Some journeys are about getting somewhere fast. The Glacier Express is the gentle opposite. Linking car-free Zermatt, in the shadow of the Matterhorn, with the glamorous lakeside resort of St. Moritz, this Swiss classic takes a little more than eight hours to cover its route, and that leisurely pace is exactly the point. Matador Network's Andrew Thompson argues that it might be the most scenic train ride in all of Europe.
The numbers alone are dizzying: roughly 91 tunnels and 291 bridges carved and stitched through the mountains. Climate-controlled carriages with panoramic windows stretching from seat to ceiling turn every curve into a slideshow. In winter, you roll past sparkling white plains, lonely huts and the occasional cross-country skier; in summer, the view switches to grazing cows and sheep, rushing glacial streams and peaks mirrored in still water.
The one seat you want
The headline moment is the Landwasser Viaduct, a slender six-arched stone bridge that curves high above a valley before plunging straight into a tunnel in the cliff. Grab a spot near the back of the train and you can watch the front cars sweep across the arches ahead of you. Some second-class cars even have windows that open, handy for glare-free photos.
Meals are served right at your seat, and the route is covered by most rail passes, often with just a modest reservation fee on top. Whether you ride in deep snow or bright July sunshine, plan to settle in, pour a coffee and let the Alps scroll by; most passengers step off wishing the trip were longer.
Source: Matador Network
