Bernina Express-Tirano-St. Moritz-Eggishorn-Zermatt-Gornergrat
«On June 26, 1930, the maiden voyage of the first through express train from St. Moritz to Zermatt, the promising Glacier Express, could be celebrated. The hopes placed in this new train were fulfilled. Today, the historic train tour, the Glacier Express, is also a bull’s eye for Switzerland’s advertising as a whole…» This quote from the annual report of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB) from 1930 underlines the visions and the type of product communication of the marketing specialists of the time. We invite you to join us on this historic train tour.
The highlight on the Landwasser viaduct
We will extend the direct connection from St. Moritz to Zermatt with two more attractive rail routes and make up for the postponed anniversary journey 90 years of the Glacier Express. You will begin the journey with a trip over the famous Bernina line. This stretch runs from Tirano, the lowest point of the Rhaetian rail network, over the highest railway transversal in the Alps to St. Moritz.
We will travel from St. Moritz to Zermatt on the “Orient-Express of the Alps” on the route of the Glacier-Express. The final journey is an extra ride on the Gornergrat Bahn, the highest open-air rack railway in Europe, from Zermatt to the 3,089 metre high Gornergrat. The comfortable Pullman car offers the most beautiful view of the majestic Matterhorn and a mountain panorama that could not be more overwhelming.
From Tirano to St. Moritz, two original Pullman cars from 1931 of the Cie. Int. des Wagons-Lits et Grands Express Europeens and the Bernina Crocodile as a special train. From St. Moritz to Zermatt with the stylish composition of the Glacier Pullman Express – private de luxe train, pulled by the world-famous Crocodile of the Rhaetian Railway network. The special train consists of two original Pullman cars, the piano bar and the baggage car. For lunch on board, two Gourmino dining cars from 1929 and 1930 also travel in the composition. The extra trip from Zermatt to the Gornergrat is with a railcar of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn and a Pullman car.
Travel dates St. Moritz-Zermatt
13 to 18 July 2021
From any Swiss train station, bus stop or airport, you can travel comfortably to Chur or St. Moritz.
If you wish, you can also arrive earlier and spend several nights in Chur or St. Moritz, hotel prices on request.
Overnight in Chur or St. Moritz
In the morning, travel by scheduled Bernina Express in 1st class from Chur or St. Moritz to Tirano. It is incredibly impressive how the railway line runs through valleys and tunnels, over deep gorges and bridges. You will cross the Alps on the highest railway line in Europe and, what’s more, on a line that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Outside Tirano you will visit the La Gatta winery and learn a lot of interesting facts during the tour. You can taste the delicious wines of Triacca during a typical Veltin lunch. Then, at around 16.00 h we start our train journey from Tirano, the lowest point of the journey (429 m), to St. Moritz. Take a seat in a luxurious compartment from the 1930s and enjoy the fascinating ride with constantly changing views.
Overnight in St. Moritz
Today, we will start our journey to Zermatt, our final destination the next day. But we will do it by the luxorious Glacier Pullman Express, a private historic train tour.
You will certainly enjoy the ride in the lovingly restored Pullman cars in 1930s style and be impressed by the view. Today we travel the Albula line from St. Moritz to Thusis. The Albula and Bernina lines of the RhB have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Church of St. Martin in Zillis (only on trip St. Moritz-Zermatt)
Bus transfer to Zillis. The church of St. Martin was first mentioned in a document as ecclesia plebeia in 831. The painted ceiling was created between 1109 and 1114. This work of art is the only one of its kind in the world that has been preserved almost completely and without being painted over.
Chur, the capital of the canton of Graubunden (only on trip Zermatt-St. Moritz)
Switzerland’s oldest city enchants with its winding alleys and historic buildings in the midst of an impressive mountain world. Celts, Romans, Ostrogoths, Franks, they all once dominated Chur as the gateway to important trade routes. What remains is over 5,000 years of history and impressive buildings from the more recent past.
Guided city tour.
Between Thusis and Disentis, the Pullman Express brigade serves a fine lunch in the Gourmino dining cars.
Ruinaualta – the spectacular Rhine gorge
The spectacular Rhine gorge was formed by the force of nature over centuries after a gigantic rock fall. What remains is known as the Swiss Grand Canyon. Instead of looking from the rim, we actually cross it along the still young Rhine. We interrupt our journey after lunch and leave the train to marvel at the natural wonders.
Disentis Monastery
This Benedictine monastery was founded in 720. One of the brothers will show us some parts of the monastery and tell us about the daily life of a Benedictine monk.
In Disentis, a locomotive of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn is hauled in front of our special train to get us over the 2,033 m high Oberalp pass to Andermatt.
Andermatt lies on the famous St. Gotthard Pass road. The road over the St. Gotthard was built between 1818 and 1830 and became the most important thoroughfare between Germany, northern Switzerland and Italy. The Furka and Oberalp pass roads also start here, making Andermatt an important trading centre. Today Andermatt is a ski and leisure resort with many possibilities.
Overnight in Andermatt
You will continue with the Glacier Pullman Express to Realp after breakfast.
First you will enjoy a pure steam train romance on the Furka mountain route
The Furka mountain route was used by trains of the Glacier Express until October 1981. After the commissioning of the Furka base tunnel, the route was closed and handed over to the Furka-Bergstrecke steam railway (DFB). Many volunteers spent thousands of hours of hard work, to restore the track, steam locomotives and wagons.
Furka steam train near Oberwald
We will begin the romantic adventure journey in Realp. The over 100-year-old steam locomotive climbs along the rushing waters of the Furkareuss to the highest station Furka (2,163 m). In Oberwald the steam adventure ends and we will continue the journey in the Glacier Pullman Express to Fiesch.
View from the Eggishorn to the largest glacier in the Alps
We take the cable car up to a unique vantage point in the Aletsch region, the Eggishorn (2,866m). From there, you can see the mighty Aletsch glacier (22 km long), the heart of the Aletsch UNESCO World Heritage site.
The mighty Aletsch Glacier measures about 22 km
You will enjoy the typical Swiss cheese specialities, fondue and raclette on the Fiescheralp.
We will arrive in Zermatt around 19.30 h. You have now mastered this great historic train tour!
Overnight in Zermatt
Departure for the special trip by railcar and a Pullman car to the Gornergrat, the highest point of our journey. The electrically operated rack railway is the second highest mountain railway in Europe and was opened on August 20, 1898. The route of the Gornergratbahn starts at 1604 m and leads up to the Gornergrat at 3,089 m with a maximum gradient of 20% over a length of about 9 km.
Afternoon at leisure in the alpine village.
Overnight in Zermatt
The Gornergrat cog railway and the mighty Matterhorn
Individual departure. Your ticket is valid to any Swiss railway station, bus stop or Swiss airport (Zurich/Basle/Geneva).
You are free to extend your stay in Zermatt, hotel prices on request.
Transfer from any Swiss airport or border station to Chur/St. Moritz and back from Zermatt.
Visit the authentic village of Kandersteg on the edge of the UNESCO World Heritage Jungfrau-Aletsch and continue to Zermatt on the foot of the Matterhorn
Visit the major Swiss cities Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken and Montreux and also the Jungfraujoch – Top of Europe.
The historic Belle-Epoque train on the original Glacier Express route between St. Moritz and Zermatt.
From Lucerne via the St. Gotthard to the Swiss-Italian lakes and on over the highest railway crossing to St. Moritz.
+41 (0) 33 828 32 32
Jungfrau Tours AG
Mon–Fri 09–17 h
