We have visited Ticino more times I can count. Every time, the plan was the same: one day we’ll go all the way along Val Bavona. And every time we ended up somewhere else — a river pool near Maggia, a polenta lunch in Foroglio, back in Locarno before dark.
This summer we finally kept to our plan. Past the last hamlet, past the point where the road runs out of valley, to San Carlo — where the tarmac stops and the only way onwards is up.
And I’ll say this straight away: the cable car ride alone is worth the drive. Four kilometres of cable, sixteen minutes, a cabin that holds well over a hundred people, and a valley floor that drops away underneath you until Val Bavona looks like a crack in the rock. You arrive at 1,905 metres in a glacier basin full of turquoise water, and it feels like you have gone somewhere far more remote than an hour from Locarno.
Here is everything you need: how to get to San Carlo, what the lift costs and when it runs, and the three hikes at the top that are actually worth your day.
Robiei at a glance
| Where | Robiei, at the head of Val Bavona, above San Carlo (Cevio), Vallemaggia |
| Altitude | 1,905 m — the valley station at San Carlo sits at 1,052 m |
| How you get up | San Carlo–Robiei cable car. No road, no other way |
| Ride | 4 km, 16 minutes, one huge cabin (120 people) |
| Season 2026 | 13 June to 4 October |
| Return ticket | CHF 24 adults, CHF 12 children 6–16, CHF 18 seniors, CHF 10 dogs |
| Parking | Free at the valley station in San Carlo |
| At the top | Hotel and restaurant Robiei, Capanna Basòdino (SAC), a playground, a dam you can walk inside |
| Hikes | From a 30-minute stroll to a five-hour glaciological trail |
| Best for | Alpine lakes, glacier views, hut lunches, and a proper end-of-the-road feeling |
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Why Robiei is worth the effort
Ticino is full of valleys that photograph well from the car park. Robiei is not one of them. You have to commit — the drive up Vallemaggia, the turn into Val Bavona, the last narrow stretch to San Carlo, then the lift. That is exactly why it stays quiet.
What you get at the top is a hydroelectric landscape that has accidentally become one of the most beautiful high basins in Switzerland. Six reservoirs, granite slabs, marmots everywhere, and the Basòdino glacier hanging above it all — the largest glacier in Ticino, and a shrinking one. It covered around 4 km² in 1850. By 2022 it was down to roughly 1.6 km². Standing there, you can read the retreat in the bare rock: everything pale and unweathered was under ice within living memory.
There is also something honest about the place. The dams, the pylons, the tunnels — nobody has tried to hide the engineering. The whole basin exists because of the Maggia hydroelectric scheme, and the cable car itself was built in 1964 to service it. It only opened to the public in 1972. You are still, technically, riding the works lift.
The Robiei cable car: timetable, prices and how it works
Season and timetable
The cable car runs 13 June to 4 October 2026, roughly hourly.
- Up from San Carlo: 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 14:00, 14:50, 15:35, 16:20*, 17:00
- Down from Robiei: 08:30, 09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 13:30, 14:30, 15:15, 16:00*, 16:45, 17:20**
* July and August only. ** Weekends and public holidays only.
Two things to plan around. First, there is a lunch break — nothing goes up between 12:00 and 14:00, and nothing comes down between 11:30 and 13:30. Second, on a normal weekday in June or September, the last cabin down is 16:45. Miss it and you are booking a room, because there is no evening service and the walk down to San Carlo takes an hour and a half.
Always check robiei.ch before you set off — high wind and maintenance days do happen, and this is a single-cabin lift with no backup.
| Ticket | Adult | Senior (AVS) | Child 6–16 | Dog |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | CHF 19 | CHF 15 | CHF 9 | CHF 6 |
| Return | CHF 24 | CHF 18 | CHF 12 | CHF 10 |
| 10-trip pass | CHF 108 | CHF 81 | CHF 54 | — |
| Return + lunch | CHF 39 | CHF 33 | CHF 27 | — |
Money-saving bits worth knowing:
- Ticino Ticket holders get 20% off. If you are staying anywhere in the canton for at least one night, your accommodation hands you the Ticino Ticket at check-in — always ask. It is one of the best travel deals in Switzerland and we explain how it works in our Ticino travel guide.
- Staying at Hotel Robiei? You pay half price on the return ticket.
- Groups of six or more get reduced rates.
- The return-with-lunch ticket at CHF 39 is decent value if you were planning to eat at the hotel restaurant anyway.
One honest note: this is a privately run lift attached to a power scheme, not part of the national network. There is no Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare reduction on the published fare table — budget the full CHF 24 and treat the Ticino Ticket discount as your saving.
Mountain bikes are not carried. Don’t turn up with one.
How to get to the Robiei cable car
The valley station is at San Carlo, 6690 Cevio (Val Bavona) — the last settlement in the valley.
