Popular Train Trips to Zurich & the Swiss Alps – Where Rail Meets the Road for an Epic Driving Adventure

If you’re dreaming of driving a Porsche or other supercar through the Swiss Alps, there’s a smarter way to arrive than a short-haul flight: scenic train trips to Zurich. Most of our guests don’t start their Epic Drive in Zurich at all. They begin on a relaxed rail journey from Paris, Milan, Munich, Stuttgart or Vienna, roll into Zurich refreshed, and then take the wheel on some of Europe’s greatest Alpine roads.

This guide shows you the most popular train trips to Zurich, plus one legendary extra: the Glacier Express combined with an EPIKDRIVES road trip.

🧳 Good to know: Whether you arrive by train at Zurich HB or at Zurich Airport, we’ll meet you with a private transfer and get you to your hotel or straight to your car.

Table of Contents

1. Why Start Your Swiss Alps Road Trip by Train

2. Paris → Zurich: High-Speed Gateway to the Alps

3. Milan → Zurich: Lakes, Tunnels and Alpine Drama

4. Munich → Zurich: Storybook Europe by EuroCity

5. Stuttgart → Zurich: From Car Museums to Curves

6. Vienna → Zurich: Railjet by Day, Nightjet by Night

7. From Zurich to the Glacier Express: The Ultimate Rail & Drive Add-On

8. What These Train Routes Unlock: Your Driving Adventure

9. Suggested Itineraries from Zurich with EPIKDRIVES

10. FAQs about Train Trips to Zurich & Driving the Swiss Alps

Why Start Your Swiss Alps Road Trip by Train?

Starting your Swiss Alps adventure with one of the train trips to Zurich gives you a comfortable “soft landing” in Europe before the hairpins begin.

Benefits of a Train-First, Drive-Later Approach

• Scenic immersion from day oneWatch rivers, vineyards, villages and Alpine foothills drift past your window instead of airport tarmac.

• City-centre to city-centre, no airport stressStep aboard in the heart of Paris, Milan, Munich, Stuttgart or Vienna and roll into Zurich HB in time for check-in or a relaxed dinner.

• Lower emissions than short-haul flightsTrains are one of the most climate-friendly ways to move between major European cities – especially over short to mid-range distances.

• More energy for the mountain passesYou arrive rested, not jet-lagged and frazzled, so you can enjoy your first driving day rather than simply surviving it.

💺 First Class comfort:All routes in this guide offer 1st Class with extra space, quieter coaches and more comfortable seating. Most trains include power outlets and generous luggage racks, and several have bistro or full dining cars.

Once you arrive in Zurich, the rails end – and the real curves begin.

Paris → Zurich – High-Speed Gateway to the Alps

Why Paris–Zurich Works So Well

For many long-haul guests, Paris is the first stop in Europe. After a couple of days exploring its cafés, galleries and riverbanks, they continue to Zurich on the TGV Lyria – a direct, high-speed link into the Alps.

• Route: Paris Gare de Lyon → Zurich HB (direct TGV Lyria)

• Travel time: about 4 hours

You glide out of Paris, sweep through open countryside and vineyards in eastern France, and arrive at Zurich Hauptbahnhof in the afternoon.

What Happens on Arrival

At Zurich HB:

• We meet you right at the platform with a name sign.

• Your luggage is handled for you.

• A private transfer takes you either:

  • to your hand-picked hotel for a relaxed first evening, or

  • straight to your Porsche, Ferrari or GT car if you’d like to start driving right away.

By the next morning, you’re swapping high-speed rails for high-altitude passes.

Milan → Zurich – Lakes, Tunnels and Alpine Drama

If there is one route guests keep talking about long after their trip, it’s the Milan–Zurich connection.

• Train type: EuroCity EC250 Giruno

• Route: Milano Centrale → Zurich HB (direct)

• Travel time: about 3h17

Highlights Along the Way

This is much more than a transfer:

• Skirt the shores of Lake Como and Lake Lugano

• Climb into the Alps before diving into the 17 km-long Gotthard Base Tunnel

• Emerge on the Swiss side into a new landscape of mountains, valleys and lakes

💡 Seat tip: For the best lake views, sit on the right-hand side in the direction of travel when leaving Milan.

