Gornergrat: How to Visit & One Day Itinerary

The Gornergrat is our favorite place to enjoy Matterhorn views. It’s easy to access with a cogwheel mountain train, which takes you up to the viewpoint at 3089m. At the top, you have a clear view of the Matterhorn, as well the impressive Gorner glacier and dozens of other tall peaks.

Of course, it can be crowded, especially in high season. But there’s lots of room to wander (most of it safe for kids with barriers) and many places to lounge and soak in the view. There are also plenty of services at the top, including a restaurant, gift shops, and hotel.

As part of this outing, you should definitely visit the nearby Riffelsee lake, a short walk from the train station. Even better, try one of the easy hiking options, allowing you to leave the crowds behind and enjoy the Matterhorn view a little longer.

➡️ Book tickets & Priority Boarding here.

Gornergrat Overview

Here is the Zermatt Summer Map. The Gornergrat area in the mountain in the middle of the map. 

The map below shows the Gornergratbahn mountain train traveling from Zermatt up to the viewpoint (blue dashed line).

Typical itinerary:

1. Board Gornergratbahn mountain train in Zermatt.
2. Ride up to Gornergrat peak with various viewpoints, restaurant and hotel.
3. Ride train or hike down to Rotenboden.
4. Short walk down to Riffelsee lake. Walk back to Rotenboden station and ride down to Zermatt.
5. Or hike to Riffelberg and board train there.
6. Or hike to Riffelalp and board train there.

How to get there

The Gornergrat mountain is located in Zermatt, in southern Switzerland (see on Google Maps). It is reached with a mountain train that goes from the Zermatt village to the Gornergrat viewpoint at 3089m.

The Gornergrat train station is directly across from the Zermatt train station. You can’t miss it. See on map.

If you are staying in Zermatt: Simply walk to the Zermatt main train station or take any bus that goes to the train station.

To Zermatt by train: Simply take a train to Zermatt and exit the station. The Gornergrat mountain train station is directly across the street. 

To Zermatt by car: You cannot drive directly to Zermatt because it is a car-free village. So drive to Täsch (Bahnhofstrasse 1, 3929 Täsch) and park at the train station. Take a train to Zermatt, about a 12-15 min journey, trains leave about every 20 mins.

Ticket prices

To visit the Gornergrat, you’ll need a ticket for the Gornergratbahn mountain train. The price varies by season.

In 2025, a round trip adult ticket costs:

• CHF 132 from May to Oct
• CHF 96 from Nov-April

Children 9-15 are half-fare. Children under 9 ride free. See current prices.

Where to buy tickets

Gornergrat tickets do not sell out and do not need to be purchased in advance.

But it can be helpful to purchase tickets online the day before so you don’t have to wait in line at the ticket counter. Book tickets* 

You can also purchase tickets at the Gornergrat ticket counter shortly before boarding the train. This can be helpful if you are hiking and you aren’t sure exactly which ticket to buy.

Priority boarding

You cannot reserve a specific seat on the Gornergratbahn train. But you can purchase “Priority Boarding” for a specific day and time. This allows you to board the train 3 mins before other passengers and choose a seat.

In 2025, priority boarding costs CHF 7 per person. You can buy it with the train ticket as shown below. Priority boarding is only available for the one-way journey from Zermatt-Gornergrat.

If you already have the train ticket, you can purchase the Priority Boarding separately.

➡️ Book Priority Boarding here.

Note: Children under 6 get Priority Boarding for free when they travel with an adult who has Priority Boarding.

Discounts

50% discount with Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Half Fare Card, and GA. If you are using discount cards, you must buy them via the Gornergrat website or at the ticket counter. 

No discount with Eurail, Interrail, SBB Day Pass, or Gemeinde Day Pass. 

Free with the Zermatt Peak Pass.

Children with SBB Junior Card or Swiss Family Card ride free. In summer, children under age 6 ride free. In winter, children under age 9 ride free.

Tickets for hikers

If you are hiking and skipping some of the train stations, you don’t need to pay for a full return trip on the Gornergrat train. You can buy a one-way ticket up to your starting point, then buy another one way ticket on your way down.

Each train station along the way has a ticket office. This gives you some flexibility to change your mind about how far you are hiking. 

Operating times

The Gornergrat train runs all year (except for brief breaks for revisions, check website for details) and welcomes tourists in all seasons. Hiking season in this area is from about late June through mid-October, weather permitting. 

