Fastest Way From Paris To Zermatt: Revealed!
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Are you in Paris and fancy a quick escape to the Swiss Alps? Do you really want to see the cutest Swiss village but are running out of time? Let me help you here. This article will explain how to get the fastest way from Paris to Zermatt. So check it out and book your journey today.
At the end of the article, I’ll also give you detailed information about flight prices, where to look for the cheapest flights and train tickets, and how it works to fly between European cities.
What Is The Fastest Way From Paris To Zermatt?
The fastest way from Paris to Zermatt is to fly from Paris to Geneva or Milan airport, then change to a train to Zermatt.
As you might already know, Europe is famous for its quick and cheap flights between countries and their cities. In addition, each destination is well connected by trains. So that’s what we’ll use up to get from Paris to Zermatt.
Zermatt doesn’t have its own airport. The closest airports to this car-free village are:
- Milan Malpensa (262 km)
- Milan Linate (284 km)
- Milan Bergamo (295 km)
- Geneva (213 km)
Now I know you might think, what an h* is she talking about? The airports mentioned are almost 300 km away from Zermatt. But bear with me. Zermatt is a small car-free village in the middle of nowhere in Switzerland. The only way you can actually reach this village is by train.
Paris is very way away from it. Yet, if you fly to one of these closest airports and after take a train, it’ll be the fastest way to get from Paris to Zermatt.
In this article, I’ll give you the best two options for the fastest way from Paris to Zermatt:
- Fly from Paris to Milan + Take a train to Zermatt
- Fly from Paris to Geneva + Take a train to Zermatt
You can choose which suits you the best and start booking your journey.
1. Option: Fly From Paris To Milan + Take A Train To Zermatt
The first possibility is to fly from Paris to Milan airport. Then, you’ll take a train from Milan to Zermatt (with one change). It’s a cheaper option, but slightly more complicated as you’ll have to change more times.
Fly From Paris To Milan
Milan is a city in northern Italy with three airports: Milan Malpensa (main airport), Milan Linate, and Milan Bergamo. Once you land, you’ll have to make your way from any of these airports to Milano Centrale, the main train station in Milan.
Suppose your flight is to Milan Malpensa or Milan Linate. In that case, you’ll easily take a train or bus directly to the Milan main train station, Milano Centrale.
If your flight is to Milan Bergamo, you’ll have to take a bus to Milano Centrale, which takes up to 1 hour. Bergamo is a small town outside Milano, so it’s a bit further. Yet it usually has the cheapest flights.
Just ask at the airport, where you land, for a bus/train connection to Milano Centrale.
A flight from Paris to Milan takes about 1 hour & 30 minutes and can cost from just $25 up to $120.
Take A Train From Milano Centrale To Zermatt
Once you reach Milano Centrale, you’ll take a train to Switzerland.
There is no direct train from Milano Centrale to Zermatt. You’ll have to change once in a small Swiss town called Visp. The train ride from Milano Centrale to Zermatt takes around 3 hours and 30 minutes (the fastest train).
Download SBB App on your own for navigation. It’s an official app for Swiss trains. It shows you all train connections, departure times, and even the platforms from which your train departs.
The train from Milano Centrale To Zermatt takes 3 hours & 30 minutes and costs between $68 to $90.
2. Option: Fly From Paris To Geneva + Take A Train To Zermatt
Your second option is to first fly from Paris to Geneva. After, you’ll take a train from Geneva to Zermatt. This way is much easier than the first option. Yet it’ll be a bit more expensive.
Fly From Paris To Geneva
First of all, you’ll have to fly from Paris to Geneva. The good thing is that Geneva has only one airport with direct trains. So you won’t have to get from the airport to the city first.
Once you land at the Geneva airport, you can take a train directly to Visp and then change to Zermatt.
Geneva is already in Switzerland, so you won’t have to worry about any new Visa (like it might be in Milan, which is in Italy).
A flight from Paris to Geneva takes about 1 hour & 10 minutes and costs from $40 to $200.
Take A Train From Geneva Airport To Zermatt
Like Milano to Zermatt, there isn’t a direct train from Geneva to Zermatt either. So you’ll have to again change in Visp town.
However, as I mentioned above, you can already hop on the train to Visp at the airport in Geneva. No need to first ride to the city center and take another train.
Use SBB App to look for the train connections.
The train ride from Geneva Airport to Zermatt takes about 3 hours & 50 minutes and costs between $110 to $150.
Fastest Way From Paris To Zermatt: Important Things For Your Journey
These are the two fastest ways from Paris to Zermatt. Now, there are several things you need to know when making this journey. To give you the best information possible, let me explain to you a bit more about the following things:
- Airports in Paris
- How to find affordable flights
- Which airline companies fly between Paris and Milano/Geneva
- How to find affordable train tickets
Airports In Paris
Bear in mind that Paris has three airports. So when looking for flight tickets and booking one, pay attention to how far the airport is from the center of Paris.
Paris has the following three airports:
- Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG)
- Paris Orly (ORY)
- Paris Beauvais (BVA)
Flying From Paris Charles de Gaulle
Flying from Charles de Gaulle airport can be the easiest, but could be more expensive. It’s the main airport in Paris. You can get there either by the airport bus or RER train from the Paris city center. Just ask at your hotel or in a tourist center for more information. Or use the websites above for more information.