By car
From Locarno it is about 42 km and 50 minutes. Follow the Vallemaggia road to Bignasco, take the Val Bavona turning at Cavergno, and keep going to San Carlo, where the road ends.
There is free parking at the valley station — genuinely free, which in Switzerland is worth mentioning. It fills up on July and August weekends, so an early lift is the safer plan.
The Val Bavona road is narrow with passing places. It is not difficult, but it is not a road to rush, and it is one of the few places in Ticino where a camper van will slow everybody down.
By public transport
Perfectly doable, and the buses are timed to meet the lift.
- Bus 315 from Locarno station up Vallemaggia to Bignasco.
- Bus 333 from Bignasco to San Carlo (Val Bavona), Funivia.
- Walk two minutes to the cable car.
Total journey time is around 1 hour 35 minutes from Locarno. Several cable car departures are marked as having a direct bus connection — the 09:00, 11:00, 14:00, 15:35 and 17:00 up, and the 08:30, 10:30, 13:30, 15:15, 16:45 and 17:20 down. Check the exact connection on SBB.ch on the day.
With a Ticino Ticket, both buses are free. That is the version I would do if I were not carrying camera gear.
The 3 best hikes at Robiei
Everything at the top starts from the cable car station, and you can build the day around the lift times rather than the other way round. These are the three that make sense for most people.
1. Lago Robiei loop → viewpoint → Capanna Basòdino
(the one we did)
Roughly 5 km · 1h40 walking · 180 m up and down · T2 · lunch at the hut Map
This is the classic and it deserves to be. Instead of crossing the dam wall we hiked along the slightly higher trail , which leads fist away from the dam and than heading towards it with the lake on your right.
If crossing the dam wall is impoprtant for you, than you can do it first and head straight to the wall from the cable car. Then follow the shore of Lago Robiei with the lake on your left. About halfway round there is a climb which leads you to another trail if you like to extend.
The views from the far side of the lake is stunning with the the Basòdino Glacier behind it.
From there the path drops down the right-hand side, past the alpine pasture at Lielp, and over to Capanna Basòdino at 1,857 m.
We stopped for lunch and I would build the whole day around doing that again. It is a Swiss Alpine Club hut (Locarno section), 59 beds, open June to October, and the food is properly homemade — bread, pasta, lasagne, gnocchi, puddings. Sitting on that terrace with the glacier view infront of you and having lunch was exactly what we where looking for.
Then it is a short, (15-20min) walk back to the cable car station.
Our tip: take the 10:00 lift up, walk the loop clockwise, eat at the hut around 13:00, and you will be back at the station in good time for the 15:15 or 16:00 down with no clock-watching. Trying to squeeze this into the gap before the 11:30 descent is where people come unstuck.
Realistic timings: The 1h40 is walking time. With the viewpoint, photographs, marmot-spotting and a hut lunch, we were out for about four hours. That is the right amount of time for it.
2. Robiei to Lago del Zött — the easy one, through the tunnels
Roughly 1.3 km each way · 30 minutes one way · almost flat · easy
If the loop sounds like too much — or you have small children, tired legs or a pushchair — this is the walk to do.
You follow a wide, level service road from the station towards the head of the basin, through a couple of tunnels (one is around 300 m long and genuinely dark, so bring a torch or use your phone), and out at the Zött dam wall. You are then standing at the foot of what is left of the Basòdino glacier, with the Hotel Robiei restaurant and a playground back near the station.
It is the most dramatic scenery-per-effort ratio in the whole basin.
On pushchairs, honestly: the surface is a made-up road and a robust buggy handles it fine — this is easily the most pram-friendly high alpine walk in Ticino. But the cable car operator flags rockfall risk on this stretch and does not list it as wheelchair accessible, so I am not going to tell you it is officially barrier-free. Look up, don’t linger under the steep sections, and don’t do it in heavy rain or straight after a storm.
3. The Basòdino glaciological trail — for a full day
8.3 km · 4.5 to 5 hours · 717 m ascent · T3 · experienced hikers – Map
The serious option, and one of the most interesting theme trails in Switzerland. It runs Robiei – Zött – the glacier forefield – Randinascia – Robiei, with eight information stations explaining what the ice did to this landscape and how fast it has left.
It is a T3 mountain path: moraine, loose ground, some steep sections, and a high point at 2,437 m. You want proper boots, a head for exposed ground, and an early lift up — the timing only works if you take the 08:00 or 09:00.
Don’t attempt it with the last-lift-down being 16:45 unless you are quick and the weather is settled.
And if you want more
The operator lists well over a dozen marked routes from Robiei, including Lago Bianco and Lago Cavagnoli, Cresta d’Arzo, and the Passo di Cristallina. The full list is on robiei.ch. For easier days out elsewhere in the canton, see our guide to the best hikes in Ticino.
