Matt, Switzerland

[2] In 1879, the valley of the Linth river was connected to the Swiss railway network by the opening of the Swiss Northeastern Railway line from Weesen, but Matt, in the side-valley of the Sernf river, remained unserved.

This impacted the local economy, and various proposals were brought forward to provide rail service to the Sernf valley.

[4] The village of Matt is situated at an elevation of 831 m (2,726 ft) on the right bank of the Sernf river, whilst the hamlet of Weissenberge is located on the eastern slopes above Matt at an elevation of 1,266 m (4,154 ft).

Of the rest of the land, 0.8% is settled (buildings or roads) and the remainder (27.2%) is non-productive (rivers, glaciers or mountains).

[5] The Riseten Pass links Matt, via the valley of the Krauch stream, with the village of Weisstannen in the canton of St. Gallen.

The pass carries a hiking trail and crosses between the peaks of Wissgandstöckli and Foostock at an elevation of 2,189 m (7,182 ft).

[1] The Sernftalbus operates an hourly bus service linking Matt with Schwanden railway station, Elm, and other communities in the valley of the Sernf river between them.

Aerial view by Walter Mittelholzer (1923)
Matt im Sernftal 13. Juli 1811, by Hans Conrad Escher von der Linth
The village