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The Glacial Express, and OthersScenic TrainsGlacier
Express | Bernina Express | Golden Pass Complete Index of Articles on Switzerland
Switzerland's scenic trains boring? Yes! Starting with the very best of the routes, the Glacier Express ... sometimes called the Glacial Express. By the time you read this the Swiss
Federal Railways may have banned us from riding our favorite rail system in the
world. In a nutshell, we'd much rather spend our time in the mountains than passing by them. An acquaintance describes seeing the mountains by train as opposed to up-close-and-personal as "like kissing with a sock over your head!" And if you ignore all our advice save one thought, let it be this one: watch the weather. Boring in good weather, the trips are deadly dull in clouds, fog or snow. Glacier Express
There is some fine scenery, but much of the ride is pedestrian. As we said, we'd rather spend our time in the mountains than observing them from afar. (If your time in Switzerland is brief see A Short Visit to Switzerland and One Day in the Mountains.) At one time there was some excellent scenery (for about an hour) as the train climbed over the Furka pass and took you near the Rhône glacier. Heavy snowfall made the route summer only. A tunnel has turned it into an year-'round, albeit at the expense of the best views. The other problem with this train is that its terminal points, Zermatt and St. Moritz, are not on a convenient mainline of travel. To do the full trip you've really got to spend an overnight at each end of the route. Worse, Zermatt and St. Moritz are not quickly reached from major Swiss points (e.g. Zürich or Geneva), so you'll spend the better part of two more days getting to and from the train. We can think of much better things to do with three days in Switzerland.
Eating in the dining car is expensive and reservations are required. The food is good though, and you'll have a unique experience in the third millennium eating in a genuine antique dining car. Otherwise there's a rolling buffet cart aboard, and a couple of stops leave enough time to dash into the station to grab some take-along food.
On your way to Italy? Forget the Glacier Express as such; you'll find the normal route between Milan and either Chur or Brig quite scenic. Bernina Express
This trip is packed with more punch-per-pound than GE. And you top the mountains without hiding in a tunnel. However, it shares the disadvantage of inconvenience. Once in Tirano, your choices are to repeat the experience by taking the return, westbound, trip, catch the bus for a three hour ride to Lugano, or continue on to Italy. This trip, obviously, is quite recommendable (in good weather) for those who are going on to Italy anyway. Open cars available in the summer. Reservations required. |
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Golden Pass
The first part of the route runs from Luzern to Interlaken Ost over the Brünig Pass. A lovely trip, and arguably the best way to get from Luzern to Interlaken anyway. The two hours pass slowly, but the countryside is quite lovely with rolling hills dotted with lakes on the north side of the pass, then along the Brienzersee from Meiringen into Interlaken. This portion of the trip is easily accessible, and fits neatly into many visitors' plans anyway. As well, reservations not required for this portion of the route.
