Andermatt travel guide

Why visit Andermatt

Andermatt occupies one of the most strategically significant positions in the Swiss Alps. At the junction of four alpine passes — the Gotthard, the Oberalp, the Furka, and the Susten — it sits at the crossroads of north-south and east-west routes through the mountains, a position that has made it militarily and commercially important since Roman times. For centuries, Swiss soldiers were garrisoned here to guard the passes. The village of around 1,400 permanent residents still has a slightly austere, post-military character — all grey stone and steep roofs — that contrasts sharply with the new luxury hotel development that has been rising on its southern edge since 2013.

That development — the Andermatt Swiss Alps project, an ambitious large-scale resort conceived by the Egyptian developer Samih Sawiris — has transformed the village’s economic trajectory and added significant new infrastructure: hotels, restaurants, a concert hall, a ski area linked with Sedrun in Graubünden, and high-end residential properties. The effect is somewhat surreal — the new resort architecture feels slightly incongruous beside the old village — but the net result has been a significant improvement in the quality of the ski area and the services available to visitors.

For skiers, Andermatt now offers one of the most interesting areas in Switzerland: 120 kilometres of marked runs (rising to 180 when combined with Sedrun via the Oberalp Pass connection), a reputation for deep powder that persists from the area’s northward-facing position and high precipitation, and terrain that ranges from wide beginner runs to the steep couloirs of the Gurschen area — some of the most challenging marked terrain in Switzerland.

For non-skiers and summer visitors, Andermatt is a base for the Gotthard region’s remarkable concentration of mountain history, engineering heritage, and hiking terrain.

Getting to Andermatt

By train

Andermatt is served by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) railway, which runs through the village and connects it to the wider network. From Göschenen, at the northern entrance to the Gotthard Rail Tunnel, a short rack railway section descends to Andermatt. From Zurich, the journey via Göschenen takes around 2 hours. Trains from Bern connect via Lucerne.

Andermatt is also one of the stops on the Glacier Express — the famous panoramic railway that runs between Zermatt and St Moritz via Andermatt and the Oberalp Pass. Arrival on the Glacier Express, with the mountain scenery building through the Oberalp and the long descent into the Urseren valley, is one of the better entries into Andermatt. You can book Glacier Express tickets from Zermatt to St. Moritz in advance to guarantee a seat on this popular route.

The Swiss Travel Pass covers train travel to Andermatt on all these routes.

By car

Andermatt is accessible by the N2/A2 motorway from Lucerne to the north (exit at Göschenen, then the old Gotthard road), and by the Gotthard, Furka, and Oberalp pass roads from other directions. The passes are closed in winter, making the tunnel at Göschenen the only road approach in the cold months. Parking is available in the village.

Top things to do in Andermatt

Ski the Andermatt-Sedrun area

The ski area now spans from Andermatt’s Gemsstock to Sedrun in the Graubünden canton via the Oberalp Pass connection — a total of 180 kilometres of marked runs when the full network is in operation. The Gemsstock (2,961 metres), reached by cable car from the village in two stages, is the centrepiece: a high, north-facing mountain with long, steep runs, reliable powder after storms, and a summit panorama that includes the Gotthard massif and the mountains of four cantons.

The Gemsstock runs are notably steeper and more technical than those of many Swiss resorts — the mountain suits intermediate to advanced skiers best, and there is genuinely challenging terrain for experts on the Gemsstock face itself. The connection to Sedrun crosses the Oberalp Pass plateau (accessible by train when conditions prevent skiing the connection) and adds gentler, sun-exposed terrain on the Graubünden side.

Walk the Teufelsbrücke (Devil’s Bridge)

The Teufelsbrücke — Devil’s Bridge — spans the Schöllenen Gorge just north of Andermatt, where the Reuss river cuts through a narrow, sheer-sided canyon that was impassable until the thirteenth century. The bridge and the gorge were the key that unlocked north-south passage through the Gotthard massif and enabled the trade routes that made the Gotthard the most important mountain crossing in Europe.

The gorge and bridge are accessible by a short walk from Göschenen or from the lower Andermatt valley and can be combined with the rack railway from Göschenen to Andermatt. The stone arches, the thundering river below, and the tunnel-pierced rock walls make for a dramatic short excursion that requires no hiking fitness.

