We had reserved our seats on the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St Moritz prior to leaving Australia. We were able to make a change to improve our seats in this spectacular train. It has large viewing windows and glass roof panels along with good seating. It is the "slowest express train" in the world! It takes about 7 1/2 hours to make the journey but in doing so crosses 291 bridges and goes through 91 tunnels. The trip is not however one to view glaciers! They are up in the mountains and many have retreated with global warming.
We had travelled the first leg from Zermatt to Brig on our arrival but it is one of the best sections. Starting at 1605 metres below the Matterhorn that was still hiding under cloud, we descended through the Matter Valley through some narrow passes with towering rock walls going up over 4000 metres. After Visp we descended to our lowest point, 651 metres, before reaching Brig.
Soon after Brigg we crossed the Rhone River and East up the Upper Rhone valley.We also went through the tunnel to Realp that allows the train to be used all year. This leg took us to Andermatt.
The snow barriers near Andermatt
The Oberalp Pass begins soon afterAndermatt and reaches 2034 metres, the highest point on the train trip. The river Rhine rises from the snow melt and would be very interesting to travel in mid winter.
Between Ilanz and Reichenau the river carves a deep canyon in the white rock and is called the Grand Canyon of Switzerland. Spectacular scenery
The Rhine is still a small river at this point but very spectacular
After reaching Chur, the lowest point on the trip at 585 metres, the train turned around and headed to St Moritz. At times it passed through tunnels doing full 360 degree turns to gain altitude. This is also the first section of the Berlina Express another famous train trip. Along the Domleschg valley there are ruins and castles.
Traditional Chalet style houses and rich farmland.
The very spectacular Landwasser viaduct.
The best known point on the trip is the Landwasser viaduct soon before Filisur. It was just after this that it did several spiral loops up to the Albula tunnel at 1789 metres. We were now in the Engadine valley and it was not long before we reached our destination of St Moritz. Out of ski season it was surprisingly quiet.
We had travelled the first leg from Zermatt to Brig on our arrival but it is one of the best sections. Starting at 1605 metres below the Matterhorn that was still hiding under cloud, we descended through the Matter Valley through some narrow passes with towering rock walls going up over 4000 metres. After Visp we descended to our lowest point, 651 metres, before reaching Brig.
Soon after Brigg we crossed the Rhone River and East up the Upper Rhone valley.We also went through the tunnel to Realp that allows the train to be used all year. This leg took us to Andermatt.
The snow barriers near Andermatt
The Oberalp Pass begins soon afterAndermatt and reaches 2034 metres, the highest point on the train trip. The river Rhine rises from the snow melt and would be very interesting to travel in mid winter.
Between Ilanz and Reichenau the river carves a deep canyon in the white rock and is called the Grand Canyon of Switzerland. Spectacular scenery
The Rhine is still a small river at this point but very spectacular
After reaching Chur, the lowest point on the trip at 585 metres, the train turned around and headed to St Moritz. At times it passed through tunnels doing full 360 degree turns to gain altitude. This is also the first section of the Berlina Express another famous train trip. Along the Domleschg valley there are ruins and castles.
Traditional Chalet style houses and rich farmland.
The very spectacular Landwasser viaduct.
The best known point on the trip is the Landwasser viaduct soon before Filisur. It was just after this that it did several spiral loops up to the Albula tunnel at 1789 metres. We were now in the Engadine valley and it was not long before we reached our destination of St Moritz. Out of ski season it was surprisingly quiet.
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