How to Visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt, Switzerland (Things to Do, Maps, and More!)
A visit to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is one of Zermatt’s top things to do. From Zermatt, a series of cable cars will take you up to the highest viewing platform in Europe where you’ll get breathtaking views over the Alps and the Matterhorn. Plus, there are various sights, hikes, and activities at the cable car stations along the way up! In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt, including how to get there, when to go, things to do, and how to plan your time.
Does getting panoramic views of the snow-capped Alps from the highest viewing platform in Europe sound like something you’d have on your bucketlist?
Then head to Zermatt, Switzerland!
Known for its stunning views of the Matterhorn, this small mountain town is a picturesque destination in the Swiss Alps, filled with endless mountain views, scenic cable car rides, and epic hiking trails.
But one of the most popular things to do while in Zermatt is to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. This cable car station is the highest in Europe at 3,883 meters and sits on the summit of the Klein Matterhorn. From here, you’ll get breathtaking panoramic views of the Alps and their glaciers across three different countries- Switzerland, France, and Italy. While up here, you can also explore an underground ice palace, or even go summer skiing or snow tubing!
Despite being the main attraction, there’s more to do in this area than just visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. To get there, you’ll take a series of cable cars from the town of Zermatt, and along the way, you can stop at different mountain stations and explore each one.
In this guide, we’ll go over everything you need to know to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt. We’ll show you how to get from Zermatt to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and go over prices and timetables for the cable cars, share things to do at each of the cable car stations along the way, and give you our best tips for visiting the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, including the best time to go, what to bring, and more. Plus, we’ll share a few different ways of how to plan out your day.
So, let’s get to it!
In this Matterhorn Glacier Paradise guide:
How to get tickets for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable cars
Things to do on the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car route
The best time to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
Can you visit Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat in a day?
Tips for visiting the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
How to Get to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise From Zermatt
Epic views on the way to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
To get to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, you’ll take a series of lifts from the town of Zermatt.
There are two different cable car routes you can take from Zermatt depending on the time of year and time of day you are visiting the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. On each route, you’ll stop at a series of different mountain stations where you can get off and explore or continue up to the summit.
The two routes to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise are:
Zermatt to Furi to Trockener Steg to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Zermatt to Furi to Schwarzsee to Trockener Steg to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
As you can see, the two routes are pretty similar, except the second stops at one additional mountain station on the way up the mountain.
We’ll talk about tickets in just a bit, but for now, it’s good to know that you can buy one-way or roundtrip tickets from Zermatt to any of the mountain stations along the route, and you can get off at any intermediary station along the way to explore before hopping back on and continuing onward.
We’ll go over the each of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable cars now, and our experience riding them.
Map of Zermatt to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Below is a map of the cable car routes from Zermatt to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise so you can visualize the journey up the mountain!
This map of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car route shows each station and cable car lines in purple
Zermatt to Furi
The bottom station for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable cars is found at the far southern end of town, located here on Google Maps.
From the train station at the other end of town, it’s about a 20 minute walk (just over a kilometer) and will be slightly uphill, but you might be closer depending on where in Zermatt you are staying. Zermatt is pretty walkable, but if you want, you can take a free e-bus to the cable car station. You’ll want to take the Green Line (the Bergbahnen) which goes to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise lifts. Check out the list of bus stops here where you can hop on, as well as the Green Line timetables here.
Once at the cable car station, you can buy your tickets at the service desk or self-service kiosk, and then hop on an 8 person gondola for the ride up to Furi. The ride from Zermatt to Furi will take about 7 minutes, and will give you great views towards the Matterhorn, over small mountainside villages, and over the Gorner Gorge.
Cable cars hover over small mountain villages between Zermatt and Furi
Furi to Trockener Steg: The direct route
Once at Furi, follow signs to Trockener Steg where you’ll wait in line for a large cable car. There are only a couple of these trams running back and forth to Trockener Steg, so if it’s busy, you’ll have to wait a bit. But, these trams are big, and they fit a lot of people. It’s mostly standing room only (except for some benches along the front and back of the cable car) so if it’s particularly busy, be prepared to be squished on!
A crowded morning cable car in Furi
Hopefully you’ll be able to squeeze into a spot along a window, because the views from this cable car ride are stunning. As you leave the village and forests of Furi behind, you’ll really begin entering the alpine world as the scenery transforms into a rocky, barren, almost otherworldly landscape, and the views of the Matterhorn really start to get good.
The ride from Furi to Trockener Steg was about 8 minutes long.
The cable car leaving Furi
On the way from Furi to Trockener Steg, the landscape transforms into a gray and barren scene with amazing Matterhorn views
Furi to Schwarzsee to Trockener Steg
If you want to make the detour to Schwarzsee instead of going directly to Trockener Steg, then follow the signs to Schwarzsee at the Furi cable car station. Hop onto another 8 person gondola to continue up to the Schwarzsee cable car station, with great views up to the Matterhorn. This ride will take about 7 minutes.
