Andermatt Swiss Alps, a new upscale development in Andermatt by Samir Sawiris of Orascom, is on its track. The new resort will be positioned on a level with well known alpine ski resorts, offering the same standards and even beyond. Weeks ago, the resort celebrated its ground breaking ceremony and construction has begun.
Andermatt is more or less known as a former military facility where many of the male Swiss citizens spent their military service. Exactly, these former military facilities are now used for the development which will feature 4* and 5* hotels, a 18 hole PGA golf course, sport facilities, an new commercial railroad station and a village like residential zone with apartments as well as villas. The developer is also investing in the ski resort what is one of the best free ride paradises in the Swiss Alps. All the current ski areas such as Gemstock, Nätschen, Gütsch, Oberalp and Sedrun will be connected with each other and upgraded in its infrastructure to become a well served and great winter sport destination.
Andermatt is ideally located only a short drive away from Zurich and Milan what makes it really interesting for city dweller and some foreigner who will appreciate the convenient connection of the location by plane, train or car.
Representatives of the EREN group (European Real Estate Network), where Wetag Consulting is one of the founding members and has been represented by Ueli Schnorf (CEO of Wetag Consulting) and my humble self, were visiting the headquarter and construction site last Friday, the 23rd of October. We were introduced to the team of Orascom and the Andermatt Swiss Alps resort and got a sneak preview of the whole development, its design and architecture as well as its current state. One of the leading architects of the development, who is counseling the developer on the design selection procedure, showed us all the current 38 designs of the new apartment and hotel buildings. The architecture is overall surprisingly fresh, but still referring to the Swiss architecture of alpine buildings featuring traditional textures and designs, but in a modern context.
We also got taken to the actual site where we got a nice overview of the whole development and with the previous presentation we could already imagine how everything will look like once it’s finished - at least we could obtain a sense where all the new facilities will be located and fit into the current surrounding.
In my opinion, the Andermatt Swiss Alps resort will be a great addition to current alpine destinations and even more become one of the trend setters for Swiss tourism and activity/leisure destinations in the Alps. Not to forget to mention that it will be much easier to invest in real estate since the ever-present “Lex Koller” law will not apply for the resort. That means, foreigners are allowed to purchase a property without facing all the restrictions.
Posted By: 
Peter Rabitz
Andermatt serves as a crossroads between southern Switzerland and the North as well as between eastern Switzerland i.e. Graubünden/Grisons and Western Switzerland, i.e. Valais, Berne and the Swiss Romande. The town is thus connected by four Alpine passes: the Oberalp Pass to the East, the St. Gotthard Pass (6,916 ft) to the South, the Realp Pass (5,046 ft) and the Furka Pass (7,992 ft) to the West, as well as the Göscheneralp Pass (5,850 ft) to the North. The Schöllenen Gorge in the Reuss Valley between Andermatt and Göschenen is the location of the infamous Devil's Bridge.
