Everything you need to know before your trip

Please note, however, that there are certain minimum distances and not all combinations are possible. In addition, short trips (St. Moritz - Chur / Chur - Andermatt / Andermatt - Brig / Brig - Zermatt) are only possible during the summer timetable on trains 900, 901, 906 and 907. You will find the train numbers on the timetable.

Yes, you need a seat reservation on the Glacier Express. There are two steps to booking your trip on the Glacier Express: to guarantee you a seat on the train, you need a compulsory seat reservation and you also need a valid ticket for the selected route and travel class (1st or 2nd class).

Take a look at the overview of valid travel cards under Travel planning / prices to find out which travel cards entitle you to a discount on the ticket price. Due to high demand, we recommend you reserve your seats early. Bookings for 1st and 2nd class can be made up to 93 days before the date of travel; for Excellence Class for the entire timetable period.

The following travel cards are accepted for a trip on the Glacier Express: Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail Pass, Interrail Pass, Half Fare Travelcard, Half Fare Travelcard for Youth, GA travel card, day pass for the Half Fare Travelcard, Municipal Saver Day Pass, Day Pass Children, Junior Travelcard, Children’s Co-Travelcard, Swiss Family Card, Swiss Transfer Ticket, Swiss Half Fare Card Swiss Travel Pass Flex Combi, Swiss Travel Pass Youth and Youth Flex.

Children under the age of 6 travel free of charge. Children between the ages of 6 and 16 years of age are entitled to a discount of 50%. With a Junior Travelcard, children under the age of 16 travel free of charge when accompanied by a parent. Important: a seat reservation is obligatory for all passengers and costs an additional charge that is not covered by the travel cards.

A Saver Day Pass gives you unlimited travel for a whole day throughout Switzerland, and that includes the Glacier Express. However, a separate seat reservation is necessary for the Glacier Express.

The prices for the Saver Day Pass depend on advance sales and demand so it is advisable to buy early. Please note that the Saver Day Pass is non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

You can buy a Saver Day Pass at www.sbb.ch .

The tickets as well as the seat reservations can be purchased on the official Glacier Express website. Due to the high demand, it is advisable to book in advance. Tickets are available up to 6 months before the date of travel. Seat reservations for 1st and 2nd class can be made up to 93 days before the date of travel. In contrast, bookings for Excellence Class can be made for the entire timetable period. Please ensure that you have a valid ticket and seat reservation at the time of traveling.

Follow these steps on the official Glacier Express website to buy tickets and reserve a seat:

First enter your point of departure and destination, the date of travel and whether you want to travel 1st or 2nd class in the toolbar (on the Glacier Express website) and click on “Next”.

You are then shown a calendar displaying the number of available seats on the day you have selected as well as for three days either side of that date.

As soon as you have selected a date and departure time, you are shown a plan of the train and the available seats. This is where you can choose the seat you prefer.

The total price of the ticket and seat reservation is then displayed. If you have a special travel card or a discount card (e.g. Eurail / Interrail Pass, Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Travelcard), you can apply it in the next step to get a reduction on the ticket price.

Enter the details on the person traveling and select the relevant travel card from the “Reduction” dropdown menu. The price is adjusted accordingly. If you do not have a special travel card, select "No discount". If you have already purchased a ticket for the route chosen or are intending to do so at a later date, select “Reservation only”.

In the next step, you will be asked whether you want to add a meal to your booking as an additional service. The menu is available on the website under Gastronomy. For capacity reasons, it is advisable to pre-order your meal. However, you can also do this at a later date. Pre-orders can be made up to 48 hours before departure by phone on +41 (0)81 300 15 15 or by sending an e-mail to info@panoramic-gourmet.ch. Alternatively, you can also order a meal during the journey, but there may only be a limited offer depending on capacity utilisation and availability.

In the next step you can see your Shopping Cart and can now conclude the booking by proceeding to the checkout. You will receive your ticket by e-mail and can print it out at home or take it with you as a digital ticket.

Each class has special characteristics that are tailored to suit individual needs. These range from maximum luxury and privacy in Excellence Class to the practical comfort of 2nd class. First class is in between these two comfort classes.

Excellence Class: a luxurious experience with guaranteed window seats in a two-seater lounge compartment, panoramic windows, concierge service and tablet with Infotainment, including a five-course menu with wine accompaniment and drinks as well as exclusive access to the Glacier Bar

1st class: offers more space with two- and four-seater compartments, more traveling comfort and privacy, panoramic windows, catering service at your seat (not included)

2nd class: offers comfortable seats in four-seater compartments, panoramic windows, catering service at your seat (not included)

All classes have the same panoramic windows.

