Zermatt Switzerland
Client
Year
1998, 2002Services Rendered
In 1998, Ecosign prepared a master plan for the Zermatt Matterhornbahnen AG, one of the five lift companies that operate in the Matterhorn region surrounding Zermatt.
The five lift companies in Zermatt merged into one company in the fall of 2002 and Ecosign was retained to prepare a master plan for the new company Zermatt Bergbahnen AG. Zermatt Bergbahnen AG is currently the largest cable car company in Switzerland with an offering that attracts sports enthusiasts and holiday-makers from all over the world.
Since the merger completed in 2002, Zermatt Bergbahnen AG has invested more than CHF 556 million in implementing the Ecosign Master Plan. Annual skier days have risen about 75 percent to 1.4 million ski passes, plus an additional 430,000 annual summer lift tickets.
The Matterhorn Glacier ride was completed in the winter of 2018/19. This 3S cable car, the highest in the world, links the Trockener Steg station with the Klein Matterhorn station, situated 3,821 metres above sea level. The cost was CHF 60 million and construction time was two years due to the harsh environment. The connection from Klein Matterhorn to Testa Grigia (the Alpine Crossing) is in construction with a 3S cable car.
Zermatt is consistently rated one of the top ski areas in the Alps, and as one of the best ski areas in the world by Ski Resort Info.
1998
Ecosign prepared a Master Plan for Zermatt Matterhornbahnen AG, one of five lift companies operating in the Matterhorn region around Zermatt.
2001
Ecosign was commissioned by the Gemeinde Zermatt to study the village's existing and future building zones, documenting density, tourist beds, and skier walking distances to the access lifts in Zermatt Village.
2002
After the five lift companies merged into Zermatt Bergbahnen AG, Ecosign was hired to create a Master Plan for the new company, which became Switzerland's largest cable car company. The Master Plan has guided the investment of CHF 556 million over the years.
2009
In response to rapid growth in Zermatt in the early 2000s, neighbouring ski areas turned to Ecosign to assist in several connection studies, expanding Zermatt’s ski circus. Ecosign worked with Saas Fee on a three-lift Ski Area Master Plan to connect Saas Fee to Zermatt through Täsch. Ecosign was retained jointly by an Italian-Swiss cooperation to prepare the TraverseAlp Connection Study, a Technical Analysis of solutions linking Valtournenche Cervinia to Zermatt and Breuil. This detailed study included a framework for maintenance and investment of mountain infrastructure that extended over exposed, high alpine environments, crossing over international borders.
2018-19
The Matterhorn Glacier Ride, the highest 3S cable car in the world, was completed, linking Trockener Steg and Klein Matterhorn. This CHF 60 million project took two years to build due to harsh environmental conditions.
2023+
Construction of the Alpine Crossing, a 3S cable car connecting Klein Matterhorn to Testa Grigia, continues. Ecosign’s work has contributed to Zermatt being consistently rated as one of the top ski areas in the world.
"Ecosign worked out different successful master plans in Zermatt. First for the former Matterhorn-Bahnen AG, then for the former Zermatter Rothornbahn AG and finally, after the fusion of the companies in Zermatt, for Zermatt Bergbahnen AG. This plan was the basis for a very successful relaunch of the Zermatt ski area with an investment of over 300 Million. CHF.