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Have you ever dreamed of standing face-to-face with the iconic Matterhorn? I know I had, for like… forever! Last month, I finally crossed this off my bucket list when visiting Switzerland with my family. In my previous post, I shared how we drove from Grindelwald to Zermatt by rental car, and today I’m spilling all the details about taking the spectacular mountain railway from Zermatt to Gornergrat observation deck.
Trust me, this journey is absolutely worth every Swiss franc – the views are simply breathtaking!
Finding the Zermatt Mountain Railway to Gornergrat
Getting to the Gornergrat mountain railway is super easy. As soon as you step off the train at Zermatt station, you’ll immediately spot the mountain railway platform (Zermatt GGB). You really can’t miss it!
The cool thing about Zermatt is that it’s a car-free village, which means the air is so crisp and clean. The railway is your gateway to one of Switzerland’s most spectacular alpine panoramas, and honestly… I was practically bouncing with excitement when we arrived.
Gornergrat Railway Ticket Prices (2025 Update)
Okay, I’ll be straight with you – the tickets aren’t cheap. But then again, nothing in Switzerland is, right? The round-trip fare varies depending on the season and whether you have any discount passes.
Pro tip! If you have a Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card, you can get a 50% discount on the fare. Given how pricey it is, I’d definitely recommend taking advantage of any available discounts.
For the most up-to-date pricing information, check out:
The Journey to Gornergrat Observation Deck
One thing to note – the train schedule isn’t super regular, so definitely check the timetable before planning your day. The good news is that your ticket doesn’t lock you into a specific time or seat, so you can be flexible.
Here’s a little tip: try to sit on the right side of the train when going up. This gives you amazing views of the Matterhorn throughout the journey. I managed to snag a window seat on the right, and let me tell you, I was glued to the window the entire time!
The journey takes about 40 minutes, climbing up to an altitude of 3,089 meters (10,135 feet). When we arrived at the observation deck, I was absolutely blown away by the snow-covered landscapes. The Matterhorn would occasionally hide behind clouds, but mostly we got clear views of this magnificent mountain. My family and I went a bit camera-crazy, trying to capture the perfect shot.
We arrived around 3-4 PM, which wasn’t ideal for photography. The sun was behind the Matterhorn, creating backlight that made our portrait photos less than perfect and sometimes made it difficult to look directly at the mountain without squinting. If you’re big on photography, I’d recommend going in the morning for better lighting conditions.
And yes, there are restrooms inside the observation deck building. Always important information when you’re traveling, right?
My Experience with Altitude Sickness at Gornergrat
Something I wasn’t fully prepared for was the altitude. At 3,089 meters (10,135 feet), Gornergrat sits at a height where some people might experience altitude sickness. And yep, I was one of those people.
Interestingly, my family of three had completely different experiences. My mother and younger sibling had zero symptoms, while I definitely felt the effects. It wasn’t debilitating – I could still walk around and enjoy the views – but I noticed I was getting out of breath much quicker than usual when walking uphill, and I had a mild headache.
If you’re worried about altitude sickness, here are some tips:
- Stay hydrated
- Take it slow
- Don’t exert yourself too much
- Consider taking altitude sickness medication if you know you’re sensitive
Riffelalp Station on the Way Down
On our way back down, we decided to hop off at Riffelalp station to enjoy another perspective of the Matterhorn. Since we had round-trip tickets to Gornergrat, we could get on and off at intermediate stations without any extra cost.
Riffelalp is actually a popular starting point for hikers who want to walk down to Zermatt while enjoying the scenery. If we’d had more time, I would have loved to hike down from here – it’s supposed to be absolutely gorgeous!
When we were ready to continue to Zermatt, we discovered the train schedule was less frequent than we expected. We ended up waiting about 40-50 minutes for the next train. So if you’re planning to make stops, definitely check the schedule to avoid long waits.
After arriving back in Zermatt, we did some grocery shopping at the Coop supermarket right in front of the station before heading to Täsch and then back to Grindelwald. Swiss supermarkets tend to close early, so we wanted to make sure we had food for a late dinner in Grindelwald.
Overall, our day trip to Gornergrat was one of the highlights of our Swiss adventure. Next time, I’d love to stay overnight in Zermatt to properly explore the village itself – we simply didn’t have enough time on this trip.
But that’s the beauty of travel, isn’t it? Always leaving something for next time!
