If you’re having a dilemma about which mountain excursion to make from Zermatt, why don’t you do both? If you don’t have much time and really want to see it all, including the top 2 Swiss mountain excursions (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat), it’s possible – let me show you how.
I’ve explored both excursions during my stay in Zermatt, so I’ve created a detailed itinerary for you to follow if you want to make both in a day.
Are you ready to check off 2 things from your Zermatt bucket list in a day? Follow my itinerary and explore with me!
Can You Do Gornergrat And Matterhorn Glacier Paradise In One Day?
Yes, visiting Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat in a day is possible.
In short, start the day in the morning by visiting Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Allocate about 4 hours, including the cable car rides and time spent in the station.
Around lunchtime, take the Matterhorn Express cable car to Furi (middle station; don’t ride back to Zermatt), and then change to another cable car from Furi to Riffelberg. From there, take the Gornergrat train to Gornergrat. Take the train from Gornergrat back to Zermatt.
Keep reading for a more detailed route, activity suggestions, and some hiking trails you can do along the way.
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Gornergrat And Matterhorn Glacier Paradise In One Day: Map
Here is a map that I’ve created for you so you can better picture where you’re going and which steps to follow:
Gornergrat & Matterhorn Glacier Paradise In One Day: Route & Itinerary & Time
Here is a detailed itinerary I’ve designed for you and the exact route to follow if you want to make both excursions in a day.
In short, follow these steps (and scroll down to see the description of each step):
- Take the Matterhorn Express cable car from Zermatt to Trockener Steg (via 2 middle stations – Furi & Schwarzsee, stay seated – approx. 25 minutes)
- Visit InfoCube & change to the 3S cable car from Trockener Steg to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (approx. 45 minutes)
- Explore Matterhorn Glacier Paradise (approx. 2 hours)
- Take the 3S cable car from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise back to Trockener Steg (approx. 12 minutes)
- Change to the Matterhorn Express cable car from Trockener Steg via Schwarzsee and get off at Furi station (approx. 16 minutes)
- Take another Matterhorn Express cable car, but in a different direction, from Furi to Riffelberg (approx. 14 minutes)
- Take the Gornergrat train from Riffelberg to Gornergrat (approx. 10 minutes)
- Explore Gornergrat (approx. 1 hour)
- Take the Gornergrat train from Gornergrat to Rotenboden (5 minutes)
- See Riffelsee lake and hike the Swiss Top Walk – from Rotenboden to Riffelberg station (2 hours)
- Take the Gornergrat train from Riffelberg station back to Zermatt (34 minutes)
1. Take The Matterhorn Express Cable Car From Zermatt To Trockener Steg: 8:30 am – 9:00 am
In the morning, walk to the cable car station called ‘Matterhorn Express’ in Zermatt. I recommend starting your day at the cable car station at 8:30 am (right after it starts to operate) to have enough time to explore it all and not be in a rush.
Take the Matterhorn Express cable car up to Trockener Steg station. There are 2 middle stations on the way (Furi and Schwarzsee), but stay seated in the cable car and get off only at Trockener Steg (the end station).
Enjoy the stunning views of Zermatt and get closer to Matterhorn.
2. Visit InfoCube & Change To The 3S Cable Car From Trockener Steg To Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: 9:00 am – 9:45 am
At around 9:00 am, you’ll reach Trockener Steg station. Here, I recommend getting outside of the station for a while and visiting the InfoCube.
The next journey is the 3S cable car to the top of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. This cable car ride is pretty impressive, and it’s the highest 3S cable car in the world (there are only 15 of these cable cars in the world).
3S stands for 3 cables, and you can learn about the science behind it and how they constructed this cable car above massive glaciers inside the InfoCube.
After, around 9:30 am, take the 3S cable car from Trockener Steg to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. This cable car ride is an experience on its own. You’ll ride above breathtaking glaciers; the scenery is dramatic, so have your camera ready.
3. Explore Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: 9:45 am – 11:45 am
At around 9:45 am, you’ll reach the top of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise – the highest mountain cable car station in Europe (3’883 m/12’400 ft.).
Allow about 2 hours to explore Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Enjoy the Cinema Lounge with videos about the glaciers and mountaineering, then lift up to the 360 viewing platform. Enjoy the breathtaking Alpine scenery of 14 glaciers, 38 peaks above 4’000 m/13’120 ft., and 3 different countries.
After, walk through the station tunnel and explore the Ice Palace.
At the end, walk outside the station and on the snow a bit. Soak it all up and just imagine – you’re at the highest cable car station in Europe. Isn’t it insane?
