The best time to book a Glacier Express tour from Zurich
The Glacier Express runs through most of the year, and a day from Zurich looks very different in July than in February. Each season trades something away, and in winter it is daylight while in summer it is quiet carriages and snow on the pass. There is also a stretch in late autumn when the panorama train does not run at all, and that is the one period to plan around.
The four seasons side by side
Our pick, the TripsSource day, rides the Glacier Express from Chur over the Oberalp Pass to Andermatt and ends with a walk in Lucerne. The route stays the same through the year. What changes is the colour outside the window, how full the carriages are and how much light is left for the evening.
| Season | Outside the window | On board | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green valleys, the pass mostly free of snow | The busiest trains | Seats sell out sooner, hazy days happen |
| Early autumn | Larches turning gold on the slopes | Quieter | The break in the timetable follows |
| Winter | Snow on the Oberalp Pass and in the valleys | Calmer outside holidays | Short days, Lucerne in early dusk |
| Spring | Green below, snow lingering up high | Filling up again | Mixed weather from one valley to the next |
No season promises a clear view. Cloud can sit on the pass in any month, and a grey morning in Zurich sometimes turns bright above the Rhine Gorge. Our guide to the Chur to Andermatt stretch shows what to look for once the sky does open.
Summer brings long light and full carriages
Summer is the easy season to plan. The valleys around Disentis are green, the meadows below the pass are open, and the long daylight means the Lucerne walk in the early evening still happens in sunshine.
It is also the season when most people want the same train. Expect the panorama cars to be busier and the guided groups to fill up, so a late booking may leave you without a date. Hazy afternoons can soften the far peaks, which matters if photos are the point of your trip.
Heat in Zurich and Lucerne can surprise visitors who packed for the mountains. The pass is far cooler than the lakes, so the packing guide for a 10-hour day leans on layers you can add and remove.
Autumn means gold slopes and a pause in the timetable
Early autumn is many travelers' favourite. The summer crowds thin out, and the larches on the slopes above the Rhine valley tend to turn gold, though the timing shifts from one year to the next.
Then comes the break. From mid-October to early December, for a few weeks, the Glacier Express does not run, according to the GetYourGuide listing for our pick. In those weeks TripsSource runs the same scenic route on other trains, with a stop in an Alpine village instead.
That tour still crosses the same mountains, but it is not the Glacier Express. Anyone who has come for the panorama cars and their curved windows should check the date on the listing before paying. Our guide to seats and lunch on board explains what those carriages offer.
The St. Moritz day by TripsSource rides regular Rhaetian Railway trains all year, so the break does not change what it is. Check its listing for your date all the same, and read our St. Moritz guide for the details.
Winter on the Oberalp Pass
Once the break ends, the train runs through the winter, with snow on the Oberalp Pass and often in the valleys below it. The pass sits at about 2,033 m (6,670 ft), and a white landscape behind the big windows is what many winter riders remember most.
The price is daylight. Our pick meets at 10:00 am and lasts about 10 hours, so in the darkest weeks the Lucerne walk may fall close to dusk or after it. Chapel Bridge lit up at night has its own appeal, but the lake views are shorter.
Snow can also slow trains now and then. Our guide to delays and missed trains covers what reviewers report when a connection slips and how to protect the day.
Spring is green below and white above
Spring brings the two seasons together. The lower valleys turn green while snow lingers on the pass and the peaks around Andermatt, which gives photos a sharp contrast.
The weather is the least settled part of the year. One valley can be wet while the next is bright, so pack for both. Trains fill up again as the days lengthen, though usually not to summer levels.
The Glacier Express and Lucerne in one day
TripsSource's guided day meets under the clock tower in Zürich HB at 10:00 am and includes the rail pass and the Glacier Express seat reservation. Free cancellation runs up to 24 hours before the start.
How far ahead to book
Viator says travelers book our pick about 74 days in advance on average. That is a long lead, and it reflects how few Glacier Express trains run each day and how quickly the seats go in busy weeks.
You lose little by booking early. The Glacier Express and Lucerne day from ~$436 cancels free up to 24 hours ahead, and you can reserve now and pay later. It costs a little more on Viator than on GetYourGuide.
The private day by SwissTravelGuide.ch is different. Its Chur to Brig ride from ~$926 is non-refundable and cannot be changed, so book it only once your dates are firm. Our private ride guide sets out what that higher fare buys.
Weekdays versus weekends, and when to skip
Weekend trains tend to carry more local day-trippers on top of the tour groups, so a weekday can feel calmer on board. On a Sunday in Lucerne, one reviewer found many shops closed, which matters only if shopping was part of your plan.
Skip the weeks of the autumn break if the panorama train is the reason you came. Skip a date squeezed between two flights as well, because a late connection can shorten the day, and you want room to rebook.
Prices on the listings can shift with the date you pick. Our price comparison sets the three tours side by side, and the comparison on the home page adds the length and meeting time of each.