Matterhorn Gotthard Pass 2026: Prices, Zermatt, Gornergrat and When It Pays Off
+2The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass is a regional pass for Upper Valais, Zermatt and the Gotthard region: on 2, 3 or 5 days of your choice within one month you ride the whole Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn network from Zermatt via Brig and Andermatt to Disentis free, plus BLS trains from Kandersteg, PostBuses in Upper Valais and the Leukerbad buses, and you get 50 percent off many mountain railways, including the Gornergrat. In 2026 it costs CHF 114 for 2 days, CHF 148 for 3 days and CHF 205 for 5 days (about US$138 to US$248), second class only. It pays off when you travel into Zermatt from Brig or Visp and ride a mountain or two, and it beats the Swiss Travel Pass and the Half Fare Card on trips that stay in this corner of Switzerland. It does not make the Gornergrat free, and if you already hold a Half Fare Card it rarely adds much. We have not been to Zermatt or used this pass ourselves; this guide is a planning guide built on the tariff of Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, BLS and PostAuto and on 2026 operator prices. It is part of our overview of Swiss rail passes.
The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass costs from CHF 114 for 2 days within a month (Oct 2026), as a mobile ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check Matterhorn Gotthard Pass pricesMatterhorn Gotthard Pass 2026 at a glance
| Pass (2nd class) | Adult | Half Fare Card holder, child 6 to 15 | Family (2 adults, up to 3 children) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days within 1 month | CHF 114 (≈ US$138) | CHF 66 | CHF 228 |
| 3 days within 1 month | CHF 148 (≈ US$179) | CHF 78 | CHF 296 |
| 5 days within 1 month | CHF 205 (≈ US$248) | CHF 102 | CHF 410 |
| Free travel | whole Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn network (Zermatt, Brig, Andermatt, Disentis, Göschenen), BLS trains Kandersteg to Domodossola, Salgesch to Brig to Domodossola, PostBuses in Upper Valais, buses Leuk to Leukerbad, Visp to Leuk | ||
| Discount | 50 percent on many mountain railways and leisure facilities, including Gornergrat and Zermatt Bergbahnen | ||
| Not included | 1st class, seat reservations, free mountain rides, family pass online | ||
Prices from BLS, PostAuto and Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, checked October 2026. Mountain prices from Gornergrat Bahn (2026/27 price list) and Swiss Activities. US dollars at 1 CHF = 1.21 USD.
- What the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass is
- Prices 2026 and who pays what
- Where it is valid
- Gornergrat and other mountains: 50 percent
- Glacier Express: the open question
- Three calculations with 2026 fares
- Is it worth it, and for whom?
- Compared with the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card
- Honest downsides
- How to buy and use it
- FAQ
What the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass is
The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass, MGPass for short and formerly called AdventureCard, is a flexible regional pass from Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn. You pick 2, 3 or 5 travel days within 30 days and on those days ride trains and buses in the region for free.
The heart of the network is the narrow gauge line that the Glacier Express also uses: from Zermatt down the Matter valley to Visp and Brig, through the Furka base tunnel to Andermatt, over the Oberalp Pass to Disentis, and the short, steep branch from Göschenen up to Andermatt. Around it the pass adds the BLS line from Kandersteg through the Lötschberg to Brig and on to Domodossola in Italy, the SBB and RegionAlps line from Salgesch, all PostBus lines in Upper Valais, and the buses to the thermal village of Leukerbad.
The flexible days are the strength of this pass. You can spend a week in Zermatt, use one pass day to get there, one for a mountain day and one to leave, and pay for nothing on the days you simply walk in the village. Unlike the Swiss Travel Pass, anyone can buy it, including people who live in Switzerland.
Prices 2026 and who pays what
An adult Matterhorn Gotthard Pass costs CHF 114 for 2 days, CHF 148 for 3 days and CHF 205 for 5 days. Holders of a Half Fare Card and children from 6 to 15 pay CHF 66, CHF 78 or CHF 102, and a family of up to two adults and three children pays CHF 228, CHF 296 or CHF 410.
| Matterhorn Gotthard Pass 2026 | 2 days | 3 days | 5 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | CHF 114 (≈ US$138) | CHF 148 (≈ US$179) | CHF 205 (≈ US$248) |
| Half Fare Card holder or child 6 to 15 | CHF 66 (≈ US$80) | CHF 78 (≈ US$94) | CHF 102 (≈ US$123) |
| Family (max. 2 adults and 3 children under 16) | CHF 228 (≈ US$276) | CHF 296 (≈ US$358) | CHF 410 (≈ US$496) |
The pass exists in second class only. It is personal and not transferable, there are no refunds or replacements, and dogs are not family members, so they need their own ticket. The family version is not sold online; you buy it at a station or on a bus in the area.
