Matterhorn Ski Paradise

Ski resort · Valais

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Ski resort · Zermatt, Switzerland 1,562 to 3,899 m

The mountain at a glance

Zermatt and Cervinia on one glacier, under the Matterhorn

Top

3,899 mLifts reach about 3,870

Base

1,562 mLowest point, Italian side

Vertical

2,337 mGlacier to valley

Slopes

322 kmAcross two countries

Lifts

51Cable cars to T-bars

Season

Nov to early MayGlacier open in summer

Lift pass

Buy onlineOr at the lift stations

Italy

Can you ski from Zermatt to Cervinia?

Yes, on the international pass. The pistes run from the glacier below Klein Matterhorn down into Breuil-Cervinia and on to Valtournenche.

Lift pass

Which lift pass do you need in Zermatt?

The Zermatt pass covers Sunnegga, Gornergrat and the glacier on the Swiss side. Add Italy with the international pass. A half-day pass is Swiss side only.

Beginners

Do you need a lift pass for Wolli Park?

The park itself is free to enter, but you need a pass for the Sunnegga funicular and the Wolli Park lift to reach it.

On one international pass you can ski from Zermatt over the glacier into Italy, eat lunch in Cervinia and ski home the same day, as long as the wind lets the link open.

The mountain

The main lifts, highest first

3,869 mfrom 3,796
Plateau Breithorn
Platter · 1,546 m · +73 m
3,775 mfrom 3,420
Matterhorn Glacier Ride II
Gondola · 1,712 m · +355 m
3,765 mfrom 2,905
Trockener Steg to Klein Matterhorn Glacier Ride
Gondola · 3,737 m · +860 m
3,722 mfrom 3,400
Plateau Rosa 1
T-bar · 1,485 m · +322 m
3,711 mfrom 3,403
Plateau Rosa 2
T-bar · 1,467 m · +308 m
3,704 mfrom 2,913
Trockener Steg to Matterhorn glacier paradise
Cable car · 3,568 m · +791 m
3,500 mfrom 3,402
Plateau Rosa 3
T-bar · 655 m · +98 m
3,438 mfrom 3,231
Testa
T-bar · 1,250 m · +207 m
3,413 mfrom 2,814
Plateau Rosa cableway
Cable car · 2,155 m · +599 m
3,318 mfrom 2,905
Furggsattel Gletscherbahn
Chairlift · 2,541 m · +413 m
3,309 mfrom 3,030
Bontadini
Chairlift · 1,097 m · +279 m
3,250 mfrom 3,224
Rote Nase
Cable car · 707 m · +26 m
3,247 mfrom 2,210
Gant to Hohtälli
Cable car · 2,496 m · +1,037 m
3,079 mfrom 2,661
Kumme
Gondola · 1,831 m · +418 m
3,078 mfrom 2,857
Gran Sometta
Chairlift · 1,175 m · +221 m
3,072 mfrom 2,553
Blauherd to Rothorn
Cable car · 1,027 m · +519 m
3,070 mfrom 2,691
Lago Goillet
Chairlift · 1,398 m · +379 m
3,031 mfrom 2,860
Fornet
Chairlift · 908 m · +171 m
2,922 mfrom 2,434
Pancheron
Chairlift · 1,807 m · +488 m
2,918 mfrom 2,540
Gifthittli
Chairlift · 1,805 m · +378 m
2,906 mfrom 2,429
Matterhorn Express 4
Gondola · 1,963 m · +477 m
2,903 mfrom 1,849
Furi to Trockener Steg
Cable car · 3,362 m · +1,054 m
2,892 mfrom 2,422
Bec Carré
Chairlift · 1,981 m · +470 m
2,866 mfrom 2,540
Plan Maison
Chairlift · 2,228 m · +326 m
2,865 mfrom 2,409
Breitboden to Rosenritz
Chairlift · 1,406 m · +456 m
2,810 mfrom 2,537
Cime Bianche Laghi
Gondola · 2,250 m · +273 m
2,776 mfrom 2,417
Furgg to Sandiger Boden
Chairlift · 1,250 m · +359 m
2,751 mfrom 2,062
Hirli
Chairlift · 2,007 m · +689 m
2,661 mfrom 2,121
Kumme
Gondola · 1,261 m · +540 m
2,610 mfrom 1,990
Patrullarve
Chairlift · 1,968 m · +620 m
2,592 mfrom 2,222
Hublot-Express (Gant to Blauherd)
Chairlift · 898 m · +370 m
2,588 mfrom 2,541
Baby La Vieille
Platter · 477 m · +47 m
2,562 mfrom 1,849
Matterhorn Express 2
Gondola · 2,076 m · +713 m
2,562 mfrom 2,429
Matterhorn Express 3
Gondola · 533 m · +133 m
2,557 mfrom 1,846
Riffelberg-Express
Gondola · 1,934 m · +711 m
2,542 mfrom 2,270
Sunnegga-Blauherd
Lift · 1,186 m · +272 m
2,527 mfrom 2,028
Plan Maison
Gondola · 1,747 m · +499 m
2,510 mfrom 2,032
Plan Maison
Cable car · 1,717 m · +478 m
2,469 mfrom 2,122
Cieloalto
Chairlift · 1,017 m · +347 m
2,454 mfrom 2,009
Cretaz
Chairlift · 1,637 m · +445 m
2,430 mfrom 2,228
Becca d'Aran
Chairlift · 849 m · +202 m
2,429 mfrom 2,266
Motta
Chairlift · 1,177 m · +163 m
2,414 mfrom 2,043
Findelbahn (Eja-Breitenboden)
Chairlift · 928 m · +371 m
2,279 mfrom 2,043
Findelbahn (Eja-Sunnegga)
Chairlift · 788 m · +236 m
2,272 mfrom 1,635
Zermatt to Sunnegga funicular
Funicular · 1,410 m · +637 m
2,269 mfrom 1,562
Salette
Gondola · 1,886 m · +707 m
2,242 mfrom 2,187
Eisfluh
Chairlift · 355 m · +55 m
2,109 mfrom 2,011
Campetto
Chairlift · 440 m · +98 m
1,849 mfrom 1,636
Matterhorn Express 1
Gondola · 1,664 m · +213 m
1,847 mfrom 1,639
Zermatt to Furi
Cable car · 1,698 m · +208 m