Flying From Paris Orly
If your flight is from Paris Only, you can also take an airport bus or an RER train directly to the airport from the Paris city center. It’s pretty straightforward. Just allocate enough time. Rather go earlier than later (the traffic in Paris is terrible, lol).
Flying From Paris Beauvais
Unlike Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, Paris Beauvais is far away from Paris. It takes almost 2 hours to get to this airport from Paris city. The only way is to take a Beauvais airport bus. It’s very far and rather complicated. Even though the flights are usually the cheapest from this airport, getting there can become a nightmare (my experience). So I’d rather avoid booking your flight from this airport.
How To Find Affordable Flights
The best way to find cheap flights (anywhere) is to look on Google Flights. It shows you the best possible flight rates for each month.
Just go to the Google Flights website. Type in one of the airports in Paris (I mentioned above), and type in one in Milan or Geneva (depending on where you want to fly). Then open the dates, and it’ll already generate the prices in the calendar.
Search Flights On Google Flights
Once you find a suitable flight, click on it, and it’ll automatically forward you to the actual platform, which has the cheapest flight. You’ll then book the flight through this platform.
Note that the prices are shown with just carry-on luggage most of the time. If you have a lot of luggage, you’ll have to pay extra for your check-in baggage when booking the flight. It can be around $50 more.
I also like to use the website called Esky. They have great prices for such short flights, too. But Google already generates the best flight prices, so look and choose the flight you like. Just make sure you select a direct flight. Underwise it won’t be the fastest way from Paris to Zermatt anymore.
Which Aeroline Companies Fly Between Paris & Milano/Geneva
The following companies provide direct flights from Paris to Milano or Geneva airport. These are:
- EasyJet
- Swiss
- Helvetic
- Ryanair
- Air France
Carry-On & Checked-In Baggage
Note that these are low-cost airlines. That means they show you the basic fares, including carry-on luggage only (10kg with specific dimensions). When you book your flight, you’ll have to add checked-in baggage if you have one.
Even if your carry-on luggage is slightly bigger than its required dimensions, they’ll still let you in without paying extra.
But be careful with Air France, they’re really strict. They even weigh and check the dimensions of your carry-on at the airport. If it’s just slightly bigger, they’ll let you pay. It can get up to $50.
Don’t Forget To Do Online Check In
One more thing you’ll have to think of is doing online check in. Please remember to do your check-in on their website. Otherwise, they’ll charge you another $50 if you forget and do check in at the airport. It’s just how it works.
The online check-in is available from 72 hours to 2 hours before your flight. Just follow the instructions, and it’ll already generate your boarding pass. You can then print it or also have it on your phone.
How To Find Affordable Train Tickets
I like to look for train tickets on the website called Trainline. They have incredible discounts when it comes to trains all around Europe. However, I’ve heard a few people complaining about them. They said getting a refund for the ticket was difficult when they couldn’t take the train.
But let’s be honest. It’s usually painful getting a refund if anything happens. But I’ve been using Trainline for over 5 years and never had any issues with them.
It’s easy to book a ticket. Go to the Trainline website, look for the ticket from Milano Centrale or Geneva Airport to Zermatt, pay online, and they’ll send you the ticket directly to your email. You can show this ticket (with a QR code) to the train controller once you travel.
I always travel this way on trains in Europe, and it works perfectly.
Trainline has some of the most affordable train prices, so check them out.
You can also book your train tickets via Rail Europe. It’s an official website for European trains.
Best Hotels In Zermatt
Once you reach Zermatt, you’ll need a little rest before diving into more activities. Get a nice hotel if you’re only looking to stay for one night or more. These are the best hotels in Zermatt.
If you want to stay in the highest hotel in the Swiss Alps, book yourself at the Kulmhotel on Gornergrat. You’ll be surrounded by mountains, with the best views of Matterhorn. Breakfast and dinner are included:
- 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat – higest hotel in the Swiss Alps
More Tips For Switzerland Travel
This is the fastest way from Paris to Zermatt. It might seem complicated at first, but believe me. It's way easier than you think. I just provided you with full information for this journey. It might feel overwhelming at first. But I am sure it'll help you.
Generally, the easiest way to get from Paris to Zermatt is to fly from Charles de Gaulle or Orly airport to Geneva Airport in Switzerland. Then take a train directly from the Geneva Airport to Zermatt (with a change in Visp).
If you need more inspiration about things to do in Zermatt, check out my article about a day trip from Milan to Zermatt.
If you think of visiting anything else Switzerland, check out the best trains from Paris to Switzerland.
If you want to stay longer in Switzerland, get my 8-day Switzerland itinerary. It'll show you the highlights of the country. Once you're in Zermatt, take advantage of the opportunity to ride on Glacier Express, one of the beautiful Swiss panoramic trains.
Visit some of the best mountains in Switzerland, too. Or head to the Jungfrau region, which is the most stunning place in Europe for me.
Go to my Switzerland page for more inspiration about traveling in Switzerland.
Happy travels!
