This town banned all cars except for tiny electric cars that you have to meet strict conditions to be able to drive
Published on Feb 28, 2026 at 12:18 AM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Feb 25, 2026 at 9:32 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
This Swiss town banned petrol cars decades ago.
You can’t just drive in, even if you want to.
And if you think you deserve a car there, you’ll need paperwork to prove it.
Welcome to one of the strictest car rules on Earth.
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Zermatt banned petrol cars completely
At the end of a narrow Alpine valley in southern Switzerland sits Zermatt, and petrol cars are simply not allowed inside the town.
Visitors drive as far as the neighboring village, park there, and take a train the rest of the way.
There is technically a road into the valley, but it’s tightly controlled, and regular combustion vehicles can’t enter the resort itself.
When modernization reached Zermatt in the 1980s, officials made a deliberate call.
Rather than letting internal combustion engines define the streets and then trying to scale them back later, they stopped them from arriving in the first place.
That decision has held for decades.
There are no gas stations in town.
No private petrol cars tucked into side streets.
The familiar hum of traffic that most cities accept as background noise simply doesn’t exist here.
But that doesn’t mean the town is vehicle-free.
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Tiny electric cars are allowed… but only under strict conditions
Instead of banning all transport, Zermatt built a tightly controlled electric-only system.
Small, low-speed electric vehicles are permitted, but only if there’s a clear need.
Businesses must apply to operate one and justify why it’s essential.
The local government reviews each request against strict criteria, and permits are typically temporary, lasting a few years before renewal is required.
Private ownership for convenience isn’t enough.
If you’re a resident who simply wants a car, the answer is no.
The vehicles that do qualify are compact and utilitarian – taxis, delivery vans, small buses, police cars, and work trucks.
They’re closer to old milk floats than modern road cars, designed for short distances and low speeds.
In total, there are only around 520 of them serving the entire town.
So while petrol engines are completely banned, electric vehicles exist.
Just in limited numbers, under firm rules, and only when the town decides they’re necessary.
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With roles at TEXT Journal, Bowen Street Press, Onya Magazine, and Swine Magazine on her CV, Molly joined Supercar Blondie in June 2025 as a Junior Content Writer. Having experience across copyediting, proofreading, reference checking, and production, she brings accuracy, clarity, and audience focus to her stories spanning automotive, tech, and lifestyle news.
