Glacier Express in Switzerland

[Masbroughlad]

Always been on my bucket list - The Glacier Express. Fancy doing it in the Winter - hopefully December 2025.

Would I need to stay a night at each end of the trip to allow travel from/to a bigger transfer destination in Switzerland? I'm thinking Zurich as that.

Any suggestions, advice or help on the best way to experience this at its best would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Gordon]

First of all it should be said that many enthusiasts and some tourists don't feel the need to traverse the Zermatt - Brig - Chur route by Glacier Express itself. The normal trains on the line are just as good (and cheaper) , the views are the same.

Many long distance tourists (ie from Asia and the Americas) no longer do the whole 'belle epoque' journey from end to end, because they are not being transported - like the 'belle epoque' era Brits - between the 'glamour resorts' at each end. Modern tourists are much more likely to want to do the Glacier Express and end up in Zurich for a flight home (or such like).

If you want to do that, you can do the popular 'short version' trip which is Brig - Chur. This is fine for 'general tourists', however, for railway enthusiasts this short run is not ideal because it omits the Albula railway Chur - St Moritz with its loops and spirals.

Zurich and any other place north of the Alpine chain is not a good stepping off point for the Glacier Express. So overnight locations along the east - west axis along the south of Switzerland are best, eg Brig. Brig and Chur are not popular 'resorts' with most tourists so the hotels are fairly economical. This benefits railway enthusiasts who often favour 'convenient for train travel' locations over 'famous scenic' resort locations.

Looking at the route from an West - East perspective:

Because Zermatt - Brig is the least 'amazing' section of the route, Brig - St Moritz is a good compromise. Booking the GEX from Brig makes it possible - with early start - to reach the GEX from further afield eg Bern or even Basel. On reaching St Moritz, one can stay in somewhat more 'budget-friendly' places such as Samedan or Bever.

 

[nwales58]

Are you thinking of Zermatt-St. Moritz on the through train in the expensive coaches or simply covering the route?

Two main things: daylight and weather. Through trains take 7h45 optimised around sunrise/sunset at that time of year but the day is much shorter in deep valley bottoms, especially E-W.

You’d see more broken over a couple of days, or service trains are faster skipping Chur. Worth including Bernina, at least as far as Poschiavo, if you have time.

Alpine weather means it might be fantastic sunshine or more likely be in fog much of the way, disappointing if you’ve spent a lot on it and see little.

If you are only going for this can you leave it until the last minute and wait for a high pressure system to establish over the alps?

If you have to book ahead and can be in Switzerland for a longer period, keep it flexible and choose the best days while you are there.

Whereabouts to stay also depends on your budget.

 

[HST43257]

Echoing lots of what’s already been said. No need to take the tourist trap trains. The local services are:

- Cheaper (no reservation/supplement required)
- Quieter (not stuck in a reserved seat, can take photos freely on both sides)
- Just as quick (slower over short distances, but quick reliable intended connections mean you keep up)

Wholeheartedly recommend the Bernina route round to Tirano as well

 

[nwales58]

Adding to Gordon, if crammed into a single day and assuming you’re not rich, Brig-Samedan includes the most spectacular parts and you can then catch the hourly faster trains back to Landquart via Klosters and get back to Zurich in the dark if you want.

 

[Alfonso]

Always been on my bucket list - The Glacier Express. Fancy doing it in the Winter - hopefully December 2025.

Would I need to stay a night at each end of the trip to allow travel from/to a bigger transfer destination in Switzerland? I'm thinking Zurich as that.

Any suggestions, advice or help on the best way to experience this at its best would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

This is a very big question and it depends to a large degree on the importance you place on trains, scenery, routes, time and money and what youve already seen and done. Knowing none of this some general points: If you're coming all this way and have the time and money it makes sense to visit the Bernina bahn and possibly centovalli if you can, and since trains tend to trundle along valley bottoms if yiu like views its worth taking a detour up a cable car or two. There are a range of day+ tickets including interrail, Swiss pass etc that may be useful. I'd echo others comments that there's nothing particularly special about the glacier express trains unless you really want that specific package of big windows and at seat drinks. Going in December means short daylight. It will be off peak for the first few days of December then peak skiing season ( so busier trains and higher hotel prices probably). All of the resorts publish timetables...for example the large aletsch arena opens some lifts on 7th Dec and all on 14th. My suggestion is start at Tirano and head North/West, jumping on and off on a whim. If you have the time and money travel back East via Centovalli (Domodossola-Locarno), and if you have the flexibility and not too bothered about snow go in early October and spend a day playing in the aletsch arena area, they often have good value day passes including a main course in the mountain restaurants thrown in.

 

[nwales58]

For the person who has already done everything ...

Glacier Express Excellence Class: Experience Luxury and Panorama

Experience exclusive comfort with the Glacier Express Excellence Class, featuring window seats, gourmet dining, and premium service.

www.glacierexpress.ch

priced from around CHF 750 it actually looks decent value if compared to Belmond's UK excursions.

 

[peteb]

Celerina is a good place to stop near St. Moritz. Several cheaper yet characterful hotels in this village. Takes only 10 mins into St. Moritz by train, to then take the morning Glacier Express to Zermatt. Useful if you've come up the Bernina route from Italy. Equally possible the other way round.

From St. Moritz you can also take a service train to Alp Grum, very scenic, and back in daylight the same day (assuming winter travel). This obviously much cheaper than Bernina supplement as it's free with inter-rail or eurail.

Personally I'd go to Zermatt & stay the night there. You could do the rack railway the next day but this is pricey, the lift is a good compromise, if it's clear this will give you great Matterhorn views.

You could then retrace your route by service train to Brig from where fast standard gauge trains run to Spiez and Bern to connect for Zurich.

We did lunch on the Glacier express in second class. It was great. Lunch was served after Chur/ before Brig going towards Zermatt.

The only thing we paid for was the inter-rail supplements and lunch fee.

If you've luggage this is a good train. If you prefer rushing from side to side with a camera (!) I'd suggest use service trains for the entire route, though in peak skiing season they can be rammed so you might lose your seat if you leave it!

 

[Alfonso]

Pretty much anywhere yiu stay in Switzerland you'll get a "guest card", which depending where you are and how long you stay for will give you anything from free local bus services and a few percent off the local swimming pool and mini golf, to free mountain railway (cable cars, funicular etc), which can be quire valuable of you were going to fork out otherwise

 

[BahrainLad]

A little tip for the Gornergrat Bahn from Zermatt, in winter an afternoon (after 1215) ticket is available up to the top for 72 CHF per adult (and a child travels free).

It’s not well publicised…if you search for it there is a page on the website but it’s not otherwise highlighted either in the site navigation or on the PDF of ticket prices. There is information at the point of sale in Zermatt however.

https://www.gornergrat.ch/en/stories/good-afternoon-ticket (this page says 66 CHF but when you try and book it’s 72 CHF…)

 

[peteb]

A little tip for the Gornergrat Bahn from Zermatt, in winter an afternoon (after 1215) ticket is available up to the top for 72 CHF per adult (and a child travels free).

It’s not well publicised…if you search for it there is a page on the website but it’s not otherwise highlighted either in the site navigation or on the PDF of ticket prices. There is information at the point of sale in Zermatt however.

https://www.gornergrat.ch/en/stories/good-afternoon-ticket (this page says 66 CHF but when you try and book it’s 72 CHF…)

Useful to know! Is there similar in May?

 

[BahrainLad]

Useful to know! Is there similar in May?

Yes but per that web page from 1 May the time validity is from 3.30pm which does not make it ideal for lunch at the top!