Travel through Switzerland on the Glacier Express – one of the most fascinating railroads in the world

Between St. Moritz and Zermatt - through Switzerland by train.
Mountain view and lots of green – the train crosses a high mountain valley.

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f course, there are faster ways to travel across Switzerland. But it‘s guaranteed that not one of them is as beautiful as the ride on the Glacier Express. The train runs between St. Moritz and Zermatt and takes about eight hours to cover the 291-kilometer route. At an average speed of 40 kilometers per hour, this isn‘t any record-breaking time, but that‘s not what the world‘s slowest express train is all about. The passenger cars clatter along on their day‘s journey through three cantons, crossing seven valleys and rolling over 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels. And the entire time a superb nature film is running before the panorama windows, showing spectacular views that simply make you happy. The red-and-white train passes by deep blue mountain lakes, meanders through high alpine valleys, crosses passes and gorges and offers grand new pictures with every kilometer of track.

If you have some time to spare, you can travel the route in stages with overnight stays. Chur, the oldest city in Switzerland with its history of settlement for over 5,000 years, is recommended as your first stopover. The Episcopal Quarter („Hof“) with its 800-year-old cathedral is enthroned above the fantastically preserved, car-free Old Town. It is one of the most important cultural monuments in Switzerland. In Tschiertschen, just seven kilometers away and lying 1,350 meters high, traditional wooden houses characterize the Old Town center. Flims, 20 kilometers west of Chur, offers visitors a unique landscape – the Ruinaulta gorge, also known as the „Swiss Grand Canyon“. Hiking trails along the Rhine River lead to craggy rocks, forests and broad meadows. Sports enthusiasts can enjoy thrilling rafting tours or bike trips, and you can take wonderful selfies from the viewing platforms with the gorge in the background.

The Glacier Express reaches its final destination at the mountain village of Zermatt, at the foot of the Matterhorn (4,478 m) with its 400 kilometers of hiking trails. A cogwheel railway ascends to the 3,089 meter high Gornergrat with its breathtaking view of the Matterhorn and the world of Alpine summits.

The train, whose fame is definitely comparable to the legendary Orient Express, is one of the narrow-gauge railways and has a gauge of just one meter. As a result, it can take very narrow bends, can keep changing direction in spiral tunnels and turn along serpentines or switchbacks to the snow-capped peaks. All this is done with a sovereign serenity, so that the travelers on this dream route have plenty of time to enjoy all the breathtaking natural wonders at their ease.

Another highlight: the gastronomy on board. Dishes are freshly prepared on board daily using locally sourced products and served at your seat. Traveling, marveling, being pampered. Many travelers could happily spend even more time on the slowest express train in the world.

We provide further information (such as on the Landwasser Viaduct, etc.) in the image texts.

On the panoramic train through Switzerland

In addition to the Glacier Express, the classic among Swiss panoramic train tours, Switzerland offers many other spectacular rail routes.

 

The Bernina Express

This route along the highest railway line in Europe runs over the Alps and through the landscape of Graubünden (Grisons) Canton. Chur, Davos and St. Moritz are just a few of the rail stations. The Bernina Express passes through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges, and a part of the route is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
More information: www.rhb.ch/en/panoramic-trains/bernina-express

 

Golden Pass Line

From the vineyards above Montreux, via Gstaad and Interlaken, and then past Lake Lungern, Lake Sarnen and the Lake of Alpnach to Lucerne – you can see the most beautiful landscapes in Switzerland riding on this train, and do it from a comfortable panorama rail car.
More information: www.goldenpassline.ch/en/

 

The Chocolate Train

This train shuttles back and forth through the Swiss countryside, from Montreux on Lake Geneva via Gruyères to the “chocolate town” of Broc. The real experience, however, is the train itself. In the first class “Belle Epoque” Pullman passenger cars, you feel as if you have been transported back to 1915, the year they were built.
More information: www.mob.ch

 

The Voralpen Express

The Voralpen Express runs between the central and eastern regions of Switzerland, from St. Gallen to Lucerne. The trip passes by lakes, gently rolling valleys and rugged mountains. The literal highlight is the highest railroad viaduct in Europe over the Sitter River valley, at some 100 meters above the ground.
More information: www.voralpen-express.ch/en

 

The Jungfrau Express

The Jungfrau Express is not a train in the true sense; rather, this mountain railway is an electrically operated cog railway. The starting point is the Kleine Scheidegg mountain pass. The ride is short, but offers a perfect view of the Eiger glacier and the Eigerwand (Eiger mountain wall). The final stop, after traveling along 9.34 kilometers and up 1,400 meters altitude, is the Jungfraujoch.
More information: www.jungfrau.ch

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