flygirl

Hi all

does the Swisspass cover the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz?

also, has anyone here been on the Glacier Express, if so, any tips? Did it just blow you away?

where else did you use the Swisspass (apart from trains) and what kind of discount did you get or was it free? (I am thinking mountain lake boats, etc.)

If I stay overnight in Zermatt, which is likely, what would you recommend I try to do with essentially only that evening to spend (I will train from Geneva to Zermatt, stay over, and pick up the GE the next morning).

thank you!

swandav2000

Hi flygirl,

Yes, the Swiss Pass is valid for the Glacier Express (details at the sbb site) EXCEPT for the surcharge of 10-16 chf AND the reservation fee. Sorry, I've never been -- but do a text search here to get some varied comments.

The Swiss Pass also gives free use of ferries, which I think is a great deal! Love those ferries. The reduction for mountain cable cars & railways will be either 25% or 50%, not sure.

Let me know if I can help further.

s

dickv2

Goo dmorning, Flygirl
Reservtioins are required for the Glacier Express, and during summer an aaditiional surchange is sometimes required. Along with the reservations for the train also seperate reservations are required for the dining car (Chur to Andermatt)..
Do not know what reduction is available thru the Swiss Pass for the
GE, however see www.glacierexpress.ch/
for various informations on the train..
Any wuestions write the webmaster direct...
Tips, the only ones given would be fore a direct service given, such as dining car weiter staff...

It has been a few years since we were in Zermatt, however remember the China Garden and the London Bar and the folklore at the Schweizehof Stube..
All except Sunday night as the town does withdraw....

On the use of the Swiss pass found that all lake boats were free, however if the ship is a steamship, they had a
nominal charge, e.g. the Blumisalp on
Lake Thun...
Richard of LaGrange Park, Il.

Ingo

As the previous posters pointed out, the Swiss Pass covers the fare of the Glacier Express except the reservation fee. I am not sure if the they still charge the surcharge in summer - this one was demanded by the Furka-Oberalp-Railways (the Brig - Disentis leg of the trip). But recently there was a merger of the FO and the Brig-Visp-Zermatt railways and that may have caused a change ... I am sure they will tell you at the SBB when you make the reservation.

I have not done the Glacier Express in ONE, but did several parts of it on different vacations. It did not blow me away - I found the Bernina Express much more scenic. The Glacier Express lost a lot of stunning views when the Furka tunnel was opened and the Glacier Express trains did not longer run via Gletsch and Furka glacier. (Btw, this part of the ORIGINAL GE is operated now by the Steam railway Furka-Bergstrecke, starting in Realp.)

Anyway, it is still one of the most scenic trains in Europe.

Ingo

The Swiss Pass also covers the Postauto (buses), the ferries on Swiss Lakes (except Lake Maggiore) and city transportation in most of the Swiss cities. You get a reduction of 25% on most mountain railways, cable cars and gondolas.

Jean

When you receive your Swisspass, there will be an accompanying brochure which lists all the other modes of transportation in various locations covered by the pass -- buses/trams in most cities, many chair lifts (both ski and panorama), boats, etc., and even a few museums. The trick is remembering to use it!

SydneySteve

We travelled on the Glacier Express a few years ago. At the end of the day, given the cost, monotonous pre-recorded guide dialogue and the poor standard of lunch we had we thought that some of the ordinary rail trips we had taken on the same lines were a much much better way to go. The following day we travelled from St.Moritz down to Tirano in Italy. Now that is opne spectacular rail journey. We all agreed that that it was a far more memorable expeience than the packaged Glacier Express with that wionderful Deb packet mash potato and microscopic servings of meat. Thankfully I took my own bottle of wine.

mgmargate

We stayed in Zermatt for only 1 night and that was a mistake. We travelled on the glacier and bernina express trains and enjoyed both. Zermatt deserves at least 2 full days to take in the beautiful town and explore the Matterhorn.On the trains reserve seats on the panaroma car.

yk

hi flygirl-

I've taken the Glacier Express & have bought the Swisspass before. As others have said already, the Pass covers the GE except for the reservation fee. And agreeing with the pack, I find the Bernina Express more scenic than the GE.

The SwissPass covers trains, ferries, buses and most cities' transportation. It also gives discount for the private scenic railways. The following website will give you all the details:
http://www.rail.ch/pv/sts-offer_e.htm
If you scroll down to the bottom, click on "Synoptic Map" you will be able to download the info which lists what the pass covers.

I thought I got a good deal with the pass (that was a 2-wk whirlwind tour of Switzerland). That included (all free) buses within cities, bus ride from Schaffhausen to Rhine Falls, boat ride on Rhine, boat ride on Lake Thun, boat ride on Lake Lugano, funicular in Lugano. The only $ I had to pay on top of the pass were:
1. Supplement for Jungfraubahn
2. Seat reservation for GE & Bernina Express