All aboard the Glacier Express!
Welcome to the slowest express train in the world. Plop down into one of the most sought-after window seats in the world to experience train travel at its finest. I’d tell you to buckle up because this is an 8-hour journey so we have a lot of things to share with you, but there aren’t any seat belts on board so…let’s just jump right in!
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Glacier Express Departures
The Glacier Express connects 2 of Switzerland’s best Summer and Winter playgrounds: St. Moritz and Zermatt. It departs up to 3 times daily from both locations, and runs year round except for from mid-October to mid-December.
Seat reservations are mandatory, which we’ll talk more about later. So we recommend arriving at the station early so you can locate your train carriage, find your assigned seat, and scope out all of the onboard amenities.
Glacier Express Classes
We booked First Class tickets so let’s show you around this carriage first.
If you’re traveling with luggage like we are, there are luggage racks in each carriage near the doors. There are no overhead bins so they don’t block the views, which means smaller bags can be placed under your seat.
First Class has a 2×1 seating arrangement. There are either 30 or 36 seats per car, so it’s not too crowded. Each seat has a Swiss outlet, table, headphones, and a brochure — which I’ll tell you more about later.
Obviously this is a panoramic train so there are massive windows in every carriage. They apparently have sun protection film on the glass so hopefully Brett won’t get sunburned during our ride! We also really like the dark walnut features, which were recently updated in 2020.
The bathrooms are very clean and look like a lot of other bathrooms on Swiss trains.
Here’s a little insider tip: in between the carriages, you’ll find windows that open, which are perfect for capturing photos or videos without glass reflections!
Next is Second Class. This has a 2×2 seating arrangement with similar seat amenities, although there are 48 seats in each carriage.
The top tier seats on the Glacier Express are in Excellence Class. This offers a 1×1 seat configuration so everyone is guaranteed a window seat — which happens to recline. This class offers luggage transport, a concierge, infotainment tablets, exclusive access to the Glacier Bar and private bathroom, not to mention a 5-course menu with wine pairings, as well as afternoon tea and on-demand snacks, coffee, tea, juice, and soft drinks. Now, don’t get too smitten, the price of Excellence Class will blow you away! But we’ll chat about tickets later in this blog.
Glacier Express Route Part 1: St. Moritz to Chur
Our journey has begun! The entire Glacier Express ride takes 8 hours and winds through 3 Swiss Cantons (Valais, Uri, and Graubünden). We’ll cross 291 bridges and pass through 92 tunnels. Out the windows we’ll see resort villages, remote valleys, the Swiss Grand Canyon, and plenty of snow-dusted mountain peaks.
Over the next 2 hours, we’re traveling 85 km from St. Moritz to Chur. This is the section overflowing with engineering marvels like bridges and viaducts.
And I’m a bookworm who loves to learn, so I’m already flipping through this informational brochure. When we’re about to pass a noteworthy site, they play a chime on the speakers, signaling you to pop on your complimentary headphones. As you pass by the feature, it gives a little explanation of what you’re seeing.
I have a feeling I’m going to have one earbud in at all times. By the way, there are options in 7 different languages, as well as 2 music channels.
Breakfast on the Glacier Express
It’s mid-morning and time for a little breakfast! Other than coffee, tea, and juice, there aren’t any true breakfast items on the Glacier Express menu. So we went to the grocery store last night and picked up some snacks.
And in case you’re wondering, it’s totally acceptable to bring your own food and drinks on board!
Glacier Express Post Box and Guest Book
Do you know someone who would love this train ride? Or who dreams about these kinds of views out the window? You can send them a postcard from the Glacier Express! There’s this little section between the carriages where you can pay for a postcard, write your note, and drop it in the post box.
This is also where you can sign the train’s guestbook! I’ve never seen this on a train before and I think it’s a great, kind of nostalgic feature. If you sign the guest book on your ride, see if you can find our signatures!
