We will be basing out of Montreux for 4 nights in early September this year. A bucket list item for my 76 year old brother in law is seeing the Matterhorn. (or attempting to see) We will not be hiking - he just wants to see the Matterhorn, understanding that the weather has a say in that. I would appreciate any suggestions. We don't plan on renting a car; however, if that is a suggested way to make this happen, we certainly can. Thank you in advance.
It is about 59 CHF each way and takes 2 1/2 hours from Montreux on the train. Will you have Half Fare cards while there, or Swiss Travel Passes? There are are 2 connections every hour.
We will have the Swiss Travel Pass.
Then just hop a train. Schedules at www.sbb.ch/en.
Of course, try to pick a day with good weather. Early is better, as clouds can build up in the afternoon even on clear days. You can use your STPs to get a 50% discount to go up on the Gornergratbahn for a closer look.
The Sunnegga funicular and optionally the Rothorn cable car above it give an even better view of the Matterhorn than from Gornergrat. You do miss out on the cog train ride though.
And if you take the cable car to Trockener Steg, it will be in your face.
Appreciate your - as usual - great advice
We did the similar trip last year - from Zermatt to Gornergrat to Matterhorn viewpoints. From Gornergrat you can see some breathtaking views of the Matterhorn. We hiked from Zermatt to Gornergrat, but there are good alternatives. You can take a train from Bahnhofplatz in Zermatt which will take you to Gornergrat in roughly 30 minutes. Check the prices and timetable . Also, you can check our journey from Zermatt to Gornergrat where you can see some nice photos & get some tips (https://golookexplore.com/the-gornergrat-hike/).
If you're having more questions, feel free to reach me out. I'm currently around Zermatt and based in Zurich. Wish you all the best. :)