Walk inside the dam wall
This is the bit almost nobody knows about, and it is free.
There is an educational path inside the Robiei dam — a tunnel through the wall itself with displays about how the whole hydroelectric scheme works. It takes about 30 minutes, it is one of a kind in Ticino, and you need to collect the key from reception at Hotel Robiei.
Two things: it is a constant 8°C in there, so take a jumper even on a hot day, and dogs are not allowed inside.
If you have children who have been dragged up a mountain against their will, this is the thing that wins them round.
Robiei is a stage on the Via Alpina
Worth knowing if you are a long-distance walker, or if you see people arriving at the hut with enormous packs.
Robiei is a stage point on the Via Alpina Red Trail — the long-distance route that runs the length of the Alps from Trieste to Monaco. The stage leaving Robiei crosses the border into Italy’s Val Formazza and finishes at Riale, which is why you will see hikers heading up towards the Bocchetta di Valmaggia and the Rifugio Maria Luisa rather than back to the lift.
Robiei also sits on two other serious routes: the Sentiero Cristallina, which comes up from San Carlo and carries on over the Passo di Cristallina to Capanna Cristallina, and the Via Alta Vallemaggia, the high-level traverse of the whole Maggia valley system.
For most of us this is context rather than a plan. But it explains why a hydroelectric basin at the end of a dead-end valley has a 59-bed SAC hut in it.
Make it a full Vallemaggia trip
Robiei is at the very end of the road, which means everything else in Vallemaggia (Valle Maggia) is on your way there or back. Do not drive it in one go — the valley is the point.
Coming up from Locarno, in order:
- Ponte Brolla — the gateway to the valley, and where the Maggia squeezes through a gorge of polished rock. Popular with cliff jumpers, and not a place for casual swimming. But the Maggia has great swimming spots.
- Maggia — the village the valley is named after, with the little frescoed church of Santa Maria delle Grazie and river pools either side of it.
- Cevio — the administrative centre, painted houses, and the grotti carved into the rockfall above the village.
- Bignasco — where the Bavona and Lavizzara valleys meet. This is your turning point and the last proper shop.
- Foroglio — the one everybody photographs, and rightly. A 110-metre waterfall crashing down beside a stone hamlet, with a grotto serving polenta at the bottom. Fifteen minutes before San Carlo.
- Sonlerto and Sabbione — tiny Bavona hamlets built into and under gigantic boulders. Slow down.
A detail that says everything about this valley: the Bavona produces enormous amounts of hydroelectricity, and yet none of its villages except San Carlo are connected to mains power. They run on solar panels and gas.
For the river pools and where it is safe to swim, we have a whole guide to the best swimming spots in Vallemaggia — and it pairs perfectly with Robiei. Glacier basin in the morning, river pool at 3pm.
Elsewhere in the canton: the BoBosco trail in the Verzasca valley is the obvious next-day option, canyoning in Ticino with kids if the family wants water with a harness, and Val Piora if you have caught the alpine-lakes bug. The full picture is in our 25 best things to do in Ticino and best places to visit in Ticino. Still deciding which corner to base yourself in? Start with the four regions of Ticino.
Planning the whole trip? Our Ticino map has every spot in these guides pinned in one place — hikes, swimming spots, viewpoints and the stays we actually recommend.
Where to stay
Up at Robiei. Hotel Robiei has simple rooms right at the top station, and guests get 50% off the cable car. Capanna Basòdino has 59 dormitory beds and is bookable through the SAC. Staying up is the only way to see the basin at sunrise and sunset, and it is the answer if you want the glaciological trail without racing the last lift.
In the valley. Cevio and Bignasco have small eco-hotels and are the practical base for a couple of days in Vallemaggia.
Locarno or Ascona. An hour away, on the lake, and the sensible base if you are combining Vallemaggia with the Verzasca and Lake Maggiore.
Lugano. Around 1h15 from San Carlo — too far for a comfortable day trip, but if Lugano is your base for the region, our full guide to where to stay in Lugano covers every budget and neighbourhood.
Feel free and brows the map for availabilities and reviews of your perfect hotel or guest house in Ticino.
What to bring
- Proper shoes. Even the easy walks are on rock and gravel. Trainers are fine for Zött, not for the lake loop.
- A torch for the tunnel to Lago del Zött.
- A jumper — 1,905 m, and 8°C inside the dam. It can be 32°C in Locarno and 14°C at the top.
- Sun cream and a hat. No shade up there at all.
- Cash — small mountain restaurants and huts, so don’t rely purely on card.
- Water, though you can refill at the hotel and the hut.
- A screenshot of the timetable. Signal is patchy. But also check the ticket as all times are printed on it. genius way really!
