Andermatt: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
For centuries the Schöllenen gorge was the hardest few kilometres between northern Europe and Italy, and whoever bridged it controlled the Gotthard road. A wooden bridge across the Reuss in the 13th century opened the pass to trade, and legend gave the credit to the devil. This route goes down from Andermatt through the rock tunnel, the bridges and the 1799 battlefield to Göschenen. You can drive it in ten minutes, but walking down the old path and taking the train back takes about two hours.
A short history of Andermatt
Andermatt lies in the Urseren valley, at the junction of several of Switzerland's most important mountain passes, and ever since the path through the Schöllenen Gorge and the "Devil's Bridge" opened in the 13th century, every traveller on the Gotthard route passed through it. In 1799 the Russian general Suvorov fought the French near the bridge, and a Russian monument cut into the rock still commemorates it. In 1882 the Gotthard railway tunnel opened, bypassing the village, and in the 20th century it lived mainly from the Swiss army base stationed there. When the army reduced its presence, a large resort was built here, and the Glacier Express stops at its station.
The ten best sights in Andermatt
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1St. Peter and Paul Church
The baroque parish church on the main street
2St. Kolumban ChurchThe old Romanesque church above the station, the oldest in the valley
3Ursern Valley MuseumSmall museum in an old house about life in the high valley
4Mariahilf ChapelA chapel on the hill over the village; five minutes up for the view
5Suvorov MonumentA huge cross cut into the rock of the gorge for the Russian soldiers of 1799
6Hospental TowerA medieval tower on a rock over the next village, ten minutes by car
7Gotthard Pass MuseumThe history of the pass, its hospice and its mule trains; summer only
8Devil's BridgeThe bridge over the roaring Reuss in the Schöllenen gorge, a short drive or walk down
9UrnerlochShort road tunnel through the rock at the top of the gorge
10Devil's StoneA 220-tonne boulder by the motorway at Göschenen, with a legend attached
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Andermatt →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Andermatt:
Free walking tours in Andermatt
Through the Schöllenen gorge
For centuries the Schöllenen gorge was the hardest few kilometres between northern Europe and Italy, and whoever bridged it controlled the Gotthard road. A wooden bridge across the Reuss in the 13th century opened the pass to trade, and legend gave the credit to the devil. This route goes down from Andermatt through the rock tunnel, the bridges and the 1799 battlefield to Göschenen. You can drive it in ten minutes, but walking down the old path and taking the train back takes about two hours.
- Urnerloch · Dug in 1707–08 by the engineer Pietro Morettini, this 64-metre passage is considered the first road tunnel in the Alps. Before it, travellers edged around the rock on a wooden walkway hung from chains.
- Devil's Bridge · The legend says the devil built the first bridge in exchange for the soul of the first to cross it, and the villagers sent a goat over. Today three bridges stack up here: the 1830 stone bridge, a modern road bridge, and the railway.
- Suvorov Monument · In September 1799 the Russian general Alexander Suvorov forced his way through this gorge against the French. The cross cut into the cliff was unveiled in 1898, and the land beneath it was given to Russia.
- Schöllenen · The rack railway from Göschenen climbs the gorge at gradients of up to 18 percent. It opened in 1917 and finally linked Andermatt to the main Gotthard line.
- Devil's Stone · Angry at being cheated, the devil fetched this rock to smash the bridge, but an old woman's cross made him drop it. When the motorway was built in the 1970s, the 220-tonne stone was moved about 127 metres rather than blown up.
- Göschenen · The Gotthard railway tunnel, opened in 1882, starts here; about 15 km long, it cost the lives of some 200 workers. Since 2016 most trains use the much longer base tunnel deep below.
To the source of the Rhine
From Andermatt the railway climbs in hairpins to the Oberalp Pass, the highest point of the whole Glacier Express. On the far side begins the canton of Graubünden, Romansh place names, and the first trickle of the Rhine. This route uses the train or the car to the pass, then a well-marked path to the source lake. Plan half a day, and only between June and October, when the path is free of snow.
- St. Kolumban Church · The church above the station is dedicated to Columbanus, the Irish monk who crossed the Alps around 600. It is the oldest church in the Ursern valley.
- Andermatt Station · Andermatt was for decades a Swiss army garrison town guarding the Gotthard. When the army shrank, the Egyptian investor Samih Sawiris built a new resort beside the station, opened in stages from 2013.
- Nätschen · The line climbs above the village in a series of hairpins, and Nätschen is the first stop on the slope. It is the place to look back over the whole Ursern valley.
- Oberalp Pass · The red lighthouse by the lake was set up in 2010 as a nod to the Rhine's mouth on the North Sea, 1,200 km away. At 2,033 metres, the railway here is the highest point of the Glacier Express.
- Lai da Tuma · This small lake at about 2,345 metres is considered the source of the Rhine. The water leaving it travels some 1,230 km to the sea.
- Sedrun · During the building of the Gotthard Base Tunnel, workers were lowered down a shaft about 800 metres deep here to dig from the middle. The village sits on the line just below the pass.
