Most reviewedSummit return
Zermatt Bergbahnen ticket
- Valid
- 1 day
- Last ride down
- 3:45 PM
- Price
- from $129
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Guide · Tickets
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise tickets, explained
One return ticket carries you from Zermatt up to the summit station and back down, with the ice palace and the views in the price. Here is what you pay for, what costs extra and who rides for less.
Check availabilityfrom $129 · free to cancel
Editorial team, matterhornglacierride.comUpdated October 22, 2026Reading time 7 min28 sources
The ticket in brief
- 01What it covers
- A return ride from Zermatt to the summit, plus the viewing platform, the Glacier Palace and all entrance fees.
- 02Starting price
- From $129 on GetYourGuide, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
- 03Rail passes
- Zermatt Bergbahnen gives 50% off its Swiss cable cars to GA, Half Fare and Swiss Travel Pass holders.1
- 04Children
- Free up to 8.99 years on Zermatt Bergbahnen's own sightseeing tickets; under-threes may not ride above Trockener Steg.23
- 05Not included
- Food and drinks, and the Crystal Ride cabin with its glass floor.
What one ticket gets you at the top
The ticket this site recommends is sold through GetYourGuide but comes from Zermatt Bergbahnen, the company that runs the lifts: a return gondola ride from Zermatt to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, access to the viewing platform and the Glacier Palace, and all entrance fees. The cable car company adds that its return ticket also opens the Cinema Lounge in the Breithorn Tunnel and the InfoCube exhibition on Trockener Steg.45 The sights at the summit are covered in one go; meals and the glass-floor cabin are the exceptions.
It is a ticket, not a tour. You exchange the voucher for a valid ticket at the valley station of the Matterhorn-Express on Schluhmattstrasse 123, and from there you travel at your own pace. The listing is valid for 1 day, and the last descent from the summit leaves at 3:45 PM. With that deadline in mind, an early start leaves the most time for the platform, the ice and a slow ride back down.
Travelers rate the listing 4.79 from 1,294 reviews, and their sub-scores read 4.8 for the transport itself and 4.4 for value. Value for money is the lower of the two scores. Weather decides a lot of the day up here: a clear morning turns the summit into the high point of a Swiss trip, while thick cloud leaves you with the ice, the films and a warm drink. Neither outcome changes what you paid, which is why the cancellation terms further down this page matter.
The price, and what moves it
On GetYourGuide the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise ticket price starts from $129 per person, and it stays free to cancel until 24 hours beforehand; payment can wait until later too. This page converts that starting figure into the currency you select, and the checkout shows the exact amount for your date before you pay anything. The figure can change with the date and the exchange rate, so treat it as a floor rather than a quote.
Zermatt Bergbahnen also sells cheaper afternoon fares of its own. Afternoon tickets to the summit are sold at its sales points on the day of travel from a set time, which for the return trip is 1:30 pm (13.30 on its timetable), and they cannot be combined with GA, Half Fare or Swiss Travel Pass discounts.67 An afternoon ride can rescue a day when the cloud lifts late, but it leaves little time before the last descent at 3:45 PM.
For several summits in a row, the operator offers a Peak Pass with unlimited travel between Zermatt and the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Zermatt and the Rothorn, Zermatt and the Gornergrat, and Furi and Riffelberg, as timetabled.8 Half Fare and GA holders get 25% off that pass.9 A separate Peak2Peak ticket pairs the Glacier Paradise with the Gornergrat on one excursion day.10 Both are worth comparing on the operator's website if you plan more than one ride.
Price list
Ticket options from Zermatt
| Option | What it adds | From |
|---|---|---|
| Summit ticket | Return ride, ice palace and platform | from $129 |
| Geneva bus day | Zermatt by bus, cable car optional | from $155 |
| Gornergrat train ticket | The other summit, by cogwheel train | from $163 |
| Testa Grigia ticket | On to the Italian border | from $187 |
| Guided half-day | A guide and 2 hours at the top | from $371 |
| Private guided day | Summit plus a walk to Schwarzsee | from $772 |
Starting prices from each GetYourGuide listing, not quotes; the final amount depends on the date and the currency you choose.
Three ways up
Plain ticket, border ticket or a guide
Most reviewed
Goes furthest
GuidedDecision helper
Which ticket suits your day?
Match the ticket to how you want to spend it
The summit ticket
From $129, the lowest starting price on this page.
Compare with the pass fare
The operator gives pass holders 50% off its Swiss cable cars.1
The guided half-day
A guide in English or German and 2 hours at the top.