You arrive in Zurich relaxed, with the feeling you’ve already had a mini Alpine experience – and the real driving adventure hasn’t even started yet.

Munich → Zurich – Storybook Europe by EuroCity

Munich is all about beer gardens, Baroque churches and Bavarian gemütlichkeit – and it connects beautifully to Zurich by EuroCity (EC) trains.

• Route: München Hbf → Zurich HB (direct EC)

• Travel time: roughly 3h30

The Journey

The rail line from Munich to Zurich feels like a moving postcard:

• Quiet villages and farmhouses

• Forests, fields and small lakes

• The Alps slowly growing on the horizon as you approach Switzerland

It’s classic storybook Europe – ideal if you want an easy, low-stress way to begin your Swiss Alps road trip.

At Zurich HB, we meet you, take care of your luggage and transfer, and the next morning you’re trading train tracks for Alpine hairpins on one of our Swiss driving routes.

Stuttgart → Zurich – From Car Museums to Curves

Stuttgart makes a wonderfully on-theme starting point for car lovers. It’s home to both the:

• Mercedes-Benz Museum

• Porsche Museum

From there, a direct InterCity takes you smoothly into Switzerland.

• Route: Stuttgart Hbf → Zurich HB (direct IC / EC)

• Travel time: about 3 hours

What You’ll See

Along the way you’ll typically pass:

• Gentle Swabian hills and vineyard-covered slopes

• Towns and villages of southern Germany

• Views towards Lake Constance (Bodensee) before crossing into Switzerland

It’s the perfect transition from admiring iconic cars in a museum to driving your own performance machine into the Swiss Alps.

Vienna → Zurich – Railjet by Day, Nightjet by Night

Vienna is another favourite launch pad for train trips to Zurich, with two excellent direct options.

Option 1: Railjet Xpress (RJX) – Daytime Comfort

• Route: Wien Hbf → Zurich HB

• Travel time: about 7h50

What to expect:

• Modern, comfortable Railjet trains

• 1st and 2nd Class plus Business Class on some services

• Onboard bistro with hot meals and drinks

• Wi-Fi on most services, plus power outlets

This is a great choice if you’d like to treat the rail day as a scenic, relaxed travel day between two grand European cities.

Option 2: Nightjet (NJ) – Sleep Your Way to Zurich

• Route: Wien Hbf → Zurich HB (overnight)

• Travel time: roughly 10h40$

  
  

You board after dinner in Vienna, settle into:

• a couchette compartment, or

• a more private sleeper cabin

…and wake up rolling into Zurich in the morning.

From there:

• We meet you at the platform.

• You grab a fresh coffee and breakfast.

• Your Swiss Alps road trip can begin the same day – rested and ready to go.

From Zurich to the Glacier Express – The Ultimate Rail & Drive Add-On

Many guests who arrive in Zurich by train decide to add one more legendary rail journey: the Glacier Express. Because this world-famous route doesn’t pass via Zurich, we designed a dedicated Glacier Express Train & Drive Adventure that connects the dots for you.

Step 1: Drive Zurich → St. Moritz (2–3 Days)

You start with a scenic driving loop from Zurich into the high Engadin:

• Car: Supercar or luxury SUV – your choice

• Roads: Lakeside stretches and mountain passes such as Julier Pass

• Optional: Detour via the iconic Stelvio Pass into Italy for those who want a truly epic loop

You arrive in St. Moritz, check into a hand-picked luxury hotel, and prepare for the rail portion.

Step 2: Glacier Express – St. Moritz → Andermatt or Zermatt

Next day, you board the Glacier Express:

• Panoramic windows framing deep valleys and snow-capped peaks

• The dramatic Ruinaulta Gorge (the “Swiss Grand Canyon”)

• The historic Albula Line and Landwasser Viaduct

• Crossing the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 m by rail

You can choose between:

• 2nd Class – relaxed and scenic

• 1st Class – extra space and comfort

• Excellence Class – the most exclusive way to ride, with a gourmet experience and guaranteed window seats

After the rail day, we reconnect the dots with another EPIKDRIVES road section, giving you a seamless combination of the most scenic trains and the most thrilling mountain roads.

