Discover Switzerland’s Scenic Train Journeys: 7 Beautiful Swiss Train Routes

Switzerland’s Scenic Train Journeys

One of many reasons we chose to honeymoon in Switzerland is the scenic Swiss train journeys. In this blog post I’ll explore Switzerland’s scenic train journeys and share 7 of the most beautiful Swiss train routes that you need to add to your travel bucket list.

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Tips for Travelling on Switzerland’s Scenic Train Journeys

Switzerland’s scenic train journeys can be booked out months in advance so you need to be organised when it comes to planning a trip to Switzerland. These helpful tips will ensure you’re organised for travelling on the best scenic train journeys in Switzerland.

Book Your Swiss Travel Pass

Booking a Swiss Travel Pass is the best way to experience Switzerland’s scenic train journeys. The Swiss Travel Pass gives you unlimited travel by train, bus or boat during your time in Switzerland and can be booked for either 3, 4, 8 or 15 days. Not only does the Swiss Travel Pass give you access to some of the most breathtaking Swiss Train journeys but it also includes lots of discounts for other attractions. For the luxury panoramic trains you’ll also need a seat reservation.

Book your panoramic trains seat reservation

On top of your Swiss Travel Pass for the luxury panoramic trains you’ll also need a seat reservation ticket. It sounds complicated and each train has a different booking system but basically you need your Swiss Travel Pass to enter the train and a seat reservation ticket to sit on the train.

Don’t make the mistake we did and book a different class seat reservation ticket to your Swiss Travel Pass. We wanted to experience first class travel on the Glacier Express but we had a second class Swiss Travel Pass, and so we had to pay an additional fee when the ticket inspector came around.

Plan your Switzerland Travel Itinerary around the Scenic Train Journeys

When booking your Switzerland hotel accommodation be sure to consider the start and end points of the scenic train journeys you want to experience on your trip. Here are some recommended Swiss areas, hotels and the scenic train journeys you can experience at each location.

Where to stay for Switzerland’s Scenic Train Journeys

Zermatt – Stay: Alpen Resort & Spa for the Glacier Express or Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn
Chur – Stay: ABC Swiss Quality Hotel for the Glacier Express or Bernina Express
Lucerne – Stay: Hotel des Balances for the Cogwheel Train at Mount Pilatus
Montreux – Stay: Hôtel du Grand Lac Excelsior for the Rochers-de-Naye cogwheel, GoldenPass Express or the Vintage Belle Époque train
Lugano – Stay: Villa Principe Leopoldo for the Bernina Express
Interlaken – Stay: Hotel du Nord for the GoldenPass Express

Take note of the duration of Switzerland’s Scenic Train Journeys

Switzerland’s scenic train journeys can vary in length from less than one hour like Rochers-de-Naye to a full day like the Bernina Express so make sure you plan enough time into your Switzerland travel itinerary to enjoy them.

1. The Glacier Express

The Glacier Express is probably the most popular of Switzerland’s scenic train journeys. When I was planning our Swiss honeymoon booking the Glacier Express scenic train was very high up my to-do list. This is the iconic panoramic trains which travels through the Swiss alps with breaktaking glacier views. It truly is a magical experience whether you travel in Winter or Summer, like we did.

For a Glacier Express experience to remember you could book the excellence class. We opted for first class, as it was our honeymoon, and this was incredible. First class on the Glacier Express includes a meal and luxury seating. The full Glacier Express train journey from Zermatt to St. Moritz takes eight full hours. It’s totally possible to travel on the Glacier Express for a shorter duration depending on your Switzerland travel itinerary. We travelled from Zermatt to Chur where we took the Bernina Express the next day.

Read my Swiss Honeymoon Travel Guide

2. The Bernina Express

Another bucket list scenic train ride in Switzerland is the Bernina Express. Although we travelled this scenic train ride in second class on our Swiss honeymoon I unexpectedly preferred the Bernina Express to the Glacier Express. The Bernina Express travels through the Swiss Alps and UNESCO World Heritage Site Rhaetian Railway from Chur to Tirano in Italy. It’s possible to extend the journey into the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland, Ticino, by taking the Bernina Express bus to Lugano, which is exactly what we did. Although there isn’t as much of a food and beverage service on board the Bernina Express I loved the little extras like complimentary chocolates and tea. Make sure to find the open window on the Bernina Express train for the best views. I also love that they have a photo stop on the Bernina Express Train journey.

3. The GoldenPass Express

I ended up on this unique Swiss train ride by complete luck. I had booked a direct train from Interlaken to Montreux and when I saw the stunning GoldenPass Express train, I was so excited! This is one of the shorter scenic train rides in Switzerland taking just over 3 hours with beautiful views as you pass through the Pay’s-d’Enhaut. If you have a Swiss Travel Pass this allows you to travel on the GoldenPass Express without a need for a seat reservation ticket, although one is recommended, we didn’t need one.

4. Belle-Époque vintage train

The belle-époque vintage train has to be the most iconic of Switzerland’s scenic train journeys with its beautiful green and wooden carriages. Usually it’s all about the views when it comes to Switzerland’s scenic train journeys but on this train, the carriage steals the show. This version of the GoldenPass takes you from Montreux to Gstaad and on to Zweissimmen. Take note however, this interior is only in the first class carriages so definitely worth an upgrade. There is no extra charge to travel on this train, just check the times as it only runs twice per day usually with some exceptions. There’s also no food or beverage service on board so bring snacks.

A tip to travel on this train is to book the Chocolate Train day trip which includes a transfer in the belle-époque train. This was one of my favourite days of our Swiss honeymoon and a great way to experience this vintage train journey.

5. Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn

This was another lucky train journey we experienced as we travelled from Montreux to Zermatt. Changing at Visp we ended up on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn a beautiful red train with wide panoramic windows. The best part of this train journey is the huge windows that pull down for impeccable views. There’s not really a better feeling than catching that first glimpse of the Matterhorn out of the open train windows. This train journey takes about one hour from Visp to Zermatt and is included in the Swiss Travel Pass.

6. Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye Cogwheel railroad

Step back in time and take a rack rail train for 55 mins up a mountain in Montreux. Rochers-de-Naye offers beautiful mountain top views of the Swiss Alps and Lake Geneva. This short journey takes passengers up to a 2,000m altitude and there’s lots of activities at the top of the mountain including a guided hiking tour and a small restaurant. We just got the train up and down the mountain as it was bitterly cold at the top, however the views on the journey were absolutely worth it. Half of this journey is included in the Swiss Travel Pass and they’ll ask you to get an additional ticket for the second half of the journey. You can just pay for this on board.

7. Cogwheel Railway at Mount Pilatus

Fancy riding the world’s steepest cogwheel train? Bet you didn’t think that’s something you would find in Switzerland. We experienced the cogwheel railway at Mount Pilatus on the Mount Pilatus Golden Round Trip. On this day trip you can travel up the mountain by gondola and take the cogwheel train back down. The Mountain views are truly beautiful and it’s a relatively short journey.

Thank you for reading my Scenic Swiss Trains Travel Guide, I hope it inspires your Switzerland travels. Don’t forget to follow my @BoopFoodie social media accounts for more food and travel recommendations.

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