Guide · Across the border

Matterhorn Glacier Ride II: over the glacier to Testa Grigia

Since 2023 the highest lifts above Zermatt run on into Italy. Here is how the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II works, what waits at the border station, and how the lifts continue down to Breuil-Cervinia.

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Editorial team, matterhornglacierride.comUpdated October 22, 2026Reading time 8 min69 sources

Bookable here: the tour From Zermatt: Testa Grigia Cable Car Ticket 5.0 (5 reviews) from$187per person Check availabilityFree cancellation until 24 hrs before your date

The crossing in short

01What it is: A cable car from the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise to Testa Grigia in Italy, running since 1 July 2023.¹
02Ride time: 4 minutes over a 1.6 km link.² ¹
03The border: Testa Grigia is an official border; carry an identity document.³
04To Cervinia: 90 minutes from Zermatt, says Zermatt Bergbahnen.⁴
05Closure: No service from 7 January to 26 February 2027.⁵

A link that joins two countries by cable

Until recently, a cable car journey from Zermatt ended at the summit station. From 1 July 2023 the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II connects the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, at 3883 meters, with Testa Grigia in Italy at 3480 meters, over a 1.6 km link built by LEITNER.¹ Zermatt Tourism says it joins the entire stretch between Zermatt and Cervinia by cable car for the first time.⁶ The change turned a summit visit into a possible through route.

The idea is older than the cabins. At the opening on 30 June 2023, the chairman of Zermatt Bergbahnen said a year-round cableway between Zermatt and Cervinia had first been imagined in 1939.⁷ ⁸ The company calls the trip the highest border crossing by cable car in the Alps, at 3,480 meters.⁸ In its seven months of operation across the first two summer seasons, 40,000 passengers rode it.⁹

Zermatt Bergbahnen sells the whole journey as the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing, and TIME magazine put it on its list of the World's Greatest Places for 2024.¹⁰ ¹¹ If you searched for a Zermatt to Italy cable car, this is it: the familiar ride from the village to the summit, then this short section over the snow to the border, then the Italian lifts down to Breuil-Cervinia. Each part can be ridden on its own.

Lift by lift

From Zermatt to Breuil-Cervinia

21 min

Zermatt to Trockener Steg

The first leg runs via Furi and Schwarzsee.¹²
9 min

Up to the summit

The cable car crosses the glacier to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise.¹²
4 min

Over to Testa Grigia

The new cable car reaches the border station.¹²
4 min

To Cime Bianche Laghi

The first Italian section starts at Plateau Rosa.¹³
8 min

On to Plan Maison

The middle section of the Italian side.¹³
5 min

Into Breuil-Cervinia

The last ride ends in the village.¹³

The ride over the snow, in figures

The section is short and quick. The cabins travel at up to 7.5 meters per second, carry up to 1,300 passengers an hour, and the trip takes four minutes.² Five cables convey ten cabins between the summit station and Testa Grigia.¹⁴ Each cabin measures 3.7 by 3.6 meters, stands 2.2 meters high and has 28 seats.¹⁵ The ride is over almost as soon as you have found a good spot by the window.

Two of the ten cabins are Crystal Ride cabins, says Cervino, the Italian lift company.¹⁶ Both 3S cableways above Zermatt have these special cabins with glass floors.¹⁷ The cabins were designed by Pininfarina and have heated seats with leather and Alcantara.¹⁸ A wide ground-level entrance gives unimpeded access for wheelchairs and baby carriages.¹⁹ Ask at the station if you hope to ride in a glass-floor cabin.

The altitudes depend on which page you read. Zermatt Bergbahnen gives 3480 meters for Testa Grigia, while Cervino places the valley station of the new link at 3,458 meters, built directly along the border but entirely on Swiss soil.¹ ²⁰ Cervino's technical sheet gives a height difference of 363 meters for the ride.²¹ Either way, the cabins descend gently over the glacier toward Italy.