Drive or cycle the Gotthard Pass

The Gotthard Pass road (open approximately June to October, depending on snow) is one of the great mountain road crossings in Europe. The old tremola road — cobbled, steep, with dozens of tight switchbacks — is the original route and is now reserved for cyclists, pedestrians, and specific vehicle types. The modern road uses a series of switchbacks on the western side. The pass summit at 2,106 metres has a museum covering the history of the Gotthard in all its forms — the passes, the tunnels (rail and road), the fortifications, and the geography of the watershed.

The view from the pass — looking north to the Gotthard massif and south toward the Ticino — is one of the best mountain-pass panoramas in Switzerland.

Hike the surrounding valleys

Andermatt’s position at the junction of four alpine valleys gives it an unusually wide range of hiking options for a single base. The Urseren valley — the broad valley in which Andermatt sits — has easy walking along the valley floor. The upper Reuss valley south toward the Furka Pass is more dramatic. The trails crossing to the Göschenen valley and up onto the surrounding ridges offer high-alpine terrain accessible from the village without cable car assistance.

The Witenwasserenpass route, connecting Andermatt with the Valle Bedretto in Ticino, is a full-day mountain crossing that was one of the historic mule routes over the Alps before the Gotthard tunnel replaced them. It requires good fitness and alpine footwear but no technical skills.

Explore the Gotthard Rail Tunnel

The Gotthard Base Tunnel, opened in 2016, is the world’s longest railway tunnel at 57 kilometres — an engineering achievement of extraordinary scale that passes entirely through the mountain massif. Trains on the Zurich–Milan route pass through at high speed; the journey from Erstfeld to Bellinzona through the tunnel takes around 17 minutes, compared to 50 minutes on the old mountain railway over the top. The tunnel is a fact of travel rather than a tourist attraction, but understanding its scale helps make sense of Switzerland’s alpine geography and the centuries of effort that went into piercing the Gotthard.

Attend a concert at the Andermatt Concert Hall

The Andermatt Concert Hall, built as part of the resort development and opened in 2019, seats around 800 people and hosts an annual summer festival series (the Andermatt Music Festival) as well as occasional events through the year. The hall’s acoustic quality has received strong reviews. The festival programme typically covers classical chamber music, with occasional contemporary and jazz performances. Check the programme when planning a summer visit.

Where to stay in Andermatt

The new resort development has added several luxury hotels including the Radisson Blu Andermatt, the three-Michelin-rated Restaurant The Japanese in the Chedi Andermatt, and various chalet properties. The Chedi Andermatt is the flagship hotel — a large, design-conscious property that opened in 2013 and set the template for the resort redevelopment. It is expensive; its wellness facilities and restaurants are some of the best in central Switzerland.

For those on more modest budgets, the old village has several traditional hotels — the Hotel Krone, the Hotel Sonne, and several guesthouses — that predate the resort development and offer a more authentic village experience at significantly lower prices.

Where to eat and drink

The restaurant scene in Andermatt has improved substantially with the resort development. The Japanese at the Chedi is one of the better restaurants in the region — surprisingly good Japanese-European fusion at altitude, with a price tag to match. The Spycher restaurant at the Chedi serves Swiss and European cuisine in a more relaxed setting. In the old village, the Restaurant zum Dorfplatz and the Gasthof Drei Könige serve straightforward Swiss cooking.

Practical tips for visiting Andermatt

Andermatt’s ski area is known for powder — the village receives substantial snowfall due to its position at the junction of major alpine weather systems — but this can also mean poor visibility and closed runs on storm days. Check the weather forecast carefully before committing to a powder day.

The Glacier Express passes through Andermatt and is an excellent way to arrive or depart. The full journey between Zermatt and St Moritz takes around 8 hours; the section from Andermatt to Zermatt via the Furka and Oberalp takes around 3 hours and covers the most dramatic terrain. Reservations are required on the Glacier Express; the Swiss Travel Pass covers the base fare with a reservation supplement payable separately.

For a broader central Switzerland and alpine itinerary, Andermatt connects naturally with Lucerne (2 hours north) for city culture and the lake, and with the Valais resorts (Zermatt, Verbier) via the Glacier Express route. The combination of Andermatt’s mountain-crossroads history with the polish of a new resort development makes it an unusual and interesting stop on a Swiss itinerary.

See also our guide to the 7-day Switzerland itinerary for route planning that incorporates Andermatt alongside other central Swiss destinations.