← Gornergrat Zermatt Marathon·1 night

Riffelalp: A Night on the Marathon Route

Riffelalp sits at 2,222 m on the marathon route at 39 km, and a night there turns the hardest part of the course into a view from the bedroom.

Duration1 night
TransitGornergrat railway from Zermatt to Riffelalp station
DepartsZermatt

After the Gornergrat Zermatt Marathon: Riffelalp

The Route: Zermatt → Riffelalp → Zermatt → home Logistics: Gornergrat railway from Zermatt to Riffelalp station, then a short transfer to the resort. One night, then back down by the same railway. Marathon Month: July Duration: 1 night

Zermatt station ──(Gornergrat railway, to Riffelalp station)──> Riffelalp (2,222 m)
      ▲                                                               │
      └────────────────(railway back down the next morning)◄─────────┘

The Gornergrat Zermatt Marathon passes Riffelalp at 39.0 km, with the finish at Riffelberg three kilometres higher. A runner who finishes on Saturday can spend Sunday night in the same place, at 2,222 m, and look at the final climb from the other side of the glass.

July in Riffelalp: the Riffelalp Resort is open from 18 June to 20 September, so early July falls inside its season. Days are bright and cool at this altitude, and evenings drop quickly once the sun leaves the slope. Rain and low cloud can hide the Matterhorn for hours. Pack a warm layer and a rain jacket, and do not plan around a guaranteed view.

Night one: Riffelalp

The Gornergrat railway runs from Zermatt station to Riffelalp station. Check the timetable and fares at gornergrat.ch, and ask the resort how guests transfer from the station to the building, including how luggage is handled. The railway is the only practical way up, and it is step-free at the platform. The marathon route follows the mountain above the resort, so a short stroll on the paths near the buildings will show the course without a long walk. Ask at reception for a flat route, because the paths vary and the altitude makes any slope feel steeper than it is.

The Riffelalp Resort has an outdoor spa pool with a Matterhorn view, open to hotel guests only. After a mountain marathon, a warm outdoor pool at 2,222 m is the obvious use of the first evening.

The resort has restaurants named Alexandre and Al Bosco. Both can be booked through the hotel, and a Sunday evening in early July is likely to be busy, so ask for a table when booking the room. Check the opening hours and dress code at the time of booking.

Getting home

Take the Gornergrat railway down to Zermatt on Monday morning, then the train towards the Rhône valley. For Zürich Airport (ZRH) or Geneva Airport (GVA), check the journey time and connections at sbb.ch, because both are long days from Zermatt. Leave the resort in good time, since the railway is the only way down and the first connections of the day set the schedule.