Over the Gotthard
The Gotthard was the shortest route from Germany to Italy, and this valley lived off the mule trains and carriages crossing it. Today the road over the pass is empty enough to enjoy, with an old hospice, cold lakes and a fortress hidden in the rock. The route drives south through Hospental to the top and then west to the steam railway at Realp. A day trip by car, open roughly June to October; at the top, Italian is spoken.
- Hospental Tower · The tower on the rock dates from the 13th century and guarded the road where the Gotthard and Furka routes meet. The village name comes from a hospice for travellers.
- Gotthard Pass · The old cobbled road on the Ticino side, the Tremola, winds down in about 24 hairpins. Many drivers choose it over the new road just for the ride.
- Lago della Piazza · The lake beside the hospice freezes for most of the year. Around it stand the hospice, the old customs house and the stables that once served the mail coaches.
- Gotthard Pass Museum · The museum fills the old customs and stable buildings and tells how the pass was crossed on foot, by mule and by the five-horse mail coach. The coaches ran until the railway tunnel opened in 1882.
- Sasso San Gottardo · This was one of the secret army fortresses of the Swiss national redoubt, kept classified until the end of the Cold War. Tunnels lead deep into the rock to old barracks, guns and a hall of giant quartz crystals found in the area.
- Furka Steam Railway · When the Furka base tunnel opened in 1982, the old mountain line was abandoned. Volunteers spent years restoring it, and steam trains now run again over the pass in summer.
Getting to Andermatt and getting around
- Andermatt Station · Glacier Express stop and the junction for Göschenen and the Oberalp line
- Göschenen · Down the gorge by rack railway; mainline trains through the old Gotthard tunnel stop here
- Gütsch-Express Gondola · Gondola from beside the station up to Nätschen and Gütsch, ski area in winter and trails in summer
- Gemsstock Cable Car · Two stages to almost 3,000 m; a viewing platform on top
Cheap eats in Andermatt
Andermatt sits in the canton of Uri, where the food is plain mountain cooking: Älplermagronen, macaroni baked with potatoes, cheese and cream and served with apple sauce, and cheese from the summer alps. Rye bread, cured meat and alp cheese make the classic picnic for the passes. Prices are Swiss, so lunch at a bakery or a supermarket saves a lot.
- Bäckerei Baumann · Bakery-café in the old village; a pastry and coffee about CHF 7-10
- Bahnhof Buffet · Station restaurant; a simple lunch dish about CHF 18-25
- Tavola 1620 · Takeaway pizza and pasta on the main street, about CHF 12-20
- Café Oberalp · Coffee and cake in the village, about CHF 6-10
- Mundart Café · Small café at the south end of the street, about CHF 6-12
- Coop · Sandwiches and salads to take up the pass, about CHF 5-10
Museums in Andermatt
- Ursern Valley Museum · Valley life and the old pass trade; open limited hours
- Gotthard Pass Museum · Mule trains and mail coaches at the top of the pass; summer
- Sasso San Gottardo · Army fortress in the rock; warm clothes, it is cold inside
- St. Kolumban Church · The valley's oldest church, above the station
- Hospental Tower · Medieval tower over the village; free to look around
Nature and day trips near Andermatt
- Schöllenen Gorge · Bridges and the roaring Reuss; walk down, train back
- Lai da Tuma · Source lake of the Rhine; 1.5 hours each way from the pass
- Gemsstock · Cable car to almost 3,000 m; glaciers and a ring of peaks
- Gotthard lakes · Small lakes and short walks around the hospice
- Mariahilf hill · Five minutes up from the village for the valley view
Things to do in Andermatt with kids
- Furka Steam Railway · Steam train rides from Realp in summer; book ahead
- Oberalp lighthouse · A lighthouse on a mountain pass; a fun stop on the way
- Gütsch-Express · Gondola rides and easy trails above the village
- Andermatt Golf Course · Flat paths around the course for a stroll with a buggy
- Devil's Bridge · The goat-and-devil legend makes this an easy sell to kids
Where to eat in Andermatt
- Gasthaus Ochsen · Old inn on the main street; Uri dishes and Älplermagronen
- Spycher · Cosy wooden restaurant; fondue and local dishes
- Gasthaus zum Sternen · Traditional inn with a wood-panelled dining room
- Restaurant Biselli · Italian cooking near the Piazza Gottardo
- Badus · Modern restaurant by the station; mountain dishes, higher prices
- The Chedi · The luxury hotel's restaurants and bar, for a splurge evening
Frequently asked questions about Andermatt
What is there to see in Andermatt?
The top sights in Andermatt are St. Peter and Paul Church, St. Kolumban Church and Ursern Valley Museum. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Andermatt?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Andermatt without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Andermatt?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Andermatt, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Through the Schöllenen gorge.
How do you get to Andermatt and get around?
The main ways are Andermatt Station, Göschenen and Gütsch-Express Gondola. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Andermatt, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Andermatt that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Andermatt for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.