One day in Switzerland: Matterhorn, Zermatt!

I travel to Zurich, Switzerland a couple times for work a year. I try to make the most out of my time there by extending the trip through the weekend. If you love the mountains, you’re going to love Switzerland! Since I only extend the trip a day or two, I’ve never traveled more than 2 hours from Zurich as it’s a bit exhausting for a day trip and Switzerland is extremely expensive. However, the Matterhorn (the mountain on the Tolberone chocolate) has been on my bucket list for a while. I knew I was going to visit it one day, so why not now?

What is the Matterhorn? Where is it?
The Matterhorn is a well known mountain of the Swiss Alps. It is likely one of the most famous peaks. It is located in Zermatt, which is in the Southeast region of Switzerland. There are hiking trails and skiing/snowboarding slopes (in the winter) available.

Where is the best view of the Matterhorn?
After some research, I decided to see the Matterhorn at Gornergrat, where this is a great panorama view of the Swiss Alps. Gornergrat is ~3000m high and has been been a popular destination since 1898.

How far is it from Zurich?
By train, it is around 4 hours one way.

How do you get there?
I took the SBB train from Zurich HB to Visp , where I transferred to another train (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) that took me from Visp to Zermatt. Not far from the Zermatt train station is the Gornergrat Bahn, which took me from Zermatt to Gornergrat. There are several stops on the way, all with different views of the Alps.

What can you see there?
There is a panorama view of the Swiss Alps and a stunning view of the Matterhorn. There are several stops on the way from Zermatt to Gornergrat. I recommend getting off get Rotenboden and walking to the Riffelberg stop as there’s another great view of the Matterhorn. On a summer day, you can go to Riffelsee, which is not far from Rotenboden.

How much is it?
From Zurich HB to Zermatt and back is 233 CHF if you have an international passport. Whenever I buy a ticket for a day trip, I go to the counter as they help me find the cheapest price. They gave me a half fare travel card (valid for 1 month), which was 120 CHF,

Recommend?
100% recommend if it’s a clear day! I’ve seen the Swiss Alps several times, but the Matterhorn is iconic and something I heard about before I even got to know Switzerland.