Moment · Switzerland
The Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz, in Style
Cross 291 bridges and the Oberalp Pass on an eight-hour Alpine journey, in a private carriage or Excellence Class with lunch at your seat.
Eight Hours Across the Alps
On its way from Zermatt to St. Moritz the Glacier Express rattles over 291 bridges, slips through 91 tunnels and reaches its high point, 2,033 metres, on the Oberalp Pass. In your own panoramic carriage, crossing three cantons, you follow the Rhine Gorge and cross the Landwasser Viaduct over some eight hours.
Slow by Design
The train averages 24 kilometres an hour, slow enough to savour the scenery rather than watch it blur. Food comes from the train’s own galley, brought to your seat on a linen cloth, timed to the landscape outside, while full-height windows show off the Matterhorn at the start and the Engadin’s lakes as you near St. Moritz. Over the Oberalp Pass the train climbs by cogwheel, on a gradient so steep that the wine glasses have angled bases so nothing spills. Short on time? You can ride just part of the route: the Zermatt–Chur leg lasts roughly five and a half hours, Andermatt to St. Moritz about four and a half.
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Request a quote →Private Carriage or Excellence Class
On the standard service you sit in shared bays of four, meals are ordered rather than included, and first and second class differ mostly in legroom and layout. Having a carriage to yourselves makes it another experience entirely, a small group spending the eight hours together with no fixed dining sitting or new seatmates on each leg. Excellence Class is limited to 20 guests, with lounge-style seats, five courses included and its own bar car, plus a check-in away from the main platform, and a carriage that stays calm even past the busiest scenic stretches. It’s a glamorous day for a couple or friends.
When to Go
Late spring to early autumn usually brings the clearest mountain views, and the train runs almost all year, stopping only for maintenance each year in the middle of October. Your Out Of Office LGBTQ+ travel specialist can book the carriage and pair it with welcoming hotels in Zermatt and St. Moritz, and our Switzerland guide covers LGBTQ+ rights and travel advice.
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How long you want to be away, how much you want to move, and what you would rather leave out entirely.
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We plant trees for every booking
For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of travelling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
One named specialist, first enquiry to homecoming. No call centre, and nothing is charged until you decide to book.