The Glacier Express - Switzerland's most famous train journey

1  The train — narrow-gauge, panoramic and purpose-built for the scenery

The Glacier Express is a narrow-gauge train operated jointly by the Rhätische Bahn (RhB) and the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB), two of Switzerland's most celebrated mountain railways. In 2017 the two operators formed Glacier Express AG as a dedicated company for the service. The train runs on metre-gauge track — narrower than standard European rail — which allows it to negotiate gradients and curves that would defeat a conventional mainline train. Part of the route uses rack-and-pinion technology to climb the steepest sections.
The carriages are purpose-designed for panoramic viewing. Windows extend from seat level to the roof of the carriage, curving overhead in a way that gives unobstructed sight lines upward to mountain summits as well as out to the valley sides. All classes share the same panoramic windows; the differences between them are in seating configuration, space, and what is included. The train is air-conditioned throughout, and route commentary — information about the landmarks passing outside — is available via headphones in first and second class, and via a dedicated tablet device in Excellence Class.
The Glacier Express first made this journey on 25 June 1930, establishing a direct link between Zermatt and St Moritz that had required a change of trains until then. The route has been refined since, but the essential logic of the journey — connecting two of Switzerland's most distinguished mountain resorts across the heart of the Alps — remains unchanged.

2  The route — Zermatt to St Moritz (or the reverse)

The Glacier Express runs in both directions: Zermatt to St Moritz and St Moritz to Zermatt. The scenery and the highlights are the same in both directions, though from slightly different perspectives. The train departs Zermatt in the morning and arrives at St Moritz in the early evening; the reverse journey follows the same schedule. Most of our clients travel in one direction and return to their starting point by other means, or use the journey as a centrepiece between stays in the two resort towns.

Leaving Zermatt, the train descends through the narrow Mattertal valley — the Matterhorn visible behind you as the train pulls away, a particular moment worth positioning yourself for — then continues to Brig, where it turns east. The section through the Upper Valais passes the Stockalper Castle at Brig, one of the finest Baroque buildings in Switzerland, before the train enters the Furka tunnel to Oberwald and begins the long climb toward Andermatt.

Andermatt — an Alpine resort increasingly well-regarded for both skiing and summer walking — is a useful stop. The locomotive changes here as the Rhätische Bahn section hands over to the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn; passengers have time to stretch their legs on the platform. Above Andermatt the train climbs steeply on rack-and-pinion track to the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 metres: the highest point of the journey, where a small lighthouse stands on a frozen lake in winter and Alpine flowers carpet the pass in summer.

The descent from the Oberalp Pass brings the young River Rhine into view — its water startlingly turquoise against white limestone — and the train follows it through the Rhine Gorge (known in Romansh as the Ruinaulta), one of the most dramatic sections of the entire route. The gorge was formed around 10,000 years ago when a landslide blocked the valley and the Rhine carved its way through the debris; the result is a canyon of bleached rock faces, pine forest and river that passengers in the know position themselves on the left side of the train to see at its best.

After the market town of Chur — Switzerland's oldest city and the hub of the Rhaetian Railway network — the train reverses direction and begins the final section toward St Moritz on the UNESCO World Heritage Albula Line. The highlight here is the Landwasser Viaduct: a curved six-arched limestone structure, 65 metres high, that carries the train across the Landwasser gorge before curving directly into a tunnel in the cliff face. Many of the most-published photographs of the Glacier Express are taken at this point, from the opening window of the bar car, which allows clear shots of the viaduct as the train crosses it. The final approach to St Moritz passes through the Albula tunnel and descends into the Engadin valley, the lakes of the Upper Engadin blue or silver depending on the season and the light.

3  The three classes of travel — second class, first class and Excellence Class

Every passenger on the Glacier Express must hold both a valid ticket and a seat reservation. Reservations are mandatory and cannot be waived. They should be booked as early as possible — up to three months in advance for standard classes, and further in advance for Excellence Class, which sells out on popular dates well before that window opens. We handle reservations as part of every Swiss holiday we arrange.

Second Class

Second class carriages are organised with bays of four seats around tables on each side of the aisle — two seats facing two across a table, with the panoramic windows on both sides. The configuration means that not all second class passengers will have an unobstructed window view; those at an aisle seat share the window with their table companions. The carriages are comfortable and the windows are identical to those in first class. Food and drink are not included in second class; meals can be pre-ordered when booking or ordered at the seat on the day and paid for separately.

First Class

First class carriages have bays of four seats on one side of the aisle and bays of two on the other, giving those in the two-seat bays a genuinely private pair of window seats. The extra space compared to second class is noticeable on an eight-hour journey; for clients who want more room without the full commitment of Excellence Class, first class is the natural choice. As with second class, food and drink are ordered and paid for separately in first class.

Excellence Class — the Glacier Express at its most complete

Excellence Class is a single dedicated carriage, available only on specific services (trains 902 and 903/923 in 2026, running the full Zermatt to St Moritz route and the reverse), with a maximum of 20 passengers. It is an experience categorically different from first or second class, and one we consider the benchmark for clients who want the best the Glacier Express can offer.

The seating arrangement is one seat on each side of the aisle — face-to-face pairs at tables for two — so that every passenger in the carriage is guaranteed a window seat with an unobstructed view. The seats are wider and more generously cushioned than those in first class; the table between each pair of seats is large enough for the full service of a multi-course meal.