Two things are worth knowing about the reduced price. First, it is meant for holders of a Swiss Half Fare travelcard; whether the visitor version, the Swiss Half Fare Card, is accepted for it is not spelled out on the operators’ pages, so ask at the counter before you count on it. Second, Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn writes that Half Fare Card holders and children get no additional discount on mountain railways: the 50 percent stays 50 percent.
Where it is valid
On your pass days you travel free on the whole Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn, on BLS trains between Kandersteg, Brig and Domodossola, on the Salgesch to Brig to Domodossola line, on all PostBus lines in Upper Valais, on the Leuk to Leukerbad buses and on the RegionAlps bus from Visp to Leuk. BLS names the area as Spiez, Montana, Leukerbad, Zermatt, Saas-Fee, Brig, Domodossola, Andermatt, Disentis and Chur.
- Zermatt and the Matter valley: Visp or Brig to Zermatt, with all stops in between, including Täsch, where drivers leave their cars. The Täsch to Zermatt shuttle is part of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn; a return costs CHF 17.20 without a pass.
- Saas-Fee and Saas valley: by PostBus from Visp or Brig.
- Goms and Aletsch: the line from Brig up the Goms valley, with the stations for the Aletsch Arena cable cars.
- Andermatt and Gotthard: Realp, Andermatt, the Oberalp Pass, Sedrun and Disentis, and the Schöllenen line from Göschenen.
- Lötschberg and Kandersteg: BLS trains over the old Lötschberg mountain line, which links Valais with the Bernese Oberland.
- Leukerbad: the buses from Leuk, and the RegionAlps bus from Visp.
- Domodossola: trains through the Simplon tunnel into Italy.
PostBus pass routes over the central Alpine passes, such as the Grimsel, Furka or Nufenen, are not free: PostAuto lists them at 50 percent. Kandersteg is the one place in the area we know: on July 7, 2026 we drove there for the Oeschinensee, which shows how close the Bernese Oberland is. From Kandersteg the BLS trains run to Brig, and from there the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn climbs to Zermatt in about an hour and a half.
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Gornergrat and other mountains: 50 percent
The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass does not make mountain railways free. It gives 50 percent off many of them, and Swiss Activities names the Gornergrat Bahn and Zermatt Bergbahnen, which runs the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, among them. That is the same discount the Swiss Travel Pass and the Half Fare Card give on those two mountains.
| Mountain (2026) | Full price return | With Matterhorn Gotthard Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Zermatt to Gornergrat, May to October 2026 | CHF 132 | CHF 66 |
| Zermatt to Gornergrat, November 2026 to April 2027 | CHF 102 | CHF 51 |
| Zermatt to Riffelberg, May to October 2026 | CHF 84 | CHF 42 |
| Matterhorn Glacier Paradise from Zermatt | from CHF 120 (Swiss Activities) | about CHF 60 |
The Gornergrat figures come from the official 2026/27 price list of Gornergrat Bahn. Its own reduction rules name the Half Fare Card, GA and Swiss Travel Pass, but not the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass, which is why we rely on the pass description at Swiss Activities and Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn for the 50 percent. Show your pass at the ticket office and ask for the reduced ticket, and plan the mountain on one of your pass days, because the operators describe the discount as part of the pass validity.
A practical tip: because the discount is the same with a Half Fare Card, the mountain prices do not decide between those two. The trains to and from Zermatt do.
Glacier Express: the open question
The Glacier Express runs on Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn tracks between Zermatt and Disentis, but its official list of valid travel cards does not mention the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass. Before you plan the panoramic train on this pass, confirm it with Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn; the seat reservation of CHF 54 is always extra.
