The Glacier Express (GEX) is a direct train connecting railway stations of the two major
mountain resort
A mountain resort is a place to holiday or vacation located in an elevated and typically at least relatively isolated area. The term resort implies integral hotel or inn accommodations, restaurants, and either or both sports facilities or sc ...
s of
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) ...
and
St. Moritz via
Andermatt
Andermatt ( rm, ) is a mountain village and municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. At an elevation of above sea level, Andermatt is located at the center of the Saint-Gotthard Massif and the historical center cross of north-south and e ...
in the central
Swiss Alps
The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps (german: Schweizer Alpen, french: Alpes suisses, it, Alpi svizzere, rm, Alps svizras), represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swis ...
. The train is not an "express" in the sense of being a
high-speed train
High-speed rail (HSR) is a type of rail system that runs significantly faster than traditional rail, using an integrated system of specialised rolling stock and dedicated tracks. While there is no single standard that applies worldwide, lines ...
, but rather, in the sense that it provides a one-seat ride for an 8-hours-long end-to-end journey, and omits stops made by local trains. The Glacier Express is known as the slowest express train in the world.
As St. Moritz and Zermatt are home to two well-known mountains, the Glacier Express is also said to travel from
Matterhorn
The (, ; it, Cervino, ; french: Cervin, ; rm, Matterhorn) is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the main watershed and border between Switzerland and Italy. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the ...
to
Piz Bernina
Piz Bernina ( Romansh, it, Pizzo Bernina, ) is the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps, the highest point of the Bernina Range, and the highest peak in the Rhaetian Alps. It rises and is located south of Pontresina and near the major Alpine ...
.
The journey from Zermatt starts at the dead end of an Alpine valley, the
Mattertal
The Matter Valley (German: Mattertal, or sometimes ''Nikolaital'') is located in southwestern Switzerland, south of the Rhone valley in the canton of Valais. The village of Zermatt is the most important settlement of the valley, which is surrou ...
, just below the world-renowned Matterhorn at an elevation of before it descends to the huge valley of the
Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...
in
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the latter part ...
. It traverses the journey through the center of the Swiss Alps, over 291 bridges, through 91 tunnels, such as the
Furka Tunnel at an elevation of to circumvent the
Furka Pass, makes an intermediate stop at
Andermatt
Andermatt ( rm, ) is a mountain village and municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. At an elevation of above sea level, Andermatt is located at the center of the Saint-Gotthard Massif and the historical center cross of north-south and e ...
on a secluded high Alpine valley, just to traverse its highest point on the
Oberalp Pass
Oberalp Pass ( rm, Alpsu or ''Cuolm d'Ursera''; german: Oberalppass) (2044 meters above sea level) is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting the cantons of Graubünden and Uri between Disentis/Mustér and Andermatt.
Winter closure
...
at in order to descend to its lowest point at
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
at . From Chur, the capital of the
canton of Graubünden, the GEX backtracks to higher altitudes again in order to reach the resort St. Moritz in a further valley to the south. Previously, before traversing the
Albula Range
The Albula Alps are a mountain range in the Alps of eastern Switzerland. They are considered to be part of the Central Eastern Alps, more specifically the Western Rhaetian Alps. They are named after the river Albula. According to AVE (see map), th ...
by a
tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...
at , in
Filisur
Filisur is an Alpine village and former municipality in the Albula Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The village sits on a hillside with a view to the west where the two rivers Albula/Alvra from the Albula Pass and Landwasser ...
travelers can change to a connecting train to reach
Davos
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Bergün/Bravuogn, Klosters-Serneus, Langwies, S-chanf, Susch
, twintowns =
}
Davos (, ; or ; rm, ; archaic it, Tavate) is an Alps, Alpine resort town and a Municipalities of Switzerland, muni ...
to the east.
Since 2017 the train is operated by the Glacier Express AG, a cooperation jointly owned by the former operators
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (MGB) and
Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviated RhB, is a Swiss transport company that owns the largest network of all private railway operators in Switzerland. Headquartered in Chur, the Rh ...
