What is Eggishorn?
The mountain top Eggishorn is a great place to see the Grosser Aletschgletscher, which is the largest glacier in the Alps. The location you reach by cable car from the Rhone Valley in the Valais is a ridge at an altitude of 2869 m. The actual summit of the Eggishorn peak is located 500 m up north at an altitude of 2926 m.
The Eggishorn can be found on the edge of the UNESCO Natural World Heritage property "Jungfrau - Aletsch - Bietschhorn": a unique high-alpine region that also includes the Bettmerhorn and the Jungfraujoch.
Prices, tickets, and reservations
Eggishorn cable car prices
You can buy a regular full-fare return ticket from Fiesch to Eggishorn at CHF 49, but there are more options:
- If you have a rail pass, you may get a discounted trip to the Eggishorn.
- If you plan to visit more mountains in the area, such as the Bettmerhorn, consider the Aletsch Discovery Pass. This allows access to all mountain lifts in the "Aletsch Arena" for one or more days (up to 21). It's discounted for Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, and Swiss Half Fare Card holders.
Where to buy your Eggishorn tickets
Tickets can be purchased online, or from the ticket desk at the valley station in Fiesch.
Find tickets for the Eggishorn
Offered by GetYourGuide: www.getyourguide.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Best Price Matching: GetYourGuide will pay the difference if you find a lower price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Offered by GetYourGuide: www.getyourguide.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Best Price Matching: GetYourGuide will pay the difference if you find a lower price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Offered by GetYourGuide: www.getyourguide.com
- Easy, online, free cancellation in most cases
- Best Price Matching: GetYourGuide will pay the difference if you find a lower price.
- Extra Support: if you buy here, MySwissAlps can also assist if you have questions about your order.
Promotions
There are currently no promotions available.
Discounts on the cable car ride with your rail pass
Pass | Discount |
---|---|
Adventure Card |
Discount 50%:
|
Day Pass |
Discount 50%:
Fiesch to Fiescheralp (cableway): free. |
Saver Day Pass |
No discount:
Fiesch to Fiescheralp (cableway): free. |
Swiss Half Fare Card |
Discount 50%:
|
Swiss Travel Pass |
Discount 50%:
|
Swiss Travel Pass Flex |
Discount 50%:
|
How to reach Eggishorn: directions and map
This is how to travel to the Eggishorn:
- You first need to travel to the village Fiesch, either by train, by bus or by car. There's a combined terminal for trains, buses and the cable car valley station.
- Gondolas take you from Fiesch to Fiescheralp: a winter sports village half-way up the mountain.
- There you need to change to a larger cable car to the Eggishorn.
Map: cableway route Fiesch-Fiescheralp-Eggishorn
Operation dates, schedules and timetable
Operation dates for Eggishorn
The cable car to Eggishorn operates from 16 December 2023 to 6 April 2024, and from 8 June to 20 October 2024.
How to plan the journey to Eggishorn
Consult the Eggishorn schedules through the links here, or plan your trip with the Swiss timetable. These are the destinations to enter:
- "Fiesch" for the rail station of Fiesch
- "Fiesch (Talstation)" for the gondola valley station
- "Fiescheralp" for the mid-station where you switch to the cable car
- "Eggishorn" for the cable car top station
Best season for Eggishorn
We think early January to early April, early June to late June and mid September to mid October are best to travel up to the Eggishorn. Details:
- In January-February the views over the snowy glaciers and mountains of the Valais and the Bernese Oberland are brilliant.
- March, early April and the month of June (there's usually a maintenance break from mid-April to early June) provide the best contrast between the spring-green valleys and white snowy peaks.
- From mid-September to mid-October, chances of snow on the highest mountain tops increase as autumn draws nearer.
There's less snow on the peaks surrounding the glacier in July, August, and early September. That's why the glacier and its surroundings look more attractive to us in other months.
Weather at Eggishorn
Be sure to check the weather forecast as there's no point in going up if the glacier and the Eggishorn are covered in clouds or mist. Use not only forecasts, but also live webcam images to check the views at the top.
Dress in multiple thinner layers so that you can adapt to the different temperatures throughout the day. Make sure to take along sunglasses. Gloves and a scarf can be comfortable too, even in summer.
5-day weather forecast for the Eggishorn
What to expect at the top
What you can see and do at Eggishorn
- You’re in a unique high-alpine world with grand views of the Aletsch Glacier. You’ll also see the mighty peaks of the Bernese Oberland and the Valais.
- You can enjoy lunch or a coffee in the small restaurant “Horli-Hitta”, about 50 m from the cable car station.
- In summer there are many hiking options, especially from Fiescheralp, the mid-way cable car station. But you’ll also find trails down from the Eggishorn. One of the easier yet beautiful hikes in this area is the panoramic trail from Fiescheralp to Bettmeralp and Riederalp.
- Fiescheralp is one of the many locations where paragliders take off for their flight.
- In winter, the whole area is a winter sports paradise with many ski and several sled runs around Fiescheralp and its neighboring villages.
About possible altitude sickness
The Eggishorn mountain station is located at an altitude of 2869 m. Anyone can suffer from (light) altitude sickness from about 2000 m. Usually, it helps to take things slow and sit down for a while. Special precautions apply to children under 2 years old, as well as people who are pregnant or in poor health: before visiting areas over 2500 m, you’d better consult your doctor. In most cases, staying at such altitudes for just a few hours is no problem though.
Why the Aletsch Glacier is so famous
The Grosser (“Big”) Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier of the Alps. It’s about 20 km (12,4 miles) long and 1 km (3300 ft) wide. The glacier is part of a UNESCO World Heritage area. Learn all about the glacier here.
How to choose between Eggishorn and Bettmerhorn
The Eggishorn and nearby Bettmerhorn are quite similar. They’re both south of the Aletsch Glacier and offer magnificent views of the glacier, plus a roundabout view of Switzerland’s highest peaks. If you can visit only one of them, this may help:
- We like the view from the Eggishorn slightly better, because the location allows you to look ‘around the corner’ of the curved glacier. So you’ll see a bit more of it.
- Visiting the Bettmerhorn is more varied: there’s more to do on the top, and the short walk across the village of Bettmeralp, halfway up the mountain, is really enjoyable.
- If you’re based in Brig, the Bettmerhorn is easier to reach.
How long an excursion to Eggishorn takes
Allow at least 1 hour at the top to enjoy the view. If you do so, a round trip from Fiesch takes less than 2 hours. If you take your time, count on 3 to 4 hours.
Other websites of interest
Schedules
- www.aletscharena.ch: Eggishorn/Bettmerhorn operation dates and timetables
Prices
- www.aletscharena.ch: Eggishorn/Bettmerhorn ticket prices