Trains resume service to Swiss ski resort Zermatt after heavy snowfall

Since heavy snowfall on Thursday, Zermatt had been cut off from the rest of the world. Keystone / Jean-Christophe Bott

Zermatt can once again be reached by train starting Saturday afternoon. The Alpine holiday resort was inaccessible by land for some time after heavy snowfall last Thursday.

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Several people were already waiting for their train in the vicinity of the railway station, said Zermatt’s mayor, Romy Biner-Hauser, when asked by news agency Keystone-SDA.

Trains on the Zermatt-Visp line in canton Valais will run every hour from 2.30 pm, the Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway announced on X on Saturday. The first train from Visp departs at 2:11 pm, while the first train from Zermatt is at 2:37 pm.

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However, the railway company warned that waiting times are to be expected. The shuttle train between Täsch and Zermatt will also be running according to schedule again from 2.35 pm. The road between Visp and Täsch is also open.

Access to Saas Fee is also possible again starting Saturday. The map of the Federal Roads Office no longer shows any disruptions between Saas Fee and Visp.

Despite an easing of the situation, the Valais authorities continued to urge caution on Saturday.

+ Authorities urge vigilance after heavy snowfall in southern Switzerland

Several avalanches fell in the canton, especially in the Upper Valais, the cantonal police told Keystone-SDA on Saturday. The risk of avalanches remains high, as heavy snowmelt is expected between Saturday and Sunday. There is also still a risk of falling trees.

Otherwise, however, the situation is ‘rather good overall’, said a police spokesperson.

The Great St. Bernard tunnel, one of the most important transit routes from Valais to Italy, will remain closed for a longer period of time. On Thursday, a large avalanche damaged a gallery on the Valais side of the tunnel over a length of 300 metres. According to the authorities, the closure is likely to remain in place until at least next Friday.

Translated from German with DeepL/gw

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