(RhB). For much of its journey, it also passes along and through the
World Heritage Site
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
known as the ''
Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviated RhB, is a Swiss transport company that owns the largest network of all private railway operators in Switzerland. Headquartered in Chur, the Rh ...
in the
Albula /
Bernina Landscapes''.
The first Glacier Express started on 30 June 1930 07:30 in Zermatt. Initially, it was operated by three railway companies: the
Visp-Zermatt-Bahn (VZ), the
Furka Oberalp Bahn (FO), and the RhB. Since 2003, the train has been operated by RhB and the MGB, which arose from a merger between the BVZ and the FO. Since 2017 the ''Glacier Express AG'', owned by the two former operators, runs the train of the same name.
The entire line is
metre gauge
Metre-gauge railways are narrow-gauge railways with track gauge of or 1 metre.
The metre gauge is used in around of tracks around the world. It was used by European colonial powers, such as the French, British and German Empires. In Europe, ...
(
narrow gauge railway
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge narrower than standard . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curves, smaller struct ...
), with using the
rack-and-pinion system both for ascending steep grades and to control descent.
History
Early years
The completion of the final portion of the FO in 1926 opened up the
Cantons of
Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...
and
Graubünden to further tourist development. In particular, a pathway was laid for the introduction of ''Kurswagen'' (
through coaches) between
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the latter part ...
and
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
, and between Brig and St. Moritz.
[, page 102. ]
In early June 1930, the then Visp–Zermatt Bahn was extended to Brig by the opening of a metre gauge line along the
Rhone Valley between
Visp and Brig. For the first time, it was feasible to operate through coaches all the way from Zermatt to St. Moritz and return. On , the first train of such coaches set out from Zermatt to St. Moritz, under the name ''Glacier Express''.
The new train's name honoured the
Rhone Glacier, which is near
Gletsch, on the
Furka Pass.
Until 1982, the Glacier Express operated only in the summer months, because the Furka Pass and the
Oberalp Pass
Oberalp Pass ( rm, Alpsu or ''Cuolm d'Ursera''; german: Oberalppass) (2044 meters above sea level) is a high mountain pass in the Swiss Alps connecting the cantons of Graubünden and Uri between Disentis/Mustér and Andermatt.
Winter closure
...
were both snowed over in winter. Initially, the train was made up of first to third class
salon
Salon may refer to:
Common meanings
* Beauty salon, a venue for cosmetic treatments
* French term for a drawing room, an architectural space in a home
* Salon (gathering), a meeting for learning or enjoyment
Arts and entertainment
* Salon ( ...
and
passenger coaches, supplied by all three of the participating railway companies. Between Chur and
Disentis/Mustér, passengers could enjoy a hot lunch in a
Mitropa dining car
A dining car (American English) or a restaurant car (British English), also a diner, is a railroad passenger car that serves meals in the manner of a full-service, sit-down restaurant.
It is distinct from other railroad food service cars that do ...
. From 1933, the Glacier Express through coaches were attached to normal passenger trains between Brig and Zermatt.
In the earliest years of the Glacier Express, electric locomotives were used to haul the Glacier Express on the BVZ and the RhB, but steam locomotives were used on the FO. That changed in 1941-1942, when overhead catenary was installed on the FO, enabling completely electric operation for the full length of the route. However, no through trains were operated between 1943 and 1946, due to
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
.
Upon the resumption of daily through trains in 1948, the dining car service was extended from Disentis/Mustér to the top of the Oberalp Pass. Between the 1950s and the 1970s, both the BVZ and the RhB introduced new locomotive classes that, when attached to the Glacier Express, enabled reductions in schedule times. Meanwhile, the dining car service was extended further, to
Andermatt
Andermatt ( rm, ) is a mountain village and municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. At an elevation of above sea level, Andermatt is located at the center of the Saint-Gotthard Massif and the historical center cross of north-south and e ...
