Zermatt Attractions: Museum, Gorge, Crossing
Zermatt’s headline attractions are a museum, a gorge, a cross-border cable car route and a famous scenic railway. No coach or bus tours run here, because the village is car-free and visitors get around by foot, by free electric bus or by train and lift. Prices below are adult fares in Swiss francs (CHF) for 2026-27, so check them again before you travel.
Matterhorn Museum (Zermatlantis)
The museum is built underground and shows original village houses, a multimedia room and finds from the first ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865, including the snapped rope. Treat that part as history, since it records a tragedy on the mountain. Adults pay CHF 12, seniors CHF 10, students CHF 8 and ages 10 to 16 CHF 7. Children up to age 9 with an adult go in free, and the Swiss Travel Pass covers entry. Opening is seasonal and mostly in the afternoon, roughly 15:00 to 18:00, with a closed spell in early to mid November and a Friday to Sunday pattern before Christmas. Details are on the Zermatt tourism listing .
Gorner Gorge
Wooden walkways run through a narrow channel of greenish serpentinite rock about 220 million years old, and the paths date from 1886 and 1887. It is a walk of about 15 minutes from the south end of the village. Adults pay CHF 5.50, children aged 6 to 15 pay CHF 3 and younger children are free. Bring some Swiss francs in case the gate does not take cards. The gorge is a summer attraction that usually closes in mid-October and stays shut until the end of May. See the official gorge page .
Matterhorn Alpine Crossing
This route links Zermatt with Breuil-Cervinia in Italy via nine stations, including Furi, Schwarzsee, Trockener Steg, Glacier Paradise and Testa Grigia. It takes 1.5 to 2 hours one way. A one-way fare is CHF 147.50 in the shoulder months, CHF 161.50 in July and August and CHF 127.50 from November to April. Carry a passport or ID, because you may be asked to show it at the border at Testa Grigia, 3,480 m up. Entry to the Glacier Palace ice gallery on the way is included. The operator offers a bad-weather guarantee decided around 11:00 and a luggage transfer for CHF 20 per piece. Sections of the route close for works each autumn and again in winter, so check the operator site before you plan the day.
Glacier Paradise sits at 3,883 m and children under 3 may not ride the top stage. Everyone else should move slowly, drink water and avoid alcohol until you have adjusted to the height.
Glacier Express
The ride from Zermatt to St. Moritz lasts about 8 hours. A ticket costs CHF 166 in second class or CHF 284 in first class, and every passenger also needs a seat reservation at CHF 54, which a Swiss Travel Pass or Eurail pass never covers. The train does not run from mid-October to early December, so it is not an option in the late autumn gap. Fares are listed on the Glacier Express price page . Treat it as a full travel day, not a short excursion.
Booking tips
Cards work almost everywhere in the village. The Alpine Crossing and the Sunday sunrise train on Gornergrat in July to September are worth booking ahead. Tour listings are available on Viator .
Read more: Zermatt sightseeing and day trips from Zermatt .