Stop at Trockener Steg
Children under three may not ride on to the summit.3
Admission to the Glacier Palace, the Cinema Lounge as well as the viewing platform on Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and the InfoCube on Trockener Steg
Rail passes and the discounts that apply
Riding up to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise with the Swiss Travel Pass costs half, not nothing: Zermatt Bergbahnen gives holders of a GA, a Half Fare Card or a Swiss Travel Pass 50% off its cable cars in Switzerland.1 Where the operator lists a reduced price, it also applies to Swiss Travel Pass holders and to anyone who has already bought a Peak Pass.13 Zermatt Tourism notes that the Swiss Travel Pass is for people who live outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein.14
Children travel cheaply. Zermatt Bergbahnen lets children up to the age of 8.99 years ride free on its sightseeing tickets, and accompanied children holding a Junior Travelcard or a Children's Co-Travelcard also ride free on its Swiss cable cars.215 Children up to the age of nine also get a Wolli Card, valid from November to the end of October, which gives them free travel on all lifts and trains.16 For families, that can make the adult tickets the only real cost.
The youngest are the exception. For health reasons, naming altitude sickness, children under three may not ride the section from Trockener Steg to the summit.3 The GetYourGuide listing also marks the trip as unsuitable for pregnant women. A traveler with a disability can bring a companion free of charge with an official international document in English stating that they depend on one, a rule that cannot be combined with other discounts.17
Checklist
Covered, extra, and what to bring
01
In the ticket
- Return ride from Zermatt to the summit
- Viewing platform at the top
- Glacier Palace in the ice
- All entrance fees
02
Not in the ticket
- Food and drinks
- The Crystal Ride glass-floor cabin
- A guide: it is a self-guided ticket
03
Bring along
- Passport or ID card
- Warm clothing and warm shoes
- Snow clothing
Calculator
Add up tickets for your group
Pick a ticket and enter the number of people
People
Total from$257
per person from $129
Check availabilityfree cancellationEach sum multiplies the listing's GetYourGuide from-price by the number of riders and converts it at the euro reference rate of the day; the checkout shows the real amount for your date.
Video
Don't Visit Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Without Watching This!
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Which ticket fits which day
If Italy tempts you, the Testa Grigia ticket from Zermatt starts from $187, is valid for 1 day and has 5 reviews, all at 5.00 so far. Testa Grigia sits on the border at 3,480 m, a 4-minute ride beyond the summit station on the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II.1112 Its record describes a plain ticket rather than a guided tour, exchanged at the same valley station in Zermatt. It suits travelers who want one more viewpoint and a foot in two countries.
For company and commentary, a small-group half-day leaves from the Zermatt tourist information centre and spends 2 hours at the top with the Glacier Palace, the cinema lounge and the viewing platform; it lasts 3 hours and starts from $371. A private day with an English-speaking guide, which adds a walk from Trockener Steg down to Schwarzsee, starts from $772. Both cost more than the plain ticket, and both take the planning off your hands.
Without a bed in Zermatt, a bus day from Geneva starts from $155, but read its details before you compare: on that trip the Glacier Paradise cable car is an option, not part of the base booking. The same listing says babies under 3 and people with heart problems are not allowed on the cable car but can visit the village. Pick the option that includes the ride if the summit is the reason you are going.
What you still pay for at the top
Food and drinks are outside the ticket. At the summit, the operator runs what it calls the highest mountain restaurant in Europe, and there is a souvenir shop as well.18 Budget for a hot drink and a meal if you plan to stay for the platform, the ice palace and a film. Water and a snack in your bag cost nothing extra and help on a long day at altitude.
The Crystal Ride cabin is the other extra. Both 3S cableways, the Matterhorn Glacier Ride I and II, have special Crystal Ride cabins with glass floors, and the ticket on this site does not include them.19 In those cabins the opaque floor clears three minutes into the journey, at 170 metres above the ground, and the glacier appears beneath your feet.20 If that view matters to you, book it directly with the operator.
Reaching the valley station is the last item. Zermatt is car-free, and the listing asks you to arrive by public transport or taxi. A free local bus runs to the Matterhorn-Express valley station from several stops in the village, which spares tired legs on the way back in the afternoon.21 Taxis cost money, the walk costs time, and the bus costs neither, so check where the nearest stop to your hotel is before the morning of the ride.
Buying ahead or on the day
Booking ahead fixes the date and the price you saw, and the free cancellation window of 24 hours keeps the plan open if the forecast turns. Buying on the day lets you look at the sky first. Zermatt Bergbahnen keeps live webcams at the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and at Plateau Rosa on the Italian side, a useful check before you commit to the ride.22 Combining both is simple: book with free cancellation, then decide the evening before.