The Glacier Express website lists the Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card, GA, Saver Day Pass, Swiss Family Card, Eurail and Interrail as valid, among others. The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass page says the pass is valid on the entire network. Those two statements leave room for doubt, and we do not want you to stand at the door with the wrong ticket. The safe and cheap alternative: the regular regional trains on the same line, which are clearly covered, take a bit longer and have no reservation fee. For reference, the Glacier Express full fares in second class are CHF 41 from Brig to Zermatt, CHF 80 from Andermatt to Zermatt and CHF 166 for the whole route from St. Moritz.
All about the reservation, the classes and the route is in our Glacier Express guide.
The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass costs from CHF 114 for 2 days within a month (Oct 2026), as a mobile ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check Matterhorn Gotthard Pass pricesThree calculations with 2026 fares
On typical Zermatt trips by train the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass saves between CHF 34 and CHF 81 per adult against single tickets, and it is cheaper than the Half Fare Card in all three examples. The more train kilometres on your pass days, the bigger the saving.
Example 1: two days, Zermatt and Gornergrat from Brig
| Day | Trip | Single, CHF | Half Fare Card, CHF | MGPass 2 days, CHF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brig to Zermatt | 41.00 | 20.50 | 0 |
| 2 | Gornergrat return (summer); Zermatt to Brig | 132.00 + 41.00 | 66.00 + 20.50 | 66.00 + 0 |
| Price of the card or pass | 0 | 150.00 | 114.00 | |
| Total per adult | 214.00 | 257.00 | 180.00 (≈ US$218) | |
Example 2: three days in a week, Brig, Zermatt, Andermatt
| Day | Trip | Single, CHF | Half Fare Card, CHF | MGPass 3 days, CHF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brig to Zermatt | 41.00 | 20.50 | 0 |
| 2 | Gornergrat return (summer) | 132.00 | 66.00 | 66.00 |
| 3 | Zermatt to Andermatt | 80.00 | 40.00 | 0 |
| Price of the card or pass | 0 | 150.00 | 148.00 | |
| Total per adult | 253.00 | 276.50 | 214.00 (≈ US$259) | |
Example 3: five days in two weeks, with Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
| Day | Trip | Single, CHF | Half Fare Card, CHF | MGPass 5 days, CHF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brig to Zermatt | 41.00 | 20.50 | 0 |
| 2 | Gornergrat return (summer) | 132.00 | 66.00 | 66.00 |
| 3 | Matterhorn Glacier Paradise return | 120.00 | 60.00 | 60.00 |
| 4 | Zermatt to Andermatt | 80.00 | 40.00 | 0 |
| 5 | Andermatt to Brig | 39.00 | 19.50 | 0 |
| Price of the card or pass | 0 | 150.00 | 205.00 | |
| Total per adult | 412.00 | 356.00 | 331.00 (≈ US$401) | |
Train fares are the full second class fares that Glacier Express publishes for the same sections of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (Brig to Zermatt CHF 41, Andermatt to Zermatt CHF 80, Andermatt to Brig CHF 39). Gornergrat prices are from the official 2026/27 list, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise price is the October 2026 starting price at Swiss Activities, and for it we assumed 50 percent with both cards. Prices on the Glacier Paradise vary by season, so check your date.
What the tables also show: if you already have a Swiss Half Fare Card for a longer trip, the reduced MGPass (CHF 66 to 102) only pays off on days with long train rides. In example 2, a Half Fare Card holder pays CHF 126.50 in half-price tickets, or CHF 144 with the reduced 3-day MGPass. Then the pass is not worth it.
Is it worth it, and for whom?
The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass is worth it for travellers who reach Zermatt by train from Brig or Visp, stay a few days and continue towards Andermatt or the Goms, and who do not need a pass for the rest of Switzerland. It is not worth it if you only travel within Zermatt or arrive with a Swiss Travel Pass anyway.
- Worth it: a week in Zermatt or Saas-Fee with an arrival and departure day by train; a trip from Kandersteg or Brig to Zermatt and on to Andermatt; hikers using PostBuses in the Saas valley, the Goms or around Leukerbad; families, thanks to the family price.
- Not worth it: a stay in Zermatt with no train rides beyond the village (Zermatt is car-free and walkable); travellers with a Swiss Travel Pass, which already covers the trains and gives the same 50 percent on the Gornergrat; Half Fare Card holders with few train days.
- Drivers: if you park in Täsch, a 2-day pass only covers the shuttle (CHF 17.20 return) and a 50 percent mountain discount you would also get with a Half Fare Card. Single tickets are usually cheaper.
