Glacier Express Switzerland Guide – Scenic Train Journey & Luxury Road Trip Adventure

The Glacier Express isn’t just a way to get from A to B – it’s one of the world’s most famous panoramic train journeys and a perfect partner to a luxury driving tour in the Swiss Alps. With large panoramic windows, gourmet dining and a route that crosses high passes, deep gorges and UNESCO-listed railway lines, it’s a slow-travel icon.

In this guide, you’ll discover what makes the Glacier Express Switzerland route so special, how the different classes compare, the highlights of the journey from St. Moritz towards Zermatt, and how to combine it with our Glacier Express Train & Drive Adventure – for guests who want both the beauty of the rails and the thrill of the road.

☀️ Sunglasses at the ready: With panoramic windows and high-altitude sunshine, the views are dazzling in every sense.

Glacier Express Train crossing the Landwasser Viaduct

Table of Contents

1. The Luxury of the Glacier Express

2. Classes & Comfort on Board

3. The Glacier Express Route at a Glance

4. Leg 1: St. Moritz to Andermatt

5. Leg 2: Andermatt to Zermatt (Optional Extension)

6. Best Time to Ride the Glacier Express

7. Practical Tips for Glacier Express Travelers

8. Glacier Express Train & Drive Adventure

9. FAQs about the Glacier Express & Train–Drive Combos

The Luxury of the Glacier Express

The Glacier Express is often called the slowest express train in the world – and that’s exactly the point. Instead of rushing through the Alps, it invites you to linger over every view:

• Large panoramic windows that rise high up the carriage walls

• Constant views of gorges, peaks, forests and valleys

• Food and wine served directly to your seat

It’s a moving panorama that turns the journey itself into the highlight of the day, not something to get out of the way.

Classes & Comfort on Board

The Glacier Express offers three comfort levels, so you can choose how luxurious you’d like your journey to feel.

2nd Class – Scenic and Great Value

• Comfortable seats with large panoramic windows

• Access to the same spectacular scenery and onboard service

• Ideal if you want the experience without stretching the budget

1st Class – More Space, More Calm

• More spacious seating and a quieter atmosphere

• Even better views through the panoramic windows

• A great choice if you’ll be spending most of the day on board

Excellence Class – The Most Exclusive Way to Ride

For travellers who want the most luxurious version of the Glacier Express Switzerland experience:

• Guaranteed window seats in a dedicated coach

• A gourmet multi-course menu with wine pairings

• Personal concierge service and a stylish private bar

• A small, intimate atmosphere with maximum comfort

🛎️ Booking Tip: How the booking windows work

To ride the Glacier Express, you need both a valid ticket and a seat reservation:

• Tickets are usually available up to 6 months before your travel date.

• Seat reservations for 1st and 2nd Class open roughly 93 days before the travel date.

• Excellence Class seat reservations can be booked for the entire timetable period / upcoming season, typically released in autumn for the season starting in December.

In practice: for a popular summer date, plan your 1st/2nd Class reservation around the 93-day mark, and for Excellence Class it’s smart to lock in plans several months ahead as soon as that season goes on sale.

The Glacier Express Route at a Glance

The Glacier Express runs between St. Moritz and Zermatt, crossing some of the most dramatic landscapes in Switzerland:

• Around 291 km of narrow-gauge mountain railway

• 291 bridges and 91 tunnels

• A maximum altitude of 2,033 m over the Oberalp Pass

For EPIKDRIVES guests, the story usually looks like this:

1. Drive: Zurich → St. Moritz via scenic passes such as the Julier (our road-trip stage).

2. Train: Board the Glacier Express in St. Moritz, then travel towards Zermatt, typically as far as Andermatt (the most scenic leg).

3. Optionally, continue by rail all the way to Zermatt for an extra night beneath the Matterhorn.

So this guide focuses on the journey from St. Moritz in the direction of Zermatt, with St. Moritz → Andermatt as the core experience and Andermatt → Zermatt as an optional extension.

Leg 1: St. Moritz to Andermatt

🕒 Approx. 4 hours 45 minutes

For most EPIKDRIVES guests, this is the Glacier Express experience: you’ve just finished an Alpine driving tour, spent the night in St. Moritz, and now you board the train to let someone else handle the curves for a while.

Albula Line & Landwasser Viaduct

Shortly after leaving St. Moritz, the Glacier Express follows the Albula Line, part of a UNESCO World Heritage route:

• A series of spiral tunnels lifting the train gradually through the mountains

• The famous Landwasser Viaduct, one of the most photographed railway bridges in the world

• Classic scenes of forests, rock faces and stone-built villages

This section is a masterclass in Swiss railway engineering – and your panoramic windows let you take in every angle.

Through Chur into the Surselva

The line drops towards Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city, where the landscape briefly softens before heading back into the mountains:

• The train follows the Rhine upstream into the Surselva Valley

• Terraced hillsides, church spires and traditional villages such as Disentis/Mustér

• A sense of climbing steadily back into high Alpine terrain

The Ruinaulta Gorge – “Swiss Grand Canyon”

Between Reichenau-Tamins and Ilanz, the Glacier Express sweeps into the Ruinaulta Gorge, often called the Swiss Grand Canyon:

• Sheer white limestone cliffs

• A winding turquoise river below

• Wild, untouched forested slopes

This is one of the most dramatic sections of the entire journey and a highlight for photographers.

Over the Oberalp Pass into Andermatt

From Disentis, the train climbs towards the Oberalp Pass (2,033 m) – the highest point of the route:

• In winter: snowfields, frozen lakes and a proper high-Alpine winter landscape

• In summer: green pastures, grazing cattle and sparkling water

After cresting the pass, the line descends into Andermatt, a historic mountain village at a crossroads of passes and valleys. For our Train & Drive Adventure, Andermatt is typically your end point on the train, where you either:

• continue your journey by road, or

• stay overnight to enjoy this reborn Alpine resort.

