Matterhorn Alpine Crossing - Valais

Spectacular journey across the Alps into Italy

Available: all year round

Travel Costs

Half Fare Card & Swiss Travel Pass: 122 Sfr return from Zermatt (rising to 136 Sfr Jul-Aug)

A new cable car journey from the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise to Testa Grigia-Plateau Rosa on the Italian border means that visitors can now journey all the way from Zermatt to Breuil-Cervinia in Italy. Until now, only skiers could make that complete journey! The full journey takes around 90 minutes and involves a whole series of cable cars up and then down, most with a view of different facets of the Matterhorn. You can spend time at any of the interchange points en route, so this makes for a memorable full day trip.

On two of the stages, selected gondolas are decked out with Swarovski crystals and feature a glass floor for the ultimate 'crystal ride', where you feel as if you are flying. Additional 10 Sfrs payable per stage. 

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Contact us to book your holiday

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

Zermatt - Furi | 1,867m

Cattle have been grazing at Furi for hundreds of years and the old wooden barns give an impression of stepping back in time. You can cross the suspension bridge which spans the raging Gorner Gorge at a height of 90m. On the far side is the Dossen glacier garden where you can see glacial potholes and mysterious rock caves all formed 4,000 years ago. You can follow walking trails from Furi along ancient traces of the Gorner glacier, or along a romantic larch path to atmospheric Schwarzsee.

Furi - Schwarzsee | 2,583m

There is a cable car direct from Furi to the top of the mountain, but as an alternative you can take a side step to Schwarzsee. This is where some of the best photos of the iconic mountain can be taken. The imposing north and east faces rise high above you and all around are the fascinating glacial landscapes and rugged rock faces. There is also the atmospheric 'Maria zum Schnee' chapel on the edge of the lake. Visitors here enjoy walking around the lake and there are numerous restaurants near the route.

Furi or Schwarzsee - Trockener Steg | 2,939m

Trockener Steg is the spot where hiking trails end and summer skiing starts - a border between snow-covered scenery and rough rock walls. You see the Matterhorn in a completely different light here. Visitors here can go to the InfoCube and learn about the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing - which has been a project 80 years in the making. A great walk here is the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, which reveals the retreat of the glacier and the conditions then created for the flora and fauna of the region. Now and again, the wind blows down from the mountain peak and you catch a breath of the purest air.

Trockener Steg - Matterhorn Glacier Paradise | 3,883m

The journey up to the peak of the Klein Matterhorn mountain brings you to the highest mountain cable car station in Europe. The destination is known as the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Surrounded by 38 four-thousanders and 14 glaciers in 3 countries, you will have a captivating view over a world of snow and ice from the viewing platform. There are many activities to enjoy here, including a visit to the Glacier Palace with sparkling crystals of ice and detailed sculptures. The highest cinema in Europe will captivate you with a vision of the many aspects of Zermatt’s alpine world. There is a restaurant with amazing views through the panoramic windows, and a souvenir shop. While you are here you may spot summer skiers and freestylers in the Summer Snowpark.

This stage of the journey can be enjoyed in the 'crystal cabins' with a glass floor for amazing views.

Matterhorn Glacier Paradise - Testa Grigia-Plateau Rosa | 3,480m

This is the brand new cable car, allowing foot passengers to cross where once only skiers could do so. It is also the border crossing between Switzerland and Italy. At the mountain station, you can admire the wonderful view over the glacier and take a souvenir photo, with one foot in Italy and the other in Switzerland. A brand new activity park opens in August 2023 - the SnowXperience Plateau Rosa offers exhilarating snow tube descents and other fun activities. More sedate pleasures can be found at the Una Montagna di Lavoro museum. Take a short walk to enjoy the history of the region with historic photographs as well as tools and artefacts.

This stage of the journey can be enjoyed in the 'crystal cabins' with a glass floor for amazing views.

Testa Grigia-Plateau Rosa - Cime Bianche Laghi | 2,812m

In the midst of a rocky landscape lies the Cime Bianche Laghi station. As the name suggests, there is more than just rock and ice here: a fascinating lakeland world awaits discovery. Just behind the cableway station are the impressive waters of the Cime Bianche lakes, overlooked in the background by the towering Matterhorn, or 'Gran Becca' as it is known by the locals. It is well worth taking some time to explore the landscape and imposing scenery. 

Cime Bianche Laghi - Plan Maison | 2,555m

Travel further down the mountain and Plan Maison offers a wide range of activities and a fantastic view of the surrounding peaks, especially the Matterhorn. The Goillet reservoir occupies an old glacial basin and is an artificial lake that holds 12 million cubic metres of water - on sunny days, the Matterhorn can be seen reflected in the lake. It’s worth making a little detour to Lago Blu - a small lake surrounded by 100-year-old larch trees and fed by fresh spring water. Not far away are the three small Layet lakes, also fed by springs. Each has its own distinct colour set off by the lush green of the meadowland that stretches along the valley.

Plan Maison - Breuil-Cervinia | 2,050m

The final destination on your epic journey! Breuil-Cervinia is the Italian home of the Matterhorn, or as it is known by the locals, Gran Becca. Besides the superb natural surroundings and plethora of sporting activities on offer in Cervinia, the Italian cuisine is a treat not to be missed and we highly recommend finding a trattoria for lunch. The traditional figure of the mountain guide remains an important aspect of life here today, and the town celebrates many other traditions village life at the foot of the Matterhorn. In the wider Aosta Valley, there is a beautiful landscape to discover, with lakes and waterfalls, forests and meadows. 

Last ride back to Zermatt is at 15.00.

Your scenic journey departs from Zermatt's valley station and involves a series of cable cars which take you up and around the Matterhorn and into Italy. 

The transport network operates 08.30-17.00, with a longer sunrise/sunset timetable available from mid July-mid August. Last ride back from Cervinia to Zermatt is at 15.00. 

Please note that when the Furi-Trockener Steg section is closed, you can travel to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise via Schwarzsee at no extra cost. Please check before travel for maintenance closures on all sections of the journey.

Request your holiday quotation

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