A brand new cable car connecting Switzerland to Italy has opened above the town of Zermatt. The new service connects the Swiss ski resort with the Italian vacation region of Cervinia, crossing the mountains at almost 4.000 metres above sea level.
From the Glacier Express to the mountain railway to Gornergrat, Zermatt is already full of exciting things to do. Now, travellers to the town beneath the Matterhorn will be able to go straight from Switzerland to Italy, using a new cable car that connects the Kleiner Matterhorn to the Testa Grigia.
At a cost of 65 million francs - more than double the original budget - the new connection only takes four minutes to go between the two countries, scaling 400 metres as it moves across the Theodul Glacier. Authorities told SRF that the service will be able to transport 1.300 people an hour, with a return trip from the town of Cervina to the town of Zermatt - via the cable car - costing 240 francs a person. The service opened on July 1, 2023 and will run all year round.
In a statement, Markus Hasler, CEO of Zermatt Mountain Railways, said the new connection will make the region even more attractive for tourists. "We are targeting day trippers from Turin or Milan, for example, who like to come to the cool mountains in summer…the aim is for them to be able to ride past the Matterhorn in sandals," he joked.
Others are not so enthusiastic about the new connection. Green Party National Councillor Christophe Clivaz told SRF that the railway will only attract wealthy tourists “who ultimately just want to cross the Alps and then quickly travel on again” without actually spending time or money in the local area. Others told the national broadcaster that Zermatt risked "Disneyfying" the Alps by offering easy showcase experiences like the new cable car.