Please sign in to post.

Gornergrat or Rothorn (or both!)

Posted by on

We'll have an opportunity to spend a day in Zermatt mid-April. It will be a daytrip, but with easy, direct service that can start as early in the day as we might want, so we can spend as much or as little time in Zermatt as we care to spend. We'll have Swiss Travel Passes. And we'll have multiple days to pick from, so we can (hopefully) pick a day with good weather. Here's my question:

Given those parameters (mid-April, Swiss Travel Pass discounts, hopefully decent weather), which would you pick from these two for views of the Matterhorn and just general Swiss Alps majesty, including food and drink options, walking/hiking (to the extent you can in mid-April), photography opportunities, etc.:

  1. The cogwheel train to Gornegrat OR
  2. The series of lifts to Rothorn (funicular Zermatt to Sunnegga; gondola Sunnegga to Blauherd; cable car Blauherd to Rothorn)

Or, would you try to do both? Say Gornegrat in the morning, lunch in Zermatt, and Rothorn in the afternoon? Jaw-droppingly expensive, but I'm trying not to think about that part too much. You only live once, right? But is that just too much to try and cram into one day?

Thoughts? Opinions?

Posted by
6902 posts

In mid-April, you can buy a ski pass. It might be cheaper than lift tickets even with the Swiss Travel Pass.
But if you just pick one, make it Gornergrat. The view is much better and the train is fun! You could stop in Riffelalp for lunch.
Or if you want to mix and match, just take the funicular up Sunnegga after Gornergrat and go to one of the great restaurants (Vrony, Paradise, etc.) in that area.

Posted by
20113 posts

Gornergrat is a bit closer to the Matterhorn than Rothorn. Alternatively you could take the cable cars up to Trockener Steg and be right next to it.

Posted by
16294 posts

Gornergrat would be my choice. Nice views the whole way; get off where you want, and get back on another later. Plus nice lunch opportunities at Riffelalp and at the top.

I found the Sunnega funicular nerve-wracking. Very noisy, and no views as it goes underground.

Posted by
37 posts

I too would put the Gornergrat train as highest priority. For me, it was the highlight of my stay in Zermatt. Going up to Rothorn (or even only part of the way up, if you want) was also a nice trip, but not quite as enjoyable as the Gornergrat. I also went up to Glacier Paradise and thoroughly enjoyed that on a beautiful sunny day.

Add Reply

Please do not reply to violations of our Community Guidelines.