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Hi,
can I use STP for Gracier Express? I stay in Lucerne, how can I join Gracier Express? I saw Youtube there’s train with all glass top, how can I join that beautiful train? Is it possible to do a day trip from Lucerne?
many thanks 🙏
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Hello Fitline Iv and Welcome to MySwissAlps
The Glacier Express is covered by the STP (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/validity) but you need to purchase seat reservations (http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress/packages).
The full journey from Zermatt to St Moritz is not viable as a day trip from Luzern.
You can do parts of it but in that case you are better off using regular trains on the same route. Try Luzern – Andermatt – Chur – Luzern. Use the SBB Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) to plan your travel. If you are not familiar with using the timetable it will pay to first read the instructions on that page.
Thanks @rockoyster,
Do I have to buy 1st class STP to be able to sit on the train that have glass top?
The carriages don’t have a glass top, just some windows either side of the top. See http://www.seat61.com/Glacier Express.htm#Glacier%20 Express%20like. Even the super expensive class does not have a glass ceiling. You won’t spend much time looking out the roof. 😎
You don’t need to have a 1st Class Pass. But if you have a 2nd Class Pass and want to travel 1st Class you will need to buy a Class Upgrade at any station.
For a round partial GEX round trip from Luzern, regular trains are much more flexible and provide the same scenery without the reservation charges.
Wouwww…. thanks so much, the info you gave me is so valuable. If I want to join the whole trip of gracier express, where should I spend a night? I can cancel my Lucerne accomodation.
Could you let me know how to use regular train for GEX? Where to start and end? And what time should I leave? I don’t mind to start really early
again, many thanks 🙏
The GEX route is described here http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress/gettingth ere.
If you want to do the whole trip you need to spend a night in St Moritz and Zermatt at each end. Probably doesn’t matter which way you go but would depend on rest of your itinerary. If you want to travel on regular trains use the SBB Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) to map out the part of the route you want to cover.
Spoiler Alert: You won’t see any glaciers along the route.
You don’t really need to travel on the Glacier Express to see the Swiss mountain scenery. If you are staying in Luzern, there are many ways to travel into the mountains – see my standard FAQ on Glacier Express below:
By the way there are no glass topped trains, Swiss panoramic coaches have ‘toplight’ windows, but it hardly makes any difference – all Swiss trains generally have large windows, even if not officially panoramic. The key element of a ‘panoramic’ coach is ‘toplight’ windows above your head but in practice very few of the major views from panoramic trains are directly above your head, so the view through the normal side part of windows is normally fine.
You will get roughly the same scenic experience from any train in the mountains and reservation is not obligatory away from the ‘special few’ trains
Glacier Express:
As I have stated in response to previous forum threads 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. 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 Glacier Express. In practice the Glacier Express is just an ‘exclusive’ extra fare 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.
Points to bear in mind about the Glacier Express:
Although the whole journey is in the mountains, a lot of it is in valleys – where you get some good views of bubbling rivers but not all the time – there are some mundane sections.
in truth there are only 4 really spectacular sections – in order West to East: the loops around Grengiols and Fiesch; Andermatt – Oberalppass – Disentis; Ruinaulta (Rheinschucht aka Rhein gorge); Albula north ramp loops and spirals Tiefencastel – Filisur – Preda
The trip is a long one – tourists can frequently be seen sleeping rather than watching the view and missing the spectacular bits anyway!
The same railway lines can be travelled using ordinary local trains which are no slower in practice due to the single track infrastructure
Further to previous post, here is a list of how to get to the 4 most worthwhile sections on the ‘Glacier Express route’ by out and back individual trips from central Switzerland, without using the Glacier Express:
The Albula (World Heritage site) railway – especially the Albula north ramp loops and spirals Tiefencastel – Filisur – Preda: any fast train to Chur, then RhB IR train Chur – St Moritz
Ruinaulta (Rhine Grand Canyon): any fast train route to Chur, then RhB regional train Chur – Ilanz, It is accessible from Valendas-Sagogn, Versam-Safien and Trin stations that lie within the gorge.
Oberalp pass crossing:
as above – any fast train to Chur, then RhB regional train Chur – Disentis, then MGB regional train Disentis – Oberalppass – Andermatt
or SBB trains to Göschenen, MGB local Göschenen – Andermatt, MGB regional train Andermatt – Oberalppass – Disentis
Zermatt /Matterhorn
Direct mainline trains to Brig or Visp, MGB regional train to Zermatt
To illuminate your point 1960man I have attached a photo of a passenger on the BEX, which I found a much more manageable length and far more interesting then the GEX.
Attachments:
Hi Fitline lv,
For an itinerary including the full route, please see http://www.myswissalps.com/pl antrip/doityourself/sa mpleitineraries/glacie rexpresstour.
Thanks so much, is it better driving around in Swiss if we have 4 adults or going around by STP?
Thanks so much 🙏 you save me from wasting my hard earn money 😊
Thanks, now I am thinking, will it be better driving around Swiss? Can visit small places and save time waiting for train
Be sure to read http://www.myswissalps.com/ca rversustrain before making that decision.
Thanks so much, After reading, I think it’s easier and cheaper by public transport 😊👍
I have 6 days in Swiss, and thinking to buy 8 days STP, which scenic route I should go? And could you advice places I must not miss out please?
Hi Fitline,
That’s a really broad question with many potential answers. Hard to recommend without knowing your interests, budget, travel pace, etc. I don’t think you mentioned your travel dates, or did I miss that?
You already planned Lucerne and the Glacier Express, right? Perhaps add Zermatt and/or St. Moritz? Please see the below links and get back to us with a tentative itinerary and specific questions you may have. We’d be glad to help.
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