8 days of scenic Swiss winter trains: sample route and shopping list 

Day 1: Zurich to Chur via Arosa

You’ll depart from Zurich to Chur. This is a 1h15 train ride. It includes a beautiful stretch along the Walensee (“Lake Walen”).

From Chur, you’ll make a scenic train ride to Arosa. A single journey takes just over 1h00. Arosa is a great winter destination. There’s usually plenty of snow. If time allows, stroll around or visit the Weisshorn for a panoramic mountain view.

Head back for Chur and spend the night there.

Day 2: Chur to St. Moritz via the Lower Engadine

Today you’ll head for St. Moritz. You’ll do so via Landquart, Küblis, Klosters Platz and the Vereina tunnel to Susch.

You’re now in a stunning valley at high altitude, where snow is nearly guaranteed. It’s called the Lower Engadine. Travel to St. Moritz in the Upper Engadine via the towns of Zernez and Zuoz.

Today’s trip takes only 2h30. This means there’s enough time for side trips. Examples are:

• Visit the famous ski resort Davos from Klosters Platz. This adds about 1 hour of traveling time, not including the time you spend in Davos. You could add a trip up the Parsenn-Weissfluhgipfel.
• Travel to Scuol-Tarasp with its famous castle from Susch. This adds 1,5 hours of traveling time, excluding time spent in Scuol-Tarasp.
• If you arrive in St. Moritz early, visit a mountaintop. Muottas Muragl, Piz Nair and Corvatsch are great for views of the Engadine mountains.

Day 3: Bernina Express return ride from St. Moritz

The Bernina Express is a famous scenic train ride. It’s splendid in winter too, with usually lots of snow at the Bernina Pass.

You can travel to Tirano and take the same route back. This allows you to visit the mountain tops of Lagalb or Diavolezza along the way.

Another option for your return ride is the local train or bus from Tirano to Chiavenna in Italy. You’ll then take the bus from Chiavenna to Maloja and St. Moritz. This is a ride through the beautiful Bregaglia, also called the Bergell Valley. It also includes a spectacular pass road ascent to Maloja. Keep in mind:

• The Italian train section Tirano-Chiavenna is not covered by your Swiss Travel Pass. You’ll need additional tickets.
• The regular way back from Tirano to St. Moritz over the Bernina Pass takes 2h15 to 2h30. The alternative via Chiavenna takes about 4h45.

Day 4: St. Moritz to Zermatt with the Glacier Express

Today’s journey is the famous Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt. The stretches at high altitudes will likely be snow-covered. Examples are the Oberalp Pass, the Upper Rhone Valley and the upper part of the Matter Valley. That’s where your destination Zermatt can be found. You can best make your reservations well in advance, as explained here.

Day 5: the Gornergrat from Zermatt

Take your time in Zermatt today. Ride the cog train up to Gornergrat for iconic views of the Matterhorn. It’s a short journey, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the views or play in the snow.

Additionally, you can visit one of the other mountains surrounding Zermatt.

Day 6: Zermatt to Wengen with the Lötschberg Mountain Railway

It’s time to head for the Jungfrau Region. Your destination is the mountain village of Wengen.

Take the train to Brig. Then board the regional Lötschberg mountain train. It travels via Goppenstein, Kandersteg, and Spiez. Then change trains to Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen and Wengen.

Today’s journey takes 4h35 to 5h00. If you want, you can travel up to the Männlichen after arrival in Wengen.

Day 7: Wengen to Lucerne via Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald

You’ll first take the cog train from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg (which is on the route to Jungfraujoch). Here you can enjoy magnificent views of the snowy Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Travel on a cogwheel train down to Grindelwald.

From Grindelwald, take the train to Interlaken Ost (via Zweilütschinen and Wilderswil). Then board the Luzern-Interlaken Express. This is the northern leg of the GoldenPass route. Lucerne is today’s destination.

The entire journey takes 4h10 to 5h00. You can make side trips if you start early and if you don’t mind arriving in Lucerne later in the evening. Options are:

• Visit Jungfraujoch from Kleine Scheidegg.
• Get up to First from Grindelwald.
• Don’t travel to Grindelwald via Kleine Scheidegg, but take the cable car up to Männlichen and the gondolas down to Grindelwald.

Day 8: Lucerne to Zurich via Rigi

The last day of this winter train journey gets you back to Zurich. But you’ll first visit the Rigi mountain by cogwheel trains.

Travel to Küssnacht and take the bus to Vitznau. Board the cog train to the top station “Rigi Kulm” there. Rigi isn’t very high, but even if there’s no snow on the top, you will have a brilliant view of higher snow-covered mountain peaks in clear weather. Once you’ve spent time at the top, travel down by train to Arth-Goldau. Then head for Zurich.

There are alternative ways to reach Rigi:

• Simply travel up and down via Arth-Goldau. This is quicker than traveling up via Vitznau. It’s a good alternative if you’re short on time.
• Take a boat from Lucerne to Weggis. Take the cable car to Rigi Kaltbad and then the train to Rigi Kulm. Note that winter boat schedules for Lake Lucerne are limited.

How to use and adjust this itinerary

Basic planning tips

• Most Swiss panoramic trains are operational during winter too. But not all are. Cogwheel trains into the mountains are usually limited to the summer season as well. That’s why I created this winter itinerary: it only includes trains that are available in winter.
• Plan each segment of your journey ahead with the Swiss timetable though. It contains up-to-date information for your travel dates.
• This journey is possible in reverse order too.

Options to shorten the journey

This is how you can reduce the number of travel days:

• Skip the side trip to Arosa and travel to St. Moritz on day 1.
• Take out the Bernina Express return trip of day 3 and head for Zermatt instead.
• Skip the Gornergrat trip in Zermatt on day 7 and travel to Wengen.
• Combine days 7 and 8: travel directly from Wengen to Lucerne and Zurich, skipping the Kleine Scheidegg detour and possibly Rigi too.
• If you have just a few days available for a scenic train tour in Switzerland, have a look at our 3-day Glacier Express itinerary.

How to extend this holiday

You can easily turn this 8-day tour into a longer one: book additional nights in Chur, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Wengen, Lucerne, and/or Zurich. St. Moritz, Zermatt and Wengen are especially worth it if you want to add snow activities.

Alternative train tour for other seasons

This train tour is designed for winter, but it can be made in other seasons too. If you plan to travel between spring and fall, our 7-day scenic train route across Switzerland may interest you as well.

Map of the 8-day train route