Glacier Express in Winter: Zermatt to St. Moritz, 2nd Class with Seat Reservation

The Glacier Express joins Zermatt and St. Moritz in one unhurried journey of roughly eight hours, and winter is when the route looks most like its name. Over its 291 km the train crosses 291 bridges and runs through 91 tunnels, and from December its panoramic carriages, whose windows curve up into the roof, frame snow-covered valleys, frozen streams and chalet villages under fresh powder.

This listing is a one-way second-class ticket plus the compulsory seat reservation on the daily winter departure that leaves Zermatt at 08:50 and arrives in St. Moritz at about 16:36. From the foot of the Matterhorn the line runs down the Matter valley to Visp and Brig, then follows the young Rhône up the Goms valley. The Furka Base Tunnel, opened in 1982, is the reason the train can run in winter at all: before it existed, the line over the Furka Pass shut down every year when the snow came.

After Andermatt the train climbs on rack sections to the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 metres, the highest point of the trip. In winter the road over the pass is closed for the season while the railway keeps running, with snow banked high on both sides of the track. The line then descends past Disentis into the Vorderrhein valley and the Rhine Gorge, a canyon of white cliffs left by a prehistoric landslide that is often called the Swiss Grand Canyon, before the train reverses direction at Chur.

The last section belongs to the Albula line of the Rhaetian Railway, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Shortly before Filisur the train curves onto the 65-metre-high Landwasser Viaduct and runs straight from its final pier into a tunnel in the cliff. Between Bergün and Preda it gains height through a sequence of spiral and helical tunnels, then drops into the Engadine. In December and early January the sun sets not long after the train passes the viaduct, so the final hour often runs through blue dusk light over the snow.

The 2026–27 winter timetable begins on 5 December 2026 after the annual autumn break (there is no Glacier Express between 11 October and 4 December 2026) and runs until 7 May 2027. Every class has the same panoramic windows, meals are cooked in the on-board kitchen and served at your seat, and the trip suits anyone who wants to see the high Alps in deep winter without hiking or skiing.

Every passenger on the Glacier Express needs a seat reservation, including holders of rail passes. Seats are allocated by the railway, so you cannot choose a window side or sit with a particular view guaranteed. Once issued, tickets and reservations bought through resellers cannot be changed or refunded.

Pack light for the train. The railway recommends no more than one suitcase plus hand luggage per person, stored in racks at the end of each carriage, and does not carry skis, snowboards, golf bags or oversized items. If you are travelling with more, send it ahead with a door-to-door luggage service, which can be booked at Swiss stations.

The carriages are heated, but sun reflecting off snow through the large windows is strong, so bring sunglasses. Wear warm layers and winter shoes for the walk to Zermatt station, which is in a car-free village where streets can be icy early in the morning.

Meals are prepared on board and served at your seat. Pre-ordering is possible up to 48 hours before departure and is worth doing, because choice on the day can be limited. Payment on board is cashless only. You are welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks.

From 17 April to 2 May 2027 the Rhine Gorge section is closed for works and a replacement bus runs between Chur and Disentis. Heavy snowfall or avalanche risk can occasionally delay mountain railways in winter; times are always subject to change, so check the timetable shortly before you travel.