Looking back down towards Zermatt from the Furi-Schwarzsee cable car
Once in Schwarzsee, you can hop off the cable car to explore or continue riding it up to Trockener Steg. This leg of the lift was closed when we were in Zermatt so we don’t have firsthand experience on this one, but it’s another quick ride with awesome views of the Matterhorn.
Trockener Steg to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
At Trockener Steg, follow signs to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, where you’ll hop onto a large 20+ person gondola (the Matterhorn Glacier Ride I) to the summit of the Klein Matterhorn.
The views from this gondola are absolutely breathtaking over the barren, almost desert-like landscape below, which contrasts beautifully with the ever- growing number of snow-capped peaks in the distance.
Epic views from the cable car between Trockener Steg and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Ahead, you’ll see the pointed summit of your destination- the Klein Matterhorn and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. The ride from Trockener Steg to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise takes about 10 minutes.
Standing in the cable car and looking up towards the summit of the Klein Matterhorn (where Matterhorn Glacier Paradise sits)
Matterhorn views from the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car
Upgrade your ride: For a slightly higher price, you can take a special gondola between Trockener Steg and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise called the Crystal Ride. These gondolas are a bit fancier, with nicer seats and decorative crystals- but the best part? A see-through glass floor where you can watch the landscape and glaciers move beneath you. These special gondolas use the same cable as the regular cable cars with the same views, but you might have to wait a bit longer for one as there are only a handful of them that are spaced out along the cable. You can buy this ticket online or in person at the Trockener Steg station. We didn’t take the Crystal Ride as we didn’t think it was worth it- the views from the regular cable car were great! But this is just something to think about if you’re looking for something different and unique.
How long does it take to get from Zermatt to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise?
All in all, it took us just over an hour to get from Zermatt to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. This was going straight through from Zermatt, to Furi, to Trockener Steg, to the summit without making any stops along the way (we would explore each station more when he headed back down).
However, it will likely take you less time than it did for us. We arrived at the bottom station in Zermatt in time to get the first lifts as they opened for the morning. However, when we got there, we were greeted by a huge crowd of skiiers and snowboarders looking to head up to the summit as it was a beautiful day out with some fresh snow from the previous days. So it was pretty busy, and at each station, we were stuck behind the group of skiiers and had to wait for them to clear before getting each subsequent lift- this increased our waiting times a bit.
The early morning crowds waiting to head up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Luckily, all the lifts are continuous, with the exception of the large tram from Furi to Trockener Steg- this was the only place where we really had to wait a while since there are only a few that go between these two stations. For all the other lifts, they cleared through people pretty quickly.
We did notice that once the morning bolus of skiiers cleared out, there weren’t any lines for any of the lifts, so it’s likely your journey up to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise will go more quickly. We’d say to plan for about 30 to 40 minutes to go straight through from Zermatt to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise summit.
How to Get Tickets for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Cable Cars
Like we mentioned above, you can buy one-way or roundtrip cable car tickets between Zermatt and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, or between any two stations along the cable car route.
With whatever ticket you buy, you can get off at any intermediate station to explore before getting back on and continuing the route.
It’s easy enough to head to the bottom cable car station in Zermatt and buy your tickets at the service desk, or at an easy-to-use self-service kiosk. We never experienced big lines in Zermatt to purchase tickets in person, so it was a pretty smooth process and we could always just buy tickets in person and then hop right onto the lifts without any problems.
You can also buy Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car tickets online in advance but we don’t think this is really necessary. And in fact, we wouldn’t recommend buying your Matterhorn Glacier Paradise tickets too far in advance anyway, because you want to wait long enough to make sure the forecast is going to be clear on the day you visit, and this typically means waiting to buy tickets one or two days in advance (if not the day of). If it’s going to be rainy or foggy, it’s really not worth the big ticket price to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
And speaking of big ticket prices…
How much do the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable cars cost?
Switzerland is an expensive place to visit- and Zermatt is no exception. Hitching a ride on the highest cable car in Europe to the highest viewing platform in Europe isn’t going to be a cheap excursion, but luckily there are ways to save money on this experience.
To see the costs of individual lift tickets, head to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise site. These charts show the one way and roundtrip prices for all the ticket combinations between each station.
You’ll see that prices vary by season, with the lowest prices from November to April, midrange prices in the Spring and Fall (May, June, September, and October), and the highest prices in the peak summer months of July and August.
Currently, a full price roundtrip ticket between Zermatt and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in peak season is 125 CHF, but make sure to check the website for all the most up-to-date prices.
How to save money on Matterhorn Glacier Paradise tickets
Luckily there are a few different ways to save some money for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable cars.
The first is to simply head up in the afternoon! The most popular time to head up to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is in the morning, as the skies are often most clear, and it gives people the whole day to explore.
However, if you have limited time and you know your visit is going to be quick, then you can buy a discounted afternoon ticket to head up any time after 1:30 pm.
The more common way to save some money is with the purchase of a local travel pass and/or a Swiss Travel Pass, which we’ll dive into now…
Is the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise on the Swiss Travel Pass?
