Aosta Valley: Matterhorn Alpine Crossing connects Breuil-Cervinia directly with Zermatt.
Since July 1, 2023, the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing provides a continuous, year-round connection between Breuil-Cervinia in Italy and Zermatt in Switzerland. The “Matterhorn Glacier Ride II” is the final piece of the puzzle that will enable the highest continuous crossing of the Alps by cable car. The opening of the last cable car section this summer provides a seamless connection between the two destinations in Italy and Switzerland that has been sought for more than 80 years.
Matterhorn Glacier Ride II
The new modern S3 cable car Matterhorn Glacier Ride II connects the summit of Piccolo Cervino (“Little Matterhorn”) with Plateau Rosa, allowing everyone to move between Cervinia and Zermatt, the Aosta Valley and the Canton of Valais and vice versa. Until now, this was an option only for skiers.
The Matterhorn Glacier Ride II cable car section has a station in Testa Grigia, Italy, at 11,345 feet. Visitors are able to cross the Matterhorn Alpine Crossing, the highest cross-border pass in the Alps, from there. Another station on the Piccolo Cervino (“Little Matterhorn”) in Switzerland at 12,739 feet above sea level continues the Matterhorn Glacier Ride I, which opened in fall 2018 and replaced the previous Piccolo Cervino cable car. With the start of operation of the Matterhorn Glacier Ride II, the seamless integration of the two destinations, which has been sought for more than 80 years, is achieved.
Plateau Rosa: More than skiing
The cable car takes both skiers and visitors who just want to enjoy the high mountains, the clear sky, the mountain sun and the fresh breeze directly to the Plateau Rosa. There you can enjoy a breathtaking panorama of the 13,123 feet peaks of the Alps: the most prominent peak for summiteers to see is the Matterhorn, but profiles of Mont Blanc, Gran Paradiso, the Monte Rosa massif and the Swiss Alpine peaks in Valais are also clearly visible. Towards Italy, the view falls on the unmistakable silhouette of Monviso in Piedmont.
In the Museum of Work, located on the Plateau Rosa, visitors can physically visualize the cardinal points, names and altitude of all the 13,000-feet peaks of the area, as well as the most famous peaks, in a signage made of solid bronze. The exhibition of work tools and photographs tells of the incredible efforts of the Valdostan ancestors during the construction of the ski lifts and cable cars of the Plateau Rosà as well as the Furggen.
New possibilities: Glacier Grotto on the Little Matterhorn
Thanks to the new cable car section, the ice cave of the Piccolo Cervino (“Little Matterhorn”) with its depth of 50 feet and its 164-feet tunnel dug into the ice will now also be more easily accessible from Breuil-Cervinia. The lighting and soft music inside the ice cave create a very special atmosphere. In summer, the climb with a mountain guide from Plateau Rosa takes about an hour and a half. With skis one crossed the glacier so far with the lifts open for summer skiing.
Photos: (c)Zermatt Bergbahnen