Preparation to travel in autumn in Zermatt with kids? In this travel guide, you will find details about checking out Zermatt in autumn and a quick household friendly travel itinerary for this attractive mountain resort in the Valais region.
Fall in Zermatt with Kids
Zermatt is a car-free mountaineering and ski resort nestled in the Swiss Alps. The enchanting mountain town is synonymous with the Matterhorn, among the most popular mountains the world. Riding on the Gornergrat Train, taking in the views of the Matterhorn and treking the golden fall tracks were all highlights from our short stay in Zermatt.
Bear in mind when checking out Zermatt in fall, that numerous hotels, dining establishments and some mountain transport close in early or mid-October for a couple of weeks before the winter season begins. The Sunnegga funicular is an example of a mountain transport that closes for the season in early October. This underground train takes visitors from Zermatt to the Sunnegga area, known for the Leisee lake and Wolli household adventure park.
The Gonergrat Railway and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise are popular tourist attractions in Zermatt that are open year round. Read on for more about our experience taking the Gonergrat Railway and hiking to Riffelsee for spectacular
Matterhorn views in fall
. Things to Do in Zermatt in Autumn Surrounded by golden larch tree forests, Zermatt is among the very best locations in Switzerland for autumn hiking and seeing the lovely fall foliage. Highlights of exploring Zermatt in autumn with kids consist of riding the historic cogwheel Gornergrat Railway, enjoying regional cuisine in the lovely town and hiking the golden trails.
Trip the Gornergrat Train
Among the top things to do in Zermatt with kids is riding the Gornergrat Railway, which provides breath-taking views of the Matterhorn peak. The 35 minute cogwheel train journey takes you to the Gornergrat summit at 3100m, with four stops along the method for different options for hiking or snowshoeing.
Gornergrat is accessible in any season, 365 days a year. Children receive discounted rates on the Gonergrat Railway, with pricing varying depending on the season. In the summertime season, May to October, kids 6 years and under travel for free. In the winter, November to April, kids 9 years and under travel for free. Children aged 15 and under with a Junior Card or Swiss Family Card likewise take a trip complimentary of charge on the Gornergrat Train and can pick up a complimentary ticket for the entrance gates at the ticket counter.
Dogs are welcome on the Gonergrat Railway and travel for free, but they must be on a leash and are not allowed on the seats. Idea: Attempt to get a seat on the right side of the train when heading up to Gornergrat, or on the left heading pull back to Zermatt. This is the side to enjoy the very best views of the Matterhorn throughout the journey.
Reserve tickets for the Gonergrat Train Zermatt
The 4 intermediate stops on the Gonergrat Railways between Zermatt and Gornergrat are Findelbach, Riffelalp, Riffelberg and Rotenboden. Riffelberg is a popular station for winter activities, with excellent views towards the Matterhorn. Rotenboden is a high-altitude stop known for its hassle-free access to treking trails and the Riffelsee lake.
Gornergrat Viewpoints
Upon reaching Gornergrat station, it is a short walk to the viewing platforms to take in the breathtaking views of the Matterhorn, 28 other 4000-metre peaks, consisting of the Dufourspitze and the Dom and the Gorner Glacier.
The 360-degree watching platform is located above the train station, behind the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat. An enjoyable activity at Gornergrat for families is to engage with the Stone Towers, set down listed below the experience world of ZOOOM the Matterhorn. Watch out for, expand on the formations or produce brand-new stone towers. Please respect existing stone formations.< img src ="https://piccoloexplorer.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Stone-Towers-Gornergrat-with-Kids.jpg"alt="Stone Towers Gornergrat with kids"width="650"height="488"/ > Restaurants on Gornergrat There is a range of dining establishments on the Gornergrat
at the 3100 Kulmhotel. 4 restaurants include Glacier Alpine Kitchen area for classic Swiss food, Sky Lounge offering sensational terrace views and mixed drinks, saycheese! for a fondue and raclette experience and Tiger Bowl offering takeaway Asian fusion rice bowls. You can likewise find more dining choices at the next stops along the Gornergrat Train, Riffelberg and Riffelalp, from buffet restaurants to snack bars to great dining overlooking the Matterhorn. Fall Walkings in Zermatt One of the best walkings in Zermatt with kids is the 2km downhill trek from Gornergrat to Riffelsee. The walking to Riffelsee is an easy downhill
stroll, coming down 270m of elevation and takes about 40 minutes. The path is a bit high sometimes, however not particularly tough.
The renowned Riffelsee is an alpine lake at 2757m, world-famous for its perfect reflection of the Matterhorn peak on calm days. The best times for professional photographers to record this stunning scene is in the morning or late afternoon.
It is then a short 5 minute walk up from the Riffelsee to Rotenboden station,
the next stop on the Gornergrat Railway back to Zermatt. You can likewise follow the routes to continue treking down to either Riffelberg or Riffelalp, enjoying another hour or so with Matterhorn views. Another popular autumn hike is the Three Lake Walking from Riffelalp. This hike is an adjustment of the popular Five Lakes Path, which is not possible after the Sunnegga-Blauherd cable vehicle closes in early October.