The Swiss Travel Pass and the Swiss Half Fare Card are two commonly purchased money-saving passes that give great discounts on travel throughout the country.
The Swiss Travel Pass is a one-time purchase based on the number of days you plan on spending in the country, and it gets you free travel on most of Switzerland’s trains and buses, as well as half off most of the mountain lifts- including those in Zermatt.
This pass is pretty expensive, though, and is usually only good for people who really plan on doing an extensive amount of traveling in a short amount of time.
The Half Fare Card is often the best deal for people planning on visiting a few different areas in Switzerland. This card is good for an entire month and will get you half off of most train and bus travel, as well as most mountain lifts in the country, including those in Zermatt.
With both the Swiss Travel Pass and the Half Fare Card, the cable cars to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise are 50% off!
Plus, both cards also get you discounts on two other local Zermatt travel passes, the Peak Pass and the Peak2Peak Pass.
The Zermatt Peak Pass
The Peak Pass is a one-time purchase that gets you unlimited rides on most of the lifts in Zermatt, including all the cable cars from Zermatt to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
You can see prices and buy your Peak Pass here.
Again, prices differ depending on the season, with the highest rates in the summer (June through August). You can buy the pass based on the number of days you’ll be in Zermatt- these can be consecutive days or non-consecutive days (buying a pass for consecutive days is always the cheaper option).
With a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card, the Peak Pass is 25% off.
While the Peak Pass definitely sounds like a good deal, it might not actually be the most cost-effective way to travel around Zermatt. For us, this pass actually wasn’t worth it. We only planned to ride up and down each of Zermatt’s three peaks (Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Gornergrat, and Rothorn) just one time each, and after adding up the individual costs of all the tickets we’d need vs. the cost of the Peak Pass (after applying discounts with the Swiss Travel Pass), getting the individual tickets ended up being cheaper.
The Peak Pass is really only worth it if you didn’t purchase a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card- the Peak Pass actually becomes very worth it without one of those! Or, if you do have a Swiss Travel Pass, the Peak Pass is only worth it if you want to travel up and down the peaks multiple times during your time in Zermatt and really have a lot of flexibility with what you do. So it’s definitely a good idea to plan out a rough itinerary for Zermatt so you can figure out which lifts you’ll take, estimate the cost, and compare your options.
The Peak2Peak Pass
The Peak2Peak Pass is a good money-saving option for people who are short on time in Zermatt but want to be able to visit the two most popular places- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat (make sure to visit our Gornergrat Guide for tons more information on how to visit and things to do!).
This pass gives you discounted access to the lifts for both peaks and is good for one day.
What makes things easier is that there is a cable car that connects Furi to Riffelberg (a mountain station on the way up to Gornergrat). So rather than taking cable cars all the way back down to Zermatt and running across town to the bottom station for Gornergrat, you can take a shortcut between the two peaks! It really saves some time when you’re trying to visit both the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat in just a day.
Basically, you can take the lifts from Zermatt up to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, and when you’re done, return back down to Furi, where you will then connect to Riffleberg. From Riffelberg, you’ll head up to Gornergrat on a cogwheel train called the Gornergrat Bahn. After you’re done there, take the Gornergrat Bahn back to Zermatt.
Head here for current prices and to buy the Peak2Peak pass. This pass is only available in the summer (July and August) and winter (December to April) and is 50% off with a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card.
If you only have one day to visit both Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat, this pass is definitely the way to go and will save you money.
When are the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Cable Cars Open?
The cable cars to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise run year-round, but which specific lifts are operating, and their hours, differ depending on the time of year.
You can check the current Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car timetables here. After heading to the website, you can choose to view either the winter or summer tables.
Be sure to look at the timetables carefully! The timetables for each lift changes throughout the year, and there are also lots of footnotes to look at for individual lifts with their own separate opening and closing dates.
Some of the cable cars stop running altogether at certain times of the year or at certain times during the day. This will help you determine whether you can take the direct route from Furi to Trockener Steg or the route via Schwarzsee to Trockener Steg. For example, the cable car from Schwarzee to Trockener Steg stops running early (in early September) so the only way to the summit in the Fall is via the direct route to Trockener Steg.
Things to Do on the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Cable Car Route
Phew! We just went over a lot of information- but now that we covered everything you need to know about getting there, what is there to do at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise? And what about all the different stations along the way?
The good news is that there are plenty of really cool things to do along this Zermatt cable car route, and you can spend the whole day here if you wanted to! So, let’s dive in…
Things to do at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Sitting at 3,883 meters high, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is Europe’s highest mountain station. As if that fact alone isn’t cool enough to make you want to visit, there are a few things to do here to make the journey up worth it.
Once you get off the gondola, you’ll head down a hallway and come to some informational signs and a map. We thought it was a bit confusing at first, but the general gist is: take a left to visit the cinema lounge, and head right to get to everything else!
Take in the views
On the Klein Matterhorn, you can stand on the highest viewing platform in Europe! From here, you’ll get 360 degree panoramic views over the endless peaks of the Alps in three different countries- Switzerland, France, and Italy. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Mont Blanc in France, and up to the famous peaks of the Jungfrau region of Switzerland. And of course, you can see the Matterhorn- from up here you get a pretty unique perspective of it!
