Zermatt: Elevating the Alpine Experience with Skidata Next-Generation Access Technology

 

Situated at the foot of the iconic Matterhorn – one of the world's most recognizable mountains – the resort attracts nearly 2 million visitors annually from across the globe. The resort boasts 220 kilometers of slopes, expanding to 360 kilometers when combined with Cervinia in Italy. Home to Europe's highest cogwheel railway, Zermatt needed an access solution that would elevate the guest experience across all their diverse attractions. 

Zermatt operates Europe's highest cogwheel railway, the Gornergrat Railway, which transports visitors from 1,600 meters to an impressive 3,100 meters at the summit. 

 

The resort selected SKIDATA's award-winning sMove system after a decade with their previous access solution. With over 200 gates installed, Zermatt became the largest sMove implementation worldwide, marking a conscious decision to move away from traditional turnstiles toward this innovative access technology.  

The resort also valued the opportunity to actively contribute to the development process, ensuring solutions optimized for alpine operations across all seasons.

Zermatt implemented SKIDATA's Smartphone Ski Pass with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) technology for mobile ticketing, significantly enhancing the guest experience. This smartphone-based system eliminates physical tickets by providing:

The SKIDATA Smartphone Ski Pass Solution serves as a cornerstone of Zermatt's commitment to innovation in the alpine tourism sector.

For an iconic destination like Zermatt, ensuring seamless access across diverse visitor types is essential. SKIDATA's sMove Wave system delivers this versatility through advanced radar sensor technology.

As noted by Zermatt's representative: "An access system should not be a barrier, but rather open the doors to the experience." The sMove gate achieves this vision perfectly, transforming access points into seamless gateways to the alpine adventure.

"After around ten years of operation with the existing system, we decided to carry out a complete replacement. And when you make a complete replacement, you always want something innovative, something new, and we saw that innovation in sMove." Matthias Amacker, Head of IT, Zermatt Bergbahnen AG