What is the Glacier Express?
The Glacier Express is probably Switzerland’s most scenic train journey. It’s a
year-round train service between Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn and St Moritz in the Engadin skiing area.
Billed as Europe’s slowest express, its a narrow-gauge train which takes 7½ hours to cover just over 290 km (180 miles), at an average of around 24 mph. But you won’t mind, as spectacular Swiss mountain scenery unfolds outside the train’s massive panoramic sightseeing windows while you eat lunch accompanied by crisp Swiss white wine.
There is just one daily Glacier Express in winter, but several daily trains in summer, although regular (usually hourly) local trains also operate over all sections of the Glacier Express’s route.
See Video of the Glacier Express here
What’s it like on board the Glacier Express?
The Glacier Express uses modern panoramic coaches specially built for the service in 2006. This train is a real pleasure to travel on, clean, comfortable, carpeted and air-conditioned, its most distinctive features are the huge panoramic side windows and glass skylights as well, so you don’t miss any of the scenery.
In 2nd class, seats are arranged in bays of 4 around a table on each side of the aisle, in 1st class cars there are bays of 4 seats around a table on one side of the aisle and bays of 2 seats across a table on the other. Apart from more space and less passengers per coach, seats are very similar and there is little to choose from between 1st and 2nd class as both are excellent.