.
Year-round operations
In 1981 a Glacier Express era came to an end, with the final closure for the winter of the FO line over the Furka Pass and through the
Furka Summit Tunnel, between
Oberwald
Oberwald is a village in the municipality of Obergoms in Goms District in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
It is situated at an elevation of 1,377 m and had a population of 277 in December 2007. It is located at the end of the Goms, direct ...
and Gletsch. In June 1982, that FO line was replaced by the newly opened
Furka Base Tunnel
The Furka Base Tunnel is a Swiss railway base tunnel on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn's Furka–Oberalp line, an east-west railway connecting the cantons of Valais and Uri. Its west portal lies east of Oberwald (VS), at above sea level and its e ...
. As a consequence, the Glacier Express not only became disconnected from its namesake Rhone Glacier, but also could now, for the first time, be operated on a year-round basis.
At that time, the BVZ, FO and RhB took the opportunity to relaunch the Glacier Express as a tourist attraction. Promotional material focused on the train's status as "the slowest express train in the world", covering , 91 tunnels, and over 291 bridges. A special promotional wine glass on a sloping base emphasised the steepness of some parts of the route. Passenger numbers rose from in 1982 to over in 1983, and to just over in 1984.
Recent developments
In 1985 the Glacier Express timetable was completely revised. Between 1986 and 1993, the BVZ and the FO invested nearly 40 million
Swiss franc
The Swiss franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It is also legal tender in the Italian exclave of Campione d'Italia which is surrounded by Swiss territory. The Swiss National Bank (SNB) issues banknotes and the ...
s in constructing 18 new first class panorama cars for the train.
By 2005 more than passengers were travelling on the Glacier Express each year.
In 2006 a few scenes of the documentary film ''
The Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, S ...
'' were shot inside the train, and further new panorama cars were added to the Glacier Express passenger car fleet. On 7 July 2008, the
Albula Railway and the
Bernina Railway
The Bernina Railway (german: Berninalinie; it, Linea del Bernina; rm, Lingia dal Bernina) is a single-track railway line forming part of the Rhaetian Railway (RhB). It links the spa resort of St. Moritz, in the canton of Graubünden, Switze ...
were jointly recorded in the list of
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...
, under the name ''
Rhaetian Railway
The Rhaetian Railway (german: Rhätische Bahn; it, Ferrovia retica; rm, Viafier retica), abbreviated RhB, is a Swiss transport company that owns the largest network of all private railway operators in Switzerland. Headquartered in Chur, the Rh ...
in the Albula /
Bernina Landscapes''. Currently, the Glacier Express is especially popular with tourists from
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...
, and, increasingly,
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
.
In 2013 the direct service to Davos was discontinued because of decreasing passenger numbers and unfavourable economic circumstances.
In 2018, two additional summer services were introduced. Each morning one service departs from Zermatt to Chur, and one service departs from St. Moritz to Brig. These services then travel back in the afternoon.
2010 derailment
On 23 July 2010 a Glacier Express train derailed near
Fiesch
Fiesch is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Nearby Fiescheralp is administered by Fiesch and is accessible by the Eggishorn lift.
It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its view ...
on the
Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn line. One passenger was killed and 42 were injured.
The accident was blamed on
human error
Human error refers to something having been done that was " not intended by the actor; not desired by a set of rules or an external observer; or that led the task or system outside its acceptable limits".Senders, J.W. and Moray, N.P. (1991) Human ...
.
Itinerary
Albula line
Shortly after leaving
St. Moritz station () in
Graubünden, the train passes
Samedan
Samedan (, ) is a town and municipality in the Maloja Region in the Swiss canton of Grisons. It is served by Samedan railway station on the Rhaetian Railway network and by the Samedan Airport.