Glacier Express Route Part 2: Chur to Andermatt
We’ve made it to Chur, also known as Switzerland’s Grand Canyon. The next leg of our journey is 90 km from Chur to Andermatt, and will take 2.5 hours.
Meals on the Glacier Express
Time for lunch! There’s a real kitchen on board where chefs prepare the daily meals, so you can trust that it’s freshly cooked with regional produce.
They offer a 2-, 3-, or 4-course meal, which is a really popular option, as well as soups, salads, and a la carte items. Of course there’s a kids menu and desserts too.
In fact, if you want to dine on the dish of the day or enjoy the 3-course meal, then you need to reserve this in advance, either with your seat reservation or up to one day before your journey.
- Book at info@panoramic-gourmet.ch
- Or call +41 (0)81 300 15 15
- Find more details here.
First, they come and set your table with a real tablecloth, plates, and silverware.
I just need to point out that this entire train ride is 8 hours. Our average flight between the east coast of the US and Switzerland is usually 7.5 hours. We might be on the world’s slowest express train moving at an average of 38 km/hour (23.6 mi/hr), but thankfully this isn’t a foil tray kind of meal like airplane food.
I ordered the 3-course option of a salad, dish of the day, and dessert. Brett went for the 4-course meal which also includes a cheese course.
That was absolutely delicious. The staff is just now starting to clear away the plates, so I wanted to mention that they only accept cashless payments. So make sure to bring along your credit card!
After passing by the deep walls and rushing water of the gorge, the train shifts to cogwheels for the 32 km climb up the Oberalp Pass. This is the highest point of our ride at 2033 meters (6670ft). In the Winter, this is a snowy wonderland. But in the Summer it’s covered in cows grazing on wildflowers.
Stopping at Oberalp
The train stops for a few minutes here so you can hop off and enjoy some fresh mountain air. By the way, if you forgot your hat or sunglasses, you can buy some on board from the train staff.
Before this trip, we heard a bunch of people say that the train gets really hot due to the big windows, but honestly we’ve been pretty comfortable with the temperature. It’s a bit warm, but you can tell that there is cool air circulating. Nonetheless, it’s nice to enjoy some refreshing fresh air in the middle of our ride!
Glacier Express Route Part 3: Andermatt to Brig
We’re pulling into Andermatt and about to start part 3 of the Glacier Express. We’ll travel 70km in 1.5 hours through the Upper Rhone Valley.
The notable feature of this segment is the Furka Base Tunnel which opened in 1982. Before that, the train couldn’t run year round due to snow. But now this tunnel makes it an avalanche-proof route between Graubünden and Valais.
Glacier Express Tickets, Passes, and Seat Reservations
Now let’s talk about tickets, passes, and seat reservations.
First of all, seat reservations are mandatory for all passengers on the Glacier Express.
- It costs 49 CHF per person in First Class and Second Class.
- Children under 6 do not actually require a reservation unless you want them to have their own seat — which we would definitely want for an 8-hour ride!
- Reservations cost 490 CHF in Excellence Class per traveler, and are required even for kids under the age of 6. But this steep fee does also include the 5-course meal.
You can book seat reservations on the Glacier Express website.
- They can be made up to 93 days in advance for First and Second Class.
- And they can be made for the entire timetable period for Excellence Class, which usually means until about mid-December.
- Unfortunately, it does not indicate which side of the train your seat is reserved for since carriages can be attached to the train in either direction.
In addition to the mandatory seat reservation, you also need a valid ticket. In 2025, a full price adult ticket between St. Moritz and Zermatt costs:
- 159 CHF in Second Class
- 272 CHF in First Class
- To travel in Excellence Class, you need a valid First Class ticket.
- Kids ages 6-15 pay half price, or their ticket is free with the Swiss Family Card.
- As always, children under 6 ride for free.
- You can also save money by purchasing a Children’s Day Pass for as low as 19 CHF in Second Class or 33 CHF in First Class if you won’t have a Swiss Family Card.