This is a leisurely ride through mostly quite pretty country. Pretty, but not spectacular mountain scenery. If you've spent any time in the Swiss Alps elsewhere before this trip you'll be underwhelmed. This segment also takes two hours ... but it may seem longer. If you're set on taking the Panorama ride between Montreux and Zweisimmen and will be visiting the Berner Oberland, do it from Montreux before you get a chance to see 'real' mountains. You'll find far more enjoyment that way, and you won't be disappointed. And you'll be pleasantly surprised when you get to the Oberland to find that real mountains are so much more magnificent than what you thought was pretty hot when on the train ride. Reservations are required for the Golden Panoramic schedules between Montreux and Zweisimmen. The other services require reservations only for groups. If your principal purpose in traveling this route is to travel between Geneva and Interlaken, the mainline route over Bern will get you all the way in about 3.5 hours, at least ninety minutes less than the trip via Zweisimmen. William Tell Express
From Luzern you travel the length of Vierwaldstättersee (Lake Luzern) to Flüelen in three to three-and-one-half hours. From there you board the train for a two+ hour ride across the mountains to either Lugano or Locarno. The boat trip passes through lovely, though not spectacular, territory. We suspect, even with the attraction of your meal, you'll be more than ready to debark well before Flüelen. The train ride does pass through some quite attractive mountain territory including some fairly spectacular bridge crossings. Though what should be, literally, the high point of the trip is taken in a tunnel. All in all, if our schedule placed us in Lugano or Locarno and we wanted an enjoyable train ride to the north we'd take the train to Flüelen and skip the boat, continuing, instead, on the train to our destination. If you travel in first class you'll have a glass-domed car on the train. Reservations are mandatory, and there is a 'package' available that includes reservations, meal and souvenir. The service is operated from early/mid-May until mid/late-October. Alternatives
Virtually any of the mountain cogwheel (rackrail) narrow-gauge trains, cables, and other upward vehicles almost anywhere in the country offer great views, close-up. Our favorites:
If you're up for a bit of exercise ranging from mild to a bit more than moderate you'll find a mechanized route that'll whisk you to a fine starting point. You can descend on your own or, more often than not, find another mountain transport at the other end to take you on your way home. And the rides up and down will be scenically enjoyable, if not, more likely, spectacular.
Take the long scenic train rides, if you must. But you'll be missing the best Switzerland has to offer ... if that's the extent of your introduction to the wonderful Swiss mountains. Rail Passes
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oring. Boring and
often wasteful of your precious holiday time.
Despite
that 'risk', we'll lay out for you our opinions of the various routes promoted by Swiss
Rail. And suggest a few 
he Glacier
Express (GE) is an interesting ride when the weather is good. Even then we find it long,
and frankly boring for the most part. The full trip from Zermatt to St. Moritz is eight to
nine hours, at an average of just a shade over 20 mph. One train daily in winter, two to
three in warmer weather.
hile St. Moritz and
Zermatt are not our favorite spots in Switzerland they're enjoyable destinations. If
you've only three days for the country and have a strong desire to see one or the other,
spend your time there, not crawling along train tracks.
ne may take only a
portion of the trip. The best parts of the journey are those near and west and east of
Chur. One might take only the Brig-Chur portion, or Chur-St. Moritz. Brig-Chur is
particularly recommendable since both points are relatively easily accessible from Geneva
and Zürich. We've traveled this segment out of Zürich
(and back) in a day. The Chur-St. Moritz segment is probably the more interesting stretch
if you don't mind being marooned in St. Moritz.
erhaps a better way to
allocate funds would be to eat aboard the train.
eservations are
required for the GE. If you're unable to plan ahead or find reservations unavailable, and
you don't want to follow our advice and skip the trip, there is frequent train service
along the route without the special designation of 'Glacier Express'. You'll have to
change trains a few times, but you'll see the same sights.
any consider this
the equal, or superior, to the GE. The full route runs from Chur to Tirano, Italy in
something over four hours. The route from Chur to San Moritz is the same as covered by the
GE. The segment from St. Moritz to Tirano takes about two-and-one-half hours.
ive hours from
Luzern to Montreux. Five, or more, very slow hours.
ow else to enjoy the
mountains? In fact we do recommend trains for your visit to the mountains.
Narrow-gauge trains, cables, funiculars, chairlifts.
ven if you're not
up to a bit of mountain exercise, you'll still enjoy the transport systems that are in
the mountains more than riding in trains passing by them. Almost every
mountaintop has a restaurant or refreshment hut of one kind or another, and a place to sit
and contemplate the views. Often you'll find little 'inns' along the route on the way up
and down where you can get off to enjoy that particular view before going farther.
o check the
weather before you commit to one of these extended trips. Despite our iconoclastic views,
there are many enjoyable sights along the way. However, the spectacular views disappear
when the mountains are shrouded by fog, clouds or snow. If we think the trips are boring
with the best sights in view ... don't ask how we feel about them on a cloudy day!