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With its breathtaking Alpine landscapes and fondness for precision engineering, it’s not surprising that Switzerland is home to some of the world’s greatest rail journeys, each more jaw-droppingly beautiful than the other. Trains in Switzerland are renowned for their punctuality, efficiency and incredible views, winding along curving lake shores, climbing over mountain passes, emerging from tunnels to reveal sweeping views of snowy peaks and alpine villages. From luxurious, panoramic carriages to rustic, steam-powered mountain climbers, these are seven of our favourite scenic Swiss train journeys in Switzerland at any time of year:
Don’t be fooled by the name – this legendary train journey is billed as the “slowest express train in the world”, with a journey time of around eight hours to cover 291 kilometres. The train runs between two of Switzerland’s most famous ski resorts, Zermatt and St Moritz, passing through 91 tunnels and crosses 291 bridges. The carriages have panoramic windows and glass domed ceilings so you can make the most of the views: highlights include the 89-metre Solis viaduct, the Rhine Gorge and the Matterhorn. For the ultimate luxury experience, you can choose to travel in Excellence Class, which upgrades your experience with guaranteed window seats, exclusive bar service and five-star dining.
Bernina Express
Continue your journey aboard the Bernina Express, which navigates the highest railway tracks in Europe as it crosses the Bernina Pass from Chur, via St Moritz, to the northern Italian town of Tirano. The route is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring 55 tunnels and 196 bridges including the iconic Landwasser Viaduct. From Tirano, you have the option of boarding the Bernina Express Bus, which takes you through vineyards and along the shore of Lake Como before heading back to Switzerland via the Gotthard Tunnel.
Set on the shore of tranquil Lake Geneva, Montreux is a little piece of Swiss paradise, filled with Belle-Epoque architecture and chateaux. From here, it’s a little more than three hours by train to the mountain resort station of Interlaken Ost in the Bernese Alps. Until 2022, the journey required a change of trains along the way to accommodate the different track gauges, but Swiss innovation has prevailed so that a single train can now make the entire journey with just a brief pause for necessary adjustments. That means you can settle into your comfy seat and enjoy the changing scenery, as gentle countryside studded with traditional Swiss wooden farm buildings and lush vineyards gives way to forested hillsides and the towering peaks of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. Another change in track gauge means it’s possible to continue your journey as far as Lucerne, but we recommend spending at least a couple of days in Interlaken to enjoy this incredible alpine haven.
Eiger Express
A visit to the Jungfraujoch is an essential element of any Swiss holiday experience. It’s an epic adventure that begins with a train ride from Interlaken to the Grindelwald terminal on the Bernese Oberland Railway, then being whisked upwards to the Eiger Glacier station on a thrilling, fifteen-minute ride aboard the Eiger Express cable car. The final stage of your journey takes place aboard the historic Jungfrau Railway: an engineering marvel that ascends through tunnels carved into the Eiger and Mönch mountains. Arriving at the railway’s highest point, which happens to be the highest railway station in Europe, you’ll emerge via tunnel and elevator set within the mountain at the Jungfraujoch “Top of Europe” and Sphinx Observatory where, on a clear day, the sea of mountain peaks and glaciers stretches for as far as the eye can see.
Gornergrat
Another marvel Swiss engineering, the Gornergrat is an historic, cogwheel railway that has been winding its way through the mountain scenery for around 125 years. The train climbs effortlessly for a total change of 1500 metres in just under ten kilometres, treating its passengers to increasingly breathtaking views of the iconic Matterhorn. There are stops at four stations along the way, so you can hop off and explore each village before reboarding to reach the summit. Once at the top, you’ll find 29 of Switzerland’s highest peaks vying for your attention. The region is popular for hiking during the summer and snowshoeing in the winter, and trains run year-round.
Lake Brienz
Another of Switzerland’s iconic cogwheel railway journeys, this one connecting the picturesque town of Brienz to the summit of Mount Rothorn. What makes this journey even more unique is its use of vintage steam locomotives – despite being one of the steepest cogwheel railways in Europe, with a gradient of as much as 25 percent. The hour-long journey is extremely popular, especially in summer months, so it’s well worth booking a guaranteed seat in advance to avoid the lengthy queues. On a clear day you can see close to 700 mountain peaks stretching away to the distance – we recommend spending a night in the mountaintop hotel if you want to experience the magic of an alpine sunset or sunrise.
Rigi Mountain Railways
Switzerland’s oldest mountain railway was opened in 1871 and has been transporting passengers to the summit of Mount Rigi, known as the “Queen of the Mountains” ever since. Your journey begins in the lakeside village of Vitznau on the shores of Lake Lucerne, gradually revealing expansive views of the surrounding landscapes until you reach the summit of Rigi Kulm. From here, the views encompass the shimmering waters of Lake Lucerne far below, surrounded by the snow-capped Swiss Alps. Whether you prefer to bask in the scenic beauty or explore the surrounding hiking trails, it’s an enchanting experience that combines the best of Swiss history, scenery and engineering prowess.
The memories of your Swiss train travel will last far longer than the cuckoo clock and boxes of chocolates that are sure to be stashed in your suitcase when you return home. A Swiss Travel Pass is a great way to make the most of your time in Switzerland, and we also recommend that you talk to your personal travel manager about making advance bookings (with guaranteed seats) on your chosen rail journeys – especially during peak visitor months. If you’d like to include an epic rail adventure in your next European holiday experience, ask your personal travel manager for more information.
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