IN A HURRY TO ZERMATT!!!!
 

Could anyone tell me the FASTEST way to get to Zermatt from the Zurich airport? Is there a small airline that could get us close, say to Berne, or is the train our only option?

Brig would be a lot closer than Bern. Not sure about air services..train or fast car may be your best bet.

I am fairly certain that the train is your best bet as cars are not allowed. Take the train to Brig, and from there is another smaller train that takes you to Zermatt.

For train service, use the web site http://www.sbb.ch/index_e.htm.

Do a Google with Zermatt and air service...got lots of Euros to spend?

The express trains from Zurich A/P to Brig or Visp, then the "cog" RR to Zermatt is probably fastest.
The drive is spectacular, but really Alpine and demanding especially in bad weather.
You can drive up as far as Tasch which is a huge parking lot of a village just N of Zermatt and take the train for a handful of SWF.

You can make it to Zermatt faster in a car from the Zürich airport than by train. Drive to Bern on the freeway and continue south to Spiez. Turn south at Spiez to Kandersteg and take the train ferry through the tunnel to Goppenstein. From there descend to the valley floor and turn left to Visp. Turn south and Visp and follow the road to Täsch where you park and take the shuttle train to Zermatt.

It is a 5 hour trip by train. I think you can make it in 4 by car. You have freeway all the way to Spiez. The road from Spiez to Kandersteg is a little slow because it is only 2 lanes, as is the road the rest of the way.

I drove to Zermatt from Lauterbrunnen is just a little over 2 hours two years ago, and thought that was the best way to do it.

In case you are wondering about Täsch, that is Zermatt's parking lot. Private cars go no closer to Zermatt, unless the driver knows something I don't.