By Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt – Travel planning:
For the journey by Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt three days with two overnight stays have been planned. From Germany, you can easily reach Switzerland by train. The transfer for the onward journey to St. Moritz takes place in Chur, one of the train stations on the Glacier Express route.
Travel times, current information and ticket prices can be found directly on the Glacier Express page. Bookings can be made directly there.
In St. Moritz I booked the Hostel Casa Franco for one night. The accommodation is located just outside the village directly at the Sankt-Moritz-Lake in a wonderful, quiet location. The bus to the train station stops in front of the property. Breakfast is served in the Hotel Sonne next door.
For Zermatt I booked the Hotel City in the neighboring town of Täsch for another night. The accommodation can be easily reached from Zermatt by regional train in just about 10 minutes. The friendly, family-managed hotel also has a small but delicious restaurant. The fresh, local dishes are all prepared with ingredients from their own farm or from the local market.
At the train station in Chur, coming from Germany, the transfer from the German to the Swiss or the Rhaetian Railway is done.
We cover the route from Chur to St. Moritz in an SBB Inter-City.
The journey to St. Moritz:
At a moderate speed it goes through the wintry snowy landscape. Again and again, the railway line passes small towns that are perfectly integrated into the panorama.
Arrival in St. Moritz:
Arriving in St. Moritz, it quickly is clear that this is not just a simple holiday resort, but much, much more. The site of the 1928 and 1948 Winter Olympics has a lot to offer and is a popular winter and summer destination.
In addition to winter sports and hiking opportunities, St. Moritz is particularly well-known for its more than 3000 years old mineral springs and enjoys great popularity as a health resort.
That is why the somehow special alpine community is known all over the world and ensures well-being among visitors all over the year.
The best way to get a taste of the flair of the community as soon as you arrive is to take a walk.
It is advisable to walk from the train station to the hotel. The accommodation Casa Franco is located in the district of St. Moritz Bad, below the town center at the Sankt-Moritz-Lake.
On the approximately two kilometer long path you have a wonderful view of the community center and the surrounding alpine panorama.
To visit the center after checking in, you can easily take one of the buses back to the train station.
When you arrive in St. Moritz Bad, you find yourself in a deep wintry environment.
The Church of St. Karl in St. Moritz-Bad creates a very special winter atmosphere when the winter sun is low in the sky.
A walk through the deep, crunching snow is a pleasure.
The panoramic view from the shore of the frozen Sankt-Moritz-Lake is also distinctive. Summer and winter you can go on beautiful hikes and enjoy nature and the landscape.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is world famous, but not the only such structure. In St. Moritz you can also find a leaning tower that threatens to topple over if you look at it from the right angle.
The almost 33 meter high tower has an incline of three meters and was first built in 1570. A new building, as it can be seen today, was built in 1672. Over time, various measures were taken to secure the building.
The tower is one of the landmarks of the community and should definitely be visited during a stay.
A last look towards St. Moritz Bad across the frozen Sankt-Moritz-Lake from the train station before the Glacier Express departs for Zermatt.
Journey by the Glacier Express to Zermatt:
The Glacier Express, also known as the slowest express train in the world, connects the communities of St. Moritz and Zermatt. In about eight hours, the route leads over 291 bridges and through 91 tunnels. In addition, the 2033 meter high Oberalp Pass has to be crossed.
Highlight of the trip is the Albula-Line, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and is located on the section between St. Moritz and Thusis.
Once you have left the train station in St. Moritz, the route leads through a wild, snow-covered mountain panorama.
The train meanders leisurely through the land. Behind every curve there is a new, fascinating view of small towns, mountains or down into wooded valleys.
On the Oberalp Pass, at 2033 meters above sea level, there is time for a short break. This is the only part where the line is double tracked, aside from the stations along the way.
Here, the return train is being waited for, in order to be able to continue the journey.
The journey to the highest point of the route takes place in cogwheel operation, since the locomotives would not be able to cope with the incline without this support.
During the 15-minute break, you have time to enjoy the mountain panorama and to relax your feet in the deep snow.
A last, magnificent view of the snow-covered alpine scenery before the Glacier Express continues its journey towards Zermatt.
Arrival in Zermatt:
The view from Zermatt to one of the most famous mountains in the world. On the left side the Matterhorn at sunset and right, the next morning, just as the sun is rising.
With the cog railway to the Gornergrat:
Another train journey was planned for the morning before heading back to Germany around noon. The journey by the Gornergrat cog railway up to the Gornergrat.
In order to avoid the morning rush for the tickets, it is advisable to buy the tickets the evening before.
Since the Gornergrat is both, a winter sports area as well as a destination for hikers and walkers, the rush at the ticket offices and to the railways should not be underestimated.
From the middle station of the cog railway, you can take wonderful walks along the groomed ski slopes.
After a few minutes of walking, you have a magnificent view to the Matterhorn, which is illuminated by the rising sun.
In the opposite side, the first rays of the day are just flashing through between the mountain peaks and create a magical glitter in the untouched snow.
After a short breather on one of the almost snow-covered benches, we continue our journey to the summit station of the Gornergrat. From there you have a fantastic view over to the Matterhorn.
With 4478 meters of hight, the Matterhorn is one of the most fascinating mountains in the world, particularly because of its characteristic shape.
There are several ways to get back to the middle station. The most fun is the rapid ride on one of the sleds that can be rented here on the mountain.
Alternatively, you can walk down or, quite comfortably, take the cog railway.
From the middle station, you can take the cog railway or ski down into the valley.
In the early afternoon our train already drove back to Germany.
Conclusion:
The trip by Glacier Express from St. Moritz to Zermatt is not just a train journey. It is a real pleasure to drive through the snowy Swiss mountains at a leisurely pace.
The communities of St. Moritz and Zermatt also have a lot to offer and the view of the Matterhorn at sunrise from the Gornergrat is absolutely majestic.
If you have the time and desire, you can extend your stay in both places with a few days of skiing or wellness.
This report is part of my series Europe travel reports – there you will find an overview of all countries.
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