Switzerland’s car-free mountain town is zero-pollution—Zermatt is so clean even bank robbers ride bikes!

Zermatt is located in the center of a valley, surrounded by breathtaking natural alpine landscapes. Among them, the most famous is the Matterhorn, which even the well-known Swiss Toblerone chocolate uses as its brand logo. It is said that the summit of the Matterhorn changes color with the light, especially at sunrise, when golden rays shine on its peak—a beauty so stunning it could bring tears to your eyes.

▲The village of Zermatt is surrounded by majestic peaks, offering an exceptionally pristine environment. In the morning, mist rises from the mountains, and the air is crisp and refreshing, making it a perfect place for visitors to wander around. (Photo / Reporter Zhong Yubin)

However, Zermatt isn’t just captivating because of its mountains, which attract large numbers of skiers; its rigorously implemented environmental policies are also highly worthy of being learned from and emulated by other countries. Within this town,“cars are completely banned,”meaning that any vehicle using gasoline is not allowed to drive in Zermatt,so if visitors from out of town want to come, they can only reach it by train and then move around on foot or by electric taxi.

According to Yang Zhenfa, a Swiss travel expert from Taiyong Travel Agency, Swiss policies are often determined through public referendums. Regardless of whether the number of participants meets a certain proportion, once the results are in, people will always “respect the majority,” fully adhering to and executing the outcome. In the past, there was a bank robbery in Zermatt, and it’s reported that even the criminals rode bikes while committing the crime. There’s only one road outside the bank, and the robbers successfully escaped by bike and have never been caught. He joked,“Even the robbers follow environmental rules!”

▲The streets of Zermatt are very clean and picturesque, offering a refreshing feeling. (Photo / Reporter Zhong Yubin)

Whether it’s mail carriers, police officers, or drivers, everyone rides electric vehicles, so the entire mountain town not only has fresh air but is also very quiet.No wonder some say that Switzerland’s true specialty isn’t luxury watches—those are just superficial—the real treasures are the air and water.Come here to breathe deeply, drink ultra-natural pure water, and admire the beautiful mountain views—it feels like you’ve gained a few more years of life.

▲In addition to electric vehicles, Zermatt has no vehicle emissions, so there’s no air pollution either.