Zermatt with Kids: Water Play, Trains and Museum

October 20, 2026

Travelling to Zermatt with children is easier than most Alpine resorts suggest. There is no traffic in the village, the trains are comfortable and several attractions give children free or half-price entry. The catch is the cost and the altitude. All prices are in Swiss francs (CHF) for adults unless stated, and the high stations at 3,000 m and above call for care with young ones.

Water play at Leisee

The best summer outing for children is Leisee, a small lake at Sunnegga reached by funicular from the village in about 4.5 minutes. Wolli’s adventure park sits beside it with water slides, water play, a wooden marble run and an adventure playground. A bathing beach slopes gently into the shallows, and a wooden raft is pulled along a rope across the water. There are barbecue areas with shade for picnics. You can walk from the funicular in roughly 10 minutes or take a shuttle that takes about 3. The water is cold and the sun is strong at altitude, so pack sun cream, towels and a jumper. Details are on the Zermatt tourism page for the park .

Stay out of the water at the Stellisee, which is a very cold glacial lake, and keep children away from the Mattervispa, which runs fast through the village.

Trains and cable cars

Gornergrat is the easiest high outing. From May to October the adult return is CHF 132, with children under 6 free and ages 6 to 15 at half price. From November to April the adult return is CHF 102 and children under 9 go free. A Swiss Junior Card means ages 6 to 15 ride free. The train pauses for around two weeks in early November, so look at the Gornergrat timetable before you plan.

Glacier Paradise is open only to children aged 3 and up, and young children may feel the height as a headache or tiredness. Ask them often how they feel, and go down to Trockener Steg or Furi if they are unwell.

Rainy-day options

The Matterhorn Museum is underground and covers the history of the village and mountaineering. Children up to age 9 go in free with an adult, ages 10 to 16 pay CHF 7 and adults CHF 12. Hours are in the afternoon and vary by season. The Gorner Gorge has railed wooden walkways and charges CHF 3 for ages 6 to 15, with under-6s free, and it is shut from about mid-October until the end of May. Carry a few francs in case the gate does not take cards.

Winter

An outdoor natural ice rink stands in the Sport- und Freizeitarena on Obere Matten. Admission is free, it is open in winter only and hours vary, so check them locally. Bavarian curling is also listed there.

Getting there and booking

Drive to Täsch and take the shuttle train, which runs about every 20 minutes during the day. A return costs CHF 17.20. Family experiences can be browsed on Viator .