Glacier Express Tours From Zurich

The Glacier Express crawls through the Swiss Alps between Zermatt and St. Moritz, and you can ride a long stretch of it on a day out from Zurich. We compared the three guided days that leave from Zürich HB. One crosses the Oberalp Pass and ends in Lucerne, one follows the Albula line to St. Moritz, and one rides all the way from Chur to Brig with a private guide. Each comes with its price and its catch.

  • The train runs most of the yearFor a few weeks between mid-October and early December it takes a break, and the tours use other trains on the same scenery
  • Book well aheadViator says travelers book our pick about 74 days before their trip on average, and free cancellation runs until 24 hours before

In a hurry? Our top pick is TripsSource's Glacier Express and Lucerne day: from ~$436 a person for about ten hours, with roughly three hours in the panorama car over the Oberalp Pass and a guided walk through Lucerne. Book it here.

Book on Viator Book on GetYourGuide

Compare all 3 tours

If you only have a minute

Which Glacier Express day from Zurich should you book?

Imagine a friend heading to Zurich asked us which Glacier Express trip to take. Standing under the big clock at the main station, this is what we would say.

For most visitors the day to book is TripsSource's Glacier Express day with an evening in Lucerne, from ~$436. A guide handles every train and ticket while you sit in the panorama car from Chur to Andermatt over the Oberalp Pass. The evening ends with a walk past Lucerne's Chapel Bridge.

On a tighter budget? The St. Moritz route day costs ~$377, but it swaps the Glacier Express for ordinary Rhaetian Railway services on the Albula line. Want the long version with a guide to yourselves? SwissTravelGuide.ch's private Chur to Brig day is ~$926 for a solo booker, and the price per head falls as the group grows.

No train can promise clear peaks. See what each day costs once lunch and tips are added and whether a guide beats buying your own tickets, check how the hours are spent, then read the small print we pulled out before you pay.

Our pick

The Glacier Express day we would book: TripsSource

It puts you on the real panorama train for the most dramatic climb of the line and then adds Lucerne. It also carries far more reviews than any rival from Zurich, though value for money is where reviewers grumble.

The red Glacier Express running beside the turquoise Rhine through the Ruinaulta gorge Our pick

Glacier Express, Swiss Alps & Lucerne Tour, TripsSource

★★★★★ 4.5 from 300+ reviews on Viator · free cancellation up to 24 hours before

You meet the guide at 10:00 am inside the main hall of Zürich HB, under the clock tower. The guide is there ten minutes early, and the first train runs along Lake Zurich and the Walensee to Chur in about two hours.

In Chur you board the Glacier Express for about three hours. It follows the Rhine Gorge west, climbs past Disentis to the Oberalp Pass, the highest point of the line, and drops into Andermatt in the Urseren Valley.

A regional train then carries the group down to Lake Lucerne, with a stop by the water on the way. The guide walks you through the Old Town for about two hours, and the train back to Zurich takes about an hour.

Duration
About 10 hours
On the Glacier Express
About 3 hours, Chur to Andermatt
Group
Up to 15 people (GetYourGuide)
Route
Chur, Oberalp Pass, Andermatt, Lucerne
Departure
Zürich HB main hall, under the clock tower, 10:00 am
Lunch
On board; the listings disagree on whether it is in the price
Access
Wheelchair and stroller accessible per Viator
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours; reserve now, pay later
Price per person from ~$436 Glacier Express · Lucerne
Viator GetYourGuide

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

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How the day runs, step by step

The listing runs the day in this order. A late connection can squeeze any leg, and Lucerne is usually the part that shrinks.

Out of Zurich

  • Meet under the clock tower in the main hall of Zürich HB, 10:00 am
  • Regular train past Lake Zurich and the Walensee to Chur, about 2 hours
  • The Glacier Express through the Rhine Gorge and over the Oberalp Pass, about 3 hours

Down from the pass

  • Regional train from Andermatt to Lucerne, with a stop by the lake
  • Guided walk through Lucerne's Old Town, about 2 hours
  • Train back to Zürich HB, about 1 hour

What the price covers

The fare pays for the trains, the seat on the Glacier Express and the guide. Food is where the two listings tell different stories.

Included
  • A standard rail pass for the day
  • The Glacier Express seat reservation
  • A local guide (English, plus Spanish on Viator)
  • The guided walk in Lucerne
Not included
  • Lunch, unless your booking says otherwise
  • Drinks and snacks
  • Tips, which are up to you
  • A promise of clear peaks

Between us, before you go

Viator's listing says lunch is bought on board by card, while GetYourGuide's description promises a hot meal at your seat. Read your own confirmation and carry a card either way.