Options

How far each ticket takes you

Ticket	Furthest point	Beyond the summit	From-price
Glacier Paradise ticket	Summit station	Not included	from $129
Testa Grigia ticket	The Italian border	Ride to Testa Grigia	from $187
Guided half-day	Summit station	Not included	from $371

Prices are the starting prices each GetYourGuide listing recorded, not quotes; the full crossing to Cervinia is sold by the lift companies.²²

Compare

Summit only, or on to the border

Goes furthest

Testa Grigia ticket

Cable car to the border

Valid: 1 day
Rating: 5.00 from 5 reviews
Price: from $187

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Zermatt: Matterhorn Glacier Paradise Cable Car Ticket

Most reviewed

Glacier Paradise ticket

Return to the summit

Includes: Glacier Palace, platform
Last descent: 3:45 PM
Price: from $129

Check dates

Zermatt to Glacier Paradise Small Group Half-Day Trip

With a guide

Guided half-day

Small group from Zermatt

Length: 3 hours
At the top: 2 hours
Price: from $371

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Decision helper

How far should you go?

Match the ticket to the day you want

I only want the summit view I want to stand on the border I am continuing to Italy I travel with a toddler I use a wheelchair I visit in early 2027

Glacier Paradise ticket

A return ride with the platform and the Glacier Palace, from $129.

Testa Grigia ticket

A cable car ticket from Zermatt to Testa Grigia, from $187.

The full crossing

Zermatt Bergbahnen gives 90 minutes from Zermatt to Cervinia.⁴

Stop at Trockener Steg

Under-3s may not ride to the summit or on to Testa Grigia.²³

The route is passable

Cervino says the station transfers can be traveled in a wheelchair along the whole route.²⁴

Avoid January and February

The link is closed from 7 January to 26 February 2027.⁵

It is possible to cross the border between Italy and Switzerland near the mountain station on Testa Grigia.

Zermatt Bergbahnen AGSource 25

Testa Grigia: a foot in each country

The station is a border in the legal sense too. Zermatt Bergbahnen says Testa Grigia marks an official border between Switzerland and Italy, that the entry rules of both countries apply, and that a valid identification document may need to be shown.³ Near the mountain station you can cross the line and stand with one foot in Italy and the other in Switzerland, a natural spot for a souvenir photo.²⁵

There is more to do than look. The SnowXperience beginners' area sits by the valley station of the new cable car, at 3,480 meters, and a snow-tubing hill was added in 2024.²⁶ ²⁷ Snow sports equipment and clothing can be hired from the SnowXperience shop inside the station.²⁸ The crossing ticket includes entry to the park and the snow tubing, open from May to October.²⁹ It is a gentle way to try snow sports high above the valley.

History sits close by. The Una Montagna di Lavoro museum, which tells of work in the high mountains, is at 3,500 meters near the mountain station of the old cableway and can also be reached on foot.³⁰ Shopping travelers should know a detail from Zermatt Bergbahnen: the last customs points for a VAT refund stamp are Brig-Glis when leaving Switzerland and Aosta in Pollein when leaving Italy.³¹

Map

From Zermatt up to the glacier and across to Italy

The lift chain from the village to the summit station and the border at Testa Grigia, then the rail and road routes that bring you to Zermatt.

Map of Zermatt, Täsch, Furi, Schwarzsee, Trockener Steg, the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Testa Grigia and Breuil-Cervinia with the cable car lines — Zermatt to the summit

Map of western Switzerland with Zermatt, Visp, Geneva, Lausanne, Montreux and Zurich — The way to Zermatt

