Search

railtour suisse

Swiss Panoramic Trains (for international guests)

Self-guided Swiss rail circuit on the Glacier and Bernina Express

Illustration of Swiss Panoramic Trains (for international guests)

railtour suisse runs this six-day, five-night self-guided rail tour across Switzerland, starting in the car-free resort of Zermatt at the foot of the Matterhorn and ending in Lugano on the shores of Lake Lugano. The trip is built around two of Switzerland's best-known scenic trains: the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz, which crosses 291 bridges and 91 tunnels over the Oberalp Pass, and the Bernina Express from St. Moritz to Tirano, Italy, which climbs the Bernina Pass and the circular viaduct at Brusio before a bus connects on to Lugano. Along the way, the Gornergrat Bahn cogwheel railway climbs to a viewing platform surrounded by 29 peaks above 4,000 meters. Travelers stay two nights each in Zermatt and St. Moritz and one night in Lugano, all in 3-star hotels with breakfast included. Because there is no tour manager and the return journey is described as individual, this trip suits independent-minded travelers who want a self-guided route built around named scenic trains rather than a fully escorted tour.

Price history

Across 4 checks, this price has held at CHF 1,406 every time.

CHF 1,4064 Jul12 Sep

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 1 of 4 point is a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

One reading is held out of the price above and this history: an unconfirmed large change. We only price on the operator's package from-price, read from its own page.

What to know before you look closer

  • The route includes one bus leg, the Bernina Express Bus from Tirano to Lugano, alongside the named panorama trains, so this is a rail-and-coach itinerary rather than all rail.
  • The included 50% discount on mountain railways and free entry to more than 500 museums is 'only valid on a selected travel day,' not for the whole trip.
  • The final day's 'individual return journey' from Lugano is not detailed in the evidence; travelers arrange their own onward transport.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Zermatt

    Arrival in Zermatt

    Train journey to Zermatt, the world-famous car-free mountain resort at the foot of the Matterhorn.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Zermatt

    Gornergrat

    The Gornergrat Bahn, Europe's highest open-air cogwheel railway, takes you up to the Gornergrat, crossing bridges, galleries and tunnels; the viewing platform is surrounded by 29 peaks above 4'000 m.

  3. Day 3railovernight: St. Moritz

    Glacier Express (8h)

    Travel from Zermatt to St. Moritz on the Glacier Express, over 291 bridges, through 91 tunnels and over the Oberalp Pass at 2'033 metres.

  4. Day 4overnight: St. Moritz

    St. Moritz

    Full day at leisure in and around St. Moritz; in summer, hotels offer free travel on Upper Engadine mountain railways, e.g. to the Diavolezza.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Lugano

    Bernina Express (8h15)

    Travel with the Bernina Express from St. Moritz over the Bernina Pass and the circular viaduct at Brusio to Tirano (Italy); afterwards by Bernina Express bus through the Valtellina valley and along Lake Como to Lugano.

  6. Day 6

    Lugano and return journey

    Enjoy the Mediterranean lifestyle on Lake Lugano, the old town and the lake promenade. Individual return journey. This tour can also be booked in the opposite direction.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 1Arrival in car-free Zermatt, the mountain resort at the foot of the Matterhorn.
  • Day 2The Gornergrat Bahn, Europe's highest open-air cogwheel railway, climbs to a viewing platform surrounded by 29 peaks rising above 4,000 meters.
  • Day 3The Glacier Express crosses 291 bridges and 91 tunnels on the way to St. Moritz, including the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 meters.
  • Day 5The Bernina Express crosses the Bernina Pass and the circular viaduct at Brusio on the way to Tirano, Italy.
  • Day 6In Lugano, the old town and lake promenade sit beside Lake Lugano with views of the surrounding mountains.

Included

  • Swiss Travel Pass Flex 4 days in 2nd class
  • Seat reservation in the Glacier Express and Bernina Express
  • Excursion Gornergrat
  • 2 nights in Zermatt, 3*-hotel, standard double room with breakfast
  • 2 nights in St. Moritz, 3*-hotel, standard double room with breakfast
  • 1 night in Lugano, 3*-hotel, standard double room with breakfast
  • 50% discount on most mountain railways, free entry at more than 500 museums (only valid on a selected travel day)

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?
From CHF 1,406 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $1,725 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is the train travel included?
Yes, a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass Flex in 2nd class is included, along with seat reservations on the Glacier Express and Bernina Express.
Is it escorted or independent?
It is a self-guided rail tour with no tour manager mentioned; day 6 is described as an 'Individual return journey.'
Which trains are used?
The Gornergrat Bahn, the Glacier Express, the Bernina Express, and the Bernina Express Bus between Tirano and Lugano.
What hotels are included?
3-star hotels with breakfast: 2 nights in Zermatt, 2 nights in St. Moritz, and 1 night in Lugano, all in standard double rooms.
Can this tour run in the other direction?
Yes, the evidence states 'This tour can also be booked in the opposite direction.'
Are the mountain railway discounts valid every day?
No, the 50% discount on mountain railways and free museum entry is 'only valid on a selected travel day.'

Similar journeys