💡 Insider Tip: Most travellers agree that St. Moritz → Andermatt (via Albula, Ruinaulta and Oberalp) is the most scenic and varied section of the Glacier Express route.

Leg 2: Andermatt to Zermatt (Optional Extension)

🕒 Approx. 3 hours 15 minutes

If you’d like to extend your rail journey, you can continue beyond Andermatt towards Zermatt, ending your day under the Matterhorn.

Through the Goms and the Upper Rhône Valley

From Andermatt, the Glacier Express continues west:

• Passing through the Goms region, known for its sunburned wooden houses and traditional villages

• Following the young Rhône River through wide, open Alpine valleys

• Crossing impressive bridges and short tunnels as the landscape alternates between wild and pastoral

Towards Brig and the Mattertal

Approaching Brig, you feel the valley widen before the route bends south into the Mattertal:

• Steep, narrowing valley walls

• Villages like St. Niklaus, Randa and Täsch

• Constant views of torrents, forests and high peaks above

Finally, you roll into Zermatt, a car-free resort at the foot of the Matterhorn, where you can:

• Stay the night to explore more hiking trails or viewpoints, or

• Connect to onward trains (for example back towards Visp and Zurich) as part of a broader itinerary.

Best Time to Ride the Glacier Express

Each season brings its own version of the Glacier Express Switzerland experience:

• Winter: Snow-covered peaks, frozen lakes and a fairy-tale Alpine atmosphere.

• Spring: Blooming valleys and waterfalls fed by melting snow.

• Summer: Clear skies, lush green slopes and long daylight hours.

• Autumn: Golden forests, crisp air and soft, warm mountain light.

🛑 Seasonal Note: When the Glacier Express does not run

The Glacier Express operates on a winter timetable (Dec–Apr) and summer timetable (May–Oct), but there is an annual break from roughly mid-October to early December, when no Glacier Express trains run at all. Exact dates vary from year to year, so always check the current timetable before fixing your travel dates.

(Regional trains still run on much of the same line, but they don’t offer the full Glacier Express service.)

Practical Tips for Glacier Express Travelers

Make the most of your day on board with a few simple tweaks:

• Reserve early – especially for Excellence Class, which has limited seats and sells out fast in peak season.

• Use the official Glacier Express app for live commentary and insights along the route.

• Don’t forget your camera or binoculars – some views are worth zooming in on.

• Consider overnight stays in St. Moritz, Andermatt or Zermatt to explore each region in depth instead of rushing through in a single day.

Glacier Express Train & Drive Adventure

If you’d like to experience the best part of the Glacier Express and drive some of Switzerland’s greatest roads, our Glacier Express Train & Drive Adventure brings it all together in one seamless itinerary.

Step 1 – Drive: Zurich to St. Moritz

• Start: Zurich

• Route: Scenic roads into the Engadin, including the Julier Pass

• Optional detour over the legendary Stelvio Pass into Italy for extra thrills

• Car choice: Luxury SUV, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini or similar GT/supercar

You arrive in St. Moritz in style after a curated driving route of lakes, valleys and high passes – typically with 2–3 days of driving built in.

Step 2 – Train: St. Moritz towards Zermatt (usually to Andermatt)

Next day, you swap steering wheel for panoramic windows:

• Board the Glacier Express in St. Moritz

• Travel the most scenic section towards Zermatt, usually ending your rail day in Andermatt

• Take in the Albula Line, Landwasser Viaduct, Ruinaulta Gorge and Oberalp Pass from the comfort of your seat

If you wish, your journey can be extended beyond Andermatt to Zermatt for a night beneath the Matterhorn before looping back by regular trains or a custom transfer.

What’s Included

• Pre-programmed GPS with hand-picked scenic driving routes

• Luxury hotels in key Alpine locations (e.g. St. Moritz, Andermatt, optional Zermatt)

• Private transfers where needed

• Ongoing support from EPIKDRIVES throughout your trip

March to October 👉 Glacier Express Train & Drive Adventure 

FAQs about the Glacier Express & Train–Drive Combos

1. If I’m doing an EPIKDRIVES tour, where do I board the Glacier Express?

On our Glacier Express Train & Drive Adventure, you normally drive first – Zurich to St. Moritz – and then board the Glacier Express in St. Moritz, travelling towards Zermatt as far as Andermatt (with Zermatt as an optional extension).

2. Which section is the most scenic if I start in St. Moritz?

Most travellers find St. Moritz to Andermatt the most varied and spectacular part of the route. It includes the Albula Line, the Landwasser Viaduct, the Ruinaulta Gorge and the Oberalp Pass – which is why our Train & Drive itinerary centres on this leg.

3. How far in advance should I book Excellence Class?

Excellence Class has very limited seats and is popular in high season. As a rule of thumb:

• Buy your ticket as early as your overall plan allows (up to around 6 months ahead).

• For 1st and 2nd Class, be ready to make your seat reservation as soon as the ~93-day window opens.

• For Excellence Class, you can usually reserve for the entire timetable period once the new season goes on sale – so it’s smart to lock in plans months in advance.

4. Can the Glacier Express be combined with a custom driving itinerary?

Absolutely. We can integrate the Glacier Express into a tailor-made luxury road trip that includes Zurich, St. Moritz, Andermatt and Zermatt, plus iconic passes like Julier, Furka and Stelvio – with the rail segment slotted neatly between driving days.

5. When does the Glacier Express not run?

The Glacier Express usually has a maintenance break from around mid-October to early December, during which no Glacier Express trains run at all. Outside this period, services operate on winter and summer timetables, with frequency depending on the season.