If you already have a valid ticket (GA travelcard, Swiss Travel Pass, etc.) for 2nd class, you can make your seat reservation in your preferred class. When you start your journey, however, you must purchase a class upgrade in addition to your valid ticket. Unfortunately, the class upgrade cannot be purchased via our web shop, but can be purchased at any station in Switzerland until shortly before departure or even on the train itself, depending on the availability of free seats.

Please note that when upgrading to Excellence Class, you will not only have to pay for the class upgrade, but also the surcharge for the seat reservation. This gives you exclusive services and benefits in Excellence Class.

Unfortunately, we are currently not able to offer an upgrade to a higher class through our online shop. Upgrading is, however, possible during the journey depending on availability. If you are interested in an upgrade, please contact our train guard who will show you to your new seat for the corresponding surcharge – providing, of course, there are seats available.

Please note that when upgrading to a higher class, you also incur the cost of changing the class of ticket.

For organisational and capacity reasons, we would recommend you pre-order your meal before you travel. The menu is available on the website under Gastronomy. The easiest thing to do is pre-order your meal when you buy your ticket and seat reservation in the online shop. You can choose between the dish of the day or various menus. If you don’t want to decide yet or perhaps would like an à la carte dish, you can skip this step and pre-order your meal at a later date.

Pre-orders can be made up to 48 hours before departure by phone on +41 (0)81 300 15 15 or by sending an e-mail to info@panoramic-gourmet.ch. Alternatively, you can also order a meal during your journey if you would prefer but there may only be a limited offer depending on capacity utilisation and availability. Groups who would like to eat on board must pre-order meals at least 10 days in advance. It is not necessary to pre-order meals in Excellence Class.

Please note that only cashless payments can be accepted on board the Glacier Express.

Of course you can bring luggage on board the Glacier Express. There are special racks at the end of each carriage for larger suitcases, while hand luggage and bags can be stored under the seat or between seats. Due to the limited space on the Glacier Express, we do, however, recommend that you take a maximum of one additional piece of luggage in addition to your hand luggage. If you have very large luggage or several pieces of luggage, please have your luggage transported for you if at all possible.

The space on the Glacier Express does not allow for the following items of luggage: ski luggage, bulky luggage, bicycles / electric scooters.

For individual travelers we recommend the luggage transport service Jaisli Mobility Service (only bookable during the summer months) and for groups of 10 people and more the SBB Transport-Service.

Please send an e-mail to info@glacierexpress.ch with the following information:

• The number of the credit card charged (Please specify the card holder as well as the last four digits of the credit card number)
• What amount in CHF was charged?
• When was the amount debited from your card? (Date and time, as precisely as possible)

We will check the credit card bookings and, if they are not justified, we will reimburse your credit card.

GROUP RESERVATION

Reservation for groups (10 people and more)
Group reservations can be submitted at any time.
It is advisable to book early. We try to reserve groups together in one carriage. The definitive allocation of the train, carriage and seat numbers takes place at the latest 27 days before the date of travel.

How to make a group reservation
Winter 2025/26 timetable enquiries
Up to 03.08.2025*: Reservation enquiries to Glacier Express via info@glacierexpress.ch
From 27.08.2025: Reservation confirmations are sent by Glacier Express

Summer 2026 timetable enquiries
Up to 14.09.2025*: Reservation enquiries to Glacier Express via info@glacierexpress.ch
From 15.10.2025: Reservation confirmations are sent by Glacier Express
* Please note: The dates specified are recommendations. Naturally, later enquiries are taken into consideration according to availability.

When making your enquiry, please let Railservice know whether the trip is to be planned with or without catering. The pre-order for catering still runs separately via Panoramic Gourmet AG and must be sent to gruppen@panormaic-gourmet.ch.

Contact for reservation
E-mail: info@glacierexpress.ch | Subject “Reservation on the Glacier Express 2024”
Tel.: +41 (0)81 288 65 25
Opening times:
Monday – Friday: 9 am - 5 pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10 am - 4 pm

The cancellation and reimbursement conditions for group bookings on the Glacier Express can vary. The date on which we receive your written cancellation via info@glacierexpress.ch is decisive for the calculation of the cancellation or amendment fees.

Groups of 10 and more people who would like to eat on board must pre-order their meals at least 10 days in advance. No catering offer can be made for groups unless a pre-order has been made. In the case of group pre-orders, please specify the service you require for the entire group as well as the method of payment (unless specified). In addition, a group pre-order must be identical for logistic reasons. Confirmations received from Panoramic Gourmet AG are valid. Group pre-orders must be made in writing to Panoramic Gourmet AG by sending an e-mail to gruppen@panoramic-gourmet.ch.

Tour operators and travel agencies can make reservations for their groups directly in writing via our Railservice. Please get in touch with our Railservice for more details

E-mail: info@glacierexpress.ch
Tel.: +41 (0)81 288 65 25
Opening times:
Monday – Friday: 9 am - 5 pm
Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: 10 am - 4 pm