Glacier Express 2026: Tickets, Seat Reservation, Prices and Excellence Class

A Glacier Express trip from Zermatt to St. Moritz costs CHF 220 in second class in 2026: CHF 166 for the ticket plus a mandatory seat reservation of CHF 54 (about US$266). With a Swiss Travel Pass you pay only the CHF 54 reservation, with a Half Fare Card CHF 137, and Excellence Class costs a CHF 590 reservation on top of a first-class ticket. The reservation opens 93 days before travel, is binding once booked online, and is what sells out, not the ticket. The train takes about eight hours for 291 kilometres over the Oberalp Pass and the Landwasser Viaduct, and it does not run from October 11 to December 4, 2026. We have not ridden the Glacier Express ourselves; this guide is built on the operator’s 2026 fares and timetable and on Swiss Activities’ prices, with the honest maths behind each option. It is part of our overview of Swiss scenic trains.

Glacier Express prices 2026

For the whole route from Zermatt to St. Moritz you pay CHF 166 for a second-class ticket or CHF 284 for first class, plus a seat reservation of CHF 54 per person. That makes CHF 220 in second class and CHF 338 in first class without any travel card.

The ticket prices are the operator’s full fares for 2026; the Half Fare prices are half of them, which is how the discount works on this line. The reservation is never discounted: children, Half Fare and pass holders all pay the full CHF 54. Children under 6 travel free, children from 6 to 16 pay half the ticket price, and with a Swiss Family Card children up to 15 ride free with a parent, but they still need the reservation.

Swiss Activities sells the same three building blocks: the reservation from CHF 54, the ticket without reservation from CHF 159 and the Excellence Class reservation from CHF 590. The CHF 159 “from” price is lower than the operator’s CHF 166 for the whole route; in the booking form you see the exact price for your date and section. Reservations bought there are binding, as they are on the official website.

With Swiss Travel Pass, Half Fare Card or Saver Day Pass

With a Swiss Travel Pass the Glacier Express costs you only the CHF 54 reservation, because the ticket is covered. With a Half Fare Card you pay CHF 137 in second class, and with a Saver Day Pass you pay its price plus CHF 54. Without any card the full CHF 220 is the most expensive way to ride.

The operator accepts the Swiss Travel Pass and Flex, Half Fare Card, GA, Saver Day Pass, Swiss Family Card, Eurail and Interrail. For first class and Excellence Class you need a first-class ticket or pass; a second-class pass is not enough, and upgrades cannot be booked in the online shop.

• Swiss Travel Pass: the Glacier Express is one of the longest rides you can make with the pass. Zermatt to St. Moritz alone is worth CHF 166 at full fare, which covers a good part of a 3-day pass at CHF 254. If the Glacier Express is a transfer day on a tour across Switzerland, it helps the pass pay off. Our guide is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it has the full calculation for longer trips.
• Half Fare Card: CHF 150 for a month. It saves CHF 83 on this ride alone; one more long train day and the card has paid for itself.
• Saver Day Pass: valid on the Glacier Express, from CHF 52 when booked early, but date-bound and non-refundable. Combined with the CHF 54 reservation that can be the cheapest option without a pass: from CHF 106 in total.

The honest answer for most visitors: if you already have a Swiss Travel Pass, the Glacier Express is a bargain at CHF 54. If you do not, buy a Half Fare Card or an early Saver Day Pass rather than paying CHF 220.

How the seat reservation works

Every passenger needs a seat reservation, which costs CHF 54 in first and second class and CHF 590 in Excellence Class. Reservations for first and second class open 93 days before travel, tickets 180 days before, and Excellence Class can be booked for the whole timetable period.

The reservation is the bottleneck. In summer the popular trains fill up soon after the 93-day window opens, so set yourself a reminder. You can book the reservation alone if you have a pass or plan to buy the ticket later; in the official shop you choose “This passenger only needs a seat reservation”, and Swiss Activities sells it as a separate product. You need both, ticket and reservation, when you board.

Online reservations cannot be changed or cancelled according to the operator’s terms. That is the biggest risk of the Glacier Express: you book three months ahead without knowing the weather, and a cloudy day hides the peaks. There is no way around it, so plan the Glacier Express as a transfer between two places you want to visit anyway, not as a day trip that only makes sense in sunshine.

Seats in first and second class face each other, four at a table. Because the train changes direction several times, the operator cannot guarantee a seat facing forward. Windows are panoramic on both sides.

