Gornergrat Railway 2026: Prices from Zermatt, Pass Discounts and How to Plan It
+4The Gornergrat Railway takes you from Zermatt in 33 minutes up to 3,089 metres, the classic viewpoint for the Matterhorn, the Monte Rosa massif and the Gorner Glacier. In summer 2026 (May to October) the return ticket costs CHF 132 per adult (about US$160), in winter 2026/27 (November to April) CHF 102, and with a Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card or GA you pay half: CHF 66 in summer, CHF 51 in winter. If you see “from CHF 66” on a booking site, that is the one-way fare or the half-price return, not the full return. Below you find all 2026 prices including intermediate stations, the cheapest ticket for your pass, the combination with the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, and the November closure. To be clear: we have not been to Zermatt ourselves. Our July 2026 trip was in the Bernese Oberland, so this is a planning guide based on the Gornergrat Bahn’s 2026/27 price list and timetable, checked in October 2026.
Gornergrat Bahn return from Zermatt CHF 132 in summer, CHF 102 from November, half price with Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass; 'from CHF 66' is the one-way fare. Oct 2026.
Check Gornergrat ticket pricesGornergrat Railway at a glance
| Route | Zermatt to Gornergrat (3,089 m), cogwheel railway, 33 minutes |
|---|---|
| Return summer 2026 (May to October) | CHF 132 (≈ US$160), one way CHF 66 |
| Return winter 2026/27 (November to April) | CHF 102 (≈ US$123), one way CHF 51 |
| With a pass | Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card, GA: 50 percent (CHF 66 summer, CHF 51 winter); children 50 percent; Junior Travelcard free |
| Priority boarding | CHF 7 extra |
| Combination | Peak2Peak with Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: CHF 220 in July and August, CHF 165 in winter |
| Closure 2026 | No service from November 2 to 14, 2026 (construction work) |
| Getting to Zermatt | Car-free village: train from Visp or shuttle train from Täsch (12 minutes) |
| Dogs | Free according to the 2026/27 price list; the online booking terms ask for a half-price ticket for dogs over 30 cm without a carrier |
Prices from the Gornergrat Bahn price list 2026/27 and the joint offers of Zermatt Bergbahnen and Gornergrat Bahn 2026/27, booking options from Swiss Activities, checked October 19, 2026. US dollars at 1 CHF = 1.21 USD.
- What the Gornergrat is
- Gornergrat prices 2026/27
- Why “from CHF 66” is not the full return
- The cheapest ticket with your pass
- Gornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise on one day
- How to plan the ride: stops, Riffelsee, timing
- Getting to Zermatt
- Where to buy tickets
- Is the Gornergrat worth it, and for whom?
- Honest downsides
- FAQ
What the Gornergrat is
The Gornergrat is a rocky ridge above Zermatt in Valais, reached by a cogwheel railway that runs all year. From the summit station you look straight at the Matterhorn and at a horseshoe of four-thousand-metre peaks around the Gorner Glacier; the Gornergrat Bahn counts 28 of them.
The railway opened in 1898 and climbs from the station opposite Zermatt main station through forest and over the Findelbach viaduct to Riffelalp, Riffelberg and Rotenboden, and then along the ridge to the summit. The trains run on a regular timetable all year, with stops at every intermediate station, so you can get off on the way up or down. At the top are the Kulmhotel Gornergrat with its two observatory domes, a restaurant, a shopping area and the “Zooom the Matterhorn” exhibition, which Swiss Activities includes with its ticket.
What makes the Gornergrat the first choice for most Zermatt visitors is the view of the Matterhorn from the side where it looks the way people expect it to look: the sharp pyramid with its east face, seen across a valley, not from below. On a clear day it is one of the great views of the Alps.
