Switzerland is one of the few countries where the train infrastructure is so good that the train itself becomes the destination. The Glacier Express, the Bernina Express, and the GoldenPass Line are three of the most spectacular scenic rail journeys in the world — and unlike the luxury cruise trains in Japan, they're genuinely accessible. Here's the honest guide.
Switzerland is one of the few countries where the train infrastructure is so good that the train itself becomes the destination rather than just the way to get to it. The Glacier Express, the Bernina Express, and the GoldenPass Line are three of the most spectacular scenic rail journeys in the world — and unlike the luxury cruise trains in Japan or North America, they're genuinely accessible. You can buy a ticket online, board in any of several cities, and experience world-class scenic rail without committing to a multi-day cruise train booking. The luxury upgrade is straightforward and the experience is among the best value-per-dollar in luxury European travel.
The most famous Swiss scenic train and the one most international travelers book first. Eight hours from Zermatt to St. Moritz across 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels, including the dramatic Oberalp Pass and the Landwasser Viaduct. The train moves slowly enough that the scenery is the entire point.
The luxury upgrade is the Excellence Class, which adds a guaranteed window seat in a dedicated coach, a five-course meal with wine pairings, a welcome glass of champagne, and concierge service. It's significantly more expensive than the standard 1st class option but is the version of the trip the marketing material is selling. Most travelers who do the Excellence Class wish they'd known about it earlier; very few who do it wish they'd saved the money.
The most scenically dramatic of the three. Four hours from St. Moritz across the Bernina Pass to Tirano in Italy, climbing through alpine valleys to the highest point in the Swiss rail network and descending into Italian-speaking valleys on the south side. The route is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its engineering, and the panoramic carriages have floor-to-ceiling windows.
The Bernina Express is the route most rail enthusiasts rate as the single most spectacular scenic train journey in Europe. It's also the easiest to combine with the Glacier Express — many travelers do both as part of a Swiss rail trip, with St. Moritz as the connecting point.
The most varied of the three. Combines three different rail experiences across the route: the historic Brünig section (Lucerne to Interlaken), the new GoldenPass Express direct service (Interlaken to Montreux, launched in 2022 with variable-gauge bogies that allow it to run on both the standard and narrow-gauge sections without changing trains), and the connection to the wine country around Lake Geneva.
The GoldenPass Express in particular is one of the most innovative pieces of modern rail engineering — the direct Interlaken-Montreux service was technically impossible before the variable-gauge bogies were developed. The Prestige Class on the GoldenPass Express is the comfortable luxury upgrade with reclining seats, table service, and the best views.
| Glacier Express | Bernina Express | GoldenPass Line | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 8 hours | 4 hours | 5+ hours via segments |
| Route | Zermatt-St. Moritz | Chur/St. Moritz-Tirano | Lucerne-Interlaken-Montreux |
| Most dramatic scenery | Oberalp, Landwasser | Bernina Pass | Brünig, Lake Geneva |
| Best luxury upgrade | Excellence Class | Panorama 1st class | GoldenPass Express Prestige |
| Best for | The classic Swiss train experience | The most spectacular scenery | Combining with wine country |
The natural multi-train Swiss itinerary is roughly: Lucerne → GoldenPass to Interlaken → spend time in the Jungfrau region → Glacier Express to Zermatt → ascend to the Matterhorn → return to St. Moritz on the Glacier Express → Bernina Express to Tirano. Eight to ten days at a comfortable pace, with stops at the major destinations. Each train takes a half-day; the rest is for the destinations themselves.
Switzerland is also where the Swiss Travel Pass actually pays off — unlike the diminished value of the Japan Rail Pass, the Swiss Travel Pass remains genuinely good value for multi-train trips and includes the major mountain railways (Jungfraujoch, Gornergrat, Mt Pilatus) at no additional cost.
The Swiss alpine luxury hotels are part of the trip:
Late June through September is the peak summer window with the most reliable weather and the longest daylight. December through March is the winter window for travelers wanting the snow-covered alpine scenery and ski resort access. May and October are the shoulder months with lighter crowds but more variable conditions. The Glacier Express runs year-round; the Bernina Express runs year-round; the GoldenPass Line runs year-round. Each route is dramatically different in summer vs winter.
Tickets and seat reservations should be booked in advance — the panoramic seats and Excellence Class seats sell out for peak weeks during summer and Christmas. GetYourGuide carries packaged Swiss train experiences with English-language confirmation. The official Swiss rail booking system (SBB) is also functional and handles individual tickets cleanly.
Most international travelers fly into Zurich. Welcome Pickups runs Zurich Airport transfers; the Swiss train system also runs directly from the airport to most major destinations and is often the simpler choice. GetTransfer for travelers heading to remote alpine resorts that aren't directly connected.
Airalo has Switzerland and European regional plans. Swiss mobile coverage is excellent on all carriers and works reliably even in alpine valleys.
SafetyWing for travel insurance. Switzerland is generally safe but the alpine activities (hiking, skiing, mountain railways) benefit from coverage that includes mountain rescue, which is meaningfully expensive without insurance.
For travelers combining Switzerland with other European destinations, JetLuxe can quote private aviation into Sion (close to Zermatt), Samedan (close to St. Moritz), or Bern. These are exactly the kind of regional Swiss airports where private aviation routinely beats the Zurich-and-train combination on time, particularly for short stays.
Yes, for travelers committing to the train at all. The Excellence Class includes a guaranteed window seat in a dedicated coach, five-course meal with wine pairings, welcome champagne, and concierge service. It's significantly more expensive than standard 1st class but is the version of the experience the marketing is selling. Most travelers who do it wish they'd known about it earlier.
The Bernina Express, which most rail enthusiasts rate as the single most spectacular scenic train journey in Europe. The route is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its engineering and crosses the highest point on the Swiss rail network on the Bernina Pass. Four hours, with panoramic carriages that have floor-to-ceiling windows.
Yes, in 8-10 days at a comfortable pace. The natural routing is Lucerne to Interlaken on the GoldenPass, then the Glacier Express to Zermatt, then the Bernina Express from St. Moritz to Tirano. Each train takes a half-day, with the rest of the time for the alpine destinations themselves.
Yes, unlike the diminished value of the Japan Rail Pass. The Swiss Travel Pass covers most trains, the major mountain railways (Jungfraujoch, Gornergrat, Pilatus) at significant discounts or no additional cost, and most public transit in Swiss cities. For multi-train Swiss trips it remains genuinely good value, particularly compared to buying individual tickets at full price.
Late June through September for the peak summer experience with reliable weather and long daylight. December through March for the snow-covered winter experience and ski resort access. May and October are the shoulder months with smaller crowds but more variable weather. Each season produces a dramatically different experience on the same routes.
We use cookies to improve user experience. Choose what cookie categories you allow us to use. You can read more about our Cookie Policy by clicking on Cookie Policy below.
These cookies enable strictly necessary cookies for security, language support and verification of identity. These cookies can’t be disabled.
These cookies collect data to remember choices users make to improve and give a better user experience. Disabling can cause some parts of the site to not work properly.
These cookies help us to understand how visitors interact with our website, help us measure and analyze traffic to improve our service.
These cookies help us to better deliver marketing content and customized ads.