The Rhone glacier, from which the Rhone river originates, can be admired in summer by traveling along the old Furka route (currently the Glacier Express travels through the base tunnel of the Furka). This section, called "Furka Steam Railway" ("Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke" in German or "ligne sommitale de la Furka" in French) is operated mostly with mixed adhesion steam locomotives, including one, also of SLM Winthertur construction, recently restored, coming from a similar mixed-adherence railway in Vietnam, built at the time of French colonization. In my humble opinion this route operated by steam traction is worth a million times the current Glacier Express
We were fortunate enough to travel Excellence class last summer and it was fabulous. The equivalent to a business class flight - Multi-course menu with wine flight in a really relaxed comfortable carriage in super comfortable seats which are all window seats with the the most beautiful views for literally hour after hour. Expensive undoubtedly but worth it, absolutely.
One of the greatest trips I ever did!! I treated myself for my 60th birthday. Didn’t disappoint. Zermatt what’s a cute little town with the Matterhorn just over the ridge. Two comments re the train - the most polished windows on earth and the food, yeah well. Still a great trip. Thanx Seat61!
For railway enthusiasts: one of the two tracks on the railway section between Chur and Domat Ems is dual gauge, normal and narrow. To be precise, the track normally used by trains called GLACIER EXPRESS and headed to St Moritz or Brig and Zermatt, is made up of 3 rails.
Pininfarina has also designed the new Golden Pass Express (GPX), the world's first variable gauge narrow gauge train (from 1000 mm narrow gauge to standard gauge). For the record: the grandfather was called Giuseppe (Pinin in Piedmontese dialect) Farina. By dint of being called Pinin Farina, he took on the surname Pininfarina!
Pininfarina is an Italian company active in the automotive bodywork sector, founded in Turin on 22 May 1930 as the Società Anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina by Battista Farina (known as Pinin or Giuseppino in Piedmontese, in reference to his resemblance to his father, Giuseppe). ), after his departure from the family business Stabilimenti Farina, managed with his brother Giovanni Farina.
There are a few differences since I did the Bernina Express in 2016. First, these carriages have real luggage racks. We were in the first class car, asked the conductor where the luggage storage was, and were told to just dump it down in the far vestibule area along with all the others. Second I noticed that there were some open windows to take photos through. They were not as expansive as the ones on the Tranz Alpine in NZ, but at least they exist. On my trip we just had big, panoramic windows in a well lit carriage which had all that accursed reflected light (seen in some of this video) on them. It made looking out a chore, and photographing out an exercise somewhere between frustration and infuriation. (It didn't help that it was grey and overcast on my trip, so the light levels outside were lower.) Then the bit about settling up purchases at the end; as best I recall (and I could be wrong since it WAS (scarily) 8 years ago now), on my train it was a "pay as you go" thing, at those wonderful nosebleed Swiss prices. Still, I'd go again if it meant getting an open window to shoot through this time...
Thanks for this video - I did the trip from Chur to Zermatt nearly 40 years ago, though on ordinary trains as I was being a cheapskate travelling on BR staff facilities (free on RhB, half fare I think on FO and BVZ (now MGB) (though I did get quarter fare on the BOB and Jungfraubahn, which even in 1984 saved over SFr100 from Interlaken!)). I remember a meal I had at the station buffet in Brig - the meal was ordered in French, served in German, and the bill was added up in Italian!
I was wondering the same thing lol it kept making me cringe Especially since I don't see it adding anything to the shot sticking the phone out of the window, as opposed to holding it slightly within the cabin.
Did you get your money back? There were no glaciers or snow on the Glacier express 🙂 Does this train provide transportation used by locals, or is this train purely a tourist attraction that also includes meals etc? I assume there would be regular trains for peole needing to travel?
There are regular trains on this route that travel every hour. The tourist train labeled "Glacier Express" only runs twice a day and has a special (higher) fare due to the better service (meals etc.).
Thanks. Are Glacier Express tickets purchased at same place as regular tickets? same company? tickets look the same but jyust for a different train number that has meals included? Or are they purchased from a tour operator? @@alexj9603
The Rhone glacier, from which the Rhone river originates, can be admired in summer by traveling along the old Furka route (currently the Glacier Express travels through the base tunnel of the Furka). This section, called "Furka Steam Railway" ("Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke" in German or "ligne sommitale de la Furka" in French) is operated mostly with mixed adhesion steam locomotives, including one, also of SLM Winthertur construction, recently restored, coming from a similar mixed-adherence railway in Vietnam, built at the time of French colonization. In my humble opinion this route operated by steam traction is worth a million times the current Glacier Express
To admire glaciers, from Chur or St Moritz it is best to continue towards Tirano with the BERNINA EXPRESS. During the summer, after arriving in Tirano with the Bernina Express coming from Chur, it is possible to continue towards Lugano with a red bus of the Rhaetian railway, also called BERNINA EXPRESS. Same thing in the opposite direction. It is included in the price of the Eurrail pass, Interrail pass, Swiss Travel Pass and similar. Only seat reservation, mandatory, is not included. The Tirano railway station of the Rhaetian railway, although it is in Italy, is considered Swiss territory, therefore Swiss VAT applies to tickets, souvenirs etc. sold at the counter. Luggage shipped from Switzerland to Tirano is not subject to customs declaration.