What These Train Routes Unlock: Your Driving Adventure

No matter which train to Zurich you choose – Paris, Milan, Munich, Stuttgart or Vienna – we make the transition from rail to road effortless.

What’s Included When You Arrive

• Personal meet & greet at Zurich HB or Zurich Airport

• Private transfers to your hotel or directly to your car

• Supercar, GT or luxury SUV with:

  • pre-programmed GPS routes

  • a custom road book with turn-by-turn notes, lunch stops and viewpoints

• Hand-picked hotels along the route – from lakeside resorts to cosy mountain lodges

• Optional Glacier Express or other scenic train add-ons

  
  

You simply step off the train, take a breath, and the rest is handled.

Suggested Itineraries from Zurich with EPIKDRIVES

Once you’ve arrived in Zurich by train, most guests choose one of these core tours:

Black Forest Loop – Relaxed & Scenic

A softer, more relaxed introduction to performance driving in Europe:

• Swiss motorways and selected stretches of German Autobahn

• A visit to the Rhine Falls, Europe’s largest waterfall

• Curvy forest roads in Germany’s Black Forest

• A mix of boutique hotels and classic spa towns

Perfect if you’d like a gentler rhythm with plenty of time for wellness and sightseeing.

Stelvio & Swiss Alps | 10 Passes Driving Tour – For Keen Drivers

Our classic for drivers who really want to feel the Alps:

• Legendary passes including:

  • Stelvio

  • Furka

  • Grimsel

  • Susten

  • and several more high Alpine crossings

• Carefully planned stages so you’re driving the best sections at the right time of day

• Photo stops at glaciers, lakes and towering peaks

If you’ve watched car shows tackling these passes, this is your chance to do it for real – with logistics and hotel planning taken care of.

Grand 5-Country Alpine Tour – Deep Alpine Immersion

For those who want to go all-in:

• A longer journey across Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany and France

• A curated blend of famous passes, hidden gems and iconic resorts

• Time for longer stays in picture-perfect Alpine towns

It’s a “once-in-a-lifetime” style itinerary that many guests extend into a two-week European holiday.

Glacier Express Rail & Drive – The Hybrid Hero

Combine:

• Scenic train segments like the Glacier Express, and

• Some of the most beautiful Alpine roads in Switzerland

This is ideal if you love trains almost as much as cars, or if you’re travelling with someone who prefers a little less time behind the wheel and a little more time simply watching the scenery go by.

FAQs about Train Trips to Zurich & Driving the Swiss Alps

1. Is it better to fly or take the train to Zurich for a driving tour?

If you’re already in Paris, Milan, Munich, Stuttgart or Vienna, the train is usually more comfortable and often just as quick door-to-door. You avoid airport transfers and security queues, arrive right in the city centre, and step straight into your EPIKDRIVES experience.

2. How far in advance should I book train tickets to Zurich?

For popular routes and 1st Class seats, we recommend booking at least 4–8 weeks in advance, especially in summer and during school holidays. If you travel at shorter notice, we can still help you find the best available options.

3. Can you arrange my train tickets as well as the driving tour?

Yes. On request, EPIKDRIVES can coordinate your rail and road segments as one seamless itinerary – including seat reservations, private transfers and your rented supercar or GT car in Zurich.

4. Is it easy to bring luggage on the train and into the car?

All featured trains offer luggage racks and overhead storage, and there’s no strict checked baggage process like at airports. When you arrive in Zurich, we help transfer your luggage to your hotel or directly into your car, so you don’t need to worry about hauling bags across town.

5. When is the best time of year for train trips to Zurich and Alpine driving?

The main Alpine driving season runs from late May to early October, when most high mountain passes are open. Train routes operate year-round, but for a road-focused trip with clear, mostly snow-free passes, we recommend June to September.