Gornergrat - Valais

Enjoy beautiful views from the Gornergrat

Available: all year round.

Example travel costs

Half Fare Card & Swiss Travel Pass: 48 Sfr return from Zermatt (rising to 66 Sfr Jul-Aug)

Travel on the Gornergrat cog railway and enjoy the beautiful views of Zermatt as it climbs 33 minutes to the summit station at 3,089m. Throughout the journey you will see the view constantly change as new sights are opened up during the ascent - you might even spot some mountain wildlife. Once you reach Gornegrat you will be rewarded with a breath-taking panorama of the high Alps and wonderful 'tongues' of glacier ice. From June to September, guided tours are available giving information about the flora and fauna, the mountains, history and glaciers (tickets available locally). The Kulmhotel offers a choice of a traditional stübli or a self service restaurant. Relax and enjoy the pure mountain air.

NEW - NOSTALCHIC CLASS

Experience the Gornergrat in a completely different way! A journey in an exclusive heritage coach with guaranteed window seat and regional culinary highlights through the day make for an unforgettable day. See here for further details. 

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Contact us to book your holiday

Call us on 0800 619 1200 or email us at info@swissholidayco.com

Cog railway to the sky

Europe's highest open-air cog railway brings passengers direct from Zermatt station (1,620m) to the summit of the Gornergrat (3,089m), 365 days a year. The ride takes 33 minutes and requires a vertical climb of 1,469m. The line leads over dramatic bridges, through galleries and tunnels, across forests of larch and Swiss stone pine, and past rocky ravines and mountain lakes.

On the ascent, the best seats with a view of the Matterhorn are on the right hand side. You may wish to purchase a Priority Boarding ticket which allows you to board 3 minutes before other passengers and thus pick your seat.  

Mountain panorama

The panorama is among the finest in the world. The views take in the Monte Rosa massif with Switzerland's highest peak (Dufourspitze, 4,634m); the second-largest glacier in the Alps, the Gorner Glacier; and a total of 29 mountains above 4,000m, including, of course, the Matterhorn in all its glory.

Europe's highest hotel

At the summit station on the Gornergrat, visitors can find Europe's highest-altitude hotel: the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat. Facilities include a restaurant, astronomical observatory and boutiques. The sun terrace offers amazing views of no less than 29 mountains which soar to over 4,000m, including the Matterhorn.  

If you would like to stay overnight at the Kulmhotel, please see here for more details. 

Zoom the Matterhorn interactive exhibition

This is a brand new way to experience the Matterhorn on the Gornergrat.

There are three elements to the exhibition:

Periscopes - amazing views of the Matterhorn itself via special periscopes, enabling you to see close geological details that you wouldn't be able to otherwise experience.

Four seasons - enjoy a light projection show allowing you to visualise the Matterhorn as it changes through the cycle of a year.

Paragliding flights - relax in a floating hammock while your virtual reality headset allows you to glide over the Matterhorn and the surrounding mountains.

Entry is free with a standard Gornergrat rail ticket; for other rail tickets/passes the entry price is 12 Sfr. 

Hiking to Lake Riffelsee

After just 10 minutes' walk from the Rotenboden station, you can already see the world famous sight of the Matterhorn reflected in the water of the Riffelsee. On certain dates, there is an early train from Zermatt, allowing you to see a magical sunrise over the Matterhorn and its reflection. 

You can continue on the trail for another hour to the Riffelberg, with fantastic views of the Matterhorn along the way. There are also hiking/walking opportunities from the Gornergrat back down to Zermatt.

Meet the sheep!

During the summer months, you may see the flock of black-nosed sheep, grazing on the alpine grass of the Gornergrat. They are famously cute with their black faces and white woolly coats! You can located the sheep via their GPS enabled collars and on Tues-Sun afternoons, you can chat with their shepherdess, Deborah, to find out more about them. Please be sure to wear sturdy shoes for your mountain adventure. 

The base station of the Gornergrat train is on the Bahnhofplatz in the centre of Zermatt and direct trains run frequently to the top in 33 minutes. From this vantage point, one of the most beautiful mountain panoramas in the world opens up - with a view of the Matterhorn.

Please check before travel for maintenance closures. 

Request your holiday quotation

Call us on 0800 619 1200 or email us at info@swissholidayco.com