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Season: early January to mid April, early June to mid October and mid December to late December
Recommended season: early January to mid April, early June to late June and early September to mid October
Max. altitude: 2647 m (8684 ft)What is the Bettmerhorn? 
The mountain Bettmerhorn is one of the best locations to view 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 called 'Bettmergrat'. This is a ridge at an altitude of 2647 m. The actual summit of the Bettmerhorn is 500 m further up north, at an altitude of 2858 m.
The Bettmerhorn is located on the edge of the UNESCO Natural World Heritage property "Jungfrau - Aletsch - Bietschhorn": an extraordinary high-alpine region that also includes the Eggishorn and the famous Jungfraujoch.
➤ Prices, tickets and reservations
Bettmerhorn prices
A return ticket between the cable car valley station in Betten and Bettmerhorn costs CHF 52.
Full-fare return tickets aren't your only option:
- Several rail passes offer discounts on the Bettermhorn cable car ride.
- If you plan to visit more mountains in the area, such as the Eggishorn, consider the Aletsch Explorer pass. This allows access to all mountain lifts in the "Aletsch Arena" for one up to 21 consecutive days. It's discounted for Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex, and Swiss Half Fare Card holders.
Where to buy your Bettmerhorn tickets
Tickets to the Bettmerhorn are for sale online and at the manned desks of the Betten and Bettmeralp cable car stations.
Reservations
You don't have to make reservations. Just show up at any time that suits you and board the cable cars.
➤ Discounted cable car tickets with your rail pass
| Pass | Discount |
|---|---|
| Day Pass | No discount:
Betten to Bettmeralp (cableway): free. |
| Matterhorn Gotthard Pass | Discount 50%:
|
| Saver Day Pass | No discount:
Betten to Bettmeralp (cableway): free. |
| Swiss Half Fare Card | No discount:
Betten to Bettmeralp (cableway): 50% discounted. |
| Swiss Travel Pass | No discount:
Betten to Bettmeralp (cableway): 50% discount. |
| Swiss Travel Pass Flex | No discount:
Betten to Bettmeralp (cableway): 50% discounted. |
How to reach Bettmerhorn: directions and map
How to reach Bettmerhorn
You first need to travel to the train station "Betten Talstation". It's at a 22-minute ride from Brig. There is a parking lot too.
There are two cable cars to the car-free village Bettmeralp: one direct route (which is the one you'd normally use), and one to "Betten Dorf". From Betten Dorf, there's another cable car that ends in Bettmeralp as well.
After arrival in Bettmeralp, you need to turn right into the main street and follow the signs to the gondola station. It takes 15 to 20 minutes on foot to get there. Then you can board the gondolas for the final leg to the Bettmerhorn top station.
How long an excursion to Bettmerhorn takes
If you're not staying in or near Betten, you'll have to take additional travel time into account. It's a 0h22 train ride from Brig to Betten, 2h00 from Zermatt, and 1h50 from Saas-Fee for example.
Allow at least 1 hour at the top to enjoy the view. If you do so, a round trip from Betten takes about 2 hours. If you take your time, count on half a day.
Operation dates, schedules and timetable
Operation dates for Bettmerhorn
The cable car to Bettmerhorn operates:
- from 6 December 2025 to 11 April 2026
- from 6 June to 25 October 2026
The next winter season starts on 5 December 2026.
How to plan the journey to Bettmerhorn
Consult the Bettmerhorn schedules through the links here. Or plan your trip with the Swiss timetable. These names are used:
- "Betten Talstation" for the train station of Betten
- "Betten Talstation (Seilb.)" for the cable car valley station
- "Bettmeralp" for the town Bettmeralp where you walk to the 2nd section of the cable car route
- "Bettmeralp (Bettmerhorn)" for the gondola station in Bettmeralp
- "Bettmergrat" for the gondola top station (this is close to the actual mountain "Bettmerhorn")
Best season for Bettmerhorn
I prefer visiting Bettmerhorn from early January to mid April, early June to late June and early September to mid October. Details:
- In January-February, the views over the snowy glaciers and mountains of the Valais 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 green Rhone Valley and white snowy mountain peaks.
- From mid-September to mid-October, chances of snow on the highest mountain tops will increase as autumn draws nearer.
From July to early September there's usually less snow on the peaks surrounding the glacier. That's why I personally think the area looks somewhat less attractive in these months.
Weather at Bettmerhorn
The panoramic views over the Aletsch Glacier and the Swiss Alps are your main reason to visit Bettmeralp. That's why clear skies are best. It helps to check webcams showing live views from the top: sometimes low clouds can block the views down in the valley, whereas it's cloudless at higher altitude.
If you plan to hike, make sure you can count on dry and stable weather conditions. Find more hiking preparation tips here.
What to expect at the top
This is what you can see and do at Bettmerhorn:
- You’ll be in a beautiful high-alpine world with views of the glacier and the peaks of the Bernese Oberland and the Valais.
- The Panorama-Restaurant serves Swiss dishes while you enjoy the view from indoors.
- There’s an exhibition about the glacier and the people who first explored it in the 19th century.
- In summer there are many high-altitude hiking options. Examples: you can walk north along the Aletsch Glacier toward Lake Märjelen. Or you can hike south along the glacier to Moosfluh (although walking the other way round is better). Descending to the village Bettmeralp is another option.
- Easy panoramic walks can be made between the mountain villages Bettmeralp, Riederalp and Fiescheralp.
- In winter, the whole area is great for winter sports and snow fun. There are lots of ski slopes around Bettmeralp and its neighbouring villages, as well as several sledge runs. In addition, you’ll find a network of groomed winter hiking trails with amazing views.
Why the Aletsch Glacier is so special
The Grosser (‘Big’) Aletsch Glacier is the largest glacier of the Alps and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Read all about this extraordinary glacier here.
About possible altitude sickness
The Bettmerhorn gondola station is located at an altitude of 2647 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.
How to choose between Bettmerhorn and Eggishorn
The Bettmerhorn and the nearby Eggishorn have a few things in common. Both mountains are located south of the Aletsch Glacier and offer magnificent views of the glacier and a 360° view of the Alps. It’s worth visiting both, but if you have to choose, these considerations may help:
- I like the view from the Eggishorn just a bit 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.
➤ Get your tickets for Aletsch Glacier excursions
Promotions
- www.aletscharena.ch: summer hiking trails in the Bettmerhorn area
- www.aletscharena.ch: winter hiking trails in the Bettmerhorn area
Schedules
- www.aletscharena.ch: Bettmerhorn/Eggishorn operation dates and timetables
Prices
- www.aletscharena.ch: Bettmerhorn/Eggishorn ticket prices
- www.aletscharena.ch: Aletsch Explorer pass
Itineraries that include Bettmerhorn
Best of the Alps
Hike Bettmerhorn-Märjelensee-Fiescheralp
Swiss Coupon Pass
Hike Fiescheralp-Riederalp
Aletsch Glacier
Eggishorn
Jungfraujoch
