Glacier Express · fares 2026Prices, costs & tickets

How much does a journey on the Glacier Express cost?

For the whole route from Zermatt to St. Moritz (or the other way round) the sum goes like this. All prices are in Swiss francs (CHF), not euros.

The reservation always costs CHF 54 in 1st and 2nd class – for the whole route just as for a short section. A return journey is simply double; the price list mentions no return discount.

Ticket prices for sections of the route

Rule of thumb: The shorter the section, the more the reservation weighs. Andermatt – Brig costs CHF 37 for the ticket and CHF 54 for the reservation: the seat is more expensive than the journey. Which sections are worth it for the scenery is on Glacier Express route.

Which passes are valid – and what they save

As a ticket the Glacier Express accepts, among others, the Swiss Travel Pass (including Flex and Youth), Eurail and Interrail, the GA travelcard (Generalabonnement), day passes and Saver Day Passes. If you have a pass like that, you pay only the reservation. In the webshop you select “only needs a seat reservation” for the travellers concerned.

• Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail, Interrail, GA: CHF 54 instead of CHF 213. For 1st class and Excellence Class you need the pass in 1st class.
• Halbtax and Swiss Half Fare Card (the version for visitors from abroad): the ticket at half price, so CHF 79.50 plus CHF 54 = CHF 133.50.
• Children: under 6 free, from 6 to 16 50%. With a Junior Card, children under 16 accompanied by a parent travel free. The reservation remains compulsory; the price list gives no child price for it.
• Saver Day Pass: also valid. Its price depends on advance purchase and demand; it is neither refundable nor exchangeable.

A family of two adults and two children between 6 and 16 pays, without a discount card, CHF 477 for the tickets and CHF 216 for four reservations – CHF 693 together. With Junior Cards for the children it is CHF 534.

Booking tickets: the deadlines

Tickets are available up to six months (180 days) before travel, the seat reservation for 1st and 2nd class only 93 days ahead. Excellence Class can be booked for the whole timetable period. Reservations for journeys from December open in mid-October each year. From 11 October to 4 December 2026 the train does not run. Groups of ten or more do not book in the webshop but directly with the operator.

Not allowed on board are dogs and other animals, ski luggage, golf bags and bikes. The operator recommends no more than one piece of luggage in addition to hand luggage.

Excellence Class: what is included for CHF 540

Excellence Class is available only for the whole route and only on one pair of trains (from Zermatt 08:52, from St. Moritz 08:38). The car has room for twenty guests, each guaranteed a window seat. The price includes champagne and an aperitif platter, a five-course menu with accompanying wines, soft drinks and coffee, access to the bar in the car, a concierge, your own tablet and luggage transport from the platform. Together with the 1st class ticket you arrive at CHF 812 per person each way.

Food on board: 2026 menu prices

In 1st and 2nd class, food is not included in the price. It is freshly cooked in the on-board kitchen and served at your seat; you can only pay cashless. The operator recommends pre-ordering when you book or up to 48 hours before departure – without it the choice may be smaller.

Main course

36 CHF

2 courses

42 CHF

3 courses

49 CHF

4 courses

54 CHF

Barley soup

15 CHF

Nut tart (Nusstorte)

10 CHF

À la carte there is, for example, Ghackets und Hörnli (minced meat with macaroni) for CHF 27.50, a seasonal risotto for CHF 29 or the Älpler-Zvieri (an alpine afternoon snack) for CHF 24.

Honestly: With the three-course menu, the day in 2nd class costs CHF 262 per person, over CHF 500 for two – for a single journey. According to the operator, 1st class has the same panoramic windows; you pay CHF 113 more for bays of two and four with more space. If the budget is tight: 2nd class, and eat before or after the journey.

Glacier Express deals: package holiday or book yourself?

Tour operators and discounters sell the Glacier Express as a package with hotel and travel. That can be convenient because you do not have to worry about the 93-day reservation window. But always compare with what the rail journey alone costs: CHF 213. And check whether the package contains the whole route or only a section.

The Glacier Express is barely represented on GetYourGuide: in our partner data there are exactly two tours, one from Zurich and one from Basel. Ticket and reservation are best bought directly in the operator’s webshop.

“I’m only in Zurich for a day and don’t want to book anything myself.”

Glacier Express, Swiss Alps & Lucerne Tour | From Zurich

Day tour · ★ 3.8 from 39 reviews

from, per person€390

View on GetYourGuide

Honestly: €390 is almost double the whole route in 2nd class, and 3.8 stars is low for a tour in this price range. In one day from Zurich with Lucerne it can only be a section of the Glacier Express – read the description to see which. For almost everyone the ticket from the operator is the better choice.

If you are wavering between the two panoramic trains: the Bernina Express costs about half. You will find the comparison under Bernina Express vs Glacier Express, and its fares under Bernina Express prices.