You get whatever seat the railway hands out, so you might travel backwards or end up on the side with fewer peaks. Dark clothes cut the reflections on the glass. Our seats and lunch guide covers the rest.

Why it beats the St. Moritz day

This is the tour that seats you on the Glacier Express itself, in the panorama car, for the climb to the Oberalp Pass. The St. Moritz day rides ordinary trains on a different branch and spends three hours on the road home. What you see from Chur to Andermatt walks through the stretch.

What you give up is most of the line. The full run takes about eight hours, and this day rides roughly three of them, which is why GetYourGuide reviewers score its value at 3.1 out of 5.

Who we would not send on it

Travelers who want the whole route, who should look at the private Chur to Brig day. Budget travelers happy with regular trains, who will save on the St. Moritz route day. And anyone set on a long, slow Lucerne afternoon, since two hours in Lucerne is all the itinerary gives.

Book it if

You want a taste of the Glacier Express without planning a single connection. One guide steers you through six or so trains, and the day still ends with an evening in Lucerne. It suits first-timers in Switzerland and families with children, who get discounted rates.

Skip it if

Ready for the Oberalp Pass?

The tour is on Viator (4.5 from 300+ reviews) and on GetYourGuide (3.9 from 39 reviews), where it costs a little less. Both let you cancel for free up to 24 hours before.

Viator GetYourGuide

The day itself

How long a Glacier Express day from Zurich takes

All three tours leave from Zürich HB and change trains in Chur. After that they split. Do you want the panorama train itself, and how many hours are you happy to give the trip?

Style · on the Glacier Express

A seat in the panorama car

TripsSource with Lucerne, SwissTravelGuide.ch to Brig

About 10 habout 3 or 4 hours on the Glacier Express itself

Both put you on the real train with its roof-high windows. Our pick leaves it at Andermatt and heads for Lucerne. The private day stays on board through the Furka base tunnel to Brig and returns via Bern.

Style · the route on regular trains

The Albula line to St. Moritz

TripsSource to St. Moritz

About 8 hregional trains out, about an hour in town, the road home

Same tracks the Glacier Express uses between Chur and St. Moritz, past the Landwasser Viaduct. The catch is the train, which is a regular Rhaetian Railway service, and the three hours by road back to Zurich.

The Glacier Express route through the year

  • The Glacier Express running
  1. JanRunsGlacier ExpressSnow on the pass

    Short days, white valleys, quieter trains

  2. FebRunsGlacier ExpressSnow on the pass

    Deep snow on the Oberalp, longer light than January

  3. MarRunsGlacier ExpressSnow on the pass

    Winter still holds on up high

  4. AprRunsGlacier ExpressSnow lingers up high

    Green in the lower valleys, white on the pass

  5. MayRunsGlacier ExpressLate snow possible

    Meadows waking up along the Rhine

  6. JunRunsGlacier ExpressGreen valleys

    Long daylight before the summer rush

  7. JulRunsGlacier ExpressGreen valleys

    Long days, usually the busiest trains

  8. AugRunsGlacier ExpressGreen valleys

    Summer crowds, book early

  9. SepRunsGlacier ExpressGreen to gold

    Calmer trains as the holidays end

  10. OctPartlybreak from mid-monthLarches turning gold

    The autumn break can start in the second half

  11. NovBreakother trainsFirst snow up high

    Tours use other trains on the same scenery

  12. DecBackfrom early DecemberSnow on the pass

    The Glacier Express returns for the winter

A full bar means the Glacier Express runs; shorter bars mark the autumn break, a few weeks between mid-October and early December when the operator runs the route on other trains. Snow and colour notes are typical, never promised. Highlighted months are the ones we would pick. When to ride the Glacier Express.

How each day is spent

  • Town stops plus other trains or road
  • On the Glacier Express line
  • May run longer

Hours count from the meeting time and come from the listings; the split between legs is approximate, and on the St. Moritz day the length of the Albula section is our rough reading of the itinerary. The dashed end on our pick stands for the delays some reviewers describe.

