Riding the Glacier Express

The Glacier Express is one of Switzerland’s most scenic train routes that will take you through 91 tunnels and across 291 impressive bridges, past green meadows, Alpine peaks, picturesque villages, manicured vineyards and stunning fortresses. It is known as Europe's slowest express because it travels at the speed of 24 mph and takes over seven hours to cover 180 miles, however, the joy is in the journey when you board the Glacier Express.

Glacier Express

The train departs from the pretty spa town of Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn. Stroll around before boarding the train enjoying the car-free streets and fresh air. From there the train will take you along the beautiful Mattertal valley dotted with picture-perfect villages. Next stop – Brig, a beautiful old town with the stunning Baroque Stockalper Palace. It sits at the foot of the Simplon Pass where in the 19th century Napoleon built a road for his armies, the first one in the Alps.

Alps near Andermatt

After a stop in Andermatt, the train starts ascending up to the Oberalp Pass, the highest point of the trip at 2033 metres above sea level. You can snuggle up in your seat and have a hearty lunch with excellent Swiss wine that is served on the train or pop in to the bar car for a drink or two.

The Express slowly takes you through the spectacular Rhine Gorge where the Rhine River starts and that is often referred to as the 'Swiss Grand Canyon'. In a while the train starts descending towards Chur, the oldest city in Switzerland in a beautiful mountain setting with magnificent historic buildings and charming winding alleys.

Wiesner

Depending on the route, the train’s destination is either elegant Davos or the glamorous holiday resort of St. Moritz. The trains heading to Davos cross the famous Wiesner viaduct built in the beginning of the 20th century. The Glacier Express heading to St. Moritz passes the curved Landwasser viaduct where you can observe the front of the train heading into the Landwasser Tunnel.

Photos by: Kevin Poh/Flickr, Michael Day/Flickr, David Gubler/CC.