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Hi,
We are planning a holiday in Switzerland for 5 days and based in Engelberg. We would definitely want to do the glacier express to experience the views. But we are taking a car to Disentis and then taking the Glacier Express. But we want to know which direction offers more beautiful views? Disentis – zermatt or Disentis – St.Moritz?
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Hi pssandy, and,
Welcome to My Swiss Alps.
<<“We are planning a holiday in Switzerland for 5 days and based in Engelberg.”>>
The forum rules ask that you tell us when you are traveling. It makes a difference in the Alps.
<<“How to write
Please provide enough information. For example: the question “What can I do in 7 days in Interlaken?” can be answered much better if you include some information about your interests, preferences, when you plan to travel, age of the travelers, etc.;”>>
Slowpoke
Hello pssandy,
“But we want to know which direction offers more beautiful views? Disentis – zermatt or Disentis – St.Moritz?“
Disentis to St Moritz. Unless you count the iconic Matterhorn at Zermatt. Andermatt to Brig is not that inspiring (bearing in mind this is Switzerland we are talking about so it’s all relative). But for a relatively small part of the route just take regular trains and avoid the mandatory reservation charges for the Glacier Express. The regular trains traverse the exact same tracks.
Use the timetable on the SBB website (bit.ly/2HH1U7B) or the highly-recommended SBB Mobile app (bit.ly/2ICIUHi) to plan your travel and buy tickets if required. If you are not familiar with using the timetable it will pay to first read the instructions on this page – http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable.
I wonder why you would drive to Disentis to catch a train?
Actually forget what I said about the most scenic route. I was thinking of Andermatt as your start point for the GEX route. Bit of a senior’s moment.
The Oberalp Pass is of course to the west of Disentis and that’s one of the highlights. But you may have already driven over that to get to Disentis?
To the east is the Rhine Gorge and then the same route as the Bernina express from Chur onwards.
Pretty hard to comment in isolation from your overall itinerary really.
Hi Pssandy and welcome to MySwissAlps!
In addition to the information from Rockoyster and Slowpoke, you can have a look at the following links for more info:
- Glacier Express route http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress/gettingth ere
- http://www.myswissalps.com/st moritz
- http://www.myswissalps.com/ze rmatt
Happy planning!
Maria.
It is not really logical or practical to travel on the Glacier Express from a base further north (such as Interlaken or Luzern) just to ‘be’ on the Glacier Express.
Therefore I don’t think the Glacier Express (see explanatory note below) suits your itinerary. Many people make the mistake (having heard of or seen 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. Ordinary trains run 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.
Points to note about the Glacier Express:
Take care with the hyped-up marketing of the Glacier Express. It is not always the best way to ‘see 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.
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.
Hi 1960man –
<<“If it doesn’t fit your itinerary it is not really necessary to do it. Ordinary trains run 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.
Points to note about the Glacier Express:
Take care with the hyped-up marketing of the Glacier Express. It is not always the best way to ‘see 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.”>>
You are absolutely right about everything that you say….until you add the factor that some people may place value on riding it (the GEX) , even if there are regular trains on the same route. If you come from Oklahoma in the US, mountains are rather unique experience, also visible from the regular trains…..but, there is a cachet from riding the GEX.
Value must be judged from the perspective of the consumer, not from mere facts. 😉 And, the larger panoramic widows on the GEX do offer better visibility than those on the regular trains.
We do not all share the same perspectives on value, which is why, in my personal opinion, it is wise to offer opinions rather than to state facts when it comes to “what it is worth” to someone else.
Just my non-factual opinion, of course. 😉
Slowpoke
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