1
Zermatt valley station
The Matterhorn Express starts here at 1,638 m, with step-free access, and a free local bus runs to it from several stops in the village.³² ³³ ³⁴
In Google Maps ↗
2
Furi
The first stop of the lift chain, at 1,867 m; a suspension bridge 100 metres long crosses the Gorner Gorge nearby.³⁵ ³⁶
In Google Maps ↗
3
Schwarzsee
Twelve minutes from Zermatt, with a direct view of the Matterhorn's east face and the Hörnli ridge.³⁷ ³⁸
In Google Maps ↗
4
Trockener Steg
At 2,939 m the ride changes from the Matterhorn Express to the 3S cable car; the InfoCube exhibition here is free.³⁹ ⁴⁰
In Google Maps ↗
5
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
The summit station at 3,883 m, which Zermatt Bergbahnen calls Europe's highest, with the viewing platform, the Glacier Palace and the Cinema Lounge.⁴¹ ⁴²
In Google Maps ↗
6
Testa Grigia
The border with Italy at 3,480 m, a 4-minute ride from the summit on the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II.⁴³ ²
In Google Maps ↗
7
Breuil-Cervinia
The Italian resort at 2,050 m in the municipality of Valtournenche, reached from Plateau Rosa via Cime Bianche Laghi and Plan Maison.⁴⁴ ¹³
In Google Maps ↗
8
Zermatt station
Trains arrive in the middle of the village, close to the Gornergrat Railway.⁴⁵
In Google Maps ↗
9
Täsch
The end of the road for cars: the Matterhorn Terminal has 2,100 covered spaces and a shuttle train to Zermatt every 20 minutes.⁴⁶ ⁴⁷
In Google Maps ↗
10
Zermatt
Trains from Visp run every half hour straight into the car-free village.⁴⁸
In Google Maps ↗
11
Visp
Here you change to the Matterhorn Gotthard Railway, which runs to Zermatt without another change.⁴⁹
In Google Maps ↗
12
Geneva
Zermatt Tourism puts Geneva airport four hours away by train; a bus day trip from Geneva lasts 13 hours.⁵⁰
In Google Maps ↗
13
Lausanne
A day tour bus collects guests outside the Lausanne Vennes metro station at 8:00 am.
In Google Maps ↗
14
Montreux
A day tour bus stops in front of the CGN loading dock at 8:30 am.
In Google Maps ↗
15
Zurich
Zermatt Tourism gives three and a half hours by train from Zurich Airport.⁵⁰
In Google Maps ↗

Open the map in Google Maps

Checklist

Ready for the border crossing

Papers and tickets

A valid passport or identity card
Exchange the voucher at the valley station
Rail pass discount up to Testa Grigia

Timing

Check the maintenance closures first
Note the last ascent toward Cervinia
Watch for the morning weather decision

On the snow

Warm layers and snow clothing
Snow tubing in the summer season
No toddlers beyond Trockener Steg

Calculator

Price the ride for your group

Pick a ticket and enter the number of travelers

Testa Grigia ticketTo the borderfrom $187 Glacier Paradise ticketReturn to the summitfrom $129

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Total from$373

per person from $187

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Each 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

Zermatt to Cervinia | Matterhorn Glacier Crossing via Klein Matterhorn | Switzerland to Italy

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Down the Italian side to Breuil-Cervinia

From Plateau Rosa a chain of Italian lifts carries you down. Zermatt Bergbahnen's flyer gives 4 min from Plateau Rosa to Cime Bianche Laghi, 8 min on to Plan Maison and 5 min from Plan Maison to Breuil-Cervinia.¹³ The Aosta Valley tourism site describes a 12-seat gondola between Plan Maison and Cime Bianche Laghi, where the cable car to Plateau Rosà departs.⁵¹ Each change is a short walk between stations.

Breuil-Cervinia belongs to the municipality of Valtournenche in the autonomous region of the Aosta Valley and lies at 2,050 meters, according to Zermatt Bergbahnen.⁴⁴ The regional tourism site gives 2000 metres for the village on one page.⁵² At the bottom station there are numerous free parking spaces, ticket desks and a bar.⁵³ The village makes a good base for exploring the Italian side.

