Classic Glacier Express: Brig to Chur
About this trip.
The Glacier Express in practice
The Glacier Express bills itself as the slowest express train in the world, a cheerful contradiction that becomes clearer the moment you board. Panoramic glass carriages, a timetable measured in hours rather than minutes, and a route that climbs from the Rhône valley across the Oberalp Pass before descending into the Rhine Gorge. The scenery is the point — alpine meadows, stone villages, glacial rivers running milky-pale below the tracks.
This itinerary takes the central Brig-to-Chur stretch of the line and pairs it with a second alpine rail journey through the Swiss mountains, so the holiday is built around what you see through the window rather than what you do at either end.
The route from Brig to Chur
Brig sits near the foot of the Simplon Pass, a compact town of arcaded streets with the Stockalper Palace at its heart. From here the line climbs east, through Andermatt and up to the Oberalp Pass at just over 2,000 metres — the watershed between the Rhône and the Rhine. On the descent, the train passes the Benedictine abbey at Disentis, then threads the Rhine Gorge, known locally as the Ruinaulta, with pale rock walls rising above the young river.
Chur, at the far end, claims to be Switzerland's oldest town and wears its Roman and medieval past on well-preserved sleeves: a walkable old quarter, a cathedral of Romanesque origins, cafés tucked under the arcades. It makes for an easy stop before the return leg, or a natural springboard if you're carrying on into Graubünden.
Bookings and logistics
The holiday is sold as a package, which means rail tickets, the reserved seats on the Glacier Express (it runs as a reserved-only service), hotels and transfers are arranged on your behalf. What's included and what isn't varies by departure, so check the detailed itinerary for meals, guided excursions and the specific second rail journey paired with the Glacier Express on your chosen trip.
It suits travellers who want the Swiss Alps at a considered pace, where the day's effort is to watch the scenery pass rather than to climb it. English-speaking tour management is standard on a Great Rail Journeys trip, and group sizes tend to be moderate. The Glacier Express runs year-round, but the character of the trip changes sharply with the seasons: green pastures and wildflowers in summer, deep snow and low sun through the winter months.
The shape of the trip.
What's typically in the price, what isn't.
A general guide for rail holidays of this kind. Check the operator's booking page for the final inclusions on this specific trip.
Typically included
- ✓Rail tickets on the published route, in the ticket class booked
- ✓Hotel accommodation between rail days, breakfast included
- ✓A tour manager throughout on escorted departures
- ✓Luggage handling between hotels on escorted tours
- ✓Some meals — typically breakfasts and a few set dinners; check the day-by-day
- ✓Any included excursions or entrance fees listed on the itinerary
Typically not included
- ×Flights to and from the start city
- ×Travel insurance with rail-protection cover (strongly recommended)
- ×Most lunches and some evening meals — eat at stations or in town
- ×Upgrades: first-class legs, sleeper cabin upgrades, single rooms on shared departures
- ×Drinks on board beyond anything stated in the itinerary
- ×Tips for the tour manager (customary but discretionary)
Everything you might be wondering.
Q1Do I have to change trains?
On most escorted tours, yes — the route is the point, not a single through-train. A tour manager handles the connections and your luggage. Independent itineraries come with pre-booked tickets and detailed routing, but you work the changes yourself.
Q2Are meals included?
Breakfasts at hotels are usually included. Dinners and lunches vary by tour. Many scenic day services have a dining car or trolley you can pay for on board. Check the day-by-day — escorted tours list every meal that's included.
Q3Is luggage handled?
On escorted tours your main bag is moved between hotels while you carry a day bag on the train. On independent itineraries you move your own luggage — pack a case you can lift onto a train without help.
Q4First class or second?
First class on European trains is wider seats, quieter carriages, sometimes complimentary drinks. Second class is perfectly fine and about a third cheaper. Upgrades to first are usually £50-150 per leg on longer routes.
Q5Can I travel solo?
Escorted rail tours suit solo travellers well — there's a tour manager, a set schedule, and shared hotel dinners most nights. Single-room supplements apply (typically £300-600 on a 10-day tour). A handful of departures are marked 'no single supplement' — watch the operator's calendar if you want to save.
Q6Is it slower than flying?
Yes, and that's the point. London to Zurich by train is 8 hours via Paris and the TGV, versus 2 hours in the air plus 3 hours of airport on each side. The difference is how you arrive — rested, in the middle of the city, having watched the journey.
Q7What if a train is cancelled?
Escorted tours have tour-manager contingency — the operator rebooks and absorbs the cost. Independent itineraries depend on your ticket type (flexible versus advance) and whether you have rail-protection insurance. Take it.
Q8What about cancellation?
Typically a 20-25% deposit at booking, balance due 8-10 weeks before departure. Rail tickets are a sunk cost once issued, which matters on longer trips. Travel insurance with rail cover is sensible.
Three rail holidays, side-by-side.
Other rail holidays on Mooch in the same spirit. All prices per person, from the operator.