Gornergrat prices 2026/27
The Gornergrat Bahn uses seasonal prices: from May to October 2026 the return from Zermatt to Gornergrat costs CHF 132, from November 2026 to April 2027 CHF 102. One-way tickets cost exactly half the return. The Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card and GA give 50 percent in both seasons.
| From Zermatt to (adults) | Summer return May to Oct 2026 | Winter return Nov 2026 to Apr 2027 | With pass or Half Fare, summer / winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gornergrat | CHF 132 (≈ US$160) | CHF 102 (≈ US$123) | CHF 66 / CHF 51 |
| Rotenboden (for the Riffelsee) | CHF 114 | CHF 96 | CHF 57 / CHF 48 |
| Riffelberg | CHF 84 | CHF 78 | CHF 42 / CHF 39 |
| Riffelalp | CHF 58 | CHF 56 | CHF 29 / CHF 28 |
| Priority boarding (separate waiting area) | CHF 7 extra | ||
Children pay half, and children with a Swiss Junior Travelcard travel free. Dogs ride free according to the joint 2026/27 price list with Zermatt Bergbahnen, but the online booking terms on gornergrat.ch ask for a half-price ticket for dogs over 30 cm without a carrier, so ask at the counter. The ticket is valid once on each section, so you can get off at Rotenboden, Riffelberg or Riffelalp and continue later the same day.
If you have to cancel: the Gornergrat Bahn refunds unused single tickets only against a processing fee of CHF 10. Swiss Activities offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before the travel date, which is the more flexible option when the weather is uncertain.
Why “from CHF 66” is not the full return
When you look for Gornergrat tickets online, you will often see “from CHF 66”. That is either the one-way fare in summer or the half-price return with a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card. The full return in summer 2026 costs CHF 132.
We checked this because the inventory of our partner showed CHF 66 as the lowest price, which looked too cheap for the most famous mountain railway in Zermatt. The answer is in the Swiss Activities product itself: it contains three options, the return Zermatt to Gornergrat and the one-way trips up and down, and the overview shows the cheapest one. The half-fare figure of CHF 33 that appears next to it is half of that one-way fare. Swiss Activities charges the operator’s prices; you just need to select “return” in the booking form.
The winter price of CHF 102 is a genuine saving. If your Zermatt trip falls in late autumn or winter, the Gornergrat costs CHF 30 less than in summer, and the views of the snow-covered Matterhorn are arguably even better. Mind the closure from November 2 to 14, 2026, when the railway does not run at all.
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The cheapest ticket with your pass
With a Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card or GA the Gornergrat costs CHF 66 in summer and CHF 51 in winter; with the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass also CHF 66 in summer; without a pass it costs CHF 132 in summer and CHF 102 in winter.
| Your situation | Gornergrat return, summer 2026 | Winter 2026/27 |
|---|---|---|
| Swiss Travel Pass | CHF 66 (≈ US$80) | CHF 51 |
| Swiss Half Fare Card (CHF 150 for a month) | CHF 66 | CHF 51 |
| Matterhorn Gotthard Pass | CHF 66 | check pass conditions |
| Peak Pass (several mountains, with Swiss Travel Pass 25 percent off) | 1 day from CHF 175.50 with pass | 1 day from CHF 142.50 with pass |
| No pass | CHF 132 (≈ US$160) | CHF 102 |
The Swiss Travel Pass does not make the Gornergrat free, but it covers the train to Zermatt, which is the big cost: a single ticket from Zurich main station to Zermatt takes about 3 hours 15 minutes, and a full-fare one-way ticket from Zurich Airport cost CHF 134 in our October 2026 check. Whether the pass pays off for your whole tour is a question of all your train days; our guide to the Swiss Travel Pass does that maths. For a few days around Zermatt, Andermatt and the Glacier Express route, compare the regional Matterhorn Gotthard Pass.
A Half Fare Card for CHF 150 pays for itself with the Gornergrat alone only if you also travel a fair distance by train: the saving on the Gornergrat is CHF 66 in summer, and half of a Zurich to Zermatt return adds well over CHF 100. Our guide to the Swiss Half Fare Card shows when it is the better buy.
Travelling without a car? The Swiss Travel Pass covers trains, buses and boats across the country and gives discounts on many mountain railways. Our pass guide shows when it pays off. Tip: Klook often shows discount codes at checkout (in October 2026 for example 5% off orders over US$300); whether one applies to the pass you see in the cart.