The unique view of the Matterhorn from the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise viewing terrace
Views of the snowy Alps from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Below (on the bottom right), you can see the Trockener Steg station.
To get to this viewing platform, you’ll take a tiny elevator up to the summit of the Klein Matterhorn and walk up a set of stairs. This viewing platform is small so it can get crowded- the earlier you can get here the better!
The stairs to the small viewing platform at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
The views towards the French Alps and Mont Blanc
When we visited, it was absolutely freezing up here, so be sure to have warm layers, and even a hat and gloves. Everything was frozen over and it was a little slick, so having shoes with good traction is also a good idea.
Visit the Glacier Palace
The Glacier Palace is a manmade world of ice located 15 meters beneath the Theodul Glacier on the Klein Matterhorn.
After taking an elevator down, you’ll walk through beautiful hallways and corridors of ice and get to see both manmade ice sculptures as well as natural ice formations scultped throughout the years, and there’s even a tiny ice slide you can ride down.
We didn’t have time to visit this which we are kind of bummed about, because it looks absolutely beautiful! We’d highly recommend making time for this (it will take just about 30 minutes or so to wander through). Check out pictures of the Glacier Palace here.
Watch films at the Cinema Lounge
Sit in a hanging pod and watch short films on the history of mountaineering in the area, the lifts, and the Alps in general. It’s a quick and easy thing to do if you need a break from the cold, or just want some more information about where you’re visiting!
Eat and shop at the Matterhorn Peak Shop
Grab lunch at the highest restaurant in Europe (talk about lunch with a view!), and then grab a souvenir at the shop nearby.
Go skiing in the summer
While you might never thought of strapping on a pair of skis in the summer- it’s possible in Zermatt! The Summer Snow Park at the Klein Matterhorn is the highest summer ski resort in Europe and is located right outside the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable station.
You can see the line of skiers heading up the slopes at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Prices for ski passes can be found here (summer rates apply from May through October).
You can rent skis in town and bring them up with you, or you can rent them at the station in Testa Grigia, the next thing on our list…
Take on the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing
From the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, you can cross over into Italy- the border is really just a hop, skip, and a jump (well, a cable car ride) away!
While the Matterhorn Glacier Ride I cable car brings you up to the Klein Matterhorn from Switzerland, the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II cable car goes from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise all the way down to the mountain village of Cervinia in Italy. However, there are a number of mountain stations in between.
The first stop from Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is Testa Grigia and the Plateau Rosa. This mountain station marks the border crossing into Italy, but it also has the SnowXperience Plateau Rosa activity park. There are ski trails here (including nice ones for beginners) and even snow tubing. You can rent all your ski equipment here as well.
Check out prices and buy tickets for the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II cable car here.
Things to Do at Trockener Steg
The Trockener Steg station in Zermatt
Trockener Steg is the cable car station that sits just below the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, and actually, this was one of our favorite places in Zermatt!
Sitting at 2939 meters, this barren alpine landscape seems otherworldly. From here, you’ll stare out across a reddish gray rocky landscape that might have you feeling like you’ve arrived on Mars if it weren’t for the beautiful backdrop of snow-capped mountains lining the horizon.
Oh yea, and the view of the Matterhorn from Trockener Steg is absolutely stunning!
It’s truly beautiful here, and definitely worth even just a quick visit to enjoy the views. But if you’re looking to spend more time here, there are a few other things to do at Trockener Steg.
Visit the Info Cube
The Info Cube at Trockener Steg
The Info Cube is a small museum that details the construction of the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing between Switzerland and Italy using pictures, short video clips, and displays. It’s a quick visit for those interested in the mechanics of the Zermatt cable cars.
See the Matterhorn’s reflection
Just a few minutes from the Trockener Steg station is small but incredibly scenic glacial lake, called Theodulgletschersee.
You can see this lake from the cable car station, and there will be a wide and well-trodden path through the gravel that leads down to its shore. Even if you don’t feel like going for a longer hike, it’s well worth it to make the quick walk to the lake.
The view of the lake from the cable car. You can see the faint trail to the lake towards the right of the picture.
The lake is perfectly backdropped by the towering Matterhorn, which feels closer than ever, and on a clear windless day, the reflections of the Matterhorn in this lake are absolutely perfect.
It’s also not a really busy place, either (surprisingly!)- so it’s a much different experience than Zermatt’s other more popular reflective lakes, like Riffelsee and Stellisee.
Picture-perfect Matterhorn reflections at the lake near Trockener Steg
Hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
If you’re looking to hike in Zermatt, this is the trail we recommend! The Matterhorn Glacier Trail is a point-to-point hike from Trockener Steg down to Schwarzsee through the remnants of past glacial retreat, and it’s our favorite hike in Zermatt!
For about 6 km (or 3.8 miles), you’ll cross through a barren alien landscape of gray gravel and red rock that’s spotted with small alpine lakes and tarns and backdropped by beautiful peaks and glaciers.