Per chi vive in pianura e' certamente raccomandabile, vede con il treno qualcosa di inconsueto se non eccezionale. Io, come la maggioranza degli svizzeri, le montagne alte o meno alte le vediamo tutti i giorni, quindi un percorso con i due treni citati non e' una grande avventura...
We've been there this summer ( August) both with Bernina and Glacier. Both wonderful ( Glacier six hours ), but for me Bernina is no.1. From Tirano ( end of Bernina) you can go by bus to Lugano and Lago di Como ( fantastic).
thank you so much for creating this amazing website! its the most helpfuk i have found ! i really appreciate it! i read everything and its well written
The Rhone glacier, from which the Rhone river originates, can be admired in summer by traveling along the old Furka route (currently the Glacier Express travels through the base tunnel of the Furka). This section, called "Furka Steam Railway" ("Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke" in German or "ligne sommitale de la Furka" in French) is operated mostly with mixed adhesion steam locomotives, including one, also of SLM Winthertur construction, recently restored, coming from a similar mixed-adherence railway in Vietnam, built at the time of French colonization. In my humble opinion this route operated by steam traction is worth a million times the current Glacier Express
We were fortunate enough to travel Excellence class last summer and it was fabulous. The equivalent to a business class flight - Multi-course menu with wine flight in a really relaxed comfortable carriage in super comfortable seats which are all window seats with the the most beautiful views for literally hour after hour.
Expensive undoubtedly but worth it, absolutely.
Great video! Truly one of the most scenic train journeys in the world 🚞
One of the greatest trips I ever did!! I treated myself for my 60th birthday. Didn’t disappoint. Zermatt what’s a cute little town with the Matterhorn just over the ridge. Two comments re the train - the most polished windows on earth and the food, yeah well. Still a great trip. Thanx Seat61!
This is one if the best routes I have traveled. Did even get of the train in Randa before continuing to Zermatt. Thanks for the video.
For railway enthusiasts: one of the two tracks on the railway section between Chur and Domat Ems is dual gauge, normal and narrow. To be precise, the track normally used by trains called GLACIER EXPRESS and headed to St Moritz or Brig and Zermatt, is made up of 3 rails.
I thought that panning shot over the viaduct was going to be perfect......and then BOOM......SELFIE STICK! 🙂 Oh well.....another superb video
“ The train is a small world moving through a larger world.” 🧡💚💙💙💜❤
Amazing, this train journey, is on my bucket list, thanks for sharing and I hope you had a wonderful journey, John, uk
Breathtaking view, thanks for sharing!
It was a pleasure to watch. I love all of your videos.
The coaches you travelled in were designed by Pininfarina, the Ferrari designer.
Pininfarina has also designed the new Golden Pass Express (GPX), the world's first variable gauge narrow gauge train (from 1000 mm narrow gauge to standard gauge). For the record: the grandfather was called Giuseppe (Pinin in Piedmontese dialect) Farina. By dint of being called Pinin Farina, he took on the surname Pininfarina!
Pininfarina is an Italian company active in the automotive bodywork sector, founded in Turin on 22 May 1930 as the Società Anonima Carrozzeria Pinin Farina by Battista Farina (known as Pinin or Giuseppino in Piedmontese, in reference to his resemblance to his father, Giuseppe). ), after his departure from the family business Stabilimenti Farina, managed with his brother Giovanni Farina.
That was a beautiful train ride.
3:13: «That's why it's the beautiest!» #Swinglish par excellence. 😂
Heaven… on rails!
There are a few differences since I did the Bernina Express in 2016. First, these carriages have real luggage racks. We were in the first class car, asked the conductor where the luggage storage was, and were told to just dump it down in the far vestibule area along with all the others. Second I noticed that there were some open windows to take photos through. They were not as expansive as the ones on the Tranz Alpine in NZ, but at least they exist. On my trip we just had big, panoramic windows in a well lit carriage which had all that accursed reflected light (seen in some of this video) on them. It made looking out a chore, and photographing out an exercise somewhere between frustration and infuriation. (It didn't help that it was grey and overcast on my trip, so the light levels outside were lower.) Then the bit about settling up purchases at the end; as best I recall (and I could be wrong since it WAS (scarily) 8 years ago now), on my train it was a "pay as you go" thing, at those wonderful nosebleed Swiss prices. Still, I'd go again if it meant getting an open window to shoot through this time...