For the Three Lakes Hike, take the Gornergrat Train to Riffelalp, then hike across to Sunegga, passing 3 alpine hikes along the way. The fall colour highlights along the path consist of the golden larch trees and red blueberry bushes.
During autumn in Zermatt, you can also delight in seeing the dynamic fall foliage along treking trails in the location surrounding the town. Once again, you should prepare carefully as lifts and services begin to close in early October.
When we checked out Zermatt in autumn, we remained in a holiday leasing above the OMNIA Hotel. From that area, we might access a treking path providing sweeping views of Zermatt and the Matterhorn. It was a calm and gorgeous area among the golden larch trees that we were lucky to have actions from our trip rental in Zermatt.
What to do in Zermatt The primary street of Bahnhofstrasse in Zermatt is a prime destination for shopping and dining. Along with luxury merchants and alpine-themed shops, you can discover independent stores, popular Swiss chocolate stores Lindt and Läderach, unique souvenir stores and book shops.
Top things to do in fall in Zermatt with kids include exploring the standard wood houses in Hinterdorfstrasse, Zermatt’s historic old town, and going to the underground Matterhorn Museum– Zermatlantis. Hinterdorfstrasse is a preserved section of the old village offering a glance into the abundant cultural heritage of Zermatt. This picturesque patched street is a remarkable journey through time, showcasing wood chalets that date back centuries.
The Matterhorn Museum– Zermatlantis is an underground museum where visitors can learn more about Zermatt’s alpine history, the story of the first ascent of the Matterhorn and how Zermatt has actually developed over the years. The interactive exhibitions and display screens at the Matterhorn Museum provide you the chance to immerse yourself in the mountain world of previous centuries.
Where to Consume in Zermatt
When preparing a trip to Zermatt in autumn, keep in mind to book restaurants in advance since some dining establishments close for a few weeks till the start of the winter season. Considering that Zermatt is a popular tourist location even throughout the quieter shoulder season, many dining establishments do get booked up well ahead.
I can highly advise the following restaurants in Zermatt, for their charming atmosphere and great local cuisine.
Dining establishment Schäferstube
Custom Julen Hotel Superior, Riedstrasse 2, 3920 Zermatt, Switzerland |www.julen.ch/en/restaurant-schaeferstube
Dining establishment Schäferstube, the cosy traditional restaurant situated in the Julen Hotel, is renown for its genuine Valaisian food, raclette and cheese fondues. Schäferstube provides an alpine hut atmosphere and specialises in Zermatt lamb meals prepared in a wood-fired grill.
Lamb speciality meals served at Restaurant Schäferstube include grilled lamb ribs served with potato gratin and veggies( pictured), lamb stew with rice and veggies and braised lamb shank in a strong red white wine sauce.
View the menu at Restaurant Schäferstube
The meat fondue includes slices of veal, beef and pork (beef just imagined above), which are prepared on the table in a pot with a broth, served with numerous sauces, fruit, marinaded vegetables and French french fries.
In the fall, Dining establishment Schäferstube also serves a special video game menu, with meals that include roasted deer steak with pumpkin, cranberry and ginger chutney, in addition to saddle of venison with honey cream sauce served with spätzli and chestnuts.
Le Gitan Grill
Bahnhofstrasse 64, 3920 Zermatt, Switzerland|www.legitan.ch
Located on Zermatt’s main street, Bahnhofstrasse, Le Gitan Grill is a family-run dining establishment serving delicious regional food, hearty salads, soups and risottos and meat dishes cooked on an open fire grill.
Popular products on their grill menu consist of the beef skewer, the entrecôte steak and the lamb ribs with herbs.
When we visited Zermatt in autumn, Le Gitan Grill was likewise providing a seasonal fall menu and I enjoyed their pumpkin ravioli dish topped with
chestnuts. View the menu at Le Gitan Grill
Getting to Zermatt Valais
The two primary methods to get to Zermatt are taking the train to Zermatt centre or driving into neighbouring Täsch and then taking a taxi service. The closest airports to Zermatt are Zurich and Geneva, and both airports provide twice-hourly train connections from their in-airport train stations.
If you are travelling by car to Zermatt, you will need to park your cars and truck in the surrounding village of Täsch. About 6km from Zermatt, Täsch works as an entrance to Zermatt, using different choices for indoor and outdoor parking. The main indoor facility is at the train station, Matterhorn Terminal, with over 2100 areas and operating 24/7.
Other choices are at private parking lot, which often provide additional services such as taxi transport or electrical automobile charging. We reserved a parking space beforehand at Taxi Christophe, a private covered parking area in Täsch. Taxi Cristophe likewise arranges the taxi transfers and e-taxis to and from Zermatt.
The taxi transfer dropped us off at a taxi station at the entrance of Zermatt. An e-taxi then selected us up moments later and brought us as close as possible to our vacation leasing in Zermatt.
If you travelling to Zermatt by train from Zurich or Geneva, you will take Swiss Federal Railways which generally involve one change in Visp or Brig. The small-gauge red mountain train that takes you between Visp and Zermat takes a trip up the Vispatal valley, using views of waterfalls and the Alps as you rise.
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