π READ ALSO: Best Of Switzerland Itinerary: 8 Days By Train
4. Take The 3S Cable Car From Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Back To Trockener Steg: 11:45 am – 12:30 pm
At approx. 11:45 am, take the 3S cable car from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise back to Trockener Steg.
Get off the station again, and I suggest walking to the Theodulgletschersee. It’s a beautiful lake that reflects Matterhorn, and it’ll be the closest you can get to Matterhorn. The entire scenery is unique, with grey and orange rocks. So enjoy the lake for a while.
The walk from the station to the lake is just about 10 minutes. So allow about 30 minutes overall.
5. Change To The Matterhorn Express Cable Car From Trockener Steg Via Schwarzsee & Get Off At Furi Station: 12:30 pm – 12:50 pm
At approx. 12:30 pm, take the Matterhorn Express cable car from Trockener Steg via Schwarzsee station and get off at Furi station (don’t ride all the way down to Zermatt).
6. Take Another Matterhorn Express Cable Car From Furi To Riffelberg: 12:55 pm – 1:20 pm
In Furi, change to another Matterhorn Express cable car to go to the Riffelberg station. Now, you’ve made it to the Gornergrat area; congratulations :). You can get to Riffelberg station at around 1:20 pm.
Enjoy some lunch at the Riffelberg station. There are two restaurants: Buffet & Bar Riffelberg (more casual) and Riffelhaus 1853 (fancier). Take some time to relax and breathe in.
7. Take The Gornergrat Train From Riffelberg To Gornergrat: 2:50 pm – 3:00 pm
At approx. 2:50 pm, take the Gornergrat train from Riffelberg station all the way up to Gornergrat. The train leaves regularly, approximately every 20 minutes, so you have time.
Check the timetable and current departure times via the SBB website.
8. Explore Gornergrat: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Welcome to Gornergrat (3’135 m/10’285 ft.). You’ll make it here at around 3:00 pm. Explore the station for a while, go to the ZOOM the Matterhorn @Gornergrat to experience VR flying above the Swiss mountains and learn more about mountain guides, glaciers, and mountaineering.
Then, walk behind the 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat (the second-highest hotel in Europe) to the viewing platform, where you can see massive glaciers and the highest Swiss mountain (Dufourspitze – 4’634 m/15’000 ft.).
Afterward, enter the chapel called Chapelle du Gornergrat Bernhard von Aosta. You can also go inside the souvenir shop and get some snacks.
If you still want to do some hiking or at least make 1 additional stop (which I highly recommend), spend about 1 hour on the top of Gornergrat.
If you don’t want to do anything else, you can also spend 2 hours on Gornergrat and then just take the train directly to Zermatt.
The last train from Gornergrat to Zermatt leaves at 8:07 pm. However, I highly recommend exploring a bit more because this part is what makes the Gornergrat excursion so special in my opinion.
π READ ALSO: 3 Days In Switzerland: 11 Itineraries For All Travellers & Seasons
9. Take The Gornergrat Train From Gornergrat To Rotenboden: 4:00 pm – 4:15 pm
So after you explore Gornergrat for about an hour, take the train from Gornergrat to the next first stop called ‘Rotenboden‘.
Get off at Rotenboden (at approx. 4:00 pm) and walk to the Riffelsee lake (approx. 10 minutes). This lake is so beautiful and offers a reflection of Matterhorn if the sky is clear.
10. See Riffelsee Lake & Hike The Swiss Top Walk: 4:15 pm – 6:15 pm
Spend some time hanging around Riffelsee Lake and maybe enjoy a picnic.
Afterward, hike the Swiss Top Walk from Riffelsee Lake to Riffelberg station. It’s an easy hike, mostly downhill, just following the pathway. The scenery is stunning, and you’ll see Matterhorn all the time.
The entire hike takes approx. 30 minutes. But if you’re stopping at every corner (because the scenery is so breathtaking), it might take you 50 minutes, LOL.
You can also pet and hang around with the Black Sheep on the way. There are QR codes that you can scan to locate the sheep.
You should get to Riffelberg station at approx. 6:00 pm – if you soak it all in, take your time, and slowly enjoy the lake, the hike, and finding the Black Sheep. No rush.
π READ ALSO: Honeymoon In Switzerland: How To Plan Your Romantic Gateway
11. Take The Gornergrat Train From Riffelberg Station Back To Zermatt: 6:15 pm – 6:45 pm
At approx. 6:15 pm, take the Gornergrat train from Riffelberg station back to Zermatt. It takes about 34 minutes, so you’ll return to Zermatt by 7:00 pm.
