I'm in the initial stages of planning a September 2026 trip in Switzerland. Current draft is to spend a few days in Zermatt to hike, then travel by train to the next location in Ticino, probably Bellinzona.
With regard to the famous Glacier Express which ends in St. Moritz, is there a way to "transfer off" the glacier express en route and travel to Ticino.
Thanks for any suggestions.

There are different ways to go from Zermatt to Bellinzona:
Zermatt dp 7.52 - GLACIER EXPRESS - Andermatt - SCHOELLENEN GORGE RAILWAY - Goeschenen - TRENO GOTTARDO . Bellinzona ar 13.00
more scenic variant:
Zermatt dp 7.52 - GLACIER EXPRESS - Andermatt - POST BUS OVER ST. GOTTHARD PASS - Airolo - TRENO GOTTARDO . Bellinzona ar 14.00

Zermatt dp 7.52 - GLACIER EXPRESS Brig ar 9.06, dp 9.41 - Domodossola ar 10.10, dp 10.26 - CENTOVALLI EXPRESS - Locarno ar 12.20, dp 12.32 - TRENO GOTTARDO - Bellinzona ar 12.55
more secnic variant:
Zermatt dp 8,52 - GLACIER EXPRESS . - Brig ar 10.06, dp 10.20 - POST BUS OVER SIMPLON PASS - Domodossola ar 12.02, dp 12.26 - CENTOVALLI EXPRESS - Locarno ar 14.21, dp 14.32 - TRENO GOTTARDO - Bellinzona ar 14.55

Zermatt - Matterhorn Paradise - Testa Grigia - Breuil/Cervinia (gondola, may stop running by strong winds, not suitable for people with big luggage). Cervina/Breuil dp by bus 13.05 - Milan Lampugnano ar 16.25 - Metro - Milano Centrale dp by train 17.43 - Bellinzona S. Antonino ar 19.17

Hello Ted,

Neckervd already provided many interesting itineraries. To add a couple more, you could ride the Glacier express also further, to Disentis, then reach Biasca by Postbus over the Lukmanier pass, then Bellinzona by short train ride. Starting 8.52 in Zermatt, you would arrive at 16.09 with a 1h break in Disentis

Or you could ride even more on the Glacier Express, to Chur, where you can change to a direct Postbus to Bellinzona (by the San Bernardino tunnel). Starting at 7.52 in Zermatt, you will arrive at 16.20. You can play the different options (itinerary, timetable) on www.sbb.ch/en

A train fan could even travel via Bernina:
Zermatt dp 7.52 - GLACIER EXPRESS - Chur ar 13.25, dp 13.34 - BERNINA EXPRESS - Tirano ar 18.00, dp 18.08 - Monza ar 20.26, dp 20.52 - Bellinzona S. Antonino ar 22.17

A train ride of more than 14h in a single day would be way too much for me to be enjoyable!

P.S. neckervd Why do you want to end the trip in S. Antonino instead of Bellinzona?

The train Milan - Lugano - Locarno doesn't touch Bellinzona.
The easiest possibility to change to a Bellinzona bound train is at S. Antonino.
But it would also be possible to change at Chiasso, Mendrisio, Paradiso, Lugano or Cadenazzo.
There are furthermore local buses from S. Antonino to Bellinzona which may bring you closer to your destination if the latter is not Bellinzona city center.

OK, I see. But from Milano Centrale there is as well an EC every hour to Zurich, which stops in Bellinzona. Anyway, let's see what Ted thinks of all these options!

"train ride of more than 14h in a single day would be way too much for me to be enjoyable!*
I fully agree. For me a GEX ride without at least 1 stop in the Aletsch Glacier area or a BEX ride without at least side trips to Muottas Muragl and Diavolezza hut is just stupid.

Thanks for these expert suggestions! We're still in the early planning stages but I'm glad to hear that there are options available. We will sort this out, and also balance with managing luggage on trains and buses!

To Finsteraarhornm
The last EC Milano C - Zurich leaves Milano C at 20.10 and wouldn't stop att Monza anyway.
But earlier in the day, one could go by Regio Express from Monza to Lugano and change there to a Bellinzona - Zurich bound Intercity