  1. Pick your trainThe panorama car itself, or the same mountains from a regular Rhaetian Railway train for less. The St. Moritz day explained.
  2. Choose your weeksThe Glacier Express runs most of the year, minus a break of a few weeks in late autumn. The seasons compared.
  3. Book aheadSeats on the panorama train fill up, and our pick is usually booked a couple of months out. The prices side by side.
  4. Pack for two climatesMild in Zurich, much colder on the Oberalp, with walking in Lucerne at the end. What to pack.

There is also the do-it-yourself route. Buying your own tickets means a rail ticket or pass plus a compulsory seat reservation, and every connection planned by you.

How to choose

How to pick the right Glacier Express day

All three start in the same station hall and head for Chur. What differs is the train you sit on, how far you ride it and who else is in your group.

Time

About eight hours for St. Moritz, about ten for both the Lucerne day and the private ride to Brig. When a late train stretches it.

The train

Our pick and the private day ride the Glacier Express. The St. Moritz day uses regular trains on the Albula line. The stretch over the Oberalp.

How much line

About three hours from Chur to Andermatt on our pick, about four from Chur to Brig on the private day. The longer ride.

Budget

From ~$377 for the St. Moritz day to ~$926 for one traveler on the private ride. Every price and extra in one table.

Group

Up to 15 on our pick according to GetYourGuide, your own party on the private day. Guide or no guide.

Lunch

Served on board on the private day, unclear on our pick, on your own in St. Moritz. Seats and lunch.

Everything else to do from Zurich

The 3 tours

Three Glacier Express days from Zurich, side by side

We read every Glacier Express listing from Zurich on both booking sites and kept the three with real reviews behind them. Each card puts the price and length next to the company's name and states the catch. Below that sits a button for each site that sells it.

The red Glacier Express crossing a curved stone viaduct below snowy peaks Our pick

Glacier Express, Swiss Alps & Lucerne Tour, TripsSource

The one we would book for a first Glacier Express day.

About ten hours from the clock tower at Zürich HB. A train to Chur, about three hours on the Glacier Express over the Oberalp Pass to Andermatt, then a regional train to Lucerne for a guided Old Town walk. The rail pass and the seat reservation are in the price.

  • Rating4.5 from 300+ reviews on Viator
  • DurationAbout 10 hours, from 10:00 am
  • Tour companyTripsSource (Tours of Switzerland on GetYourGuide)
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsThe real panorama train; Lucerne at the end; guides praised by name
  • Ideal forFirst-timers and families who want everything arranged

Good to know: Only about three of the line's eight hours, and GetYourGuide reviewers rate its value 3.1 out of 5. Whether lunch is included depends on which listing you read. The Lucerne finale.

~$436per person
Viator GetYourGuide
A snowy Engadine village below white peaks near St. Moritz Lowest price

Glacier Express UNESCO Views & St. Moritz Tour, TripsSource

The Glacier Express route for less, on ordinary trains.

You meet at 10:15 am under the clock tower and ride to Chur, then up the Albula line past the Landwasser Viaduct to St. Moritz in the Upper Engadine. After about an hour in town, a vehicle drives you back to Zurich in about three hours.

  • Rating4.5 from 70 reviews on Viator
  • DurationAbout 8 hours, from 10:15 am
  • Tour companyTripsSource
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsLowest price; the Landwasser Viaduct; a look at St. Moritz
  • Ideal forBudget travelers and anyone curious about St. Moritz

Good to know: This is not the Glacier Express train. It uses regular Rhaetian Railway trains on the same tracks, and the hour in St. Moritz is short. Lunch is on your own. The Albula day in detail.

~$377per person
Viator
Travelers at the panorama windows of the Glacier Express looking at snowy mountains Private guide

Glacier Express Panoramic Train Round Trip, SwissTravelGuide.ch

The longest ride, with a guide only for your party.

An 8:20 am start at the tourist information in the main hall of Zürich HB. After the train to Chur you spend about four hours in second class on the Glacier Express as it climbs over the Oberalp and runs through the Furka base tunnel to Brig. Lunch and drinks on board are included, and the trip home runs through the Lötschberg base tunnel and Bern.

  • Rating4.4 from 35 reviews on Viator
  • DurationAbout 10 hours, from 8:20 am
  • Tour companySwissTravelGuide.ch
  • CancellationNon-refundable, no changes
  • StrengthsChur to Brig in one go; lunch on board; your own guide
  • Ideal forCouples and small groups who want the long ride

Good to know: ~$926 is the price for one traveler; it drops per head when more of you book together. You cannot cancel or change it, and confirmation can take up to 48 hours. The private day explained.

