2024: Best Luxury Panorama Express Trains in Switzerland

The best luxury panorama trains in Switzerland are the Glacier, Bernina, Golden Pass, and Gothard Express trains with large panoramic windows allowing for superb views of the Swiss Alps.

It is hard to take a Swiss train journey without passing through beautiful mountain scenery but a few of Switzerland’s luxury trains are really special with panoramic windows making the often slow journey as pleasurable as reaching the final destination. The best scenic trains with large windows are the Glacier Express, Bernina Express, Gotthard Panorama Express, and Goldenpass Line, which are often combined as the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland. Luxury train travel in Switzerland is expensive due to obligatory seat reservations on the best trains but many special savings deals are available. Regular trains also travel on the same routes. Railway passes are generally fantastic value when traveling by train in Switzerland — consider the Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail Pass, and Interrail railway passes before booking a Swiss train ticket.

Switzerland Top Panorama Train Routes

In recent years, the best Swiss panorama train routes have often been combined in advertisements and holiday packages as the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland. Although these luxury train rides are well coordinated and easy to combine, it may be more fun to take only one or two long panoramic train rides rather than cramming four journeys in during a week-long holiday.

Switzerland’s top panorama train routes and journey times:

NOTE: Traveling time for the full route. Regular trains may be slower (more stops or transfers required) or faster (using less scenic railways).

Map of the Top Panorama Trains in Switzerland

When combining the best panorama trains in Switzerland, travelers cut a roughly figure 8-shaped journey through the Swiss Alps. For example, travel from Montreux via Interlaken to Luzern, then down south to Lugano, by bus to Tirano, up to Chur via St Moritz, and cross back to the west via Andermatt and Visp (Zermatt) to return to Montreux on Lake Geneva. It is easy to start the journey at any point on the route.

A further loop is often added to include Zürich, Schaffhausen and the Rhine Waterfalls, Stein and Rhein, Lake Constance, and St Gallen. However, these mostly regular trains travel through the pre-Alps but travelers often see beautiful Alpine peaks on the far horizon.

It is easy to link to these luxury trains on regular Swiss trains (or boats) from many parts of Switzerland. From Genève, it is a short local train ride along the shores of Lac Léman to join the GoldenPass Express train in Montreux (or cross Lake Geneva on a slow CGN pleasure boat) or the Glacier Express at Visp (rather than at beautiful Zermatt). Interlaken is near Bern while Lucerne is easily reached by train from Basel or Zurich. Zurich and St Gallen to Chur is also possible on frequent trains. Lugano and Tirano are connected on the Bernina Express bus via Italy — a more direct and beautiful journey compared to the regular trains.

Ticket Prices for Panorama and Luxury Trains in Switzerland

Train tickets for Swiss trains are not particularly cheap but there are many savings deals and offers available for railway travelers. It is rarely necessary to pay full price, especially when making extensive use of trains in Switzerland.

The full fare for various train journeys in second class (first class) and the usually obligatory reservation fee for panorama trains in Switzerland are:

Reservation Fees for Swiss Trains

The same tickets (and prices) are used when traveling on regular or panorama trains in Switzerland. The catch on the luxury trains is the obligatory reservation fees. Reservation fees are never discounted, while many savings options are available for regular train tickets. For example, half-fare cards cut the ticket of the railway fare in half but NOT the reservation fee, which remains unaltered and often nonrefundable.

The reservation fee is per train ride — this encourages travelers to use the express trains for longer journeys rather than just for hopping between mountain resorts. If a journey is interrupted, the full reservation fee is again payable for the next train.

Buying a train ticket and making a seat reservation are two separate transactions. Both may often be done at the same time, but it is also possible to make a seat reservation before actually buying a ticket. Similarly, a train ticket without a reservation may usually be used without restriction on the regional trains on the same routes.

The Glacier Express and Bernina Express trains are frequently booked out despite the costs. For these panorama trains, it is best to book seats as soon as travel dates are known. Except for the high season, it is generally easy to get seats on the GoldenPass and Interlaken-Luzern express trains without reservations.

