Zermatt Inside 2024 - 5 - English Translation and Summary

Summary of significant articles

Municipal and Citizen's Council elections are scheduled for this autumn for the 2025-2028 legislative period.
The Municipal Council (Gemeinderat) has nine candidates competing for seven seats using a proportional representation system.
The Citizen's Council (Burgerrat), with eight candidates for seven seats, will be decided by a majority vote system.
The article provides detailed logistical information, including key election dates in October and November 2024, and instructions for voting correctly.

Effective December 8, 2024, the red E-Bus line serving the Winkelmatten district will follow a new, shorter route.
The bus will no longer travel via the main train station and Spiss area, instead turning around at the Getwingbrücke to reduce traffic on narrow, busy streets.
This change aims to improve safety, increase service frequency to Winkelmatten, and reduce total bus kilometers traveled.
Passengers from Winkelmatten heading to the train station will need to transfer to the green bus line.

As part of its sustainability strategy, Zermatt is championing a shift from a linear "take-make-waste" model to a circular economy.
The initiative encourages the community to prioritize repairing, reusing, sharing, and upcycling to keep materials in circulation longer.
Local examples include the "Repair Café", bakeries using reusable coffee cup systems, and the Zermatt Bergbahnen upcycling old tarps into new products.
The article highlights that this transition requires community-wide collaboration to conserve resources and protect the local environment.

The highly successful open-air play, "The Matterhorn Story," will be revived for summer 2025, ten years after its premiere.
Performances depicting the dramatic first ascent of the Matterhorn will run from July 10 to August 29, 2025, on the Riffelberg.
Original author and director Livia Anne Richard will return to lead the production, which will feature a mix of professional and amateur actors.
The local Zermatt band Wintershome will create a new musical concept for the revival.

Zermatt will be one of six host locations in the canton of Valais for the 2025 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships.
The village will stage the "Short Track" cross-country races for elite and U23 categories on September 9, 2025.
A temporary 1.2 km circuit will be set up in the "Zen Stecken" area, with the elite races being broadcast live on Swiss television.
The event is seen as an opportunity to strengthen Zermatt's position as a biking destination, focusing on the quality of the experience.

Zermatt Tourism is launching a new digital marketplace to serve as a central hub for booking all tourism services in the destination.
The platform on zermatt.swiss will allow guests to book accommodation, activities, transportation, and ski passes in a single transaction.
Key goals are to enhance the guest experience, increase direct bookings, and reduce the destination's reliance on third-party online travel agencies.
The system will simplify administration for local partners and keep more revenue within the destination.

The Zermatt Bergbahnen, Gornergrat Bahn, and MGBahn are upgrading their lift access systems with new, innovative gates from Skidata for the upcoming winter season.
The new gates replace traditional turnstiles with a wide, folding mechanism, providing barrier-free passage for skiers, wheelchairs, strollers, and bikes.
Over 190 new readers will be installed across the resort, with 40 main access points receiving the wider double-gate system.
This technological upgrade also establishes the foundation for a future smartphone-based digital ticketing system.

Zermatt Bergbahnen has become one of the first Swiss lift companies to receive the internationally recognized TourCert sustainability certification.
The award acknowledges the company's comprehensive efforts across the economic, ecological, and social pillars of sustainability.
The evaluation assessed various factors, including corporate strategy, guest satisfaction, and environmental metrics like energy and water consumption.
Achieving the certification commits the company to a continuous improvement program with regular progress audits.

After a 21-year career, Fernando Lehner has stepped down as CEO of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGBahn) and Gornergrat Bahn (GGB).
Lehner, who became CEO in 2012, is recognized for overseeing major infrastructure projects and the modernization of the train fleets.
Egon Gsponer, formerly the Head of Infrastructure and Deputy CEO, assumed the role of CEO on October 1, 2024.
Gsponer brings extensive experience in railway engineering and project management to the position.

The MGBahn rail line between Visp and Täsch will be completely closed from October 14 to November 10, 2024.
The closure is necessary for extensive track renewals, repairs from recent flood damage, and accessibility upgrades to stations.
Replacement buses will be provided, but travelers are advised to plan for significant extra travel time.
Additionally, the Gornergrat Bahn will be fully closed from November 2 to 7 for track and switch maintenance, with no replacement service.