Sections of the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland
Intro
On the following sections, the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland merges the most scenic train rides into one breathtaking route. Year-round, this train journey of 1,280 kilometres leads from the most charming Swiss cities to Alpine hotspots, through UNESCO World Heritage Sites and past word-famous sights and landmarks.
Alternative section:
Chur – Zürich
Panoramic route from Chur to Zürich
Alternative section: Spiez – Domodossola (IT) – Locarno
Through the beautiful Centovalli
Alternative section:
St. Moritz – Lugano (by bus)
Switch to the bus and road
Interlaken – Zweisimmen – Montreux
A panoramic ride between two worlds.
Lugano – Flüelen – Luzern
The panoramic journey by train and boat.
Luzern – St. Gallen
Over gentle hills with a view of the Alps.
Montreux – Visp – Zermatt
Up the valley to the “mountain of mountains”.
St. Gallen – Schaffhausen – Zürich
The “maritime” side of Switzerland.
St. Moritz – Tirano – Lugano
From glaciers to palm trees.
Zermatt – St. Moritz
The slowest express train in the world.
Zürich – Luzern – Interlaken
From lake to lake, from city to city.
Alternative sections
Sometimes, there is not enough time to see it all – the following three shortcuts help you to shorten the trip if needed.
Chur – Zürich (1¼ h)
Taking the direct connection from Chur back to Zurich rewards travellers with magnificent views of the Bündner Herrschaft (dominion of the Grisons), the Churfirsten, and Lake Walensee as well as Lake Zurich.
Spiez – Domodossola (IT) – Locarno (4¾ h)
An alternative leg that is worth taking: the RegioExpress Lötschberger and the Vigezzina-Centovalli Railway take travellers to fabulous views. While the Kander Viaduct and the view of the Rhone Valley amaze passengers on the Lötschberg mountain route, the Centovalli (“100 valleys”) offers stunning vistas of deep ravines and rugged mountain ranges.
St. Moritz – Lugano (4 h)
The Palm Express is an alternative connection from the Engadin to the Ticino. In contrast to the Bernina Express Bus, this connection operates year-round. On the stretch from St. Moritz to Lugano, the famous yellow PostBus tackles the Maloja Pass and then winds its way down through the Bregaglia Valley to Italy. It’s a journey that includes glaciers as well as palm trees.