Best time to visit Robiei
The season is short: mid-June to early October, and that’s it.
- Mid-June to early July — snow still lying in the basin, lakes at their fullest, waterfalls loud. Some of the higher paths may still be blocked.
- Mid-July and August — the warmest, the busiest, and the only period with the extra 16:20 and 16:00 cable car runs. Book parking-early on weekends.
- September — our pick. Cool, clear, quiet, and the light on the granite is extraordinary. Just remember the last lift down is 16:45 and the days are shortening.
- Early October — a gamble, and gorgeous when it comes off. Check the lift is still running.
Outside that window, the cable car closes completely, and Robiei becomes a winter mountaineering destination rather than a day trip.
If you can combine a beautiful autumn day at Robiei with a visit to Foroglio, you are in for a treat. A few years ago, we caught the perfect light at Foroglio, with nobody around and the autumn colours at their peak. It was a photographer’s dream.
However, this light only lasts for a few hours, depending on when you visit. Deep in Val Bavona and Valle Maggia, the sun appears and disappears quickly behind the mountains.
FAQ: Robiei cable car and hikes
How much does the Robiei cable car cost?
A return ticket is CHF 24 for adults, CHF 18 for seniors, CHF 12 for children aged 6 to 16, and CHF 10 for dogs. Singles are CHF 19, CHF 15 and CHF 9. Ticino Ticket holders get 20% off, and guests staying at Hotel Robiei pay half price.
When is the Robiei cable car open?
In 2026 it runs from 13 June to 4 October. Departures are roughly hourly from 08:00, with a lunch break between 12:00 and 14:00. Outside that season there is no service at all.
What time is the last cable car down from Robiei?
16:45 on a normal day, and 17:20 at weekends and on public holidays. In July and August there is an extra 16:00 run. Plan around 16:45 unless you have checked the day’s timetable — missing it means an hour and a half of walking down to San Carlo.
Is there parking at San Carlo?
Yes, and it is free at the cable car valley station. It fills up on summer weekends, so aim for one of the first two lifts.
Can you get to Robiei cable car without a car?
Yes. Take bus 315 from Locarno station to Bignasco, then bus 333 to San Carlo (Val Bavona), Funivia. It takes around 1 hour 35 minutes and several buses are timed to connect with the cable car. Both buses are free with the Ticino Ticket.
How long is the cable car ride to Robiei?
Sixteen minutes, covering just over 4 km and climbing about 850 metres. The cabin carries up to 120 people, so you rarely have to wait for the next one.
What is the easiest hike at Robiei?
The walk to Lago del Zött — around 30 minutes each way on a flat service road, through tunnels, ending at the dam wall below the Basòdino glacier. It is the best option with young children, though the operator does flag rockfall on that stretch.
Is Robiei suitable for a pushchair?
The Zött road is the only realistic pushchair route, and a sturdy buggy manages it. The lake loop is a narrow rocky path with drops to the side and is not suitable. There is a playground near Hotel Robiei at the top station.
Can you eat at Robiei?
Yes. Hotel Robiei has a restaurant at the top station, and Capanna Basòdino serves homemade food from June to October. A combined return ticket with lunch costs CHF 39 for adults.
How long is the hike to Capanna Basòdino?
Doing it as the full loop around Lago Robiei, with the viewpoint, it is about 5 km and 1 hour 40 of walking with 180 m of ascent — allow three to four hours with a lunch stop. The hut sits at 1,857 m. Or head there direct from the station in less than 20 minutes.
Can you see the Basòdino glacier from Robiei?
Yes, from the moment you step out of the cable car. To get close, walk to Lago del Zött or take the glaciological trail. The glacier has lost around 60% of its area since 1850 — it covered roughly 4 km² then and about 1.6 km² in 2022.
Can you take dogs on the Robiei cable car?
Yes, CHF 10 return. Dogs are not allowed inside the dam tunnel.
Can you take mountain bikes up?
No. The cable car does not carry MTBs.
Is Robiei on the Via Alpina?
Yes. It is a stage point on the Via Alpina Red Trail, with the onward stage crossing into Val Formazza in Italy and finishing at Riale. Robiei is also on the Sentiero Cristallina and the Via Alta Vallemaggia.
Our conclusion and would we go back?
Yes, and next time we are staying the night.
Robiei is one of those rare Swiss places that has not been polished for visitors. It is a working hydroelectric basin with a hotel bolted on, reached by a lift built for engineers, and it is all the better for it. The lakes are extraordinary, the hut lunch is worth the walk, and the whole thing feels earned in a way that a lift-served viewpoint above a resort never does.
If you only do one thing deep in Vallemaggia – Val Bavona, make it up to Robiei.
Been to Robiei, or planning to? Drop a comment below — especially if you have done the glaciological trail, I would love to hear how you found the timing.
