Arriving at your Zermatt Apartment by The Glacier Express

The Glacier Express in Summer with the Matterhorn in the Background

Surely there is no better way to travel to Zermatt than on The Glacier Express.

The Glacier Express is a train that travels in Switzerland from St Moritz and Davos to Zermatt taking in a most beautiful scenic route.  Through over 90 tunnels and over more than 290 bridges the line takes in mountainous beauty unparalleled.  For 7 1/2 hours, whilst not the fastest service this is certainly the most impressive in scale, travelling up to heights of over 2000 metres in altitude.  Over 250,000 passengers a year enjoy this amazing journey.

In the early part of the twentienth century, wealthy upper class travelers from all over the world, enthusiasitically embraced the Alps as a venue for healthy sporting activity and adventure.  To service this need for the 1920’s thrill seekers a railway companies of the time collaborated to offer a route between the two glamourous and fashionable health resorts of Zermatt and St Moritz.  The route was possible only in summer, until 50 years after initiation, when the Furka route was made passable in winter.

The route follow this pattern: 

• St Moritz or Davos.
• Filisur.
• Over the Landwasser-viaduct and Rheinschlucht to  Disentis.
• Over the Oberalp pass, it’s highest point 2033m then down to Andermatt.
• Through the Furka-Basis Tunnel to Brig.
• Visp.
• Pass the awesome rock fall at Randa which cutt-off the line in 1991.
• Tasch, the end of the line for cars, which are not allowed any further up the valley.
• Zermatt.

All the cars, second or first class have panoramic windows, affording amazing vistas over the valleys and mountains of Switzerland, and a commentary is provided.

There are normally only 3 trains per day, 4 in Peak summer season, in both directions, all departing in the mornings to arrive early evening in time for dinner.  The prices are in the 150 CHF to 250 CHF mark, with dogs paying half price.

The Glacier Express passing the Oberalp Lake.

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