Cover The Glacier Express is one of many ways to take the scenic route in Switzerland
The Glacier Express is one of many ways to take the scenic route in Switzerland
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Switzerland serves up some of the most spectacular views in Europe—and these are four scenic routes worth planning your trip around
The call for slow travel has been getting louder this year—and rightly so. Gone are the days of three flights in two weeks or itineraries packed from dawn to dusk; this is the year to take your time. If Italy is for the culture lovers, France for the food obsessives and Spain for the beachgoers, Switzerland is where Europe puts on its most scenic show.
With just one ticket—the Swiss Travel Pass—you can criss-cross the country by train, bus or boat, taking in lakes, mountains and chocolate-box towns along the way. It also gets you into over 500 museums and offers discounts on mountain excursions, so you can slip between culture and countryside with ease.
From the panoramic trains that make up part of the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland to breezy lake cruises, here are four unforgettable routes to plan your trip around.
The Glacier Express
It may be the slowest express train in the world, but a journey on the Glacier Express is one that makes you want to stop everything. You’ve likely seen it mentioned—luxury train travel is having a moment this year, and the Glacier Express, which runs between Zermatt and St Moritz, is right at the centre of it.
The eight-hour route has been running for nearly a century and still captures the imagination of travellers from all over the world. Whatever class you’re in, it’s a memorable way to experience the Swiss landscape—and with the Swiss Travel Pass, it’s an easy one to tick off. Just be sure to book your seat in advance—especially in summer, when greenery blankets the mountains, or in winter, when snow covers the peaks.
As you’d expect, every seat on the Glacier Express offers a front-row view—but if you’re going to do it once, make it count. Excellence Class is the way to go: you get a guaranteed window seat, access to the Glacier Bar and a five-course seasonal menu that keeps your palate just as busy as your eyes.
The Glacier Express takes travellers through Switzerland's stunning, snowy landscapes
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The GoldenPass Express
If the Glacier Express is Switzerland’s best-known scenic train, Travel Switzerland actually offers five premium panoramic routes—among them is the GoldenPass Express, which is not to be missed. Often described as one of the most luxurious yet high-tech trains in the world, it runs from Montreux, a charming town nestled between the hills and Lake Geneva, to Interlaken, in the Bernese Oberland—an outdoor lover’s paradise. The train ride takes approximately three hours and 15 minutes.
The GoldenPass Express is included in the Swiss Travel Pass, but if you’re planning to take in the rolling green mountains, quaint wooden chalets and shimmering lakes, make it truly special by booking Prestige Class. Its heated leather seats keep you cosy on colder days, and they even rotate 180 degrees so you can enjoy the views from every angle. The real treat, though, is the food: generous apéro platters of local cheese and charcuterie that are reason enough to relax and savour every moment of the journey.
Panoramic views on board The GoldenPass Express
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The Legends of Lake Lucerne
The Swiss Travel Pass not only grants access to Switzerland’s most iconic train journeys but also offers discounted entry to a wide range of museums and mountain excursions, making it an indispensable tool for exploring the country. To take advantage of its benefits, board the historic steamship Gallia for the Legends of Lake Lucerne, a premium cruise capped at just 65 guests to ensure an intimate atmosphere.
Over the course of a five-hour voyage across the lake’s crystal-clear waters, passengers are treated to uninterrupted panoramic views of the Swiss Alps, accompanied by local storytellers who weave the rich history and myths of the region into the experience. For those who value gastronomy, the journey is elevated further by a carefully curated five-course menu, showcasing the best of regional specialities in refined style.
The Legends of Lake Lucerne
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The Bernina Express
While summer brings clear skies and green peaks, winter casts the Swiss landscape in a quieter kind of magic. The Bernina Express—a Unesco World Heritage route running from northern Italy into the Swiss Alps—is at its most dramatic when the snow sets in. Over four hours, the train crosses 196 bridges and passes through 55 tunnels, reaching over 7,000 feet at the Bernina Pass, the highest railway crossing in the Alps and a historic link between the Engadin Valley and the south. It’s a slow, cinematic sweep through alpine terrain at its most stripped back.
You could do the journey in one go, but in the spirit of slow travel, it’s worth breaking it up—with lunch at the line’s highest stop and a short pause in St Moritz, one of Switzerland’s most storied winter resorts.
Above The Bernina Express is a Unesco World Heritage route running from northern Italy into the Swiss Alps
The Bernina Express is a Unesco World Heritage route running from northern Italy into the Swiss Alps
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Alix Lefebvre was the Assistant Manager of VIP Relations & Styling Coordinator at Tatler Hong Kong. Hailing from France, she has a wealth of experience in fashion from across Europe and Asia. When she’s not busy mingling at events, you’ll find her soaking up the energetic atmosphere of Hong Kong or planning her next trip.