And the best part? The Matterhorn is in clear view the entire time. In fact, you’ll be walking right along the base of it as you head towards Schwarzsee. We never thought we’d get so close to the Matterhorn!
Up-close Matterhorn views from the Matterhorn Glacier Trail!
Lakes and mountain views along the Matterhorn Glacier Trail
If you start the hike at Trockener Steg, there are some brief areas of steep climbing, but overall, it’s a downhill hike to Schwarzsee. It’s a moderate hike with nothing too challenging or technical, but it is a rocky trail with lots of slick loose gravel, so it’s important to have the right footwear and to watch your footing.
Hike to the Hornlihutte
Another hike that starts at Trockner Steg is the hike to the Hornilutte. This hut sits at 3260 meters on the side of the Matterhorn and is used as a base for mountaineers looking to summit the famous mountain.
But even if you don’t plan to make a push for the summit, the Hornlihutte makes a great destination itself, because from here, you can basically reach out and touch the Matterhorn! Plus, the panoramic views of the Alps from this vantage point are stunning.
The Hornlihutte at the base of the Matterhorn
Views from the Hornlihutte
The trail to the Hornlihutte is an out-and-back detour off the Matterhorn Glacier Trail. Once off the Matterhorn Glacier Trail, the path becomes steep, rugged, and pretty challenging. There is quite a bit of exposure, along with metal platforms and rails, steep stairs, loose rock and gravel, rugged paths, and steep climbs. And all of this is at altitude, making the climb even more challenging.
Views from the Hornlihutte hike in Zermatt
The Hornlihutte hike is filled with interesting trail features, steep climbs, and a bit of exposure
If you’re up for the challenge and not too bothered by heights and exposure, the views you get from the Hornlihutte, and really, the entire hike up, are totally worth the climb.
Things to do at Schwarzsee
This mountain station is small, and a stay here probably won’t last too long. But it’s still worth it to stop here because Schwarzsee is actually the closest cable car station to the Matterhorn- so you can bet the views of the mountain from here will be amazing.
The view of the Matterhorn from the Schwarzsee station
If you don’t plan on doing any hiking in the area, stopping at Schwarzsee is especially worth it, because it will be as close as you’re gonna get to the famous peak, and it’s pretty cool!
From this vantage point at 2583 m, you get the most-well known silhouette of the mountain, quite different from what you see at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise or Trockener Steg. It’s a super scenic spot for pictures.
Like we said, a stay here probably won’t last too long before you hop back onto a cable car or set off for a hike, but it’s still worth getting off the gondola and exploring as you pass through.
Head down to Schwarzsee Lake
One of the first things you’ll probably notice when you hop off the gondola at Schwarszee (other than the Matterhorn of course), is the deep blue lake sitting just below the station. You can walk the easy gravel paths down to the lake to explore the shore and also see a small chapel called “Maria sum Scnhee”.
A view over Schwarzsee Lake and the chapel
Take a photo with the Zermatt sign
One of the most picturesque photo points in Zermatt is found here at Schwarzsee! Just a short walk from the cable car station, you’ll find a large Zermatt sign backdropped perfectly by the Matterhorn.
The iconic Zermatt sign at Schwarzsee
Hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail and/or to the Hornlihutte
Since the Matterhorn Glacier Trail is a point-to-point hike between Trockener Steg and Schwarzsee, you can also start this hike from here. We do recommend hiking the trail in the opposite direction, though (starting at Trockener Steg), since hiking from Schwarzsee would require much more uphill hiking. Plus, for most of the hike from Schwarzsee, the Matterhorn will be behind you rather than in front of you.
Matterhorn views from the Matterhorn Glacier Trail near Schwarzsee
You can also begin the hike to the Hornlihutte from here as well, as it is a detour off the Matterhorn Glacier Trail. It’s a shorter hike to the Hornlihutte from Schwarzsee than it is from Trockener Steg, but it will involve much more climbing at the beginning.
To learn more about either of these hikes, be sure to check out our guides to both the Matterhorn Glacier Trail and the Hornlihutte hike.
Things to do at Furi
Furi is not only a cable car station on the way to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, but a small mountain village sitting at 1867 m. You can wander the quaint village roads, enjoy views over Zermatt, and grab a bite to eat at one of Furi’s restaurants. It’s also the starting point for a few of Zermatt’s popular hikes.
The quaint hamlet of Furi
Hike to the Furi Suspension Bridge (the Hangebrucke)
Less than a kilometer away on an easy dirt path through the village, and then forest, is a 100 meter- long suspension bridge dangling 90 meters above the Gorner Gorge. For those not afraid of heights, this is quick walk to do if you have some extra time in Furi! From the bridge, you don’t get views of the Matterhorn, but you can see down into the gorge below and out over the town of Zermatt.
If you want to make the hike longer, instead of backtracking to Furi, you can make this hike a loop by continuing past the bridge and hiking through the Dossen Glacier Garden, which has various rock formations and features left behind by glacial retreat. There’s also a picnic area and playground here.