~$926per person
Viator

The buttons are affiliate links to GetYourGuide and Viator. If you book through them we get a small commission; your price stays the same and the order of the tours does not change.

Before you go

Eight things about Glacier Express tours that no listing puts in big letters

You find these in the small print and the reviews, not in the headlines. Any of them can decide whether your day ends with a phone full of mountains or a rushed walk to the last train.

What you should know

  1. Find the clock tower early. Both TripsSource days start beneath the clock tower in the station's main hall, and the guide turns up ten minutes before departure. Be there by then, because the train will not wait. If something goes wrong.
  2. You ride a section, not the whole line. The Glacier Express runs about eight hours from end to end. Our pick covers roughly three of them, the private day about four.
  3. Lunch on our pick is a question mark. Viator says you buy it on board by card, while GetYourGuide describes a hot meal served at your seat. Check your confirmation and carry a card. Lunch on board.
  4. You do not choose your side of the train. You cannot pick a window side, and you may end up facing away from the direction of travel. Most panorama windows do not open, so photos are through glass.
  5. The pass is much colder than Zurich. The Oberalp sits about 2,000 m (6,560 ft) higher than the city, and snow can lie there from autumn into spring. Bring a warm layer you can pull on and off. What to pack.
  6. Seats go weeks ahead. On Viator, the typical booking for our pick lands around 74 days before the trip. Booking early with free cancellation keeps your options open.
  7. The private day is non-refundable. SwissTravelGuide.ch allows no cancellation and no changes once booked. Be sure of your date before you pay.
  8. Late autumn means other trains. The panorama train pauses for several weeks from mid-October into early December, and the tours swap in other trains over the same scenery. When to go.

Everything in one table

Three Glacier Express tours, catch included

One row per tour, with what it does well set against what it leaves out.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Length Starts from Tour company and rating Strength and catch Book
Glacier Express, Swiss Alps and Lucerne (our pick) A first Glacier Express day ~$436per person About 10 h Zürich HB clock tower, 10:00 am TripsSource
4.5 on Viator		 The panorama train over the Oberalp, Lucerne at the end. About 3 hours on board; value rated 3.1 of 5.
ViatorGetYourGuide
Glacier Express UNESCO Views and St. Moritz The route on a budget ~$377per person About 8 h Zürich HB clock tower, 10:15 am TripsSource
4.5 on Viator		 Lowest price, the Landwasser Viaduct. Regular trains, not the Glacier Express; 3 hours by road back.
Viator
Glacier Express Panoramic Round Trip, private The long ride with your own guide ~$926for one traveler About 10 h Tourist information, Zürich HB, 8:20 am SwissTravelGuide.ch
4.4 on Viator		 About 4 hours from Chur to Brig, lunch on board. Non-refundable, second class, the highest price.
Viator

All prices are regular "from" rates in US dollars and move from time to time; the private tour gets cheaper per head as the group grows. Check the booking page for the figure you will pay.

Who went

Reviews from travelers who rode the line

Travelers who crossed the Oberalp under blue sky and some who saw mostly cloud, on what won them over and what they would change next time.

★★★★★Glacier Express + Lucerne

We met our guide under the big clock at Zürich HB just before ten, and from then on we never once looked at a departure board. The Glacier Express part from Chur was the slow climb we had hoped for, the Rhine running green below the windows and then snow at the top of the Oberalp Pass. Andermatt came quicker than expected. Lucerne at the end, with the guide walking us across the wooden bridge, was a good way to stretch our legs before the hour back.

HBHannah B. · Leeds, UKClear views
★★★★★Glacier Express + Lucerne

Six trains in one day and our guide had every platform figured out. Snow on the pass, sun in Lucerne.

DMDaniel M. · Austin, USAClear views
★★★★☆Glacier Express + Lucerne

The views over the pass disappeared into cloud for most of an hour, which nobody can help. Our guide filled the gap with stories about the valleys. We paid for lunch on board by card, so check what your booking includes.

CLClaire L. · Lyon, FranceCloud on the peaks
★★★★★Glacier Express + Lucerne

My parents are in their seventies and the guide carried every step of the planning. Big windows, a smooth ride, and a gentle walk past the Lion Monument at the end.

ARArjun R. · Pune, IndiaClear views
★★★★★Glacier Express + Lucerne

Ten hours sounds long, but it never dragged. The Rhine gorge was the highlight for me.

