How to Plan a Trip on Switzerland's Famous Glacier Express
"This 181-mile, roughly eight-hour rail journey between Zermatt and St. Moritz — often called the "slowest express train in the world" — delivers panoramic alpine scenery year-round, with especially dramatic winter views. "In just eight hours, we glide from the majestic Matterhorn across the Swiss Alps to St. Moritz," says Mika Geiger, "and the panoramic windows offer a clear view of snow-covered mountain peaks and breathtaking landscapes up to the ceiling." Geiger also recommends choosing the route based on desired scenery and trip length and notes that in strong winters you can "admire the meter-high walls of snow around Zermatt and St. Moritz and on the Oberalp Pass, which is also the highest point of the journey." The service runs both directions and operates mostly year-round (service pauses from mid-October to the beginning of December); while the full eight-hour run is the classic route, passengers may board or leave at intermediate stops such as Brig, Andermatt, Chur, Filisur, and Samedan, and timetables are available on the operator's official website. Booking details are specific: seat reservations are mandatory (second- or first-class reservations can be made up to 93 days in advance; excellence-class reservations can be made at any time) and fares vary by trip length — second class ranges from $42 to $180, first class from $71 to $308, and excellence-class fare is listed as a flat $308. Holders of Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail/Interrail or GA cards still must pay for a seat reservation; reservations for second or first class cost $55 for long journeys and $50 for short journeys, while excellence-class reservations are noted to start at around $555. There are three service levels: second, first and excellence. Second and first class offer similar amenities (pre-ordered meals, Wi‑Fi, power outlets and lowerable windows) with different seating configurations (second class: four seats facing one another at each table; first class: one side with two seats facing one another and the other side with four). Excellence class adds a welcome desk and optional luggage handling, luxury leather seating in a 20-person car arranged as two window seats facing one another at a table, a glass of Champagne and an aperitif platter on arrival, a personal well-being concierge, tablets and headphones for the audio guide (versus headsets for the other classes), exclusive access to an onboard bar for cocktails and wine, and a seasonal five-course menu with wine and nonalcoholic drinks included; excellence-class passengers also enjoy complimentary drinks, snacks and afternoon tea. Onboard comforts include spacious seats with armrests and head cushions and expansive windows and skylights for viewing; passengers are advised to bring a camera and sunglasses, but note reflections can affect photos — use a polarizing filter or move to the entry-door windows, which can be lowered for better shots. All meals are prepared on board using regional and seasonal ingredients, with wines from the cantons of Valais and Graubünden; second- and first-class passengers receive a pre-ordered meal (additional snacks and drinks are available for purchase), and passengers are free to bring their own food. Major sights along the route include the Matterhorn (towering nearly 15,000 feet), the shrinking Rhône Glacier (the source of the Rhône River), the Oberalp Pass (6,670 feet above sea level and home to an unexpected lighthouse — "The lighthouse is the exact copy, although smaller in scale, of a lighthouse which once stood in Rotterdam where the Rhine flows into the sea. So make sure to look out the window before reaching the station at Oberalp Pass to catch a glimpse," says Geiger), the Rhine Gorge (the "Grand Canyon of Switzerland"), the iconic Landwasser Viaduct that curves into the Landwasser Tunnel, the Solis Viaduct, and the Engadine Valley and its lakes." - Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brands and online publications—with a particular focus on travel, fashion, and lifestyle. She’s also the founder of the travel site justpacked.com. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