Congratulations, you have explored Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat with everything else these excursions offer within 1 day.
If you follow this itinerary, you have truly got the most out of it all and explored all the highlights.
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Gornergrat And Matterhorn Glacier Paradise In One Day: Price & Tickets
In this section, I’ll explain how much each excursion costs, which pass you can take, and which discounts you’ll get if you already have some sort of transportation pass.
π A single return ticket to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise costs 120 CHF.
π A single return ticket to Gornergrat costs 132 CHF.
β‘ PEAK2PEAK PASS – this pass is best if you want to do both excursions in one day, as it combines them. The pass costs 153 CHF and includes all the cable car rides to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and back to Furi, the Matterhorn Express cable car between Furi and Riffelberg station, and the Gornergrat train between Gornergrat and Zermatt.
So it’s 1 ticket for both excursions, and you’ll also save money with it.
β‘ If you have a Swiss Travel Pass or Half-Fare Card, you’ll get 50% off the full fare for each of these excursions.
You can get these extra discounted tickets at the Matterhorn Express cable car station in Zermatt when you start the excursion in the morning.
You’ll then get a separate ticket at Furi station for the cable car section to Riffelberg.
After, get a separate ticket for the train from Riffelberg to Gornergrat and back to Zermatt.
π READ ALSO: Is Switzerland Expensive? Ultimate Guide To Budget Your Trip
BONUS: Zermatt Itinerary For 2 Days
If you’re looking for more ideas for what to do in Zermatt, check out my free 2-day Zermatt itinerary.
It includes an exact schedule for each day and other activities I recommend you do during your stay. Get tips for the best restaurants, my favorite hotels and places to stay, and the best viewing points in town.
Click on the image below and get more ideas for Zermatt:
π READ ALSO: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Or Gornergrat: Which Is Better To Visit?
Get My Swiss Parking List
If you’re wondering what to wear for these mountain excursions and what to pack in general for your Swiss trip/time in Zermatt, get my free packing list for Switzerland by clicking on the image below:
FAQs
I’ve also answered some of the frequently asked questions about these two excursions, so check my answers below:
What Is The Difference Between Gornergrat And Matterhorn Glacier Paradise?
The main difference is the altitude (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is higher than Gornergrat), the transportation means (you’ll take cable cars to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and a train to Gornergrat), and the scenery is different.
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise has more dramatic scenery, with the highest peaks in the Alps and 14 glaciers, and you can also walk on the snow even in the summer.
Gornergrat has more diverse scenery, with glaciers and green meadows and flowers.
How Much Time Do You Need At Matterhorn Glacier Paradise?
2 hours is a great time to spend at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. If you also count the cable car journey and optional stops on the way, count with 4 – 5 hours for the entire excursion.
How Much Time Do You Need In Gornergrat?
1 – 2 hours is enough time to explore the top of Gornergrat. If you want to do more things around the Gornergrat area like hiking and finding the Black Sheep, count with 4 – 6 hours for the entire excursion.
How Do I Get From Glacier Paradise To Gornergrat?
The shortest way is to take the 3S cable car to Trockener Steg and then the Matterhorn Express cable car from Furi station. Get off in Furi and take another cable car to Riffelberg station.
From there, you’ll take the Gornergrat train to the top.
How To Get From Gornergrat to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise?
The shortest way is to take the train from Gornergrat to Riffelberg. Then, change the Matterhorn Express cable car to Furi.
In Furi, take another Matterhorn Express cable car to Trockener Steg. And then take the last 3S cable car to the top of the Matterhorn Glacier Express.
WRAP-UP: Visiting Matterhorn Glacier Paradise & Gornergrat In One Day
This is my full itinerary for you if you want to kill two birds with one stone and visit Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat in a day while enjoying all their highlights. It’ll be a full day and a lot to do, but you don’t have to be too much in a rush.
You’ll see everything and still soak it all in without being stressed. Take your time at each place and enjoy it fully. Also, take snacks and water bottles with you for the entire day to energize you.
If you have any questions or need help planning your time in Zermatt, contact me at info(at)voicesoftravel.com. I also create customized travel itineraries, so if you want me to plan your journey within Switzerland, let me know.
Happy Travelling!
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About the author: Nicoletta is a travel enthusiast and passionate language learner. While traveling, she loves to connect with locals using her language skills to learn about new cultures. Look for her skiing, hiking in the mountains, or exploring new destinations as she designs travel itineraries for her clients.
SWITZERLAND: Interested in more articles for Switzerland?
Check out my Switzerland Travel Page.