Finding Glacier Express in the SBB timetable
A traveler named Stainersmith is trying to plan a round trip in Switzerland that includes the Glacier Express as part of their itinerary. They want to know how to find this train on the SBB site and whether it's worth using for their trip from Luzern to Chur, Andermatt, and back.
- Look for 'PE' labeled trains in the SBB timetable to identify the Glacier Express.
- For shorter legs of your trip, consider taking regular trains instead of Panoramic Express trains to save on reservation fees and enjoy scenic views.
- Use SBB's advanced search feature to select specific transport modes like ships for sections of your journey, ensuring you find the right connections.
AI-generated summary-
When searching connection options on the SBB site how do you know which in the list contains the Glacier express?
I want to specify the Glacier Express having that as part of a day’s round trip
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Hello Stainersmith and Welcome to MySwissAlps,
The Glacier Express is denoted by “PE” for Panoramic Express in the SBB timetable. If you look at the reservations site you will learn what the departure time is from your start point.
Many thanks rockoyster! I am trying to plan a round trip Luzern – Chur – Andermatt – Cog railway to Goschenen and get the Gotthard Panorama back to Luzern.I am still having problems finding PE trains.
If I search Goschenen to Luzern I cannot find the Gotthard Panorama. It just gives buses. Am I missing something, or does the Gotthard Panorama not run from Goschenen?
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
I would suggest you don’t bother with the PE trains for such short legs of those routes. Just take regular trains – the scenery is exactly the same, timing is much more flexible and you avoid paying seat reservation charges.
If you use the SBB timetable for Chur to Flüelen via Andermatt you will then get to the boat dock (assuming you want to include the boat leg of the GPEX route). From there you need to use the advanced search option and deselect all modes of transport apart from ship for Flüelen (See) to Luzern Bahnhofquai.
See attached departures. BAV indicates a paddle steamer. BAT is the modern conventional boat. The 12:00 departure is the only actual GPEX connection per day but all the paddle steamers are similar.
Hope that helps.
Attachments:
Many thanks. It looks like a great boat journey back.
Andrew
Completely agree with Rockoyster, very little point in using the reservation only, supplementary fee ‘Panoramic Trains’ on this itinerary. I am quite well know on this site for reiterating frequently (based on 59 years of Swiss rail travel experience) that the ‘Panoramic Trains’ are not the be-all-and-end-all of rail travel in Switzerland, very often it is more convenient and less hassle to pick up the local trains on the same route.
Many people make the mistake (having heard of or seen publicity for the Glacier Express and other ‘famous’ trains) that it is the only way to see Switzerland by rail. This is to underestimate the scenery of the rest of Switzerland. If it doesn’t fit your itinerary it is not really necessary to do it. Ordinary trains runs on all the same lines. Just about every railway line in Switzerland is scenic to some degree. And in fact some sections of the Glacier Express route are less scenic than many other lines in Switzerland.
The Glacier Express runs roughly on an East – West axis in the southern part of Switzerland, and is very well marketed. In practice the Glacier Express is just an ‘exclusive’ train on a normal railway route with plenty of other normal – non supplement , reservation-free trains on it.
Welcome back 1960man. Missed ya … 😎
Been in USA and Canada…
Hi Stainersmith,
in addition to the answers of 1960man and rockoyster, please read “Regular trains versus Glacier Express” here: http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress. This could be also useful for you about the Gotthard Panorama Express: http://www.myswissalps.com/go tthardpanoramaexpress. (Check the “Regular trains and boats versus the official Gotthard Panorama Express” section here too).
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