What is the most scenic train ride from Zurich to Zermatt?

Glacier Express Zurich – Zermatt train Known locally as the Gletscherexpress, this is one of the most scenic trips you can take anywhere. If you want to explore this breathtaking option, you would need to make your way from Zurich HB or airport to Chur, which takes around an hour and 15 minutes.



While the fastest route from Zurich to Zermatt takes about 3 hours and goes through the deep Lötschberg Base Tunnel, the most scenic route is the "Mountain Route" via the Lötschberg Mountain Railway, which takes about 6 to 7 hours. Instead of going under the mountains, this train takes you over the historic mountain pass through Kandersteg, offering spectacular views of the Swiss Alps and the Rhone Valley from high bridges. Another incredibly scenic (but longer) option in 2026 is to take a train from Zurich to Chur, then board the world-famous Glacier Express for the final leg to Zermatt. This "Slowest Express Train in the World" features panoramic glass ceilings, allowing you to see the towering peaks and deep gorges of the Oberalp Pass in full detail. If you have the time, the Glacier Express connection is the ultimate 2026 Swiss rail experience, though it requires a separate seat reservation and a significantly larger time commitment.

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Separated by 162km of incredible views, the train from Zermatt to Zurich is the best way to get from one side of the country to the other. Not just because of the scenery, but because SBB trains are comfortable, quick and take you right into the heart of Zermatt without having to find somewhere to park.

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If you are travelling to Zermatt by train: fly to Zurich or Geneva and take the train to Visp, where you change to the mountain train direct to Zermatt. The whole journey is very scenic, going alongside lakes, vineyards and mountains with typically Swiss efficiency.

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The Glacier Express - known as the 'Slowest Express Train in the World' (and arguably the most scenic) - connects the mountain resort towns of Matterhorn adjacent to Zermatt and St Moritz in the Swiss Alps.

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The Glacier Express - known as the 'Slowest Express Train in the World' (and arguably the most scenic) - connects the mountain resort towns of Matterhorn adjacent to Zermatt and St Moritz in the Swiss Alps.

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You can enjoy the Bernina Express as a day trip - this is the highest railway across the Alps, yet the train negotiates 55 tunnels, 196 bridges and steep inclines with ease. The carriages have panoramic windows so that you can enjoy unrestricted views of the stunning landscape through which you are travelling.

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Now 120 years old the Gornergrat Railway operates from just opposite the main Zermatt railway station all the way to the peak it shares its name with. At the top you can enjoy incredible views of the Matterhorn and the Gorner Glacier.

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The Matterhorn Glacier Paradise can be reached from Zermatt in a journey time of around 40 minutes, including changes. Here you can find the return ticket to the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. At an airy 3'883 metres of altitude you will find Europe's highest mountain station.

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You can't miss this view of the Matterhorn. How to get there: Follow Oberdorfstrasse on foot to the southern end of the village to reach the hiking trail in the direction of Furi. Our tip: Follow the path towards Furi for about ten minutes, then turn right at the first bench and follow the path uphill.

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No, there are no direct train services from Zurich Hb to Zermatt. Travelling from Zurich Hb to Zermatt by train will require a minimum of 1 change.

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The full Glacier Express journey between Zermatt and St. Moritz is just under 8 hours. The journey between Brig and Chur is around 4 hours. The Glacier Express carves its way through the unforgettable mountain scenery of the Swiss Alps.

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The Gornergrat Bahn was the world's first fully electrified cog railway. Today it is a modern, eco-friendly railway, equipped with a regenerative braking system that generates electricity on the descent and so saves energy. Thus the energy for one to two new mountain drives is won by three downhill drives.

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Rail passes are almost always a smart buy for Switzerland, with its fairly high pay-as-you-go ticket costs and excellent transportation system. The Swiss Travel Pass is a particularly good deal, as it covers nearly all transport in Switzerland — not only trains, but buses, boats, and many high-mountain lifts.

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