Examples of Alpine Expenses (updated 2021)
As our courses are generally run on a ‘guiding only’ basis here is a brief summary of some additional expenses including using mountain lifts and staying in mountain huts / refuges.
These are for reference only and some prices may not be the exact current amount.
For the latest info on each individual lift & hut their own specific website can be consulted.
Alpine Mountain Huts
Here are examples of the costs for an overnight stay, including dinner & breakfast, in French, Italian & Swiss Mountain Huts. These are the huts of the national alpine club and some private huts will often charge a bit more. Whilst some huts take credit cards, taking cash (Euros or Swiss Francs) is the best way of ensuring there are no problems. Prices are based on 1 adult paying the standard (public) price. If you are a member of an Alpine Club and use your card you usually receive a discount of between 10 – 15 €/CHF on the night’s stay.
Guides costs in huts: Usually the guide pays for the cost of the meals only (the night’s stay is free when they are a member of the country or other guides association, on presentation of their card), so prices are around 40-50 €/CHF per night. Some huts are the exception e.g. refuge Gouter/Tete Rousse where the guides night stay is also charged.
French Mountain Huts (C.A.F)
Refuge du Gouter: 65€ for the night’s stay, 50.20€ for breakfast & dinner, 0.80€ taxe de sejour. Total for a night’s stay is 116€ for an adult. Guide cost is 96€ for night, tax & meals.
Refuge Tete Rousse: 55€ for the night’s stay, 48.20€ for breakfast & dinner, 0.80€ taxe de sejour. Total 104€. Guide cost is 84€ for night, tax & meals.
Refuge d’Argentiere: 33€ for the night’s stay plus meals at approx 30 – 40€.
Refuge Albert Premier: 68.80€ for the night on half board.
Refuge des Conscrits: 69.60€ for the night on half board
Refuge des Grand Mulet: 60.50€ for the night on half board.
Refuge du Couvercle: 60€ for the night on half board.
Refuge Durier: 62€ for the night on half board.
Refuge des Cosmique: 69€ for the night on half board. Guide 45€ on half board.
Italian Mountain Huts (C.A.I)
Rifugio Chabod (For Climbing the Gran Paradiso): 55€ for the night on half board, guide cost is 36.50€ night with half board
Rifugio Torino: 60€ for the night on half board, guide cost is 35€ with half board
Rifugio Walter Bonatti (for Touring Skills Trips): 65€ for the night on half board in a dorm room, 80€ in a 2-4 bed room half board.
Rifugio Mantova (For Monterosa Mountaineer): 75€ for the night on half board
Rifugio Gnifetti (For Monterosa Mountaineer): 80€ for the night on half board, guide cost is 50€ with half board.
Swiss Mountain Huts (S.A.C)
Hornli Hut, Zermatt (for the Matterhorn): 150 CHF for the night on half board, guide receives a 10 CHF discount on this price
Hotel at Schwarzsee, Zermatt: prices start from 95 CHF per adult for bed in a small dorm room (3 bunk beds)
Mittellegi Hut (for the Eiger): 80 CHF for the night on half board
Cabane Tracuit (for the Bishorn): 80 CHF for the night on half board, guide cost is 50 CHF with half board
Cabane du Trient (Chamonix Mountaineering & Haute Route Ski Tour): 79 CHF for the night on half board, guide cost is 45 CHF with half board
Cabane du Prafleuri (Haute Route Ski Tour): approx 80 CHF for the night on half board (privately owned hut)
Cabane du Mont Fort (Haute Route Ski Tour): 92 CHF for the night on half board
Grand Saint Bernard Hospice (Haute Route Ski Tour & Touring Skills Trips): approx 68 CHF for the night on half board
Cabane du Chanrion (Haute Route Ski Tour): 78 CHF for the night on half board
Cabane du Valsory (Haute Route Ski Tour): 79 CHF for the night on half board
Cabane de Dix (Haute Route Ski Tour): 87 CHF for the night on half board
Cabane des Vignette (Haute Route Ski Tour): 87 CHF for the night on half board
Almageller Hutte (for the Weissmies): 80 CHF for the night on half board
Konkordia Hutte (Bernese Oberland Ski Tour): 80 CHF for the night on half board, guide cost is 40 CHF with half board
Finsteraarhorn Hutte (Bernese Oberland Ski Tour): (Bernese Oberland Ski Tour): 80 CHF for the night on half board, guide cost is 40 CHF with half board
Monchsjoch Hutte (for the Eiger & Bernese Oberland Ski Tour): 69 CHF for the night on half board, guide cost is 48 CHF with half board
Lammeren Hutte (for Touring Skills Trips): 81 CHF for the night on half board.
Dom Hutte (for The Misson Trips): 82 CHF for the night on half board.
Monterosa Hutte (for Mission Impossible Trips): from 95 CHF for the night on half board.
Mountain Lifts – France
Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix: 67€ return to/from the summit
Les Grands Montets Chamonix: Summer currently closed
Montenvers Train, Chamonix: 29€ return
Brevent/Flegere, Chamonix: 30€ – 34€ return
Le Tour, Chamonix: 30€ return (for Col de Balme)
Bellevue Cable Car, Chamonix: 19.50€ return
Tramway Belleve to Nid d’Aigle: 25.50€ return
Mountain Lifts – Italy
Skyway Monte Bianco, Courmayeur:
55€ return, Guides pass 15€
Gressoney for Monterosa Climber Staffel to Punta Indren:
40€ return
Mountain Lifts – Switzerland
Train Tasch – Zermatt (For Reaching Zermatt from the Parking at Tasch Station):
16.40 CHF
Lift to Kleine Matterhorn from Zermatt (For Climbing the Breithorn / Pollux / Ayas Hut):
104 CHF for 1 adult return and 54 CHF for the Guide (2020)
Lift to Schwarzee from Zermatt (For Climbing the Matterhorn):
45 CHF
Train to Rotenboden from Zermatt (for approaching the Monte Rosa Hut):
39 CHF single fare, 79 CHF return fare
Saas Grund to Hohsaas and descent from Kreuzboden (for climbing the Lagginhorn):
34€ and 27€ adult fares
Grindlewald – Jungfraujoch (For Ski Touring in Bernese Oberland or Climbing the Eiger etc):
214 CHF return adult fare from Grindelwald Terminal to Junfraujoch (2022)
Other Costs
Parking costs in Tasch (Zermatt): Parking at the terminus in Tasch costs from 16 CHF per day for a car in the covered multi-story car park
Parking costs in Grindelwald: for 2 days is 30 CHF, 3 days 50 CHF at the Grindelwald Terminus for the Junchfraujoch train
Parking in Saas Grund: for 3 days is usually 40 CHF
Swiss train journeys can be looked up and costs found on https://www.sbb.ch/en
Picnic lunches can be brought in most mountain huts, ordered the previous evening costs from 8 – 12€ / 10 – 15 CHF.