Buying the Cheapest Tickets for Swiss Panorama and Luxury Trains

Many Swiss residents own a half-fare card, which cut the price of public transportation tickets in half. An international half-fare card is also available and can pay for itself very quickly when using Swiss trains, buses, boats, and cable cars. Families save with the Junior Card (basically free travel for children under 16 when with parents). The Junior Card (CHF30 per year) is available to anyone but may also be added for free as a family card to many international passes.

However, the best deal is often a railway pass, which quickly pays for itself when using Swiss trains:

• The Swiss Travel Pass is a good deal when traveling only in Switzerland (and includes some non-train related benefits).
• The Interrail (for European Residents) and the Eurail Pass (for non-European residents) are valid for travel in neighboring countries too.

As far as coverage of Swiss trains is concerned, all these passes have the same free travel (or discounted fares) on Swiss Railways, Rathische Bahnen, and many private railways, buses, boats, and cable cars. Passes usually do not cover the obligatory reservation fee — make the reservations on the respective railway lines’ websites by picking “reservation only” or “already having a ticket” options.

Is the reservation fee surcharge on a panoramic train worth it if a local train operates on the exact same routes? A luxury train journey in Switzerland certainly is very nice, especially on a Glacier Express, Bernina Express, or Goldenpass Express train, which uses huge panoramic windows. Few would regret using these trains at least once, preferably on a long, full-day journey. However, if the reservation fee is too steep, all travelers get to enjoy the same scenic views even if from smaller windows.

Best Travel Class on Panorama Trains in Switzerland

Is First Class worth the surcharge over Second Class on Swiss Trains?

First class certainly is nicer but all passengers arrive at the same time and enjoy the same scenery. However, when on the world’s slowest express train and other luxury train tours in Switzerland, the journey is as much part of the experience as the scenery and the destination.

The 1st class seats are a bit wider than 2nd class seats and offer more legroom. In first class, seats are usually three per row — two on one side of the aisle and single window seats on the opposite side. In second class, seats are usually pairs of two on each side of the aisle.

​On trains such as the Glacier Express with fine dining on offer, meals in both classes are served at the seats rather than in dining cars. The prices of the meals are similar to a good Swiss restaurant — certainly not cheap but not much of a surcharge either. Taking a picnic and own drinks are acceptable on all trains including the Glacier Express — meals are almost always optional.

Some trains have other more exclusive and luxurious travel class options. Prestige class or excellence class seats are usually leather seats and depending on the train may be able to swing in any direction. The reservation surcharges on top of a first-class ticket for these superior wagons often include meals but privileged passengers certainly pay a lot more for the exclusivity. Are these worth the extra charge? Probably not for those of us who have to wonder about the cost rather than just reserve.

Links and Saving Tips on Swiss Panorama Trains

→ Save with Railway Travel Passes in Switzerland

• Swiss Travel Pass — best value when traveling only in Switzerland
• Eurail — global savings pass for international visitors to Switzerland and Europe
• Interrail — savings pass for European residents when traveling in Europe
• SBB — Swiss Railways timetables and Tickets

→ Golden Pass Line Trains — from Lake Geneva into the Swiss Alps:

• Golden Pass Panoramic Trains from Montreux to Interlaken
• Ticket Prices and Booking Tips
• Book Excursions and Day-Trip Tours from Montreux
• Book Golden Pass Train Tickets at MOB.
• Luzern-Interlaken Express Trains

→ Glacier Express Trains — Exclusive St Moritz to Zermatt:

• Travel on the Glacier Express for more details on the slowest express train in the world.
• Saving Tips for Traveling on the Glacier Express Trains — book early.

→ Bernina Express Trains — Alps to the Palm Trees:

• Travel on the Bernina Express – from the glaciers of Graubünden to the palm trees of Italy and Lugano.
• Savings Tips for Traveling on the Bernina Express Train

→ Other Special Swiss Trains

• Gotthard Express Trains
• Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe — Highest train station in the Alps. Now also partly possible by Eiger Express cable car.
• TGV Lyria trains from Paris to Geneva and Lausanne