Seats, windows and lunch on a Glacier Express tour from Zurich

The panorama cars

The Glacier Express runs with panorama cars whose large windows reach up into the roof. Sitting down, you see the slopes above the train as well as the valley beside it.

That roof glass matters most in the Rhine Gorge and on the climb to the Oberalp Pass, where the scenery rises steeply. Our guide to the Chur to Andermatt stretch follows what passes the window.

On the Zurich day you board these cars at Chur, after a regular train from Zürich HB. The first leg has ordinary windows, so the panorama glass only comes into play for the three hours that follow.

First or second class

Several GetYourGuide reviews of TripsSource's Glacier Express and Lucerne day from ~$436 mention riding in 1st class with a served meal. The listing itself does not state the class, so check your booking confirmation.

SwissTravelGuide.ch's private tour from ~$926 rides in 2nd class with a seat reservation, as its listing says. Both classes use panorama cars, and the views through the glass are the same.

The difference lies mainly in space and service. First class usually has more room per seat, while second class keeps more of your budget for the rest of the trip. Our price guide compares what each fare covers.

If 1st class matters to you on tour 1, ask the operator before you book rather than after. The listing makes no promise either way, and reviews only tell you what other groups were given.

Lunch served at your seat

The Glacier Express usually serves lunch at your seat from its own kitchen on board. You eat without leaving the window, which keeps the meal from costing you any of the view.

The private tour includes lunch and drinks on board in the fare. The listing mentions drinks and promises a gourmet lunch in its overview, so you need not buy anything extra on the train.

The lunch question on tour 1

The two listings for tour 1 disagree. On Viator you pay for lunch yourself with a card on the train; on GetYourGuide the text describes a warm meal brought to your seat. One reviewer described a light chicken lunch.

Read your booking confirmation, and if it does not say, ask the guide at the meeting point. Bring a card that works abroad either way, and a snack in case the meal is lighter than you hoped. Our packing guide lists what else to carry.

Paying for drinks and snacks on board

On tour 1, expect to pay for anything you order on the train yourself, unless your booking says otherwise. Viator's wording on lunch points to a card, so carry one that works in Switzerland.

Water and a snack bought at Zürich HB before the 10:00 am meeting cost less than drinks on the train. The station's main hall, where the tour starts, has plenty of shops.

Tips for the guide are up to you. The listings either leave gratuities out of the price or do not mention them at all.

Your seat is assigned by the railway

Seats on the Glacier Express are assigned with the reservation, and neither the tour operator nor you picks them. You may face backwards, or sit on the side where the view is a rock wall for a while.

Both sides of the train get good stretches on the route from Chur to Andermatt, so a seat on the "wrong" side is rarely a lost day. If the carriage has free seats, stand up for a few minutes and look across.

Photos through glass

On most panorama cars the windows stay sealed, so every photo goes through glass. That holds in both classes. Reflections of the carriage and of your own clothes are the main problem, especially with the sun behind you.

A phone camera copes well with the wide valley views. For the gorge walls and the snow on the pass, wipe the glass in front of you with a soft cloth before the good stretches begin.

• Wear a dark top, a tip from travelers that cuts reflections in the glass
• Hold the lens close to the window, almost touching it
• Turn off the flash, which only lights up the glass
• Shoot slightly at an angle when the sun hits the window

Views are never guaranteed, since clouds can hide the peaks. The guide to the best time to ride covers how the seasons change the light and the snow.

Settling in for the ride

Big suitcases are awkward on a day of six or so trains, and the day includes a walk through Lucerne, so travel with a small bag. Our Lucerne guide covers that last part of the day.

Viator lists tour 1 as wheelchair and stroller accessible, with discounted rates for children. Ask the operator about the panorama car itself if you need step-free boarding, since the listing does not go into detail.

On the private tour you stay on board for about four hours, from Chur to Brig. The private Chur to Brig guide describes that longer ride, including the Furka base tunnel and the Goms valley.