PDF · 18 pages

Free PDF guide

Planning the Bernese Oberland? Don't go without this.

Our free guide, made from our own week there: the 11 places really worth your time, a ready-made 3-day route, and the pass trick that cuts the Schilthorn from CHF 115 to CHF 45.70.

• The 11 best places on one hand-drawn map, all within an hour of Interlaken
• A 3-day route that puts the Schilthorn on your clearest morning
• The ticket mistake that costs many visitors over CHF 100
• When to reach the famous Iseltwald pier before the crowds
• Every link with a QR code: use it on your phone or print it

Your free Bernese Oberland Guide

Website

Your email address

Yes, send me the free guide

Yes, I would like to receive the Swiss Detours newsletter with travel tips and offers by email. I can unsubscribe at any time. Details in the privacy policy.

100% free · PDF straight to your inbox · Unsubscribe in one click

2nd class, 1st class or Excellence Class?

Second class is the best value: the same panoramic windows, the same route and the same catering, at CHF 220 or less. First class gives you more space and is worth it mainly if you already hold a first-class pass. Excellence Class is a luxury rail cruise with a guaranteed window seat, a five-course menu with wine and a concierge, for CHF 590 on top of a first-class ticket.

Excellence Class runs only on one train per direction and only on the whole route between Zermatt and St. Moritz; according to the operator only 20 passengers travel in it. If you were planning a fine dinner anyway, it is an experience in itself; if you mainly want the view, second class gives you the same window for a fraction of the price. The operator’s Excellence page lists departures from St. Moritz at 08:38 with arrival in Zermatt at 17:04.

The route and its highlights

The Glacier Express runs 291 kilometres from Zermatt below the Matterhorn through the Matter Valley to Brig, up the Goms to Andermatt, over the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 metres, through the Rhine Gorge to Chur and over the Albula Line to St. Moritz. The best scenery is between Andermatt and Disentis and between Thusis and St. Moritz.

• Matter Valley: about ten minutes after Zermatt the Bis Glacier appears on the left side in the direction of travel, according to the operator.
• Oberalp Pass: at 2,033 metres the highest point of the trip, with a small lake that freezes over in winter.
• Rhine Gorge: the train follows the young Rhine through the white limestone cliffs of the Ruinaulta.
• Landwasser Viaduct: the 65-metre-high curved viaduct just before Filisur, which leads straight into a tunnel in the rock face.
• Albula Line from Bergün to Preda: six high viaducts, spiral and helical tunnels overcome more than 400 metres of altitude. This section is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Rhaetian Railway in the Albula and Bernina landscapes.

Which side to sit on is hard to plan, because the train reverses direction on the way. Go for the window seat itself rather than a side. If you are heading to Davos, you change at Filisur; check your connection before you book.

Timetable, season and winter

The Glacier Express runs daily in summer and winter, with an annual break from mid-October to early December. In 2026 there are no trains from October 11 to December 4; the winter timetable runs from December 5, 2026, to May 7, 2027, with one or two trains per direction.

* Train 920 runs only from December 12, 2026, to January 3, 2027, and from January 30 to May 7, 2027. Train 902 carries the Excellence Class. Source: glacierexpress.ch winter timetable.

In summer there are about twice as many trains, including some that cover only part of the route. Two notes for spring 2027: Excellence Class does not run on train 902 from April 17 to May 3, 2027, and the Rhine Gorge between Chur and Disentis is closed for construction from April 17 to May 2, 2027, with replacement buses. If your dates fall in that window, choose another week.

Winter is the quieter and in many ways more dramatic season: snow on the Oberalp Pass, frozen lakes and deep blue sky on clear days. The days are shorter, so the last hour into St. Moritz can be in twilight. Reservations for December onwards can be booked from mid-October, which means right now if you are reading this in October 2026. For more winter ideas see our guide to Switzerland in winter by train.

Ride only a section

You do not have to ride all eight hours. Sections cost less, the reservation stays at CHF 54, and the most scenic parts fit in two to four hours: Andermatt to Chur over the Oberalp Pass and through the Rhine Gorge, or Chur to St. Moritz over the Albula Line.

Plus CHF 54 reservation each time. For a short section that reservation is expensive in relation to the ticket, which is why many travellers take the regular trains on short stretches and the Glacier Express only for the long middle part.