Thank you for the beautiful images of Swiss Alps.
Thanks for this video - I did the trip from Chur to Zermatt nearly 40 years ago, though on ordinary trains as I was being a cheapskate travelling on BR staff facilities (free on RhB, half fare I think on FO and BVZ (now MGB) (though I did get quarter fare on the BOB and Jungfraubahn, which even in 1984 saved over SFr100 from Interlaken!)). I remember a meal I had at the station buffet in Brig - the meal was ordered in French, served in German, and the bill was added up in Italian!
I wonder how many people dropped their phones trying to capture the views along these tracks...
I was wondering the same thing lol it kept making me cringe
Especially since I don't see it adding anything to the shot sticking the phone out of the window, as opposed to holding it slightly within the cabin.
I did this trip many many years ago but the other way around it was enjoyable then as it was for you now
Another great video Mark. Your camera panning across these beautiful valleys is fun to watch.
Still beautiful ride. To bad seat reservations are doubled last few years. Price 2nd class in 2018 23 francs today 49 francs.
وصول القطار الى المحطة استعدادآ للوقوف عظيم جدآ 🧡🎼👌🏽
Superb video. One day I will do this.
* checks piggy bank *
* sighs desperately *
Your not alone there. 😢
Beautiful trip 🥰👍🏻
Texas Lady
Did you get your money back? There were no glaciers or snow on the Glacier express 🙂
Does this train provide transportation used by locals, or is this train purely a tourist attraction that also includes meals etc? I assume there would be regular trains for peole needing to travel?
There are regular trains on this route that travel every hour. The tourist train labeled "Glacier Express" only runs twice a day and has a special (higher) fare due to the better service (meals etc.).
Thanks. Are Glacier Express tickets purchased at same place as regular tickets? same company? tickets look the same but jyust for a different train number that has meals included? Or are they purchased from a tour operator? @@alexj9603
The Rhone glacier, from which the Rhone river originates, can be admired in summer by traveling along the old Furka route (currently the Glacier Express travels through the base tunnel of the Furka). This section, called "Furka Steam Railway" ("Dampfbahn Furka-Bergstrecke" in German or "ligne sommitale de la Furka" in French) is operated mostly with mixed adhesion steam locomotives, including one, also of SLM Winthertur construction, recently restored, coming from a similar mixed-adherence railway in Vietnam, built at the time of French colonization. In my humble opinion this route operated by steam traction is worth a million times the current Glacier Express
To admire glaciers, from Chur or St Moritz it is best to continue towards Tirano with the BERNINA EXPRESS. During the summer, after arriving in Tirano with the Bernina Express coming from Chur, it is possible to continue towards Lugano with a red bus of the Rhaetian railway, also called BERNINA EXPRESS. Same thing in the opposite direction. It is included in the price of the Eurrail pass, Interrail pass, Swiss Travel Pass and similar. Only seat reservation, mandatory, is not included. The Tirano railway station of the Rhaetian railway, although it is in Italy, is considered Swiss territory, therefore Swiss VAT applies to tickets, souvenirs etc. sold at the counter. Luggage shipped from Switzerland to Tirano is not subject to customs declaration.
Would you recommend the Bernina Express or the Glacier Express?
Both. Twice - once in summer, once in winter. Bernina has the edge, and also makes Zurich-Italy possible.
Per chi vive in pianura e' certamente raccomandabile, vede con il treno qualcosa di inconsueto se non eccezionale. Io, come la maggioranza degli svizzeri, le montagne alte o meno alte le vediamo tutti i giorni, quindi un percorso con i due treni citati non e' una grande avventura...
We've been there this summer ( August) both with Bernina and Glacier.
Both wonderful ( Glacier six hours ), but for me Bernina is no.1.
From Tirano ( end of Bernina) you can go by bus to Lugano and Lago di Como ( fantastic).
Why did that man have to SHOUT!
Great trip
One day I will defos do this! ❤
👍🤞
Amazing scenery, how much this trip cost?
first class is 272 and excellence is additional 470 (food and drinks included)
so total 742 CHF per person
Details of prices at www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/glacier-express.htm#fares
@@krcn00bNot if you use a Saver Day Pass - cheaper than normal tickets see www.seat61.com/trains-and-routes/glacier-express.htm#fares
Which compartmemt has the open window? I booked a ride this week on first class.
It’s okay
thank you so much for creating this amazing website! its the most helpfuk i have found ! i really appreciate it! i read everything and its well written
🚂🇨🇭❤️