Compared with the Swiss Travel Pass and Half Fare Card
For a trip that stays in Upper Valais and the Gotthard region, the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass is cheaper than both the Swiss Travel Pass and the Half Fare Card. As soon as Zermatt is one stop on a tour from Zurich, Lucerne or Interlaken, the Swiss Travel Pass is usually the better tool.
- Swiss Travel Pass: from CHF 254 for 3 consecutive days, covers Zermatt, the Glacier Express route (reservation extra) and the whole country, Gornergrat 50 percent. On the 8-day example in our Swiss Travel Pass guide, with Zermatt as the final stop, the pass came out about level with the Half Fare Card. The Flex variant fits trips where only some days are travel days; see Swiss Travel Pass Flex.
- Swiss Half Fare Card: CHF 150 for one month, half price everywhere, including the Gornergrat. Best if your trip is long and Zermatt is only part of it. See our Half Fare Card guide.
- Saver Day Pass: for one long travel day, for example from Zurich to Zermatt, an early-bought Saver Day Pass can be cheaper than any of these; see Saver Day Pass.
- Bernese Oberland: the Bernese Oberland Pass reaches as far as Brig and the Lötschberg line, but not Zermatt.
If your route crosses the country, compare the Swiss Travel Pass first; resellers may add discount codes on top of the official price.
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 prices
Honest downsides
The Matterhorn Gotthard Pass is cheap and flexible, but it has gaps: no free mountains, second class only, unclear Glacier Express validity and a family pass you cannot buy online.
- Mountains are half price, not free. On a Gornergrat day you still pay CHF 66 in summer.
- Second class only. There is no first class pass.
- Glacier Express unclear. Ask before you rely on it, and budget CHF 54 for the reservation in any case.
- No refunds. Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn grants no refunds or replacements.
- Family pass only on site. You buy it at a station or on a bus in the area, not online.
- Dogs pay. They are not part of the family pass and need their own ticket.
- Half Fare holders gain little. No extra mountain discount on top, and the reduced pass only beats half-price tickets on long train days.
How to buy and use it
You can buy the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass online, at most stations in the area and from PostBus and LLB drivers. Swiss Activities sells it as a mobile ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before the first day.
- Choose 2, 3 or 5 days. The month runs from the date you select.
- Plan pass days around long rides. Arrival, departure and mountain days are the ones to cover.
- Buy mountain tickets at the counter and show the pass for the 50 percent.
- Reserve panoramic trains separately if you take them.
- Families: buy the family pass at a station in the area, for example in Brig or Visp.
2, 3 or 5 days within one month, 2nd class; mobile ticket, free cancellation up to 24 h before
Check prices & availabilityOperator price 2026: CHF 132 return May to October, CHF 102 November to April; 50 percent with pass or Half Fare Card
Check prices & availabilityCable car return from Zermatt to Europe's highest cable car station
Check prices & availabilityThe Matterhorn Gotthard Pass costs from CHF 114 for 2 days within a month (Oct 2026), as a mobile ticket with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Check Matterhorn Gotthard Pass pricesFAQ: Matterhorn Gotthard Pass
How much is the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass in 2026?
CHF 114 for 2 days, CHF 148 for 3 days and CHF 205 for 5 days within one month, second class. Half Fare Card holders and children pay CHF 66, 78 or 102.
Is the Gornergrat free with the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass?
No, you get 50 percent off. In summer 2026 the return from Zermatt costs CHF 66 instead of CHF 132.
Can I use the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass on the Glacier Express?
The Glacier Express list of valid travel cards does not mention it, although the pass covers the network. Confirm with Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn before you book; the seat reservation of CHF 54 is always extra.
Is the Täsch to Zermatt shuttle included?
The shuttle is run by Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and lies inside the pass network. Without a pass the return costs CHF 17.20.
Do the days have to be consecutive?
No. You choose 2, 3 or 5 days freely within one month from the start date.
Is it the same as the old AdventureCard?
Yes, the Matterhorn Gotthard Pass was previously called AdventureCard.
Check Matterhorn Gotthard Pass prices →
For a wider loop through Switzerland, compare all options in our Swiss rail pass guide, and if you continue east from Disentis, the Graubünden Pass takes over. Families can read how the Swiss Family Card works on national passes. The region we know from our own trip is next door: start with our Bernese Oberland guide or go back to the Swiss Detours home page.
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