Zermatt region of Switzerland

Glacier Express

The Glacier Express is one of several famous train routes in Switzerland and Europe, this route crosses southern Switzerland. There are actually several trains per day in each direction that travel this route, all under the name Glaicer Express. They don't all even follow exactly the same route (on the east end, they all go to Chur, then continue to either Davos or St. Moritz. The western end for all trains is Zermatt, at the base of the Matterhorn (see below). The ride lasts most of the day (1-direction). Some of these trains have first and second class cars, some are first-class only. Shown here is the interior of one of the newer first-class panoramic cars. They're comfortable, but unlike the older cars the windows don't open, which I found somewhat problematic for taking pictures... many of my pictures show mainly window reflections of the interior of the train, not the view outside that I wanted to get. I rode this route twice, once in first class, the other time in second. Second class was fine - more crowded, but each has its advantages. I had a couple of interesting conversations with some Swiss in second class, one who had never ridden the route before, and with a young Swiss Army soldier, in first class there were only other tourists (some of who didn't even seem very interested in the ride - they preferred to play cards and make noise). This train requires reservations and tends to be booked up. It can be easier to get space in first class.

[Glacier Express] Here we see another train waiting for us to pass (much of the route is single track). The route covers track owned by 3 different railroads. Along the route the train stops to change engines and crews as it enters each new territory, but the passengers remain in the same seats. The train not only changes engines, but grows and shrinks with other trains joined on and removed. This is one place where train splitting takes place - you have to insure not only that you are on the right train, but in the right car, otherwise you may find your part of the train going the wrong way after one of these train split stops!

[Glacier Express] Contrary to its name, you don't see many glaciers from the Glacier Express. For the most part the closest you get to glaciers is snow capped mountains. There are glaciers up in the mountains you pass, but for the most part you don't get very good views. For better glacier views from a train, take the Bernina Express to see the Morteratsch Glacier and Alp Grüm, or the Jungfrau mountain railroad to the Aletsch Glacier (which is just behind a mountain range you pass on the Glacier Express, but out of view from the Glacier express valley route), or the Gornergrat mountain railroad that meets the Glacier express in Zermatt. There are however interesting sights from the Glacier Express - lots of nice valleys, streams, many stone railroad bridges, mountains and towns, a recent landslide and this eroded valley on the eastern part of the route.

Zermatt and the Matterhorn

One of the nicest parts of the Glacier Express is that it ends at interesting places to stay, especially the western terminus at Zermatt, a charming traffic-free town at the base of the Matterhorn. This is one of the more well-known regions of southwestern Switzerland. Everyone who comes here must come by train because there is no road (if you're traveling by car, you have to leave your car in a large lot at the next town and take the train in). The lack of cars makes for a more pleasant atmosphere. Switzerland has quite a few "traffic free" towns, this is the largest (this one does have some small electric vehicles such as buses and taxis, and farm equipment).

[Glacier] I've been here twice. The first time was cloudy and rainy, and I never saw the Matterhorn. I did ride up the Gornergrat railroad, but all I saw was snow at that level. I came back 3 years later, this time with excellent clear weather. Since Switzerland does get a lot of rain, your luck may go either way. Zermatt is a nice town in any case, and always worth visting, but your visit isn't complete if the mountains are clouded over. On my next trip I rode up the ski lift to Kleine Matterhorn instead, which goes considerably higher than the Gornergrat railroad. The picture on the right is taken from Kleine Matterhorn looking toward the Gornergrat station. The Gornergrat station is on the ridge in the center of the photo, just beyond the glacier in the valley (this is one of those glaciers you don't see from the Glacier Express, but it's there, just out of view from the valley). When I was at Gornergrat, it was so cloudy I couldn't even see the glacier in the valley below, much less the Matterhorn in the distance (not visible in this photo). From the Gornergrat you get the classic profile of the Matterhorn. From Kleine Matterhorn the view of the Matterhorn is from a different angle and the mountain doesn't have the same familiar profile. The Matterhorn, by the way, is famous mainly because of its distinctive profile. It's not the highest mountain in the area.
[Summer Skiing] [Zermatt] Kleine Matterhorn is one of the places in the Alps with year-round skiing (on glaciers). I didn't try this. This picture is taken in October before the first new snowfall of the season (this is at the end of a long dry spell with practically no precipitation since the beginning of September). It was warm, and looked like spring (slushy) skiing conditions in old snow. Here you see some skiers and some grooming equipment.

On the right is a picture from my first clouded visit toZermatt.

Created June 9, 1996
Updated June 27, 1998
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