History
Samedan is first mentioned in 1139 as '' ...
and
Bever on the high
Engadin
The Engadin or Engadine ( rm, ;This is the name in the two Romansh idioms that are spoken in the Engadin, Vallader and Puter, as well as in Sursilvan and Rumantsch Grischun. In Surmiran, the name is ''Nagiadegna'', and in Sutsilvan, it is ...
plateau. There it continues in the ''Val Bever'' before entering the
Albula Tunnel at under the
Albula Pass
The Albula Pass ( Romansh: ''Pass d'Alvra'' or , german: Albulapass) (el. 2312 m) is a Swiss mountain pass in the canton of Graubünden. It lies at the heart of the Albula Alps, on the watershed between the Albula, tributary of the Rhine and t ...
. After the tunnel, the train passes through
Preda, the first station in the ''
Albula Valley'' and continues toward
Bergün/Bravuogn
Bergün/Bravuogn (german: Bergün, rm, , in the local Romansh dialect ''Brauégn'') is a village and former municipality in the Albula Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The double name (German/Romansh) has been the official na ...
. Between these two villages the train has to go through many
spirals
In mathematics, a spiral is a curve which emanates from a point, moving farther away as it revolves around the point.
Helices
Two major definitions of "spiral" in the American Heritage Dictionary are:[Filisur
Filisur is an Alpine village and former municipality in the Albula Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. The village sits on a hillside with a view to the west where the two rivers Albula/Alvra from the Albula Pass and Landwasser ...]
at the end of the valley at (). From there, the train passes on the
Landwasser Viaduct, the most emblematic landmark of the railway line and continues toward
Thusis () where it reaches the
Posterior Rhine and follows it to the city of
Chur
, neighboring_municipalities= Arosa, Churwalden, Tschiertschen-Praden, Domat/Ems, Felsberg, Malix, Trimmis, Untervaz, Pfäfers
, twintowns = Bad Homburg (Germany), Cabourg (France), Mayrhofen (Austria), Mondorf-les-Bains (Luxe ...
().
Oberalp section
From Chur the train follows back the course of the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, source ...
through the gorge of
Ruinaulta and climbs slowly the valley toward
Ilanz
Ilanz ( rm, Glion) is a former municipality in the district of Surselva in the Swiss canton of Graubünden. The former municipality of Ilanz was congruent with the town of Ilanz. On 1 January 1978, the former municipality of Strada merged into ...
(),
Disentis/Mustér () and
Sedrun (). From Sedrun the line becomes steeper to finally reach its summit, the Oberalp Pass at . From there the train enters the
Canton of Uri
The canton of Uri (german: Kanton Uri rm, Chantun Uri; french: Canton d'Uri; it, Canton Uri) is one of the 26 cantons of Switzerland and a founding member of the Swiss Confederation. It is located in Central Switzerland. The canton's terri ...
in
Central Switzerland
Central Switzerland is the region of the Alpine Foothills geographically the heart and historically the origin of Switzerland, with the cantons of Uri, Schwyz, Obwalden, Nidwalden, Lucerne and Zug.
Central Switzerland is one of the NUTS 2 Stat ...
and continues down to
Andermatt
Andermatt ( rm, ) is a mountain village and municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. At an elevation of above sea level, Andermatt is located at the center of the Saint-Gotthard Massif and the historical center cross of north-south and e ...
().
Furka section
From Andermatt the train goes forward in the valley called
Urseren passing the villages of
Hospental () and
Realp
Realp (archaic : ''Frialp'') is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.
History
Realp is first mentioned in 1363 as ''Riealb''.
Geography
Realp has an area, , of . Of this area, 41.6% is used for agricultural purposes, while 2.3% i ...
(). From there the train enters the
Furka Base Tunnel
The Furka Base Tunnel is a Swiss railway base tunnel on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn's Furka–Oberalp line, an east-west railway connecting the cantons of Valais and Uri. Its west portal lies east of Oberwald (VS), at above sea level and its e ...
