Valais, Switzerland. Its 44 kilometre long line links the communities of Brig and Visp in the Rhone Valley with Täsch and the car free holiday resort of Zermatt...
- GornergratbahnGornergratbahnThe Gornergratbahn is a nine-kilometre metre-gauge mountain rack railway, with Abt rack system. It leads from Zermatt, Switzerland , up to the Gornergrat...
- ZermattZermattZermatt is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a population of about 5,800 inhabitants....
- MatterhornMatterhornThe Matterhorn , Monte Cervino or Mont Cervin , is a mountain in the Pennine Alps on the border between Switzerland and Italy. Its summit is 4,478 metres high, making it one of the highest peaks in the Alps. The four steep faces, rising above the surrounding glaciers, face the four compass points...