First Class
Latest
Train journeys

The Glacier Express: a guide to Switzerland's slowest express

Image
Gabe Melillo
7 October 2026
1 min
What the Glacier Express route is like, when to travel and how to choose between classes.

The Glacier Express links Zermatt and St Moritz on a journey that takes most of a day. That is the point: the scenery is the reason to go.

The route

The line climbs through mountain passes, crosses viaducts and runs through deep river gorges. Panoramic windows run up into the roof of each carriage.

Choosing a class

First and second class both have panoramic carriages. Excellence Class adds a reserved window seat, a multi-course lunch and a dedicated host.

When to go

Summer brings green valleys and long light. Winter turns the whole route white and is often quieter.