[Anonymous]

28 March 2023 at 19:08:23 #829440

Hi All!

Planning a trip in October, myself, sister, and our parents (in 70s). We will be staying in Lucerne for a few days, and then wanted to board a panoramic train (is Glacier Express the only one?) to see Matterhorn. I am confused about which panoramic trains go to this part of Switzerland, and how I go about traveling from Lucerne to the connecting stations- for example, do I travel Swiss rail from lucerne to Chur-Zermatt… then zermatt-St Moritz? Is there another line besides Glacier Express that is more concise in the travel time? How long will this excursion take?

Thank you!

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[User]

Reply 1 of 9 • 28 March 2023 at 20:41:12 #952738

There are several points to address:

1) 95% of all trains in Switzerland are scenic, so you don’t need to ‘go out of your way’ to use the so called panoramic trains, such as the Glacier Express

2) There are regular normal trains on all main railways in Switzerland. The same lines – in certain cases – are traversed by special trains such as the Glacier Express

3) The Glacier Express runs East – West, Luzern is to the north so using the Glacier Express from Luzern is not always convenient, especially as a day trip.

4) However it is fairly convenient to go from Luzern to Zermatt in one day as long as you stay in Zermatt the night as you wouldn’t be able to get back to Luzern. The route would be SBB express train Luzern – Zurich (change) SBB express train Zurich – Chur (change) RhB/MGB Glacier Express Chur – Andermatt – Brig – Zermatt

5) therefore, you will need to explain your itinerary in more detail so that we can help further

[User]

Reply 2 of 9 • 29 March 2023 at 11:01:15 #952739

Hello Jyoti,

Here is a useful link on the main panoramic scenic train journeys in Switzerland: https://www.myswissalps.com/activities/scenictrips/train

The Glacier Express is indeed one of the most famous ones here, covering many, many bridges and tunnels covering some 300 kms from Zermatt to St. Moritz (or vice versa). As you are based in Lucerne, correct, should you wish to join the Glacier Express, you would need to go to Chur (see the route tab in the below link for more information)

• https://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress

A scenic route to also consider is Lucerne to Zermatt via Interlaken and Kandersteg. You would be traveling part of the Golden Pass and the Lötschberger mountain routes.

• https://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass
• https://www.myswissalps.com/lotschberger
• https://www.myswissalps.com/timetable

If you enter Interlaken to Zermatt in the timetable link, it will show all options in terms of timing and routes. By entering “via Kandersteg” the slower but more scenic route mentioned above will be displayed.

Kind regards,

Yolanda

[User]

Reply 3 of 9 • 29 March 2023 at 12:58:24 #952740

thank you both-

Please allow me to address the questions related to the itinerary that the poster requested- I was thinking of splitting our week holiday into a few days in Lucerne, and a few days in Interlacken. Spending all day in the train, even with gorgeous backdrop, sounds very tiring. I am debating between a short trip on GE (perhaps one section?) or the full St-Moritz/Zermatt excursion. If we choose a section, which section would be recommended? Is GE better somehow than say Golden Pass? Dad is an engineer and just wants to see the workings of the train, to try this once in a lifetime experience.

[User]

Reply 4 of 9 • 29 March 2023 at 14:21:14 #952741

Hello Jyoti,

I can appreciate it is all feeling rather overwhelming. I totally understand.

Did you manage to have a read through the “Route” sections/tabs of the Glacier Express and Golden Pass? This breaks the route down and gives a brief description of each section. Both routes are special in their own right so I guess it boils down to personal taste.

Perhaps have a chat with your father and see if he has any input too?

Kind regards,

Yolanda

[User]

Reply 5 of 9 • 29 March 2023 at 16:39:22 #952742

A short trip in the Glacier Express, for some of the reasons I mentioned previously, is somewhat impractical. The train is best suite to people on organised tours who are whisked to Zermatt then take the GEX all day the next day to St Moritz. This gets you some views but not very good views of the engineering aspects of the route.

The Glacier Express is just one train that travels on the railway lines of two companies:

1) Matterhorn – Gotthard Bahn (MGB) Zermatt – Brig – Andermatt – Disentis Muster

2) Rhaetische Bahn (RhB) Disentis Muster – Chur – Filisur – Albula Tunnel – St Moritz

In terms of Engineering feats, there are two key sections. I image your dad would be most interested in these. It is best to see these from normal trains plus stops where you get off the train and walk/view

Oberalp Pass: the railway climbs in loops up to Naetschen station, then along a level top section to Oberalp Pass, then down to Sedrun with superb views

Albula north ascent: From Thusis south to Preda and the entrance tom the Albula Tunnel the RhB Chur – St Moritz main line first climbs up through gorges to Tiefencastel, then crosses the iconic Landwasser viaduct into Filisur, before climbing in loops, spirals helixes etc from Filisur via Berguen Bravuogn to Preda (the north portal of the Albula tunnel).

http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/experiences/rhaetian-railways-landwasser-viaduct/

May to October a road train runs to the viaduct so you don’t need to walk:

http://www.rhb.ch/en/world-of-railway-experiences/unesco-world-heritage-rhb/landwasser-express

http://www.rhb.ch/en/leisure-travel-and-excursions/discover-graubuenden/albula-line

If you parents are able to walk a reasonable distance, then waking around Oberalp Pass is interesting.

[User]

Reply 6 of 9 • 29 March 2023 at 16:54:18 #952743

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your opinion about the trains and for the thoughtful response. I will take a look at the other companies and the lines you’re shared. My apologies if this is known information, I was confused

[User]

Reply 7 of 9 • 30 March 2023 at 0:25:17 #952744

Some of what I have described would entail long journeys if you stick to your two bases of Luzern and Interlaken.

This leads me on to two points:

1) you will get a ‘panoramic’ train ride just by using the Luzern – Interlaken Express train between your two bases.

2) In terms of railway engineering versus not having to travel too far, your best option would be to visit the Oberalp Pass from your Luzern base. Take a ‘Treno Gottardo’ train from Luzern to Goeschenen. This goes up the ‘north ramp’ of the legendary 19th century Gotthard Railway, via the loops and spirals at Wassen (where you famously see the village church from three levels as the railway loops round on itself.

Then take the historic very steep Schollenen Gorge railway up to Andermatt, then go up to Oberalp Pass, then return the same route back to Luzern. If you stop at Fluelen, even just for an hour, your dad would be able to see the parade of transalpine heavy freight trains that use the Gotthard railway to travel between northern and southern Europe. Those not interested can look the other way across the lake!

[Arno]

Reply 8 of 9 • 30 March 2023 at 10:42:13 #952745

No apologies JyotiNY! Asking questions and finding out new things is what our forum is for :-).

You can read about the differences between panoramic trains and normal ones on the same route on each of our scenic train pages. Yolanda provided the link in her first reply.

[User]

Reply 9 of 9 • 30 March 2023 at 11:30:16 #952746

Hi Arno 😀

thanks for saying that it was ok to ask questions- I appreciate the welcoming message . You and the other moderators do a great job tailoring the responses for each of our inquiries and needs-

With gratitude , Jyoti