SKSofia K. · Athens, GreeceClear views
★★★★☆Glacier Express + Lucerne

A connection in Andermatt ran late and our time in Lucerne shrank to a quick loop of the Old Town. The guide handled it calmly and found us seats on the next train back to Zurich. The Glacier Express itself was everything we wanted, a long, quiet climb with the valley falling away below. If Lucerne matters to you, plan to come back to it on another day.

TWTom W. · Brisbane, AustraliaCloud on the peaks
★★★★★Glacier Express + Lucerne

Small group, kind guide, the Oberalp under fresh snow. Worth the early night before.

MJMia J. · Copenhagen, DenmarkClear views
★★★★★St. Moritz route day

We knew from the listing that this was the regular train on the Albula line, not the Glacier Express itself, and that suited our budget. The Landwasser Viaduct came up on a curve and the whole carriage went quiet. St. Moritz was bright and cold, with the lake still frozen and people walking across it. We bought sandwiches by the station, sat on a bench in the sun, and were back on the bus before we had quite taken it all in.

LPLucas P. · Montreal, CanadaClear views
★★★★★St. Moritz route day

The viaduct, the loops and tunnels, then an hour by the lake in St. Moritz. A full day for less money.

YNYuki N. · Osaka, JapanClear views
★★★★☆St. Moritz route day

One hour in St. Moritz goes very fast once you find somewhere for lunch. The drive back to Zurich took about three hours, and a few of us dozed off. The train part in the morning was lovely, especially the viaduct, which our guide told us to watch for in advance.

GFGabriela F. · Mexico City, MexicoCloud on the peaks
★★★★★St. Moritz route day

Our guide timed it so we were on the right side of the carriage before Filisur. The Landwasser Viaduct in the morning light was the photo of our whole trip. In St. Moritz we walked along the lake and had a quick coffee before the bus.

OBOliver B. · Hamburg, GermanyClear views
★★★★★Private, Chur to Brig

We booked the private day for the four of us, so the price per person came down a lot. From Chur to Brig was four hours on the Glacier Express with lunch at our table and a guide who knew every valley by name. Coming home through the long tunnel and past Lake Thun made it a full loop of the country. You cannot cancel once it is booked, so we waited until our dates were firm.

RSRachel S. · Cape Town, South AfricaClear views
★★★★★Private, Chur to Brig

Lunch with the Oberalp outside the window and a guide all to ourselves. Pricey, and every minute was good.

EHErik H. · Gothenburg, SwedenClear views
★★★★★Private, Chur to Brig

The meeting point at the tourist information was easy to find at eight in the morning. Second class was perfectly comfortable, the windows were huge, and our guide pointed out the gorge and the pass long before we reached them.

NCNicole C. · SingaporeCloud on the peaks

Been already?

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Share your day on the Glacier Express, in Lucerne or up in St. Moritz. We read every review before it goes up, and we publish the critical ones too.

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All aboard

Book TripsSource for your Glacier Express day

If you are staying in Zurich and want one day on the Glacier Express without juggling timetables, we would book TripsSource's tour with Lucerne. The guide carries the tickets, the panorama car climbs the Oberalp, and the evening ends by the Chapel Bridge.

You can hold a seat now and pay closer to the date. Cancelling stays free until 24 hours before, and a warm layer for the pass belongs in your bag.

~$436

per person · about 10 hours · from Zürich HB

Viator GetYourGuide
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Reserve now, pay later
  • ✓ Rail pass and Glacier Express seat reservation included
  • ✓ Guided walk through Lucerne's Old Town

Good to know

What the Glacier Express is, and what you are looking at

A short read turns the gorges and viaducts outside the window into a story you can follow.

The Glacier Express links Zermatt with St. Moritz and Davos in about eight hours, which is why it is often called the slowest express train in the world. It runs on narrow metre-gauge mountain tracks shared by the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and the Rhaetian Railway.

01Windows up into the roof

The panorama cars have large windows that curve up into the ceiling, so you see the peaks without craning your neck. A seat reservation is compulsory on every run, even with a rail pass. Classes and seats.

02The Swiss Grand Canyon

West of Chur the train follows the Rhine through the Ruinaulta, a gorge about 13 km long. Pale cliffs up to about 400 m (1,310 ft) high drop to a turquoise river, and the train threads along the bottom.

03The top of the line

The Oberalp Pass is the highest point of the route at about 2,033 m (6,670 ft). From there the line drops into Andermatt, where our pick leaves the train. The climb, stop by stop.

The moment most people remember is the train cresting the pass and the whole Urseren Valley opening below the window.