But you don’t need a First Class Pass to ride in First Class or Excellence Class! If you’re traveling with a Second Class train pass, you can simply buy a Point-to-Point Class Upgrade or Day Upgrade.
- Glacier Express tickets are 50% off with the Swiss Half Fare Card.
- They’re free with the Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail Pass, or Interrail Pass.
- You can potentially save money by booking a Saver Day Pass for as little as 29 CHF in Second Class or 49 CHF in First Class.
Unfortunately though, dogs are not allowed on board the Glacier Express, since there is in-seat food service.
You can buy your tickets on the Glacier Express website up to 6 months in advance. Or you can buy your ticket, Class Upgrade, or Saver Day Pass on the SBB Mobile App up to 6 months in advance.
By the way, if you’re confused about train passes or Class Upgrades or Day Passes, you’re not alone! We demystify Swiss train passes, train tickets, day passes, the SBB app, and a lot of other confusing things in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation. So be sure to check that out if you have more questions or need more help.
Glacier Express Route Part 4: Brig to Zermatt
Welcome to Brig! We’re about to travel the next 45 km in 1.5 hours to Zermatt through the Mattertal Valley. This whole section runs beside a river, small Swiss villages, and even Europe’s highest vineyard.
Glacier Express FAQs
Before we finish our journey, we wanted to do a mini Q&A to answer some of your biggest questions about the Glacier Express!
Q: How early should I make seat reservations?
A: As early as possible, since they can sell out months in advance, especially if you’re traveling during peak summer or winter season.
Q: What’s the best side of the train to sit on?
A: From St. Moritz to Zermatt, the left side of the train is best. And From Zermatt to St. Moritz, the right side is best. But honestly, the best views switch back and forth throughout the ride, and since you can’t guarantee which side of the train you’ll be on when you book your seat reservation, don’t stress — this is an 8-hour ride after all!
Q: How early should I get to the station?
A: In our opinion, you’ll want to arrive at least 15 minutes early, maybe even 30 minutes early. This way you can find your seat and make sure there’s room on the luggage rack for your suitcase.
Q: Can I hop on and off along the route?
A: Yes, but with a few caveats:
- You can only travel in one continuous direction without backtracking.
- You’ll need to make separate seat reservations for each section of the journey, since you would technically be riding a different train after each stop.
- The Glacier Express only has up to 3 departures per day, so you have limited options to keep hopping on and off within the same day.
Q: Are there “normal” trains along this route instead of this scenic one?
A: Yes. If you’re not interested in a leisurely panoramic train ride, you can ride regional trains along this exact same route from St. Moritz to Zermatt in 6.5 hours. You will have a few train changes along the way, and of course won’t enjoy the same luxury or dining options. But tickets on these trains cost a fraction of the price and don’t require seat reservations, so it’s much easier to hop on and off if you’d like to stop somewhere along the route to explore.
Q: What should I bring with me?
A: Here’s what should be on your Glacier Express packing list:
- Sunglasses and a hat.
- Wear layers. That way you can add more if you’re cold or wear something lighter if the sun gets hot.
- Bring extra water, since it’s quite expensive on board.
- Pack snacks. Even if you’re paying for the lunch service, the ride is 8 hours long and you’re bound to get a bit hungry.
- By the way, you don’t need to bring snacks and water if you’re already paying a premium for Excellence Class, since those are included.
Q: Is there wifi on the Glacier Express?
A: Yep! And we found that it worked pretty well, except when we were in a tunnel of course.
Q: Is the Glacier Express worth it?
A: In our opinion, yes! But we don’t get bored sitting on a train and admiring the views for 8 hours. Although we did bring a card game with us just in case. We also think it’s worth it because you end in Zermatt!
Things to do in Zermatt, Switzerland
And what an epic way to end our day — with a beautiful sunset on the Matterhorn!
If you’re looking for things to do in Zermatt, read this next.
If you have questions about Swiss Transportation, check out our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation.
And we’ll see you on the trains in Switzerland!
