The Glacier Express: Complete Guide to Switzerland's Most Famous Train

The Glacier Express runs daily between Zermatt and St. Moritz (or Davos) via Visp, Brig, Andermatt, Disentis, and Chur — covering 291km in approximately eight hours.

Zermatt → Visp (1h15): The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) climbs out of the car-free alpine village of Zermatt through the Matter Valley, passing through Stalden and along the Visp gorge to the junction at Visp.

Visp → Andermatt (3h): The most dramatic section. The train climbs the Rhône Valley through Brig, then begins the long ascent to the Oberalp Pass — crossing the Furka line through the Bedretto valley and arriving at Andermatt, a quiet alpine town ringed by peaks over 3,000m.

Andermatt → Chur (2h30): The Rhine Gorge section — the Glacier Express descends into the Anterior Rhine valley (the 'Swiss Grand Canyon'), running between vertical limestone walls carved over millennia. One of the most extraordinary stretches of railway anywhere in Europe.

Chur → St. Moritz (2h): The Rhaetian Railway (RhB) Albula line — a UNESCO World Heritage route that spirals upward through a series of looping viaducts and helical tunnels to reach the Engadine plateau. St. Moritz sits at 1,822m with a turquoise lake and the Alps on every side.

Mandatory reservation: Unlike most Swiss trains, the Glacier Express requires a compulsory seat reservation regardless of your pass type. Seats must be booked separately at glacierexpress.ch or the SBB app.

With a Swiss Travel Pass: The pass covers the base fare. You pay the reservation fee only — currently CHF 33 in 2nd class, CHF 43 in 1st class (peak season).

With a Eurail/Interrail Global Pass: The Glacier Express is operated by MGB and RhB, which are not fully covered by the Global Pass. You'll need to pay a supplement in addition to the reservation fee. The total (supplement + reservation) is roughly CHF 80–100 in 2nd class — cheaper than the full fare but not as good value as a Swiss Travel Pass.

Without a pass: Full tickets start at CHF 152 in 2nd class and CHF 244 in 1st class. Book at glacierexpress.ch as early as possible — the summer train fills quickly.

Which direction?: Zermatt→St. Moritz and St. Moritz→Zermatt are equally scenic. Westbound (St. Moritz to Zermatt) puts you on the right side of the train for Rhine Gorge views in the morning light.

Panoramic windows: The Glacier Express uses purpose-built panoramic carriages with large curved windows that extend into the ceiling — designed specifically to frame the mountain scenery. You won't miss anything even from a window seat.

Dining car: A dining car serves full meals (Swiss-style lunch menu, CHF 35–55) and a smaller bistro menu. Lunch is served during the Rhine Gorge section, which is the scheduling highlight — you eat while threading through vertical limestone walls. Book the dining car reservation when you book your seat.

Luggage: Large bags can be sent ahead via SBB's luggage service (gepäck-express). This is worth doing if you're moving between Zermatt and St. Moritz with full travel bags — the trains are comfortable but overhead space is limited.

Commentary: An audio system provides commentary in multiple languages as the train passes key landmarks. It's informative but easy to tune out if you prefer silence.

Journey time: Approximately 8 hours Zermatt→St. Moritz. Build in a flexible afternoon at your destination — the train arrives mid to late afternoon depending on departure time.

Summer (June–September): The classic time. The Oberalp Pass is snow-free, all stops are open, and the high-Alpine scenery is at its most lush. Busiest period — book months ahead.

Winter (December–March): The train runs year-round and the winter landscape is extraordinary — deep snow on the Oberalp, frozen lakes in the Engadine, and far fewer tourists. Some panoramic cars are replaced by standard rolling stock in winter, so check the exact consist when booking.

Shoulder (October, May): Less crowded than summer, still scenic. October brings autumn colour to the Rhine Gorge. May has lingering snow at altitude and fresh green at lower elevations.

Avoid August weekends: The peak of Swiss summer tourism — trains sell out entirely and prices are at their highest.

The Glacier Express works best as part of a wider Switzerland circuit rather than a standalone day trip.

The classic Swiss scenic circuit: Geneva → Montreux (Golden Pass Express) → Interlaken → Visp → Zermatt (2 nights) → Glacier Express → St. Moritz (1 night) → Bernina Express to Tirano → back via Chur → Zurich. This covers all three major scenic railways without backtracking and takes 10–12 days.

Add the Flüela Pass: From St. Moritz, a postbus crosses into the Engadine valley. The Bernina Express south to Tirano (Italy) is the natural next leg — Chur to Tirano on the Bernina line descends from Alpine snow to Italian palm trees in 4 hours.

From Andermatt: The midpoint of the Glacier Express is increasingly popular as a standalone destination. The new Andermatt Swiss Alps ski resort and the Gotthard road pass make it worth stopping for a night rather than passing through.

Sit on the right side (Zermatt→St. Moritz direction) for Rhine Gorge views; left side for better Oberalp Pass panoramas. In practice, both sides offer spectacular scenery throughout — don't stress the seat choice.

Charge your camera: Eight hours of this scenery will exhaust a phone battery. Bring a power bank.

Book the dining car: The lunch service during the Rhine Gorge section is a genuine highlight — it deserves to be experienced rather than skipped in favour of a packed lunch.

Arrive early in Zermatt: The Glacier Express departs Zermatt in the morning. Arriving the night before allows you to see the Matterhorn at sunrise and walk the village before boarding.

Don't confuse with Bernina Express: Both are famous Swiss scenic trains. The Glacier Express is longer (8h) and more dramatic in scale; the Bernina Express (Chur–Tirano, 4h) is higher (2,253m) and crosses into Italy. Both are worth doing if your schedule allows.