Packing for a 10-hour Glacier Express day from Zurich
A Glacier Express day from Zurich is mostly sitting, with a mountain pass in the middle and a city walk at the end. You change trains several times and spend about 10 hours away from your hotel. A light bag with the right few things makes that day far easier than a heavy one with everything.
A long day in and out of trains
Our pick meets at 10:00 am below the station clock in Zürich HB and runs about 10 hours. You ride a regular train to Chur, the Glacier Express over the Oberalp Pass to Andermatt, a regional train to Lucerne and another train home.
Between those rides come platforms and a lake stop, then a guided walk through Lucerne's Old Town. Pack for someone who will sit for hours, then walk, then sit again. The route guide explains each leg of the day in order.
Layers for a pass 2,000 m above the city
The Oberalp Pass sits at about 2,033 m (6,670 ft), roughly 2,000 m higher than Zurich. It is colder up there in every season, and Andermatt in the valley below can be cool even on a warm day by the lakes.
Layers solve this better than one heavy coat. Wear a light top under a warm mid layer and add a jacket that blocks wind. That covers most days, and you can shed layers when the carriage warms up in the sun.
Winter calls for a hat and gloves on the platforms. You will not spend long outdoors on the pass itself, but changing trains in Andermatt or waiting by Lake Lucerne gets chilly fast. Our season guide describes what each part of the year looks like up there.
Shoes for Lucerne's cobbles
The last part of the day is on foot. The guided mini-tour of Lucerne takes in Chapel Bridge and the Lion Monument along medieval streets, much of it on cobbles that punish thin soles.
One reviewer's advice was simple, to bring good walking footwear. Wear shoes you have already broken in, with some grip for wet stones, and leave new boots at home. Our Lucerne guide covers the walk itself.
Sunglasses plus a phone and a dark top
Snow on the pass reflects a lot of light, and the panorama windows let it all in. Sunglasses make the hours on board more comfortable from late autumn to spring, and on bright summer days too.
Your phone will do most of the work as camera and map. Charge it the night before and bring a power bank, since a full day of photos and messages drains a battery well before you get back to Zurich.
A traveler's tip for photos is to wear a dark top. Since the panorama windows mostly stay shut, a light shirt shows up as a reflection in your shots. Our guide to seats and windows has more on photos from your seat.
Food and water, plus money
Lunch on our pick is not settled by the listings. On Viator it is a card purchase on the train, while the GetYourGuide description promises a hot meal at your seat. Check what your booking says, and carry a card that works abroad either way.
Bring a bottle of water and a snack for the first train to Chur. The day starts mid-morning and lunch comes later, so something small in the bag saves you from buying at the station in a hurry.
Swiss francs in small notes help for a coffee, a toilet in a station or a snack in Lucerne. Cards work in most places, but a few francs in cash avoid awkward moments. Tips for the guide are up to you, and our price guide lists what else you pay on top of the fare.
Documents and luggage
Carry your passport or ID. The rail pass for the day comes from the guide, but you are travelling across the country on several trains, and an official document is the sensible thing to have on you.
Leave suitcases at the hotel. Several train changes and a walking tour do not mix with big luggage, and racks on a busy train fill up. A small backpack or a shoulder bag is enough.
Motion is rarely a problem. The line climbs and winds, but the ride is smooth and slow, and few riders feel unwell on it.
Our pick for the day
TripsSource includes a local guide plus the standard rail pass and the Glacier Express seat reservation. On GetYourGuide the group is small, up to 15 people. It costs a little more on Viator.
Travelling with children
Viator lists discounted rates for kids on the Glacier Express and Lucerne day from ~$436, and infants ride on a parent's lap. The same listing calls the tour wheelchair and stroller accessible.
Ten hours is a lot for a small child. Books or a tablet help on the trains. Extra snacks and a spare layer are worth packing too, and so is planning for a tired walker by Lucerne.
The short list
Lay these out the evening before, so the 10:00 am meeting at Zürich HB starts calmly:
- A warm mid layer and a windproof jacket
- Broken-in walking shoes with grip
- Sunglasses year-round and a hat with gloves in winter
- A charged phone and a power bank
- Water and a snack for the first train
- A bank card and some Swiss francs in small notes
- Passport or ID
- A dark top for photos through the glass
A spare snack and a full battery matter more than anything else in the bag if the day runs long. Our guide to late trains explains why the timetable sometimes stretches.