The journey from Zermatt to Chur on the Glacier Express was as magical as the name suggests, through thick snow-covered mountains and with panoramic views galore. And contrary to what you might think, you don’t need to splash all your cash to ride this scenic railway. (Although it certainly is possible; this is Switzerland after all.)
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What is the Glacier Express?
The Glacier Express (not to be confused with the Polar Express, which is entirely fictional, folks), is a train service that runs between two Swiss ski mountain resort towns: Zermatt and St Moritz. Considering it’s called an ‘express,’ this iconic train is not the speediest. It travels at an average speed of 24 miles per hour- because the whole point of making this journey is for the views. To travel the entire route takes a total of just under eight hours, although to go from Zermatt to Chur on the Glacier Express takes around six and a half in total.
Once upon a time, Zermatt and St Moritz were two fairly tricky-to-reach and obscure Alpine villages, but after the Second World War their popularity was growing as exclusive getaways for High Society. High Society would, therefore, need a suitable mode of transport to go between the two.
An elegant train with wide windows and fine dining served at your seat was the perfect solution.
The Glacier Express made the first of many journeys from Zermatt to St Moritz in 1930, although it only ran throughout the summer until the construction of a tunnel through the Oberalp Pass was completed in 1982. That Oberalp pass is an extremely high-altitude, thickly-covered in snow kind of a place in wintertime, but winter scenery is exactly what I was after on the Glacier Express.
How to buy a ticket for the Glacier Express
To buy a ticket for the Glacier Express, you actually need to make two purchases: first, pay for the seat reservation. Then, pay for the ticket itself. You can only travel if you have both, and although you can buy them in the opposite order, you might save yourself some money by reserving your seat first.
Your seat reservation can only be bought from the official Glacier Express website. Just pop in the date and time and it’ll show you all available seat options. This is a hugely popular train route, so the further in advance you book, the better. (Although you can only ever book a maximum of 90 days in advance.)
Next is the ticket itself, which can be bought up to 180 days in advance, or alternatively you could purchase it on the day. But generally speaking, the further in advance you book the ticket, the cheaper it’ll be. And the best value option is to book a Saver Day Pass, which is valid for an entire day’s travel on the day you book it for. If you book it early, it’ll only cost 52CHF, although the longer you leave it to book, the higher the price will rise.
If you’re travelling with an Interrail Pass, a Eurail Pass, or a Swiss Travel Pass, there’s no need to buy a ticket for the Glacier Express, as it’s covered within these three rail passes. I considered using a Swiss Travel Pass for my time in Switzerland, however it actually worked out cheaper for me to book each journey individually because I had planned ahead.
You can check ticket availability and prices on Trainline, and if Saver Day Passes are available, it’ll show up as an option. You can also save the tickets and seat reservations to your phone, so need to source a printer.
1st, 2nd or Excellence Class?
When you book your ticket, you’ll be given the option of 1st, 2nd or Excellence Class. (Depending on the availability, obviously.)
In 1st and 2nd Class, you can order meals and drinks for an extra charge from the on board menu, there’s wifi available, all coaches have panoramic windows, and the seats are all equally as comfortable and spacious. The only real difference is the layout: 2nd Class coaches are laid out in groups of four, with two seats facing two seats, and 1st Class coaches are laid out with two seats facing two on one side, and one seat facing one seat on the other.
Excellence Class is a cut above the rest. You’ll be welcomed on board with champagne and a ‘welcome platter,’ and the ticket also includes a seasonal five course meal with wine. You’ll have access to the onboard Glacier Bar, and there’s a concierge and luggage transport available for you to use as well. Fancy. The ticket is significantly more expensive than 1st or 2nd Class, but there’s no denying the perks look great.
Why Zermatt to Chur?
I chose to travel only from Zermatt to Chur on the Glacier Express, missing out the last few hours of the complete journey, for a couple of quite boring reasons: time, and money.
Chur is a great spot to change trains and head up to Zürich, so with the time constraints I had, it made sense to disembark there instead of continuing to St Moritz- only to turn around and head back towards Chur.
Secondly: the expense. I was really glad to splash out and stay for a night in Zermatt, but realistically if I took the Glacier Express for the entire line to St Moritz, I would have to stay a night there as well. Given that I’m definitely a summer-loving kind of a lass, I didn’t feel like I was missing out by missing the last portion of the journey, although it’s definitely a beautiful section of the track.
The journey
I’ll let the photos do most of the talking, but travelling on a train through the snow-carpeted Alps really is spectacular, pals. The last time I’d travelled through scenery even remotely similar was on the Coast Starlight, which took me past California’s Mount Shasta and on into the mountains and pine forests of Oregon. But if a Winter Wonderland is what you’re really after, it’s truly hard to beat the Glacier Express.
The dazzling pillar-box-red train plodded up and down steep mountainsides, a brightly coloured streak across blinding snow, and occasionally skiers sped past us in neon flashes, carving pathways through the powder.
Inside the train, the majority of the other passengers in my carriage seemed to be some kind of package holiday booking from India, led by an Indian man who spoke impeccable English with a thick accent. They shared snacks that they’d pre-packed for the entire journey, and although most of them enjoyed watching the world go by, the man opposite me stayed asleep for 90% of the journey.
I myself stared out of the window for the entire time.
You can definitely make a more luxurious-style trip on the Glacier Express than I did, but if like me, the views are all you’re really after then 2nd class is all you’ll really need. (As long as you book yourself a seat next to the window.)