Is the Glacier Express worth it?

The Glacier Express is worth it if you want a relaxed, fully seated day of mountain scenery with lunch at your table, and if you need to get from Zermatt to St. Moritz or Chur anyway. It is not worth it as a pure sightseeing day trip, and it is the wrong choice if you like to open windows for photos or travel with a dog.

Who should book it: first-time visitors on a grand tour of Switzerland with a Swiss Travel Pass, couples who want one special day, and travellers who prefer one long comfortable ride to several changes. Who should skip it: anyone on a tight budget without a pass, photographers who hate reflections, families with restless small children, and dog owners. Eight hours is long, and a section of three or four hours is often enough.

We travel with our dog Miley, so the Glacier Express itself would not be an option for us. On our week in the Bernese Oberland in July 2026 we drove, and for Zermatt and Graubünden we would take the regular trains, which welcome dogs with a ticket. That is also the cheaper option for everyone else, as the next section shows.

The cheaper alternative on the same tracks

You can ride almost the same route on regular regional trains of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and the Rhaetian Railway, with no reservation, openable windows, dogs allowed and the freedom to stop where you like. You pay the normal ticket, but save the CHF 54 reservation and get flexibility instead of a fixed train.

The catch: you need several changes, typically in Visp or Brig, Andermatt or Disentis, and Chur, and most regional trains do not have the panoramic windows of the Glacier Express. Their regular cars, on the other hand, have windows that open, which is a real advantage for photos without glare. Plan the connections in the SBB app and allow a full day.

A second way to save is to split the trip: ride the Glacier Express only on the section you care most about, and the regular trains for the rest. If the Albula Line between Chur and St. Moritz is your priority, our Bernina Express guide shows how the regional trains with an optional CHF 5 reservation work on that railway.

Food, luggage and dogs

Meals are served at your seat in first and second class and should be pre-ordered; payment on board is cashless only. Luggage space is tight, the operator recommends at most one suitcase plus hand luggage, and dogs are not allowed on the Glacier Express apart from assistance dogs.

• Food: pre-order your meal while booking or by email or phone with the caterer up to 48 hours before departure. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free options exist. In Excellence Class the five-course menu is included.
• Luggage: no skis, golf bags, bikes or oversized luggage. For more, the operator recommends a door-to-door luggage service; the SBB luggage options are in our guide to luggage in Switzerland.
• Dogs: not permitted because of catering hygiene rules, except guide and assistance dogs with documents. With a dog, take the regional trains.
• Children: under 6 free, 6 to 16 half price, reservation full price for everyone.

Where to start: Zermatt and St. Moritz are both car-free or easy without a car. If you fly in, our guide from Zurich Airport to Interlaken covers the first leg into the mountains, and the GoldenPass Express links Interlaken with Lake Geneva if you continue west.

FAQ: Glacier Express

How much does the Glacier Express cost in 2026?

Zermatt to St. Moritz costs CHF 166 in second class or CHF 284 in first class, plus a mandatory CHF 54 seat reservation. Excellence Class costs a CHF 590 reservation on top of a first-class ticket.

Is the Glacier Express free with the Swiss Travel Pass?

The ticket is covered, the reservation is not. With the pass you pay CHF 54 per person, or CHF 590 for Excellence Class with a first-class pass.

When can I book the Glacier Express?

Tickets 180 days ahead, seat reservations for first and second class 93 days ahead, Excellence Class for the whole timetable period. Online reservations cannot be changed or cancelled.

Does the Glacier Express run in winter?

Yes, from December 5, 2026, to May 7, 2027, with one or two trains per direction. There are no trains from October 11 to December 4, 2026.

Can I take my dog on the Glacier Express?

No. Only assistance dogs are allowed. Regular regional trains on the same route take dogs with a ticket.

Is the Glacier Express worth it without a pass?

At CHF 220 only if the comfort and the meal at your seat are worth it to you. With a Half Fare Card or an early Saver Day Pass it costs much less, and regional trains on the same tracks avoid the reservation.

Check Glacier Express reservations and tickets →

Before you book, decide which card you will hold, set a reminder 93 days before your travel date and build the Glacier Express into your route as a transfer. How it compares with the Bernina, GoldenPass and Gotthard trains is in our scenic train comparison, and the full pass overview is in our guide to Swiss rail passes. For more trips, start on the Swiss Detours home page.