New cable car near the Matterhorn allows non-skiers to cross between Switzerland and Italy

A new cable car that allows visitors without skis to cross between Switzerland and Italy near the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, has gone into service

Switzerland Italy Matterhorn Crossing (KEYSTONE/DOMINIC STEINMANN)

A new cable car that allows visitors without skis to cross between Switzerland and Italy near the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, went into service on Saturday.

The operator, Matterhorn Zermatt Bergbahnen, says the new service enables the highest-altitude border crossing in the Alps. It links the Klein Matterhorn cable car station in Switzerland, at more than 3,800 meters (12,467 feet) above sea level, with Testa Grigia in Italy, at 3,458 meters (11,345 feet).

Cars take about four minutes to travel the 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) over the Theodul glacier. The new stretch closes a cross-border gap, enabling tourists to travel between the Swiss resort of Zermatt and its Italian counterpart on the other side of the Matterhorn, Cervinia — with several changes of cable car.

An adult return trip on the “Matterhorn Alpine Crossing” between Zermatt and Cervinia, also known as Breuil-Cervinia, will cost 240 Swiss francs ($267) through the end of August and 218 francs ($243) in September and October.