, leaving the old railway line which climbs the
Furka Pass (operated today by the
Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway), to emerge in
Oberwald
Oberwald is a village in the municipality of Obergoms in Goms District in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
It is situated at an elevation of 1,377 m and had a population of 277 in December 2007. It is located at the end of the Goms, direct ...
() in the
Goms Valley, in the
Canton
Canton may refer to:
Administrative division terminology
* Canton (administrative division), territorial/administrative division in some countries, notably Switzerland
* Township (Canada), known as ''canton'' in Canadian French
Arts and ente ...
of
Valais
Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...
. The train then continues toward
Brig
A brig is a type of sailing vessel defined by its rig: two masts which are both square-rigged. Brigs originated in the second half of the 18th century and were a common type of smaller merchant vessel or warship from then until the latter part ...
, following the course of the
Rhone, and passes along the villages of
Ulrichen (),
Münster-Geschinen
Münster-Geschinen is a former municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It was formed in 2004, from the union of the municipalities of Münster and Geschinen.[Fiesch
Fiesch is a municipality in the district of Goms in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. Nearby Fiescheralp is administered by Fiesch and is accessible by the Eggishorn lift.
It has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site for its view ...]
(), before going through another spiral.
Mattertal line
From Brig () the train continues to
Visp (), then enters the valley of
Mattertal
The Matter Valley (German: Mattertal, or sometimes ''Nikolaital'') is located in southwestern Switzerland, south of the Rhone valley in the canton of Valais. The village of Zermatt is the most important settlement of the valley, which is surrou ...
and goes up, passing the villages of
Stalden
Stalden () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It lies at the foot of the Mischabelhörner and Dom ().
History
Stalden is first mentioned in 1213 as ''Morgi''. In 1224 it was mentioned as ''Stal ...
(),
St. Niklaus
:''See Saint Nicholas (disambiguation) for disambiguation.''
St. Niklaus (french: Saint-Nicolas) is a village and a municipality in the Mattertal, part of the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland.
History
St. Niklaus is firs ...
() and
Randa Randa may refer to:
*Jrarrat, Kotayk, Armenia, formerly ''Randa''
*Randa, Djibouti
*Randa, Switzerland
*Randa, Mallorca
*Randa rockslides of 1991 (Switzerland)
*Randa Accessories, an American company
*Puig de Randa, a summit in the Balearic Islands
...
(), where a spectacular
debris avalanche completely disconnected the railway and road in 1991.
Täsch
Täsch is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It is located about north of Zermatt. The local language is Swiss German.
History
Täsch is first mentioned in 1302 as ''Tech''. In Latin it was known ...
() is an important station as it is the end of the open road, and therefore a terminal for motorists. After a steeper section the train finally arrives in
Zermatt
Zermatt () is a municipality in the district of Visp in the German-speaking section of the canton of Valais in Switzerland. It has a year-round population of about 5,800 and is classified as a town by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO) ...
at , after nearly 8 hours of travel.
See also
*
Albula Railway
*
Furka Oberalp Bahn
*
Brig-Visp-Zermatt-Bahn
*
Furka Cogwheel Steam Railway
*
Bernina Express
The Bernina Express is a train connecting Chur (or Davos) in Switzerland to Poschiavo in Switzerland and Tirano in Italy by crossing the Swiss Alps, Swiss Engadin Alps. For most of its journey, the train also runs along the World Heritage Site kn ...
*
Swiss Alps
The Alpine region of Switzerland, conventionally referred to as the Swiss Alps (german: Schweizer Alpen, french: Alpes suisses, it, Alpi svizzere, rm, Alps svizras), represents a major natural feature of the country and is, along with the Swis ...
*
Swiss Pass
*
Table of turn tunnels
*
List of narrow-gauge railways in Switzerland
References
Notes
Further reading
*
*
External links
Glacier Express official website* illustrated description of the route of the Glacier Express
{{Authority control
Transport in the Alps
Mountain railways
Named passenger trains of Switzerland
Tourist attractions in Switzerland
World Heritage Sites in Switzerland
Rhaetian Railway