To complete the 3 km loop, continue the trail back to Furi.
A view of the Furi suspension bridge from the cable car
Hike from Furi to Zermatt
If you want spend some time on the trails rather than the cable cars, there are several trails between Furi and Zermatt that run along either side of the gorge. You can take the trails that weave down to the small hamlet of Zum See, where you can grab a bite to eat before continuing on, or you can cross over the gorge near Furi and head down that side.
Either way, we recommend visiting Gorner Gorge on your way back down to Zermatt. There is a small fee to enter (5.50 CHF- make sure to bring cash!), but you’ll get to enter the narrow gorge and walk on elevated wooden walkways along the cliff walls.
From the gorge, it’s just a 15 minute walk back to the southern end of Zermatt, around where the bottom station for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is located.
How Much Time Do You Need at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise?
Hiking above Schwarzsee (the cable car station in the distance)
As you can see from the list above, there are quite a few things to do along the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car route, and how long you need to explore depends on what exactly you want to do.
You’ll want to dedicate at least a half a day for Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. It will take about an hour to an hour and a half just to ride the cables cars round trip between Zermatt and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. Then, once at the summit, we’d say allow for one to two hours to enjoy the views, visit the Glacier Palace, and browse the shop or watch the short films at the cinema.
Right there alone would be about a half a day.
If you make quick stops at each of the other cable car stations to just walk around for a bit and admire the views, we’d say to add on another hour or so to your day.
However, if you also plan to do any of the hikes we mentioned above, particularly the Matterhorn Glacier Trail or the Hornlihutt hike, you’ll need to dedicate your entire day to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise area of Zermatt.
Because it’s a high ticket price, we’d recommend spending as much of your day as possible here, taking in the views, grabbing lunch, doing a hike, and really taking your time to explore everything possible.
Here are some way we would plan our time…
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise itinerary: how to plan your time
Below, we give both a half day and full day itinerary for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise area to give you some ideas of how to spend your time!
Half day at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise:
8:00am: Take the cable cars from Zermatt straight through to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at the summit.
8:45- 10:30am: Explore the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, take in the views, walk through the Glacier Palace, watch some short films at the Cinema Lounge, and grab a drink and browse the shop. When you’re done, head back down to Trockener Steg via the cable car.
10:45- 11:15 am: Explore Trockener Steg by walking down to the glacier lake and then checking out the InfoCube near the cable car station. When done, take the cable car to Schwarzsee.
11:30-12:00pm: Explore Schwarzsee by taking a photo at the Zermatt sign and walking around Schwarzsee Lake. When done, take the gondola down to Furi.
12:15- 1:15 pm: Have lunch in the village of Furi. If you have time, make the quick out and back hike to Hangebrucke (the Furi Suspension Bridge) before heading back down to Zermatt by cable car.
1:30 pm: Arrive back in Zermatt
Full day at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise:
8:00 am: Take the cable cars from Zermatt straight through to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise at the summit.
8:45- 10:00am: Explore the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise by heading to the viewing terrace and walking through the Glacier Palace. When done, head back down to Trockener Steg.
10:15- 4:00 pm: Hike the Matterhorn Glacier Trail. This will take about 2.5 hours. Add the detour to Hornlihutte Trail optionally for another approximately 3 to 3.5 hours of hiking.
4:00 pm: Take the gondola from Schwarzsee back to Furi and then down to Zermatt.
Or 1:00 pm: If you skipped the Hornlihutte hike, take the gondola to Furi and spend some time in Furi by grabbing a bite to eat, hiking to the Hangebrucke, and then hiking down to Zermatt via the Gorner Gorge.
4:30 pm: Arrive back in Zermatt.
Best Time to Visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is open year-round, but this guide focuses on a visit in the summer months, and the best time to visit depends on a few different factors: prices, lift timetables, weather, and crowds.
So, let’s go over each one now.
Prices
If you’re looking to save some money, then it matters when you visit Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. The cheapest prices for cable car tickets are in the winter months, but you can get midrange cable car prices in the shoulder seasons (May, June, September, and October). It’s not a huge savings, but every bit helps in an expensive country like Switzerland!
However, note that the Peak2Peak ticket is only available in the summer in the months of July and August. So if you visit in the shoulder months, you can’t take advantage of this money-saving pass. The Peak Pass, though, is available all year round.
Lift schedules
The timetables for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable cars change throughout the year. If you are really looking to make the most of your time in Zermatt, we recommend visiting in the peak summer months of July and August. This is because the lifts in Zermatt have longer daily runtimes, meaning you can get an earlier start to your days. This can definitely make a huge difference, especially if you have a limited time in Zermatt.
For example, we visited Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in September, when the lifts from Zermatt up to Furi and beyond didn’t start until 8:30 am. The last lift we needed to take down the mountain from Schwarzsee stopped at 4:40 pm. Because we wanted to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and do the Mattterhorn Glacier Trail and Hornlihutte hike all in one day, this meant that we really didn’t have much time to linger, and our day felt kind of rushed. We didn’t even have time to visit the Glacier Palace on the Klein Matterhorn, which was kind of a bummer. Had we visited in July or August, we would have had basically two more hours to our day where we could have visited more things and just overall felt less rushed through our hikes.
