At Andermatt station we have to walk across the tracks through the snow to platform 4 to catch our train. For the first hour we travel through snow passing many groups of cross-country skiers, their colourful ski gear standing out against the snow. As we descend, the snow becomes patchier. By the time we get to Fiesch, the snow has disappeared and groups of young boys board the train, each one carrying a skateboard. They chatter all the way down to Visp, the lowest point of the day - 600m. We change trains here for Zermatt. Ten minutes out of Visp and we start to climb. Clunk! The rack goes down on the train to grip the track. The Swiss are world experts at rack and pinion trains. There isn't a great deal of snow on the ground until we get closer to Zermatt. Switzerland, and indeed many parts of Europe, have had their warmest November in 40 years. The early snow which arrived in late October and promised so much, melted in November and there has been very little snow since. But as we pull in to Zermatt station, it starts to snow!! It is so crowded with skiers, all clunking around in their ski boots, skis over their shoulders and stocks in hand. Two of the three main ski areas are serviced from here. The train to Gornergrat leaves across the road from the main station and the cable car to Rothorn is only a five minute walk away.  Zermatt is a car free town and those who drive here must leave their cars at Tasch, 5km away, and catch the train up.  Each hotel in Zermatt has an electric shuttle bus which is used to collect the guests from the station.  There is a board at the station with a free phone to contact the hotel. Our driver arrives promptly and we drive through the snow to the hotel. The town buses, the taxis, the little trucks moving supplies, even the police cars are all electric and almost noiseless. We walk back into Zermatt.  There is a huge Christmas tree in the square in front of the station and shop windows and hotel balconies are draped with decorations.  I am fascinated by the number of Ugg boots I have seen in the shops in Switzerland and Zermatt is no exception.  One shoe shop has three walls of Uggs, boots, slippers, gloves, bags, absolutely everything!  As we wander in and out of the shops, the light fades, the street lights come on and Zermatt looks magical with the snow falling! We stayed at Hotel Dufour in room 22. We had a balcony which looked directly across to the Matterhorn.