St Moritz to Zurich best routes/ rail pass
A traveler named Judy is planning a train ride from St Moritz to Zurich and wants advice on choosing between two routes: one via Landquart and another via Chur. She needs help with the train change logistics, travel scenery, and clarification about the Swiss Half Fare Card.
Both train routes depart from the same station in St Moritz; however, changing trains at Chur is easier with luggage since it usually happens on the same platform. You can travel for free on that route using a Swiss Travel Pass. For local trains like the one from St Moritz to Landquart, reservations are not needed and overcrowding is unlikely.
AI-generated summary-
Based on SBB’s timetable, there appears to be 2 options of route for the train ride from St Moritz to Zurich. One via Landquart and the other via Chur. The one via Landquart takes slightly shorter travel journey. I believe both requires us to change train at the respective transit at Landquart or Chur. For us to choose 1 between the 2 options, appreciate advice on the following –
(1) presumably there is only one railway station in St Moritz and both train departs from the same railway station in St Moritz
(2) which is easier for us to manage in terms of changing train bearing in mind we have luggages to manage?
(3) what is the scenary for the respective route viz-a-viz, which has scenary different from the Zermatt to St Moritz via Glacier Express?
Separately, is the Swiss Half Fare Pass the same as Half Fare Travel Card, which according to SBB’s website allows holder to 50% discount to the above train ride.
Thanking you in advance for your feedback. Regards
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Hi Judy,
>> Based on SBB’s timetable, there appears to be 2 options of route for the train ride from St Moritz to Zurich. One via Landquart and the other via Chur.
Both routes go through Landquart, but only one of the routes requires a change of train there, which is the train that does not go through Chur.
>> The one via Landquart takes slightly shorter travel journey. I believe both requires us to change train at the respective transit at Landquart or Chur.
Yes, that’s right.
>> For us to choose 1 between the 2 options, appreciate advice on the following –
(1) presumably there is only one railway station in St Moritz and both train departs from the same railway station in St Moritz
Yes.
>> (2) which is easier for us to manage in terms of changing train bearing in mind we have luggages to manage?
Changing in Chur is usually done on the same platform, from one side to the other.
Changing in Landquart involves going down a ramp to the underpass and walking along to another platform and up another ramp.
Neither option is difficult.
>> (3) what is the scenary for the respective route viz-a-viz, which has scenary different from the Zermatt to St Moritz via Glacier Express?
If you arrive in St Moritz on the Glacier Express, you will have already travelled along the route from Chur to St Moritz. If you wanted to go back to Zürich a different way, the train that involves changing at Landquart is a good option.
You can find some information about this trip, and some photos, here:
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/chur-to-st-moritz-via-davos
(My two posts of Feb 28)
>> Separately, is the Swiss Half Fare Pass the same as Half Fare Travel Card, which according to SBB’s website allows holder to 50% discount to the above train ride.
The “Swiss Half Fare Card” is for tourists and the “Half-Fare Travelcard” is for Swiss residents. There is nothing called the Swiss Half Fare Pass, but people might call it that informally.
If you buy a Swiss Half Fare Card, you will get 50% discount on this ride.
Alpenrose
Hey Alpenrose
The scenary captured in those photos you shared are pictureques and awesome indeed. Thanks for sharing.
You can find some information about this trip, and some photos, here:
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/chur-to-st-moritz-via-davos
(My two posts of Feb 28)
With a valid Swiss Travel Pass Flex, i believe we could take the train from St Moritz-Landquart-Zurich free of charge, right?
Is there anything else we need to do before boarding the train? I recalled reading somewhere which indicated that only for limited panoramic rides (ie Glacier Express and Bernina) which require pre-reservation at nominal fee, we simply go onboard the train and produce the pass when require by the conductor. How could we ensure that there are seats available for us for our preferred date and time of departure ? I believe for this train ride we don’t have to reserve seat, unlike the Glacier Express! In any event, this Landquart route appears to be slightly more expensive than the other route which transit at Chur. A check at SBB website appears to indicate there is one train via Landquart at 10:47am – hope we are on the right track. Thanks
Hope to hear from you soon.
Hi Judy,
Yes your Swiss Travel Pass will cover that route.You can see a map of all the routes the Swiss Travel Pass Flex covers here.
Reservations are almost never made on Swiss trains (only on panoramic trains as you mention) so I wouldn’t worry about making a reservation – indeed often reservations can’t be made at all.
Lucas
>> Is there anything else we need to do before boarding the train?
No, except fill out your Swiss Travel Pass Flex to make this a valid travel day.
>> we simply go onboard the train and produce the pass when require by the conductor.
Yes
>> SBB website appears to indicate there is one train via Landquart at 10:47am – hope we are on the right track.
You didn’t say what date you would be travelling, but this certainly came up on the dates I checked, and would be a good option for you.
>> How could we ensure that there are seats available for us for our preferred date and time of departure ?
The first train, from St Moritz to Landquart, is a local train, and reservations cannot be made. It is very unlikely to be crowded. As it starts from St Moritz, it will probably be sitting at the platform for quite a while before it is due to depart, so if you were concerned, you could get there early and board well before departure time.
The second train, Landquart to Zürich, will probably be a long distance InterCity Express train heading to Hamburg-Altona in Germany. As it only starts from Chur (one station before Landquart) I cannot imagine that it would be crowded either. Most people probably won’t get on until Zürich.
Alpenrose
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