PTR: Gornergrat to Visp

IS THIS THE LONGEST SHUTTLE-ABLE DESCENT IN THE WORLD?

You may have noticed, but we do rate Switzerland pretty highly as a mountain bike destination. It has open access on almost all trails, a crazily efficient public transport system to help for trail access, beautiful views and amazing food. And we think Switzerland has one of the longest descents which you can use public transport to access.

Zermatt is an alpine playground, and the train ride to Gornergrat at 3090m is a tourist attraction in itself, and a perfect way to access many of the hundreds of kilometres of trails around Zermatt on that side of the valley. But while there is a mellow trail from Zermatt to Visp, you can start your ride up at Gornergrat to really put some vertical descent into your day, and have a bit more of a technical challenge.

There are all sorts of ways down from the top, from ski roads, to technical singletrack, and now the new Sunnegga Flow trail as well – perfect for those who want immaculate berms and high speed fun in the forest. This in itself is a long descent, with over 1300m of drop. That's about two Cannonball runs. But a couple of years ago, the route from Zermatt down to Visp, way down in the valley was marked out. This trail is much more beginner or even family friendly. Best of all, you can catch a train from Visp back to Zermatt, with a quick train change at Tasch. Depending on the exact route you take from Gornergrat, you will have over 2500m of descending, less than 200m of climbing, and mostly assisted by rail.

If you only like hard and fast trails, we'd say only go to Zermatt. If you only want something to ride fast or mellow, you could start at Sunnegga, do the flow trail and carry on. Maybe you even meet the family in Zermatt and ride to Visp? We made a day of it, starting with a train to Gornergrat soon after 9am, and we had a long lunch at a hotel in Zermatt before starting the next section of trail. The route to Visp follows the train line, and goes past a huge rockfall. The Swiss Army actually needed to mine into the rockfall so the river could flow again – you can see this as you ride past, part way up the landslide!

It is worth checking the train timetable – they do run like clockwork so times are precise. The tickets aren't cheap, and you might base your route off the pricing - the most technical mountain biking is in Zermatt. If you're staying in Switzerland for a little while invest in a Half Card, which as you would expect reduces the cost of train, ferry or bus tickets by half.

With the EWS final based in Zermatt this September, this ride is a way to get a unique experience in on a wide variety of trails – with options to suit almost all abilities.

GETTING THERE

We stayed in Zermatt, the car-free alpine town. You can get a train here from anywhere in Switzerland, even Geneva or Zurich airports. Alternatively, drive to Tasch and leave your car parked there. Tasch also has some slightly cheaper accommodation, and you can ride up to Zermatt or take the train quite easily. myswitzerland.com/rail

TECHNICAL NATURE

The top section from Gornergrat is open and can be loose and exposed. But you also have a lot of options here. Whether you want exposed rocky lines, singletrack in the meadows, open ski roads, or buff flow trails, you have the choice. But where it is raw, it is raw. Consult the Bike School for some intel if you're in doubt. zermattbikeguide.ch

YOU’LL NEED

There are mountain restaurants but also mountain conditions. Pack a jacket, food, multitool, tube and pump as a minimum. But also take a map, or download Trailforks.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

When riding from Zermatt to Visp, keep an eye out for some trail options on the left along the valley. The marked way is easy to follow but very family friendly – there's a little more fun off the regular route. In fact, there are many small gondolas to take a bike on down the valley, with all sorts of trails to discover. If you choose to spend longer in the area – hunt them out. You should also look into the EuropaWeg trail around Graechen – it is truly epic. myswitzerland.com/mountainbike

BEST TIME OF YEAR

This is in the heart of the Alps, so you really want to aim for July or August. But September is good, and some locals say October can be great due to the changing colours of trees and quiet trails - just take some warm layers!

WHILE IN THE AREA

Ride some of the other 400km of trails, head to Glacier Paradise to play on the snow, go hiking, go climbing, and definitely use the wellness area in your hotel. Oh, and try the cheese! zermatt.ch

LOCAL BIKE SHOPS

Just ab out any sports store has hire bikes. But for a sweet ride and great service, you can't go past Bike Arena, the mountain bike specialist shop in Zermatt. They hire bikes, stock plenty of quality parts, and have all the know how. bikearenazermatt.ch