Also, some specific lifts stop running during certain times of the year. For example, the short cut cable car connection between Furi and Riffelberg (the Riffelberg Express), only operates in July and August. So if this is something you wanted to take advantage of, particularly if you had a very limited time in Zermatt, you might want to consider visiting Zermatt during these peak months.
Weather
We’d say the best time to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in terms of weather is between July and mid-September. This is when the weather is warmest, the days are long, and the hiking trails are most likely to be clear of snow. Snow can often linger on higher elevation trails like the Matterhorn Glacier Trail and Hornlihutte Trail well into June.
By September, the weather can become a bit unpredictable. Typically it’s nice, but when we visited, we experienced a whole range of temperatures and weather, from heat waves to polar vortexes and snow- so it really is a mixed bag!
As you can tell by our pictures, the mountains around Zermatt had a lot of snow on them in early September- which made the views extra magical! But that also meant lots of snow at the Klein Matterhorn summit, and even some ice along the hike to the Hornlihutte.
This is just to say if you plan on visiting Zermatt in September, be prepared for anything.
Freezing conditions at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in September!
In general, however, mountain weather is fickle and unpredictable. Forecasts change often, so we would suggest holding off on making any plans until a day or two in advance. If it’s raining and all the mountains are shrouded in clouds and fog, it probably wouldn’t be worth the huge ticket price to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, unfortunately. You can check forecasts on MeteoSwiss and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise website.
The Matterhorn itself tends to make its own weather and is often shrouded in clouds- even on an otherwise nice day. It can be hard to predict whether or not the Matterhorn will be out on any given day- you kind of just have to look outside and keep your fingers crossed!
In the summer, it’s pretty common for the mountain to be out in the morning and then clouded over by the afternoon, so planning on getting an early start to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is usually a good call.
Clouds move quickly and weather can change fast around the Matterhorn
One really useful thing is the webcams throughout Zermatt, including at the different stations along the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car route. Checking these out is a good way to decide if you think the journey up will be worth it or not.
In our opinion, if it’s a nice day out but the Matterhorn is hiding behind the clouds, we think it’s still worth visiting Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and the other cable car stations. You might not see the Matterhorn (which we admit would be a huge bummer) but there are still incredible views over the Alps, glaciers, and the barren glacier landscape below that make the trip worth it.
Crowds
Overall, we didn’t find the crowds in Zermatt to be too bad! We never had to wait in long lines, and never felt like any of the hiking trails were overly crowded. We did visit in September, though, so the peak months of July and August may feel a bit different.
We did experience a little bit of brief crowding on the way up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. We got to the cable car station in Zermatt early, hoping to get on one of the first gondolas up to Furi. However, when we got there, we noticed a huge crowd of skiiers waiting to get on the first lifts of the day for some summer skiing on a beautiful September day. Once the gondolas started running, though, they cleared through all the skiiers relatively quickly, though it did increase our waiting times at each subsequent station.
The morning rush up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
Once the skiiers cleared out, we noticed that there really weren’t any crowds or lines after that. We headed back down from the summit to Trockener Steg midmorning and there were zero lines for any cable cars and the lifts were pretty empty!
So our advice is that if you are trying to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise on a clear summer day, maybe don’t try to get the very first lifts up of the day- it’s likely the skiiers will be on these, so give it an hour and your journey to the summit will be much smoother and quicker.
So, what’s our overall take on the best time to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise?
We’d say getting an early morning start and visiting in either July or August is best! This will allow you to get the most out of your day and hopefully have the best chance at seeing the Matterhorn!
What to Pack for the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
Here are some things we’d recommend specifically for a visit to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.
Layers, gloves, and hat- Even in the summer, it can be pretty cold at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and as you walk through the underground ice world of the Glacier Palace. When we visited in September, the temperatures were below freezing and the entire viewing platform was frozen over! It was hard to even keep our hands out too long for taking pictures. So bundle up!
Good trail or hiking shoes- If you plan on doing any of the hikes between Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Zermatt, you’ll definitely want to wear the right hiking shoes with good traction and support as the trails in Zermatt can be slick and rugged. Even if you don’t plan on hiking, make sure to wear adequate shoes (i.e. sneakers) for walking around the Glacier Palace and exploring around each of the cable car stations.
Rocky and rugged terrain is the norm along the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car route
Sunscreen and other sun protection- You’ll be entirely exposed to the sun and at high altitude, so sun protection is key here!
Cash- This is always good to have for unexpected things that might come up. For example, the bathrooms at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise near the restaurant cost 2 CHF. Or, if you want to stop at Gorner Gorge on your way back to Zermatt, you’ll have to pay in cash.
Can You Visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat in One Day?
Both the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and the Gornergrat areas are two of the most popular places to visit in Zermatt, so this is a commonly asked question for those who are short on time.
