What is the most scenic train ride in Switzerland?

The Bernina Express is generally considered the most scenic for its UNESCO World Heritage route, dramatic viaducts, and glacier views. The Glacier Express is the most famous for its length and alpine crossing.

8 Best Scenic Train Routes in Switzerland (Ranked)

How to rank Switzerland’s scenic trains

Switzerland has more designated scenic trains than any other country in the world. Eight official panoramic routes are marketed under the “scenic trains” umbrella by Switzerland Tourism, plus dozens of regional lines that offer spectacular views without the marketing budget. Ranking them is necessarily subjective — the right train for you depends on your itinerary, budget, travel style, and what you want from a train journey.

This ranking uses four criteria: scenic intensity (how many genuinely spectacular moments per hour), practical accessibility (ease of booking, reservation requirements, Swiss Travel Pass coverage), value for money, and uniqueness (experiences you cannot find on any other railway in the world).

Tier 1: essential — ride these if at all possible

1. Bernina Express (St. Moritz to Tirano)

Score: 10/10 — the best scenic train in Switzerland

The Bernina Express earns the top spot for a combination of reasons that no other Swiss train can match simultaneously: UNESCO World Heritage status, the highest year-round Alpine railway crossing in Europe, the Brusio spiral viaduct, the Morteratsch Glacier, and the dramatic descent from 2,253m to 429m through three distinct biomes. All of this in 2.5 hours.

The Bernina is also the best value. At CHF 76 base fare (or CHF 14 reservation with a Swiss Travel Pass), it delivers more visual drama per franc than any other train in Switzerland. The optional reservation at CHF 14 is extraordinarily cheap for a world-class experience.

It crosses an international border. It has a spiral viaduct where you can see your own train from the rear carriages. The scenery includes glaciers, high-altitude lakes, Italian palazzos, and Mediterranean palm trees — all in one afternoon. Nothing else comes close for sheer density of spectacle.

Best for: Everyone. Especially good for travellers with limited time, families, first-time Switzerland visitors, and anyone travelling to or from Italy.

Full guide: Bernina Express complete guide | Book the Bernina Express from Chur

2. Glacier Express (Zermatt to St. Moritz)

Score: 9/10 — the world’s most famous scenic train

The Glacier Express drops to second only because the Bernina is denser in pure visual impact. In every other respect, the Glacier Express is exceptional: 291 bridges, 91 tunnels, 8 hours of continuous Alpine scenery, the Rhine Gorge, the Oberalp Pass, and the cultural sweep from Valais to Graubünden.

What makes the Glacier Express genuinely special is the narrative. This is not a collection of viewpoints — it is a coherent journey across the spine of the Swiss Alps, from the Matterhorn’s shadow to the Engadin. The 8-hour duration that puts some travellers off is actually a feature: you sink into the landscape in a way that a 2.5-hour journey does not allow.

The Rhine Gorge section alone — the so-called “Swiss Grand Canyon” — would justify the trip on many scenic train networks. It appears about 5 hours into the journey when you might think the scenery has peaked, and it exceeds everything that came before it.

Best for: Travellers who want a full day of train travel as the experience itself. Couples, solo travellers, and railway enthusiasts. Those already committed to Swiss Travel Pass itineraries.

Full guide: Glacier Express complete guide | Book the Glacier Express from Zermatt

3. GoldenPass Express (Montreux to Interlaken)

Score: 8.5/10 — Switzerland’s newest and most technically innovative scenic train

The GoldenPass Express launched in December 2022 and immediately earned its place among Switzerland’s essential scenic trains. Its gauge-changing system (the carriages automatically adjust at Zweisimmen, allowing through-running without a passenger change) is unique in the world. Its Prestige class puts you behind a panoramic glass nose for a driver’s-eye view of the Alps.

But the technical novelty is only part of the appeal. The route covers genuinely different Switzerland: the Lavaux UNESCO vineyard terraces above Lake Geneva, the French-speaking Pays-d’Enhaut with its pastoral chalet culture, the exclusive village of Gstaad, and then the turquoise expanse of Lake Thun with the Bernese Oberland peaks behind it. No other Swiss scenic train covers this cultural range.

