Why a Train Trip Through Switzerland Is Worth Every Franc
2025-04-14 · 7 min read
Switzerland is not cheap — everyone knows this. A coffee in Zurich costs six francs, a basic hotel room rarely dips below 200, and dinner for two with wine can approach 200 without trying. But a Swiss train journey offers something that no amount of money can replicate elsewhere: engineering precision moving through the most dramatic Alpine scenery on earth.
The Glacier Express between Zermatt and St. Moritz covers 291 bridges and 91 tunnels across 7.5 hours of continuous mountain panorama. The route climbs over the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 meters, descends through the Rhine Gorge, and delivers views of the Matterhorn, Aletsch Glacier, and the Landwasser Viaduct — an icon of Swiss rail engineering. First-class seats include a multi-course lunch served at your seat.
The Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano, Italy traverses the highest railway crossing in the Alps without the use of rack-and-pinion technology. The UNESCO-listed Rhaetian Railway route passes frozen lakes, spiral tunnels, and the Morteratsch Glacier before descending into the palm trees of the Italian Valposchiavo. The climate shift from Alpine snow to Mediterranean warmth in four hours is almost disorienting.
The Swiss Travel Pass makes the financial equation more palatable. For around 230 francs for a three-day pass, you get unlimited travel on most trains, buses, and boats, plus free admission to over 500 museums. Scenic trains require a reservation supplement, but the base travel is covered. The pass also provides a 50 percent discount on most mountain railways and cable cars.
The GoldenPass Line from Lucerne to Montreux connects the German-speaking heartland with the French-speaking Lake Geneva riviera. The route passes through Interlaken and the Simmental Valley, offering views of the Jungfrau massif and Lake Thun. The new GoldenPass Express, launched in 2022, finally runs the full route without requiring a train change in Zweisimmen.
Beyond the famous panoramic routes, the Swiss Federal Railways network itself is a marvel. Trains run with a punctuality that borders on obsessive — delays are measured in seconds, not minutes. Stations in even tiny mountain villages are clean, well-connected, and often serve as the starting point for cable cars and hiking trails that extend the journey into the landscape itself.