In winter, the train also services the ski slopes. Make sure to check the webcam before going up. There’s no reason to pay the big bucks if you will be stuck in a cloud.

During summer and winter, the train runs about every 24 minutes, from about 8:00 to 19:00. In spring and late fall, it runs less frequently, about once an hour. See current schedule.

Photo story

1. Riding train up to Gornergrat

This is the Gornergrat ticket counter. It can have long lines in summer, so best to arrive early to beat the crowds.

Best to sit on the right side of the train which faces the Matterhorn as you ride up.

The train takes about 38 minutes to reach the top.

2. Exploring the viewpoint

The last train stop is the Gornergrat viewpoint. Everyone exits to the platform shown below, which has a view of two fantastic glaciers and the Matterhorn. This area tends to be the most crowded because more people keep spilling out the train. So walk up the mountain a bit to escape the crush.

As you walk up the path towards the hotel, you’ll pass this Grand Tour photo spot. There’s usually a long line here.

At the top, there is a large complex with a hotel, restaurant, cafe, souvenir shop, WC, etc.

3. Observation deck

Walk up the paved path past the hotel to a large observation deck above the hotel. 

At the top of this paved path, there is a big flat area with benches.

If you’re lucky, the Matterhorn won’t be hiding behind the clouds like it was for us on this September day.

4. Short scenic loop

Beyond this, there is a short dirt path shown below. Not many people take it, so you can escape the crowds a bit here.

Follow the yellow “Hiking Loop” sign.

We spent about 30 mins walking around and building rock towers.

Don’t forget to take this classic pic.

5. Where to eat

We usually prefer to picnic later at the Riffelsee lake. But there are a few dining options at the Gornergrat viewpoint open for lunch (dinner for hotel guests only).

There is a self-serve cafe for cold and hot drinks, snacks, and simple meals. There is a nice outdoor terrace so you can enjoy the view while you eat.

The hotel has two full service restaurants open for lunch (dinner for hotel guests only), reservations recommended during summer and ski season. The Glacier Alpine Kitchen serves classic Swiss dishes like Rösti, Cordon bleu, and regional specialties like Valais Cholera. The sayCHEESE! Gornergrat restaurant has cheese dishes including fondue, raclette, and Käseschnitte. They also have chocolate fondue for dessert.

Next to the train stop, you’ll find the Tiger Bowl, a casual Asian fusion cafe with rice bowls and salads (vegan and lactose free options). 

6. Riffelsee lake

When you are done exploring the top, time to visit the Riffelsee lake.Many of the classic pictures you’ll see of the Matterhorn are taken here, with the mountain reflected in this lake.

The easiest option is to ride the train one stop down to Rotenboden, which is just a five minute walk from the Riffelsee. Or you can hike down on the Gornergrat Scenic Trail, about 45 mins on rocky terrain.

Note: Your round trip train ticket allows you to get off at the Rotenboden stop and get back on later that day.

From the Rotenboden stop, you follow this path down to the lake.

Great place to take photos with the family.

When you are done at the Riffelsee, you can walk back up to Rotenboden and ride the train back to Zermatt.

Or choose one of the hikes below.

Hiking options at Gornergrat

There is a trail stretching from the Gornergrat top station, down to the Riffelsee, then to a couple alpine villages on the way down to Zermatt. Since the trail parallels the mountain railway, you can start and stop at different stations, making it easy to adjust the trail length.

Short walk to Riffelsee lake

This a popular choice, but still not nearly as crowded as the Gornergrat viewpoints. The path to the lake is not stroller-friendly, but it’s super short (5 mins, 400m) and worth the effort. Here is the trail down to the lake.

Hike from Riffelsee to Riffelalp or Riffelberg

For families (or anyone really), we really like the Riffelseeweg trail, about 3 km from Riffelsee to Riffelberg, where you can catch the Gornergrat train back to Zermatt. It’s not suitable for strollers, but it’s not difficult. We were practically the only ones on the trail and the Matterhorn was in view almost the entire trail. See details for the Riffelseeweg trail here.

Hike from Gornergrat to Riffelsee

You can also hike from Gornergrat to the Riffelsee, a lovely rocky hike parallel to the train tracks. I really enjoyed this section, both in fall and as a snowshoe trail. If you want a long hike, just keep walking once you reach the Riffelsee and continue to Riffelberg. 

See trail info

Zermatt itinerary

If you want a printable itinerary for Zermatt that includes the Gornergrat, you can purchase my new eBook:

Switzerland with Kids: 3 Days in Zermatt

See more Zermatt family hikes