The journey from French-speaking lakeside Switzerland to German-speaking alpine Switzerland in 3 hours is one of the most complete geographical experiences available on any single train ride.

Best for: Travellers connecting Lausanne/Geneva with Interlaken. Anyone staying in Montreux or Interlaken for more than one night.

Full guide: GoldenPass Express complete guide

Tier 2: highly recommended

4. Gotthard Panorama Express (Lucerne to Lugano)

Score: 8/10 — the most unique format on the Swiss scenic train network

The Gotthard Panorama Express is unlike any other train on this list because it begins on water. A 3-hour lake cruise on Lake Lucerne precedes the panoramic train ride. The combination of paddle steamer and mountain railway — crossing from German-speaking to Italian-speaking Switzerland over the historic 1882 Gotthard route — is genuinely unlike anything else available.

The historic Gotthard route itself, with its famous spiral tunnels at Wassen and the three sightings of the village church, is an engineering spectacle. The Leventina Valley descent into Ticino, with its Mediterranean vegetation and Italian character, creates the same geographical drama as the Bernina’s descent — on a different, longer scale.

The main limitation: the service runs only May to October. And at 5.5 hours total, it is a full day’s commitment. But with the Swiss Travel Pass covering both the lake boat and the panoramic train, the cost is just CHF 14–20 for the reservation.

Best for: Travellers connecting Lucerne with Lugano or heading toward Ticino. Anyone who wants a lake cruise built into their scenic train experience.

Full guide: Gotthard Panorama Express complete guide

5. Lucerne-Interlaken Express (via Brünig Pass)

Score: 7.5/10 — the best-value scenic train in Switzerland

The Lucerne-Interlaken Express earns this ranking primarily for accessibility and value. It runs every hour, requires no reservation, is fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass, and costs just CHF 48 without a pass. For these reasons, it is the scenic train most likely to fit spontaneously into an itinerary without planning.

The scenery does not reach the dramatic heights of the Bernina or Glacier Express. The Brünig Pass at 1,002m is forested rather than alpine, and the journey through the Haslital is pastoral rather than spectacular. But Lake Brienz — deep turquoise-green from glacial meltwater, with the Bernese Oberland peaks rising behind it — is genuinely beautiful, and the entire route has a quiet authenticity that the heavily touristed premium trains sometimes lack.

Side trips to Meiringen (Sherlock Holmes, Reichenbachfall, meringue) and Brienz (wood carving, steam railway) add depth to what might otherwise be a transit leg.

Best for: Anyone connecting Lucerne and Interlaken. Budget travellers. Swiss Travel Pass holders who want to add scenic content without extra reservation fees.

Full guide: Lucerne-Interlaken Express complete guide

6. Chocolate Train (Montreux to Gruyeres and Broc)

Score: 7/10 — the best food-focused train excursion in Switzerland

The Chocolate Train operates differently from all other trains on this list — it is a guided excursion rather than a point-to-point scenic train, and its appeal is as much about what you eat and visit as about the journey itself. Belle Epoque carriages, croissants and hot chocolate served on board, Gruyere cheese factory, Maison Cailler chocolate tasting — it is a fully structured day out.

The scenery between Montreux and Gruyeres — pre-Alpine meadows, medieval hilltop villages, the Lavaux vineyard backdrop — is attractive without being dramatic. The real value is the package: a day that covers two of Switzerland’s most celebrated food traditions in a format that requires no independent planning.

At CHF 89–99 all-in (factory entries, castle, coach transfers included), the Chocolate Train is good value for a guided day excursion compared to what you would pay independently.

Best for: Families with children. Food lovers. Travellers who want structured days rather than independent exploration. Anyone based in Montreux with a free day.

Full guide: Chocolate Train complete guide

Tier 3: worthwhile regional routes

These routes are not branded as “scenic trains” in the same way but offer excellent scenery and are well worth including in an itinerary.

