Chur to Andermatt, the Glacier Express stretch of a Zurich day
The guided day from Zurich rides about three hours of the Glacier Express, from Chur up through the Rhine Gorge and over the Oberalp Pass to Andermatt. This guide follows that stretch from the window, then shows what the rest of the line holds.
Zürich HB to Chur on a regular train
The day starts on an ordinary train, not the Glacier Express. The listings put the ride to Chur at about 1.5 to 2 hours. It runs along Lake Zurich and then the Walensee, with the mountains rising above the water.
Take a window seat on this leg if you can. The two lakes are the first views of the day, and on a calm morning the Walensee mirrors the cliffs on its northern shore.
Your group gathers at 10:00 am beneath the station clock of Zürich HB, and the guide arrives about 10 minutes early. Grab a coffee before you go, since the scenery begins soon after the train leaves the city.
Chur, where the Glacier Express begins your day
At Chur you board the Glacier Express. The tour listing calls Chur the oldest city in Switzerland, with over 5,000 years of history, though the day gives you little time to look around it.
From here the train runs on the Rhaetian Railway, a metre-gauge mountain line. The panorama cars have windows that curve up into the roof, which our guide to seats and lunch covers in detail.
Through the Rhine Gorge
Soon after Chur the train enters the Ruinaulta, often called the Swiss Grand Canyon. SwissTravelGuide.ch's listing gives it a depth of up to about 400 m (1,300 ft) and a length of about 13 km (8 miles).
The track runs close to the river at the bottom of the gorge, with pale limestone walls on both sides. On a clear day the water below turns a milky turquoise, the photo most travelers come away with.
Ilanz and Disentis
Past the gorge the valley opens toward Ilanz, a small town on the Rhine. From here the train follows the river west through meadows and villages, climbing slowly as the valley narrows.
At Disentis, look out for the large monastery above the station. The town marks the end of the Rhaetian Railway section, and from here the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn takes over for the climb ahead.
Up to the Oberalp Pass
The climb to the Oberalp Pass is the high point of the day, at about 2,033 m (6,670 ft). It is also the highest point of the whole Glacier Express line, and the train slows on the steep sections.
From autumn to spring, snow usually covers the pass, while summer brings bare green slopes. Clouds can hide the peaks on any day, so views are never guaranteed. Our guide to the best time to ride compares the seasons.
The pass sits roughly 2,000 m higher than Zurich, so the air outside is far colder than in the city. Bring a warm layer for the platforms later in the day; our packing list covers the rest.
Ride the gorge and the pass with a guide
TripsSource's day from Zürich HB covers about three hours on the Glacier Express from Chur to Andermatt before heading on to Lucerne. The seat reservation and rail pass are in the price.
Down to Andermatt, then Lucerne
The line drops down from the pass and reaches Andermatt, a village in the Urseren Valley ringed by high passes. Here the Glacier Express part of the tour ends, after about three hours on board.
A regional train then carries the group toward Lucerne, with a stop by Lake Lucerne on the way. Our Lucerne guide covers the walk through the Old Town that closes the day.
Andermatt is also where the Zurich day and the private tour part ways. The guided group leaves the Glacier Express here, while the private day stays on board heading west toward the Furka and the Valais.
Which side of the train
Seats come with the reservation, so you cannot choose a side. The gorge and the valleys beyond show up on both sides at different points, and the roof glass shows the slopes above whichever way you face.
When the carriage has room, travelers often cross the aisle for a minute at a good stretch. Ask before leaning over someone else's seat, since everyone on board wants the same view.
The day in rough timings
- Zürich HB to Chur, about 1.5 to 2 hours on a regular train
- Chur to Andermatt on the Glacier Express, about 3 hours
- Andermatt toward Lucerne on a regional train, with a stop by Lake Lucerne
- About 2 hours in Lucerne, much of it on a guided walk
- Lucerne back to Zurich, about 1 hour
These times come from the tour's itinerary and stretch when a connection runs late. Our guide to delays and missed trains covers what happens to the plan then.
The parts of the line a Zurich day leaves out
The full Glacier Express runs from Zermatt to St. Moritz or Davos, 291 km (181 miles) by the tour listing's count, in a ride of about 8 hours. The guided day from ~$436 covers about three of those hours.
Two other tours show different pieces. SwissTravelGuide.ch's private day from ~$926 rides on from Andermatt through the Furka base tunnel to Brig, while TripsSource's St. Moritz day from ~$377 follows the Albula line on regular trains.
Neither of those sections appears on the Chur to Andermatt day. The private Chur to Brig guide and the St. Moritz guide describe those routes, and our price guide compares all three fares.