Check Swiss Travel Pass pricesGornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise on one day
If you want both great Zermatt viewpoints, the Peak2Peak ticket combines the Gornergrat and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise for CHF 220 per adult in July and August 2026, and CHF 165 from November 28, 2026 to April 18, 2027; with a Half Fare Card it is half. That is less than both summer returns bought separately.
Peak2Peak is a one-day ticket for both summits. There is also a separate Gornergrat round trip that goes up by cable car via Furi to Riffelberg and continues by cogwheel railway, but at CHF 133 to 141 in high summer it costs more than the plain return. Doing both summits in one day is long, though. Both summits are above 3,000 metres, and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise alone takes about 40 minutes each way with two changes. For most visitors we would split them into two days, or choose one.
Which one? The Gornergrat has the classic Matterhorn view and the glacier panorama, and is gentler on the body at about 3,100 metres. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is higher at 3,883 metres, has glacier, eternal snow and a view into Italy, but shows the Matterhorn from close up and from the side. If you only do one, most first-time visitors are happier with the Gornergrat.
For several mountain days, Zermatt Bergbahnen and the Gornergrat Bahn sell the Peak Pass for unlimited rides on Gornergrat, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Rothorn, Schwarzsee and the train between Randa, Täsch and Zermatt. One day costs CHF 234 in high summer (June to August 2026), CHF 212 in May and in September and October, and CHF 190 in winter; the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card give 25 percent off.
Gornergrat Bahn return from Zermatt CHF 132 in summer, CHF 102 from November, half price with Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass; 'from CHF 66' is the one-way fare. Oct 2026.
Check Gornergrat ticket pricesHow to plan the ride: stops, Riffelsee, timing
Plan three to five hours for the Gornergrat: 33 minutes up, one to two hours at the top, and ideally a walk from Rotenboden past the Riffelsee to Riffelberg on the way down.
- Sit on the right: the usual advice is to sit on the right-hand side in the direction of travel on the way up, where the Matterhorn appears. Board early in Zermatt to get a window seat.
- Rotenboden and Riffelsee: one station below the summit, the small Riffelsee lake mirrors the Matterhorn on calm mornings. The walk from Rotenboden past the lake to Riffelberg is mostly downhill and easy; you rejoin the train at Riffelberg with the same ticket.
- Riffelalp and Riffelberg: hotels and restaurants on the way, and starting points for hikes back down to Zermatt.
- At the summit: the viewing platform behind the Kulmhotel faces the Matterhorn, the other side looks down on the Gorner Glacier and Monte Rosa.
Go early. The first trains of the morning are quieter, the light on the Matterhorn is often best, and clouds tend to build up on the peaks around midday in summer. Priority boarding for CHF 7 is worth considering on busy summer days with tour groups. Check the Matterhorn webcam before you leave: if the mountain is hidden, it is better to go a day later than to pay CHF 132 for a white wall.
Getting to Zermatt
Zermatt is car-free. You arrive by train from Visp or Brig, or you drive to Täsch and take the frequent shuttle train, which takes 12 minutes. From Zurich main station the trip takes about 3 hours 15 minutes with a change in Visp.
- By train: Zurich to Zermatt about 3 hours 15 minutes, Interlaken Ost to Zermatt about 2 hours 30 minutes. All of it is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass.
- By car: park in Täsch (large terminal car park) and take the Zermatt shuttle; a return costs CHF 17.20 without a pass.
- In Zermatt: the Gornergrat Bahn station is directly opposite the main railway station, so you can go up the same day you arrive.
- By panoramic train: the Glacier Express from St. Moritz ends in Zermatt; our Glacier Express guide explains tickets and reservations.
A day trip to Zermatt from Zurich, Lucerne or Interlaken is possible but long; with five to six hours on the train for the round trip, one or two nights in Zermatt make the Gornergrat much more relaxed.