04A viaduct over the Albula

On the branch to St. Moritz, the Landwasser Viaduct near Filisur stands about 65 m (213 ft) high on its stone arches. It opened in 1902, and the Albula line became UNESCO World Heritage in 2008.

05Under the Furka

Riding on toward Brig, the train skips the old pass route and runs through the Furka base tunnel, about 15 km long, into the Goms valley of the Upper Valais. Only the private day goes this far. Chur to Brig.

06Lucerne at the finish

Our pick ends in Lucerne, on its lake about an hour from Zurich. The usual stops are the covered Chapel Bridge, whose water tower rises from the river, and the Lion Monument carved into rock. The Lucerne walk.

291 kmThe whole line, per the tour listing

About 8 hA full run from end to end

2,033 mRoughly the height of the Oberalp Pass

1902The year the Landwasser Viaduct opened

Thinking of riding without a tour? Our guide Guided tour or your own tickets? sets out what you would have to arrange yourself.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about Glacier Express tours from Zurich

Fourteen things travelers ask before booking a day on the line from Zurich.

How much does a Glacier Express tour from Zurich cost?

The three tours on this page start at ~$377 per person for the St. Moritz route day and ~$436 for TripsSource's day with Lucerne, which costs a little more on Viator. The private Chur to Brig day is ~$926 for one traveler and less per head in a group. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which Glacier Express tour should I pick?

For most visitors it is TripsSource's Glacier Express day to Lucerne, because it seats you on the real train over the Oberalp Pass. Pick the private day for the full ride to Brig, or the St. Moritz day if price matters most.

Do these tours ride the whole Glacier Express line?

No. The full line from Zermatt to St. Moritz takes about eight hours, too long for a return day from Zurich. Our pick rides about three hours from Chur to Andermatt, and the private day about four hours from Chur to Brig. What you see on the way.

How long does a Glacier Express day from Zurich take?

About ten hours for our pick and for the private day, and about eight for the St. Moritz route day. A late train can add time, and on our pick it usually comes out of the Lucerne stop.

Is the St. Moritz tour on the Glacier Express?

Not the train itself. Its route follows the Albula line from Chur toward St. Moritz on ordinary Rhaetian Railway services, crossing the Landwasser Viaduct. You spend about an hour in St. Moritz and come back by road. The St. Moritz day.

Where do the tours start?

All three start in the main hall of Zürich HB. Both TripsSource days meet under the clock tower, at 10:00 am for our pick and 10:15 am for St. Moritz. The private day meets at 8:20 am at the tourist information in the same hall.

Is lunch included?

Lunch and drinks on board come with the private day. On our pick the listings disagree: Viator says you buy lunch on board by card, GetYourGuide describes a hot meal at your seat. On the St. Moritz day lunch is on your own in town. Lunch on board.

Which class will I travel in?

The private day rides second class. Our pick's listing does not state the class, though some GetYourGuide reviewers mention first class, so check your booking. Both classes sit in panorama cars with the large windows.

Can I choose a seat on the side with the best views?

No. The railway assigns the seats on the Glacier Express, so you may face backwards or sit on the side with fewer peaks. Most windows do not open, and wearing dark clothes cuts reflections in your photos.

When is the best time to go?

Summer brings green valleys and long days but the busiest trains, while winter covers the Oberalp in snow. Between mid-October and early December comes an autumn gap of a few weeks when the Glacier Express rests. The tours use other trains then. The seasons compared.

What happens if a train is late?

Swiss trains usually keep time. A slipped connection can still shorten the day, and reviewers describe losing time in Lucerne. One traveler on GetYourGuide even faced a 150-franc charge after missing a train. Delays and refunds.

What should I wear and bring?

Layers, since the pass is far colder than Zurich, plus comfortable shoes for Lucerne's cobbles and sunglasses for snow glare. Add a charged phone, water, a card for lunch on board and your passport or ID. The packing list.

Can children and wheelchair users come?

Viator lists discounted rates for children on our pick and calls it wheelchair and stroller accessible. Ten hours is a long day for small children, so think about their stamina before booking. Ask the operator about access on the other two tours.

Can I cancel a Glacier Express tour for free?

Both TripsSource days can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before, and our pick lets you reserve now and pay later. The private day with SwissTravelGuide.ch is non-refundable and cannot be changed once booked.

Read before you travel

Guides to a day on the Glacier Express

Ten longer reads for when a card on this page is not enough. They run from prices and seats to the seasons.