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The Matterhorn has a stunt double, and it lives in a lake. At Riffelsee, on a still morning, the mountain flips upside down in the water so cleanly that a good chunk of the Matterhorn photos you've seen online were probably taken right here.
The best part: you don't need to hike for it. A cogwheel train does most of the heavy lifting, and a short but steep walk down from Rotenboden station is all it takes to reach the shore. From there, the same train line continues up to Gornergrat, one of the highest points in the area you can reach without setting foot on a real trail.
In the guide below, you will learn exactly how to do both: the train, the walk to the lake, what's worth seeing at Gornergrat, and what it'll cost.
The visit at a glance
Easy- Distance (Riffelsee + Gornergrat)
- roughly 0.2mi + 0.15mi (400m + 300m)
- Time needed
- 4 hours total
- Elevation gain (Riffelsee + Gornergrat)
- 135ft + 151ft (41m + 46m) up & down
- Starting point
- Gornergrat Railway valley station
- Parking
- Matterhorn Terminal Täsch
- Cost
- 132CHF return, some discount cards accepted
- Crowds
- Medium to High
- Best months to go
- May to October
- When to go
- Early morning or later in the afternoon, on a clear day
- Sun exposure
- High
Area Map Gornergrat & Riffelsee
How to get there
Step 1: Getting to Zermatt
By car
Zermatt is a car-free town, so drive to the town of Täsch and park at the Matterhorn Terminal Täsch, a covered, paid parking lot with 2,100 spaces, 131 of which are in a separate E-Zone for electric cars.
From there, take the "Zermatt Shuttle" train to Zermatt. The return ticket costs 17.20 CHF, and it runs every 20 minutes from 5:55 to 21:55. In the evening, it runs every hour until 00:30/01:00. On weekends, it runs all night.
Other parking lots in Täsch offer paid transfer services directly to and from Zermatt.
By public transportation
Take a train straight to Zermatt train station, then walk 8 minutes to the Sunnegga funicular valley station.
Step 2: Take the Gornergrat Cogwheel Train
Take the Gornergrat Cogwheel Train to the Rotenboden station; further details are given below.
Practical planning
Operating hours
In summer, trains run every 24 minutes from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., plus the first train from Zermatt, which departs at 7:00 a.m.
Timetables vary by season, so before you go, double-check the current schedule here.
Cost
One ticket on the Gornergrat railway costs 66 CHF one-way and 132 CHF return during high season (check the current season's price); some discount cards are accepted and grant you a 50% discount. Children under 6 years travel for free. You can book your tickets here.
Best time to go
The summer months are best for hiking and offer a higher chance of seeing the Matterhorn without clouds.
Avoid going on weekends, and try to go before 9:00 a.m. or after 3:30 p.m. for fewer crowds. For a better chance of no wind and clear Matterhorn reflections on the water, go as early as you can.
If the weather is rainy and/or very cloudy, it might be best to stay in the valley in Zermatt, because there's no point in paying such a high price if you can't see the Matterhorn or the mountains.
Riffelsee & Gornergrat, stage by stage
1 Gornergrat Cogwheel Train to Rotenboden
The Gornergrat Cogwheel Train Station is located right next to Zermatt train station.
I highly recommend going as early as you can to avoid the crowds (I got there at 8:30 a.m., and the crowd was already huge) and to increase your chances of catching the lake surface undisturbed by the wind.
Note that there's no proper queue to enter the train; people just stand in front of one of the sliding doors leading to the train platform. So expect chaos when those doors open, as everyone literally runs toward the train and jumps inside as best they can.
Try to sit on the right side of the train for the best Matterhorn views throughout the 30-minute journey, and get off at Rotenboden station.
2 Mini Hike to Riffelsee
As soon as you get off the train, you'll find yourself in front of some impressive mountains and their glacier. After taking in the views, start the descent to Riffelsee by taking the path to your right.
The descent lasts about 15 minutes on a steep trail. Many people gather at the shore, trying to snap a picture. Wait 5-10 minutes for a better photo opportunity, as many people move on quickly to continue their hike toward Riffelberg.
You might have to wait even longer for the wind to calm down and see the Matterhorn's reflection on the water.
When you're done, walk back up to the Rotenboden train station.
3 Gornergrat
Hop on the cogwheel train toward Gornergrat again for one station, or walk for about an hour to Gornergrat. Either way, the journey is scenic, with mountain views along the way.
Once at Gornergrat, you can get a closer look at the Gornergrat Glacier. For the best views, walk uphill past the restaurant to the panoramic viewpoint.
At Gornergrat, you can also visit the Zoom museum for free (included in your train ticket). There, you will find information about the mountains and the glaciers, and you can even try the paragliding simulator.
You can also grab something to drink and/or eat at the restaurant saycheese! That's part of the Kulmhotel.
If you want to hike it instead
I did this route by train, not on foot, so here's what the hiking option involves based on official trail data, not my own experience. You get basically the same views by train, but hiking lets you take your time, take pictures, and enjoy the landscape longer.
- Gornergrat to Riffelsee: about 2.4 km, roughly 40 minutes to an hour, around 335 m of descent
- Riffelsee to Riffelberg: about 1.6–2.6 km depending on the path taken, 30–45 minutes
- Riffelsee to Riffelalp: about 4.3 km, roughly 1.5 hours, with a steeper final stretch
- Full Gornergrat to Riffelalp: about 6.8 km total, roughly 900 m of descent
Frequently asked questions
- Riffelsee VS Stellisee: which is best?
Both lakes will let you take the famous picture with the Matterhorn's reflection.
Riffelsee is the easiest to reach, since you don't have to hike for long if you don't want to, and you can enjoy amazing glacier views with the same train ticket. However, this lake is smaller than Stellisee, and the train fare is higher than the cost of getting to Stellisee.
Most people visit Stellisee as part of the longer, more challenging 5-lake hike circuit (read the full guide here). However, you can also take the chairlift, go to Stellisee, and return to the chairlift on a flat-ish trail.
In my opinion, you will get a similar view of the Matterhorn's reflection, so choose based on how much effort you're up to and what else you want to see. Do you want low effort and to see a big glacier? Then go to Riffelsee. Do you prefer a longer hike with more alpine lakes and forest? Go to the Stellisee.