The lifts run on summer and winter timetables: summer 2026 from 4 May to 31 October, winter 2026/27 from 1 November to 2 May 2027.2324 Maintenance periods fall inside them; from 28 September to 30 October 2026 the older cable car runs instead of the Matterhorn Glacier Ride I between Trockener Steg and the summit.25 The summit stays within reach on those dates, only in a different cabin, so a ticket for an autumn day still works.
The listing is labelled wheelchair accessible. The new valley station in Zermatt is barrier-free with ground-level access, the 3S cabins have a wide entrance at ground level for wheelchairs and baby carriages, and the summit viewing platform can be reached on foot with no additional aids.262728 Ask the staff at the valley station about the summit lift and the Glacier Palace floor if mobility is a concern for anyone in your group.
Above the clouds
The glacier is quiet early in the day.
Pick your date, swap the voucher in Zermatt and ride up while the sky is clear.
You ask,we answer.
What does the summit ticket include?
A return ride and the sights. The listing covers the return gondola ride, the viewing platform, the Glacier Palace and all entrance fees.
How much is the ride from Zermatt?
From $129. That is the GetYourGuide starting price per person, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover it?
It halves the fare. Zermatt Bergbahnen gives 50% off its Swiss cable cars to Swiss Travel Pass, GA and Half Fare holders.1
Do children pay?
Not under 9, on the operator's own tickets. Zermatt Bergbahnen lets children up to 8.99 years ride free on its sightseeing tickets; check the listing price for a child, and note that under-threes may not go above Trockener Steg.23
Is the Crystal Ride included?
No. The glass-floor Crystal Ride cabin is listed as not included in this ticket.
When is the last ride down?
3:45 PM from the summit. The ticket is valid for 1 day, so start early to have time at the top.
Is there a cheaper afternoon fare?
Yes, from 1:30 pm. The operator sells afternoon returns on the day; they cannot be combined with rail pass discounts.67
Can I cancel if the weather turns?
Up to 24 hours before. Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, or reserve now and pay later.
Sources
Where the information comes from
- 1Zermatt Bergbahnen AGSightseeing in Zermatt | Tickets Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 2Zermatt Bergbahnen AGSightseeing in Zermatt | Tickets Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 3Zermatt Bergbahnen AGMatterhorn Glacier Paradise online booking | Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 4Zermatt Bergbahnen AGMatterhorn Glacier Paradise online booking | Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 5Zermatt Bergbahnen AGCinema at 3'883 m above sea level | Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 6Zermatt Bergbahnen AGSightseeing in Zermatt | Tickets Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 7Zermatt Bergbahnen AGSightseeing in Zermatt | Tickets Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 8Zermatt Bergbahnen AGTrockener Steg | Where ice meets rock↩
- 9Zermatt Bergbahnen AGMatterhorn Glacier Paradise online booking | Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 10Zermatt Bergbahnen AGSightseeing in Zermatt | Tickets Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 11Zermatt TourismMatterhorn Alpine Crossing - exclusive and unique↩
- 12Zermatt Bergbahnen AG3S cableways and their characteristics (media text)↩
- 13Zermatt Bergbahnen AGFrequently asked questions | Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 14Zermatt TourismPlanning Your Trip to Zermatt↩
- 15Zermatt Bergbahnen AGSightseeing in Zermatt | Tickets Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 16Zermatt Bergbahnen AGFrequently asked questions | Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 17Zermatt Bergbahnen AGMatterhorn Glacier Paradise online booking | Zermatt Bergbahnen↩
- 18Zermatt Bergbahnen AGMatterhorn Glacier Paradise | Peak in Zermatt↩
- 19Zermatt Bergbahnen AGMatterhorn Glacier Paradise | Peak in Zermatt↩
- 20Zermatt Bergbahnen AGMatterhorn glacier ride - the world's highest 3S cableway (brochure PDF)↩
- 21Zermatt Bergbahnen AGZermatt Summer Ski | Glacier ski area Matterhorn↩
- 22Zermatt Bergbahnen AGThe webcams in the Matterhorn Paradise↩
- 23Zermatt Bergbahnen AGFahrplan Sommer / Timetable Summer 04.05.2026 - 31.10.2026 (PDF)↩
- 24Zermatt Bergbahnen AGFahrplan, Timetable Winter 2026/27 (PDF)↩
- 25Zermatt Bergbahnen AGFahrplan Sommer / Timetable Summer 04.05.2026 - 31.10.2026 (PDF)↩
- 26Zermatt Bergbahnen AGNew Matterhorn-Express valley station (news, 10.01.2024)↩
- 27Zermatt Bergbahnen AG3S cableways and their characteristics (media text)↩
- 28Zermatt Bergbahnen AGBest views in the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise↩