Where to buy tickets
You can buy Gornergrat tickets at the station in Zermatt, in the Gornergrat Bahn web shop or at Swiss Activities, which sells the operator’s ticket including the “Zooom the Matterhorn” exhibition, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
We link Swiss Activities because the ticket comes as a mobile ticket, the cancellation terms are better than the operator’s CHF 10 refund fee, and you can select your Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass in the form. Pick “return Zermatt to Gornergrat” to get the full trip. On the US version of the site the price appears in dollars and may be slightly above our conversion; you can switch the currency to Swiss francs.
Return or one way, 'Zooom the Matterhorn' included, free cancellation up to 24 h before. Choose 'return' for the full trip.
Check prices & availabilityEurope's highest cable car station at 3,883 m, Glacier Palace and viewing platform included.
Check prices & availabilityIs the Gornergrat worth it, and for whom?
The Gornergrat is worth it for almost everyone who comes to Zermatt in clear weather, because it delivers the classic Matterhorn view and a glacier panorama with very little effort. It is expensive in summer without a pass, and pointless in thick cloud.
- Worth it: first-time visitors to Zermatt; Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card holders, who pay CHF 66 in summer; families, because children pay half and the ride is short; photographers who go early.
- Think twice: if you only have a few hours in Zermatt and the Matterhorn is in cloud; if you are planning the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise the same day.
- Not worth it: on a day of low cloud. Check the webcam and keep a flexible ticket.
Compared with the other big mountains: the Gornergrat in summer costs as much as the Titlis plus a meal, roughly half the Jungfraujoch without a pass, and more than Pilatus. For the view per franc it is among the best, because the Matterhorn is right in front of you.
Honest downsides
The main downsides of the Gornergrat are the high summer price without a pass, full trains on fine summer mornings, and the long journey to Zermatt if you are not staying there.
- Price: CHF 132 for 33 minutes up and down is a lot. The winter price of CHF 102 and the half price with a pass soften it.
- Crowds: in July and August the trains from mid-morning are full. Go with the first trains or pay CHF 7 for priority boarding.
- Weather: the Matterhorn is often wrapped in cloud. You cannot plan it weeks ahead; a free-cancellation ticket helps.
- Altitude: at about 3,100 metres some people feel dizzy or short of breath. Walk slowly.
- November closure: from November 2 to 14, 2026 there is no service at all.
Gornergrat Bahn return from Zermatt CHF 132 in summer, CHF 102 from November, half price with Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass; 'from CHF 66' is the one-way fare. Oct 2026.
Check Gornergrat ticket pricesFAQ: Gornergrat Railway
How much is the Gornergrat Railway in 2026?
The return from Zermatt costs CHF 132 from May to October 2026 and CHF 102 from November 2026 to April 2027. With a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card you pay half.
Is the Gornergrat included in the Swiss Travel Pass?
No, but you get 50 percent off: CHF 66 for the return in summer, CHF 51 in winter. The train to Zermatt is free with the pass.
Which side should I sit on?
The usual advice is the right-hand side in the direction of travel on the way up; that is where the Matterhorn appears.
Gornergrat or Matterhorn Glacier Paradise?
For the classic Matterhorn view, the Gornergrat. For glacier, snow and the highest cable car station in Europe, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. The Peak2Peak ticket combines both.
How long should I plan for the Gornergrat?
Three to five hours: 33 minutes each way, one to two hours at the top, and time for the walk past the Riffelsee if the weather is good.
Can I take my dog on the Gornergrat Bahn?
Yes. According to the 2026/27 price list dogs travel free; the online booking terms ask for a half-price ticket for dogs over 30 cm without a carrier, so check at the counter.
The Gornergrat is the first mountain for most Zermatt visitors. Compare it with the other big excursions in our guide to Swiss mountain railways and excursions, read about its neighbour in our Matterhorn Glacier Paradise guide, and if you arrive by panoramic train, start with our Swiss scenic trains overview. Our own trip is in the Bernese Oberland guide, and every destination starts on the Swiss Detours home page.
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