Skiers have a faster way down in winter. The Ventina run drops 11 km from 3480 m at Plateau Rosà to 2050 m at Cervinia, says the Aosta Valley tourism site.⁵⁴ From Cervinia, Zermatt Bergbahnen gives 2 hours to Malpensa airport near Milan and 1.5 hours to Turin, handy if you fly home from northern Italy.⁵⁵ Check the season dates before you count on the piste, and the state of the snow.

Tickets, passes and timing

This page features a GetYourGuide ticket for the cable car from Zermatt to Testa Grigia, from $187, valid 1 day, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before. It is not a guided tour: you exchange the voucher for a valid ticket at the ticket office of the Matterhorn-Express valley station, Schluhmattstrasse 123. It is rated 5.00 from 5 reviews so far. Bring the voucher on your phone or printed.

If the summit alone is enough, the Glacier Paradise ticket covers a return ride to the top with the platform and the Glacier Palace, from $129. Zermatt Bergbahnen sells the full crossing as single or return tickets from Zermatt to Cervinia, with the option to get on or off at stations on the way.²² Holders of the GA, the Half Fare card and the Swiss Travel Pass get 50% off up to Testa Grigia.⁵⁶

Allow time. Zermatt Bergbahnen's crossing site gives 90 minutes from Zermatt to Cervinia, its trade sheet 1.5 to 2 hours, and 3.5 hours in total for a return trip.⁴ ⁵⁷ ⁵⁸ When the weather is uncertain, the decision whether the crossing can run is communicated by 11 a.m.⁵⁹ In winter 2026/27 the last ascent from Zermatt for Cervinia is 14.50 until 29 January and 15.20 from 30 January.⁶⁰ Plan the return leg with the same care as the way out.

Who can ride, and what comes along

Small children are the one firm exception. Zermatt Bergbahnen states that children under three may not travel from Trockener Steg to the summit or from the summit to Testa Grigia, for health reasons it names as altitude sickness.²³ Everyone else should read the altitude page on this site before a day this high, and dress for snow even in July. Plan a lower outing for the smallest ones instead.

Access is better than you might expect at this height. Cervino says the stretch between the stations at Plateau Rosa is only a few meters and can be traveled in a wheelchair, and that this holds for the entire route between Breuil-Cervinia and Zermatt.²⁴ Dogs travel free on the crossing, with leash and muzzle compulsory in Italy.⁶¹ Ask staff at the stations if you need help with a transfer.

Luggage no longer has to ride on your lap. Since 1 November 2025 the crossing offers luggage transport between Zermatt and Cervinia.⁶² Two transports run per day in each direction, and bags are ready for collection two hours after drop-off.⁶³ Pair it with a single ticket and you can walk across a glacier border with nothing heavier than a day pack. It also frees your hands for photos at the border.

Closures, and what is planned next

Check the dates before you plan the crossing. Cervino lists maintenance closures of the whole Matterhorn Alpine Crossing from 7 September to 23 October 2026 and from 7 January to 26 February 2027.⁶⁴ Zermatt Bergbahnen describes the autumn work as limited to the section between Cervinia and Testa Grigia, and its crossing site says only Zermatt to Testa Grigia and back is open until 23 October 2026.⁶⁵ ⁶⁶

The winter break is the one that affects this cable car directly. From 7 January to 26 February 2027 the link between Testa Grigia and the summit is closed for maintenance.⁵ On the Italian side, Cervino gives the winter season 2026/27 at Breuil-Cervinia as 24 October 2026 to 2 May 2027.⁶⁷ Zermatt Tourism adds that the crossing has linked the two resorts all year round since the new cable car opened.⁶⁸

More change is coming. Cervino's planned Cervino The One project, a 3S cable car, is to connect the center of Breuil-Cervinia with Testa Grigia in just over fifteen minutes, with an intermediate station at Plan Maison.⁶⁹ Until then the route keeps its current chain of lifts, with the short glacier crossing at the top as its high point. Watch the operators' news pages for dates and progress.

Above the clouds