Add Glacier Express to short trip Zurich, Lucerne

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    2 February 2020 at 22:05:45 #825082

    Hello,

    I’m coming on a biz trip to Zurich / Pfaiffakon / Lucerne on Feb 4. I am interested in taking one section of the Glacier Express as I dont have enough time for an entire day travel. Can I do few hours only? Which section would you recommend? I am driving from Frankfurt by car. Is there a place where I can park my car to travel by train? Do the tickets include round trip fair? Please let me know what is the best way to go about this. Also, if time permits, I would like to go for a gondola ride. If you have any recommendations, will appreciate it.

    Kam

  • Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions.

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    3 February 2020 at 1:13:49 #929285

    Hi Kam-

    Welcome to My Swiss Alps.

    I think you’ll have to plan on a day or two to do what you want.

    Please tell us exactly how much time you have. I could not figure it out from your post.

    There is little sense in trying to help you if we do not understand your time and location constraints. Sorry to push, but you don’t give us much time to reply.

    And, by the way, there are two Pfäffikons ( note spelling) near Zürich. Which one?

    <<“Do the tickets include round trip fair?”>>

    There is no discount for a round trip fare. Two one-way fares cost the same.

    <<” I am driving from Frankfurt by car. Is there a place where I can park my car to travel by train?”>>

    Yes

    Slowpoke

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    3 February 2020 at 1:58:04 #929286

    Hello Kam,

    The Glacier Express (GEX) route is described at http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/gettingthere.

    There is only one GEX in each direction in winter and reservations are compulsory. Even if the timing of the GEX departures fitted with your plans it may well be too late to get seats

    You can do parts of the route on the GEX or on regular trains without reservations.

    The best part to do from Zurich would be between Chur and Andermatt. From Andermatt return to Zurich via Göschenen. If your wanted to drive to Chur your could take a train to Andermatt and then return to Chur and say you had travelled on the highest part of the Glacier Express route 0 the Oberalp Pass. The stretch from Chur to St Moritz may also be worth considering (but see below).

    Quite honestly there are better things to do in Switzerland if you only have a brief visit.

    Have a look at http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/activities and http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/activities.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    3 February 2020 at 4:25:55 #929287

    Sorry to say but I think your idea is unworkable.

    I don’t think the Glacier Express suits your itinerary. Many people make the mistake (having heard of or seen the hyperbolic publicity for the Glacier Express) that it is the only scenic train in Switzerland. 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. 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. It is not logical or practical to travel on the Glacier Express from a base further north ‘just to be on the Glacier Express’.

    The Glacier Express runs roughly on an East – West axis in the southern part of Switzerland, so trying to access it from further north is falling into the trap of being lured by the hyperbolic marketing of the GEX masking many other pleasant rail trip available for short stays in Switzerland.

    To understand the above, 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-healed 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.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    3 February 2020 at 9:18:49 #929288

    Hi Kam,

    As I also see that your plan might be difficult (depending on the exact time available), I recommend you look at more “local” activities around Zurich and Lucerne for the time available. See below links for inspiration:
    http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/activities
    http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/activities, offers more “mountainous” experiences, due to being closer to the Alps.

    Best,
    Steph

    Annika
    Moderator
    7103 posts
    3 February 2020 at 16:44:34 #929289

    Hi Kam! Theoretically, you could do part of the Glacier Express as round trip from Lucerne or Zurich. Please find some options under “Don’t have time to do the full route?” at http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress. Whether that’s worth the time and effort is up to you to decide. There’s lots to do closer to Zurich, as suggested by Steph.

  • The thread ‘Add Glacier Express to short trip Zurich, Lucerne’ is closed to new replies.

About MySwissAlps

We’re passionate tourists and locals. We share tips about how to plan a trip to Switzerland. MySwissAlps was founded in 2002.

Get a free account for a worry-free trip

  • Join our 10730 members and ask us questions in the forum
  • Access to member-only promotions
  • Detailed maps and weather forecasts

Planning your first Switzerland adventure?

Get a jump-start with Annika’s 20-minute e-mail course, “Switzerland for beginners”. Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock the course.