At one end of the Excellence Class carriage is the Glacier Bar: an exclusive space for Excellence Class passengers, topped by a gold-plated compass dome that rotates with each change of the train's direction. Cocktails, wine and champagne are available here throughout the journey.

The service in Excellence Class is comprehensive and all-inclusive. Passengers are met personally on the platform by the dedicated Excellence Class concierge, who accompanies the carriage for the entire journey. Luggage is taken at a Welcome Desk and stored separately, so there is no need to manage bags in the carriage itself. The day's catering sequence runs as follows: a champagne welcome and aperitif with canapés as the journey begins; a five-course seasonal lunch of regional Swiss produce served at the table with matched wines; afternoon tea with further canapés as the journey nears its end. Coffee, tea, juice and soft drinks are available throughout. A digital tablet with interactive route maps and commentary accompanies each seat.

Excellence Class cannot be booked for partial sections of the route — it is available only for the full Zermatt to St Moritz or St Moritz to Zermatt journey. This is a day that our clients who have done it consistently describe as one of the most memorable of any holiday they have taken.

4  When to travel — seasons, scenery and the service gap

The Glacier Express runs two seasonal timetables: a winter service from early December to late April, and a summer service from early May to mid-October. Within these operating periods, there are typically one or two departures per day in each direction in winter, and more frequent services in summer.

There is no Glacier Express service in the period between mid-October and early December. In 2026 the gap runs from 11 October to 4 December. Clients planning a Swiss holiday in late October or November should be aware that the Glacier Express will not be running during this period, and we would design their itinerary around Switzerland's other scenic rail journeys accordingly.

The question of which season is better is one we are often asked, and our honest answer is that they offer genuinely different journeys. Winter travel — from early January through late February, and again in early to mid-April — brings the Alps under a covering of snow that transforms the route entirely. The Oberalp Pass is a snowscape; the Rhine Gorge has a severity in monochrome that summer cannot replicate; Zermatt and St Moritz are at their most purposeful as ski resorts. The light in the low Alpine sun is particular and worth experiencing.

Summer travel — from May through early October — offers the full palette of the Alpine landscape: glacial lakes in blue and silver, meadows in flower, the Rhine running turquoise through the gorge, the Engadin valley at its most expansive. The longer days mean the full journey is made in daylight, and the higher sun gives better photography conditions for most of the route. Autumn — September and early October — is among the most beautiful periods, with the first colour on the deciduous trees and thinner crowds than August.

A note on booking: Excellence Class on popular summer dates sells out many months in advance. If you are planning a Swiss holiday for June, July or August and intend to travel in Excellence Class, we would recommend contacting us as early as possible — ideally six months or more before your travel date.

5  Zermatt and St Moritz — the two resorts at either end

The Glacier Express connects two of the most distinctive resort towns in Switzerland, and the journey works best when clients spend time in each. Two or three nights at either end transforms the train ride from a single-day experience into the centrepiece of a proper holiday.

Zermatt sits in a car-free valley beneath the Matterhorn — one of the most immediately recognisable mountain profiles in the world — at 1,620 metres. The town is reached by rack railway from Täsch, where cars are left; within Zermatt, transport is by electric vehicle or on foot. In winter it is one of Switzerland's most serious ski resorts, with skiing available year-round on the Theodul glacier. In summer it is a walking and mountaineering base; the Gornergrat rack railway offers one of the most spectacular panoramic viewpoints in the Alps, looking across the Gorner Glacier to Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn simultaneously.

St Moritz, at the other end of the journey, is a different character: an international resort in the Upper Engadin valley at 1,800 metres, surrounded by a chain of glacial lakes and accustomed to a clientele that travels for luxury as much as for mountains. In winter it is among Europe's most celebrated ski resorts, with two separate ski areas and a reputation for events — the Cresta Run, White Turf on the frozen lake — that draws visitors who are not necessarily skiers. In summer the lakes are extraordinary in clear light, and the walking and cycling around the Engadin is among the finest in Switzerland.

Planning a Glacier Express holiday with Expressions Holidays

We design Glacier Express holidays in several formats: a five-night break focused on Zermatt, the train journey and St Moritz; a longer Swiss rail tour incorporating the Glacier Express alongside other iconic routes such as the Bernina Express and the GoldenPass Line; or a grand rail tour of Switzerland taking in the mountains, the lakes and multiple regions over ten days or more. All of our Swiss rail holidays are tailor-made to the specific brief — travel dates, class of travel on the Glacier Express, hotel choice in each resort, and any extensions or additional elements required.

We offer the Glacier Express in all three classes, including Excellence Class. Our experience is that clients who book Excellence Class — particularly for summer or winter travel — find it worth every moment. We are also happy to advise on which direction gives the best experience for a particular client's priorities, and on the wider question of which Swiss rail itinerary suits them best.

Here is a selection of our holidays that feature the Glacier Express:
Glacier Express Holiday
Glacier Express Excellence Class Holiday
Grand Heart of Switzerland Mountains rail tour
The Grand, grand Switzerland rail tour

To begin planning, call us on 01392 441245 Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm, Saturday 10am to 2pm, or email info@expressionsholidays.co.uk.