Gornergrat, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise or Sunnegga-Rothorn: how to choose 

What’s best: Gornergrat, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise or Sunnegga-Rothorn?

Our answer in short

If your time and budget allow, we’d encourage you to visit all three mountains. In our opinion, they’re very different excursions and they’re each rewarding in their own way. But if you have to choose, these guidelines may help you out:

• Gornergrat is the most famous viewpoint with fantastic Matterhorn views and a scenic cogwheel train ride.
• Matterhorn Glacier Paradise is the longest and most exhilarating excursion, offering a unique high-alpine experience.
• Sunnegga-Rothorn is best for a budget trip, great for children and a must for hikers.

The pros and cons of Sunnegga-Blauherd-Rothorn

Advantages

• Sunnegga-Rothorn is the least expensive of the three. It’s a budget option, especially if you don’t travel higher up than Sunnegga.
• We think that Sunnegga provides one of the best views of the Matterhorn.
• It’s the best destination for children, as there are great playgrounds and beginner skiing options at Sunnegga and Blauherd.
• You can get to Sunnegga quickly. This short ride is convenient if you’re visiting Zermatt for just one day from another area in Switzerland.

Disadvantages

• If you suffer from claustrophobia you may not like the mountain tunnel ride from Sunnegga to Blauherd.
• If you suffer from fear of heights you may want to skip the last part to Rothorn.
• Don’t expect year-round snow at the top, not even at Rothorn.

The pros and cons of Gornergrat

Advantages

• Gornergrat offers great views of the Matterhorn and the Monte Rosa massif.
• It’s the most famous viewpoint near Zermatt and understandably so. This is high on the ‘must-see’ list of many travelers.
• The cogwheel train journey is very scenic.
• If you suffer from fear of heights, you’ll probably feel more at ease in this train than in the cable cars that are part of the other excursions.
• It’s a relatively quick trip from Zermatt: under 40 minutes by cogwheel train. This is convenient if you make a day trip to Zermatt from another Swiss region.

Disadvantages

• There won’t be a snow at the top all year round.
• Out of the three excursions, the one to Gornergrat is most expensive.

The pros and cons of Matterhorn Glacier Paradise

Advantages

• The journey to the top ‘Klein Matterhorn‘ is long and varied, with dramatic changes in scenery and landscape.
• The ride is great if you like heights. The thrilling ‘Crystal Ride’ cabins add to the fun.
• Its altitude at nearly 4000 m makes for a special experience. Matterhorn Glacier Paradise offers the best high-alpine experience.
• Under normal circumstances you’ll see snow at the top all year long.
• You can continue your journey to Italy. Crossing a border by cable car is unique.

Disadvantages

• It’s not suitable if you suffer from fear of heights.
• This excursion takes most time. It may not be the best choice if you’re making a day trip to Zermatt from another Swiss region.

How to combine two excursions in one day

Visiting two mountains if you’re staying in or near Zermatt

It’s realistic to make two mountain excursions in one day from Zermatt if you leave early. You can simply get up to one mountain, travel down to Zermatt, and then visit the next mountain.

There are a few ways to combine excursions without traveling all the way down to Zermatt:

• For a combination of Gornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise: in the high-season summer months, and from December to late April, there’s a shortcut. This is the ‘Riffelberg Express’ gondola between Riffelberg (on the route to Gornergrat) and Furi (on the route to Klein Matterhorn).
• For a combination of Sunnegga-Blauherd and Gornergrat: walk from Sunnegga to Riffelalp (on the route to Gornergrat) or the other way around.

Visiting two mountains if you have to travel to Zermatt first

If you’re making a day trip to Zermatt from a town far away, we recommend sticking to just one mountain. That allows you to take your time and fully enjoy the train ride to Zermatt and your mountain visit.

A good example is a day trip from Interlaken. A single journey takes 2h15 if you use the quickest route, and 3h20 if you take the Lötschberg Mountain Railway. So the return train ride doesn’t allow for endless time to explore the Zermatt mountains.

If you want to combine two mountain excursions while you’re short on time, our choice would be to get to Gornergrat and Sunnegga. Those can be reached most quickly.

How to pay for the mountain trips

In nearly all cases, it’s better to use a rail pass or a special ticket to get discounted mountain rides. The routes to Sunnegga-Rothorn, Gornergrat and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise are all 50% discounted with a Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex and Swiss Half Fare Card.

In addition, there are the Peak2Peak ticket and the Peak Pass, specially designed for mountain trips from Zermatt. We explain all about them in our Zermatt travel guide.