The famous cogwheel train in Zermatt ascends the mountain to Gornergrat, with epic Matterhorn views. Gornergrat is another very popular place to visit in Zermatt!
And the answer is yes- you can definitely squeeze a visit to both peaks in just one day. You can’t plan for any longer hikes, but if you just want to be able to sightsee and catch views of the Matterhorn, then this is definitely possible.
A good way to do this is to buy the Peak2Peak Pass we mentioned above. It’s available in July and August and gives you one-day access to all the lifts for Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Gornergrat at a discounted price versus buying each ticket individually.
You can get an early morning start at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, and then head back down to Furi where you can take the Riffelberg Express cable car over to Riffleberg (a midstation on the way up to Gornergrat). From there, take the cogwheel train up to Gornergrat to spend the afternoon, and then take the train back down to Zermatt, stopping at whatever midstations you’d like along the way.
The nice thing about Gornergrat is that the train that runs up and down this peak operates until fairly late into the evening, making a visit to both of these peaks even more doable. This is why we’d recommend starting your day at Matterhorn Glacier Paradise first, and then ending at Gornergrat. This will allow you to maximize your one day in Zermatt.
Which is Better: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise or Gornergrat?
If you had to choose just one peak to spend your time on in Zermatt, which would we recommend?
Gosh, this is a tough one- truly. Both are great and have their own unique sights and hikes and both are definitely worth visiting.
I guess my take on it would be this:
If you are a strong hiker and want a challenging and scenic hike, visit Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. You can visit the summit for a bit for great views, but you’ll spend much of your day on the trail. The Matterhorn Glacier Trail combined with the hike to the Hornlihutte was our absolute favorite hike in Zermatt. You can get so close to the Matterhorn and you get to see it from a lot of different perspectives. But it is a long day and the hike does get challenging as you head up to the hut.
Hiking near Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
If you are wanting to do more sightseeing and then maybe one or two easy and short hikes, then visit Gornergrat. The views of the Matterhorn from the entire Gornergrat route are stunning. Plus, the views at the top of the Gorner Glacier and Monte Rosa Massif are incredible- it almost feels fake!
Epic views of the Gorner Glacier from Gornergrat
There are also a few short hikes that lead to one of the most iconic places in all of Zermatt- Riffelsee, the famous lake with the Matterhorn backdrop. In fact, the hike to Riffelsee can be as short as ten minutes if you want!
The famous Riffelsee Lake near Gornergrat
Tips for Visiting the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise in Zermatt
Here are just a few more tips for visiting the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise that are worth mentioning.
Keep a close eye on the time! As we’ve said before, it’s important to check all the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car timetables very carefully to know which lifts are operating and when they stop running for the day. You’ll want to have some rough idea of what your plans for the day will be so you know that you can make it in time for the last lift back to Zermatt. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck hiking all the way back down to town!
Check Zermatt webcams. We loved being able to check the various webcams around Zermatt to see if the Matterhorn was out before making any final decisions on what to do on any given day. Sometimes Zermatt was in an inversion, so it was foggy in town but webcams showed that the mountains were out at the higher cable car stations! Or, sometimes one part of Zermatt is clouded in while others aren’t, making the Matterhorn visible from, say, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise but not Gornergrat. Our advice is to be as flexible as you can (why we recommend not buying any lift tickets too far in advance!).
Expect to be affected by altitude. The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is over 3880 meters, and by taking the cable cars up from Zermatt, you’re making a quick change in elevation without any time to really acclimate. Expect to feel the effects a bit. If you plan to hike at all, you might find yourself going a little slower, especially on the uphill climbs, so be sure to factor this in when planning out your day and making sure you’ll be able to get any necessary cable cars back down.
Hang on to your passes! Once you scan your gondola pass to get onto a lift, make sure to keep that pass in a safe spot! You’ll need to scan it at every station when you get both on and off the lift.
Is the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Worth It?
We think so! It may seem kind of like a touristy thing to do, and it’s really expensive, but the views from the top of the Klein Matterhorn are truly stunning. Plus, you can really make a whole day of it if you wanted, and the hikes in this area of Zermatt were our favorites!
But we’d really only say it’s worth it if the weather is clear- without the views, we’d say this experience is too pricey for what you’d get.
But overall, if you made your way all the way to this corner of the world and are lucky enough to have some good weather, we definitely think a visit to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is worth it.
More Zermatt Guides
Looking for more things to do in Zermatt after your visit to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise? Check out all our Zermatt guides to help you plan your trip!
Best Things to Do in Zermatt + Complete Zermatt Travel Planning Guide!
How to Visit Gornergrat in Zermatt
How to Hike to Riffelsee: Zermatt’s Famous Lake
How to Visit Rothorn in Zermatt
The Matterhorn Glacier Trail in Zermatt: The Complete Guide
How to Hike to the Hornlihutte in Zermatt
The Kristalweigg Trail in Zermatt + Stellisee Lake
The Best Zermatt Itinerary for One to Four Days
Are you planning a trip to Zermatt and looking to visit the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise? Let us know if you have any questions and what you thought of the experience!