The terrain by levelShare of mapped run length

Easy 19%Wolli Park at Sunnegga, then the blue runs from Plan Maison above Cervinia.

Intermediate 63%Most of the mountain: long red runs on both sides of the border.

Advanced 7%Only a handful of black runs; strong skiers move on to the yellow runs.

Off-piste and expert 11%Yellow runs, marked but not groomed, open only when conditions allow.

Map data: OpenStreetMap.

What makes it special

The Matterhorn faces you from a good part of the mountain, notably on the runs from Rothorn down to Sunnegga, on Tufternkumme and on the Hirli runs.

It is the highest ski area in the Alps, and the glacier stays open all year. In summer the lifts above Trockener Steg still carry skiers, mornings only.

Skiing it

Three lift systems leave the village: the underground funicular to Sunnegga and Rothorn, the cogwheel railway to Gornergrat, and the Matterhorn Express towards the glacier and Italy. Pick a base by the one you will use most.

Watch the wind. The glacier lifts and the link to Italy close first, so on a gusty morning start low at Sunnegga and check the lift status again after mid-morning.

Make Italy the plan for the day, not an afternoon extra. Cross early and start back by mid-afternoon, because the last lifts to Switzerland do not wait.

Where to stay

Stay by Sunnegga for beginners and families, in the centre near the station for Gornergrat and the shops, or at the Matterhorn Express end for the glacier and quieter nights.

Staying in Täsch saves money but adds a train transfer to every morning. If you can, stay within a short walk of a lift.

When to go

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Opening or closingOpenThe best snowOpen, and the busiest weeks

The glacier opens in early November and the whole area by late November; Sunnegga and Rothorn close in mid-April and the glacier in early May. January has the best snow and fewer people. Christmas, New Year and February are the busiest weeks, and March and April bring sun and softer snow.

From May to October only the glacier ski area runs, in the mornings.

Before you go

Fly in: Zurich or Geneva.
By train: By train all the way: about three and a half hours from Zurich Airport, four from Geneva.
By car: As far as Täsch only. Park there and take the shuttle train, 12 minutes to the village.
In the village: A free local bus runs to the Matterhorn Express station.
To Italy: Ski over from the glacier below Klein Matterhorn on the international pass.

Watch for

The price can rise as your dates get closer. Buy the pass online as early as you can.
Queues are often unlaned. Expect to shuffle forward with the crowd rather than wait in a line.
The link to Italy shuts in strong wind, and the last lifts back leave mid-afternoon. Miss them and it is a four-hour taxi ride round the mountains.
The run home to the village is busy and bumpy at the end of the day.

Zermatt under deep snow seen from the forest above, with the Matterhorn at the head of the valley — Zermatt, car-free, at the foot of the lifts

A gondola and chairlifts over snow-covered rock on the upper mountain above Zermatt — The upper lifts, the first to close in wind