Glacier Express schedule questions

  • Removed user
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    72625 posts
    13 July 2017 at 1:04:45 #812603

    Hello

    I’m having trouble finding the Bernina or Glacier Express from St Moritz to chur on the SBB site for 31/08/17 (all day). I can find GEX if I put St Moritz and Zermatt, but I want to get off at Chur. What am I doing wrong? I was having a similar problem when typing Chur to Brig but found a thread to use the advanced option “via station Andermatt”, and that worked

    Also, is the view of the “Swiss Grand Canyon”, Rheinschlucht, good enough from GEX or should we get off at Trin and walk to viewing point (il Spir platform)? That would take a half day of our vacation time and we are already limited.

    Thanks, Traveler000

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    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    13 July 2017 at 4:05:40 #866729

    Hi Traveler,

    If you look at the Glacier Express website shop.glacierexpress.ch /gex_en you can book the St Moritz – Chur leg with departures 8.02, 9.02 and 10:02. If you break the St. Moritz to Zermatt GEX trip at Chur you will need to pay reservations for both legs. Interesting that the SBB timetable shows regional trains departing St Mortiz – Chur exact same time as GEX. Not sure how that works.

    Trin is not an alighting or boarding stop for the GEX so if you wanted to do that you’d have to take regional trains not the GEX. Trin to Chur is only 14 mins each way.

    I have never hiked up high around there so others may be able to offer an opinion but I didn’t find the views of the Rheinschlucht from the GEX that exciting. Better from up high I would think.

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    13 July 2017 at 5:13:59 #866730

    >> Also, is the view of the “Swiss Grand Canyon”, Rheinschlucht, good enough from GEX or should we get off at Trin and walk to viewing point (il Spir platform)? That would take a half day of our vacation time and we are already limited.

    I’m afraid you can’t walk to the Il Spir platform from Trin railway station. Access is via a 45-minute walk along a path from the village of Flims. Flims can be reached by bus from Chur.

    If this is your first visit to Switzerland, I wouldn’t regard this as a priority.

    Alpenrose

    Removed user
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    13 July 2017 at 9:01:24 #866731

    Oh that pesky GEX timetable!

    Sometimes the GEX won’t have a scheduled stop (look at the timetable here).

    If it is says ARR only then you can only get off. If it says DEP only then you can only get on. 🙂
    Hence why you can book the 10:26 from Chur to Brig. You can get on there but you can’t get off (at Chur) – that is why you don’t see it on the SBB timetable – it technically doesn’t stop there to allow people off.

    Hope that makes sense! From St. Mortiz to Chur you will need to take a regional train (it follows the same route as the GEX) say departing at 08:02 and arriving at 10:03. Then you can take the 10:26 to Brig on the GEX itself.

    Phew.

    Lucas

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    13 July 2017 at 9:10:46 #866732

    Hi Lucas,

    Given the regional train and the GEX both depart St Moritz at the same time I was wondering if the regional train is actually just a few carriages tagged on the back of the GEX that get dropped off at Chur. Possible?

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    13 July 2017 at 9:29:31 #866733

    Hey Rockoyster….yes that is possible actually – so funny to do it like that. It is a funny thing to schedule people to get on a train but not off (and vice versa too). The Swiss are TOO organized I think

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    14 July 2017 at 1:31:24 #866734

    Thank you Rockoyster, Alpenrose666 and Lucas

    Very helpful info. You guys are awesome!

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    14 July 2017 at 21:08:07 #866735

    When we travelled yesterday from Chur to St. Moritz we were ushered on to some RE carriages attached to the front of the GEX. We are planning to go to Chur tomorrow on the 10.02 – same time as GEX so are assuming same will apply! Will let you know what happens!

    Maggie

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    15 July 2017 at 20:35:58 #866736

    just to update

    went on the RE 10.02 train to Chur which was added on to front of GEX as I thought it might be so no problems there!.

    Maggie

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    16 July 2017 at 9:00:01 #866737

    Thanks Maggie, good to know!

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