[Anonymous]

6 March 2020 at 11:49:25 #825418

Hello all,

we are planning a quick family trip to switzerland (hopefully the first of many!) We will be arriving in zurich on a monday morning and flying out on thursday. We plan to sleep in Davos on monday night and tues night, and make our way back to zurich on Wednesday . What would be a nice scenic detour to take on the way back up if we would want to spend a good part of the day on scenic trains? Thanks

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[Anna]

Reply 1 of 9 • 6 March 2020 at 13:31:29 #931168

Hello Confu,

Welcome to MySwissAlps!

If you’re keen on a panoramic train experience, I would recommend taking the 9.31am Glacier Express from Filisur to Brig, then in Brig change to the Intercity train to Zurich. This will take you in total about 8 hours 27 mins, arriving in Zurich HB about 17.48.

Here’s the link that details the Glacier Express route: http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/gettingthere

Please use the SBB timetable to plan your journey: http://www.myswissalpscom/timetable

These links may also be useful:

• Zurich: http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich
• Davos: http://www.myswissalps.com/davos

Regards,

Anna

[User]

Reply 2 of 9 • 7 March 2020 at 0:27:06 #931169

Zurich – Davos is itself a scenic ride, so I recommend you do your ‘scenic tour’ on a day you are ‘baggage free’ and based in Davos. Take advantage of the fact that the Canton Graubünden’s ‘national railway’ is the Rhätische Bahn (RhB) and the shape of the RhB network:

http://www.rail-info.ch/RhB/pics/map.gif

permits several circular trips.

You can go Davos – Klosters – Sagliains – St Moritz – Filisur – Davos. (get off at Filisur and walk to the Landwasser Viaduct)

You can also do Davos – Klosters – Landquart – Chur – Thusis – Filisur – Davos

[User]

Reply 3 of 9 • 7 March 2020 at 1:39:18 #931170

When?

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 4 of 9 • 7 March 2020 at 19:31:48 #931171

March 30- April 2

[User]

Reply 5 of 9 • 7 March 2020 at 19:34:36 #931172

Thanks for the ideas, I’d love to try them.

I have a feeling my wife will.want to stAy put for the day and a half we are luggage free on in Davos We will not have so much luggage regardless.

[User]

Reply 6 of 9 • 7 March 2020 at 19:40:22 #931173

Thanks Anna, for the reply and resources! I’m wondering of my little ones can handle an 8.5 hour train ride. A pity, as I was hoping to take the glacier express.

Is there anything in the 4/5 hour range? Thanks again!

[Anna]

Reply 7 of 9 • 7 March 2020 at 20:04:04 #931174

Hi Confu,

Yes, I think 8 hours on the train may be too long for the little ones. If you’re still keen on experiencing a scenic train journey albeit a shorter one, I would recommend taking the regular train Davos to St Moritz via Filisur, then take the same train back to Zurich, as suggested by 1960man. You will get a glimpse of the iconic Landwasser Viaduct. Most of the regular trains on this route do have panoramic windows so you’ll get to enjoy a scenic ride too. Davos to St Moritz is about 1.5 hours and St Moritz to Zurich will take about 3.5 hours, so in total it will be a 5 hour journey.

Regards,

Anna

[User]

Reply 8 of 9 • 7 March 2020 at 21:38:07 #931175

Hi Confu –

<<“March 30- April 2.”>>

At Davos’ elevation, (1500 meters above the sea level) that will be toward the end of the Winter and ski season The slopes are at much higher altitudes and will still have lots of snow on them.

1960 man mentioned a walk to the Landwasser viaduct. At around 1000 meters altitude, there might still be some snow on the path if it is in heavy shade.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 9 of 9 • 8 March 2020 at 1:20:00 #931176

“A pity, as I was hoping to take the glacier express.”

Try not to get drawn in by the hyped-up marketing of the Glacier Express. It is not always the best way to ‘see Switzerland’

It only suits a certain type of itinerary, and your trip doesn’t suit. You will see just as much scenery just travelling around the areas I have already described. Believe me, I was in the area a few weeks ago and have been travelling around on Swiss trains for almost 60 years.

It is worth taking a moment to understand the Glacier Express and its history:

It was created (as one train each way daily) with the notion that well-heeled travellers taking long holidays in Switzerland in the ‘Belle Epoque’ era (1930s) would stay in Zermatt and then also go and stay in the other fashionable resort of the time, St Moritz. The train was named (mainly) after the Rhone Glacier which has now melted so much that you don’t see it from the train and in any case the train runs under the Rhone Glacier in a base tunnel which replaced the Furka mountain section in 1982.