7. Rhaetian Railway: Chur to St. Moritz (Albula line)

The Albula line carries regular Rhaetian Railway trains between Chur (the capital of Graubünden) and St. Moritz. The route includes the Landwasser Viaduct — the most photographed railway structure in Switzerland — as well as the Albula spiral tunnels. This is the line whose engineering earned UNESCO World Heritage status alongside the Bernina line.

You do not need a special train to experience it. Any regular Rhaetian Railway service between Chur and St. Moritz uses these tracks. No reservation needed, no surcharge, and the Landwasser Viaduct is best photographed from outside the panoramic express carriages anyway — at the standard train’s pace you have a good 20–30 seconds to watch it approach and see it from the viaduct itself as you cross.

Price: Regular SBB/RhB fare, fully covered by Swiss Travel Pass.

8. The Jungfrau region cogwheel railways

The cogwheel railways from Interlaken to Jungfraujoch — via Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen and Kleine Scheidegg — are not “scenic trains” in the standard package sense, but the experience is extraordinary. The view of the Eiger North Face from Kleine Scheidegg, the tunnel section through the mountain to the Jungfraujoch at 3,454m, and the panorama from Europe’s highest railway station justify the trip despite the significant cost (CHF 200+ for the full ascent, 25% discount with Swiss Travel Pass).

Honourable mentions

Appenzell-St. Gallen rack railway: The Appenzellerbahn connects St. Gallen with the rolling hills of Appenzell canton in northeastern Switzerland. Quieter and less known than the western scenic trains, but the Appenzell region itself — with its traditional painted farmhouses, cheese culture, and open-air democracy — is one of Switzerland’s most distinctive areas.

Mont Blanc Express (Martigny to Chamonix): Crosses from Switzerland into France through the Trient Valley. Covered by Swiss Travel Pass on the Swiss section. The approach to the Mont Blanc massif from Martigny is dramatic, and the connection allows an easy French Alps extension.

RegionAlps (Martigny to Verbier area): Serves the lower Bagnes Valley and provides access to Verbier. Not a scenic train per se, but the approach from Martigny with the Grand Combin massif above is striking.

How to plan your scenic train itinerary

For a 3-day scenic train focus

Day 1: Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz Day 2: Bernina Express from St. Moritz to Tirano; return to St. Moritz by evening Day 3: Albula line from St. Moritz to Chur (passing Landwasser Viaduct); IC to Zurich

Total reservations required: CHF 53–63 with Swiss Travel Pass, plus passes.

For a 7-day complete circuit

See our full scenic trains itinerary and 7-day Switzerland itinerary for a complete routing that fits Glacier Express, Bernina Express, GoldenPass Express, and Gotthard Panorama Express into a week of travel.

For a 1-day scenic train from Zurich

Best option: Take IC to Chur (1h10), then Rhaetian Railway to St. Moritz (2h). Board the Bernina Express to Tirano, take the afternoon regional train back to St. Moritz, then IC to Zurich via Chur. Full day, no overnight, covers the Albula line and Bernina Express.

Reservation needed: CHF 14 for Bernina Express (or use Swiss Travel Pass + CHF 14 reservation).

Swiss Travel Pass: how it affects the rankings

The Swiss Travel Pass changes the economic calculation for every train on this list. With a pass, the base fare is covered for all routes; you pay only reservations:

Train	Reservation cost with pass
Bernina Express	CHF 14
Glacier Express	CHF 39–59
GoldenPass Express	CHF 10–16
Gotthard Panorama Express	CHF 14–20
Lucerne-Interlaken Express	Free (no reservation needed)
Chocolate Train	Discounted package (not fully covered)

Without a Swiss Travel Pass, the most cost-effective scenic train is the Bernina Express (CHF 90 total). The most expensive is the Glacier Express (CHF 192–314 depending on class).

If you plan to ride two or more of the top-tier trains, the Swiss Travel Pass typically pays for itself on the train fares alone, before accounting for city transport, museum access, and lake boat coverage.

Our verdict

The Swiss scenic train network is the best in the world. No other country concentrates this level of mountain railway engineering, panoramic carriage design, and extraordinary natural scenery into such a compact geography. The Bernina Express and Glacier Express sit at the top of the global ranking of scenic train experiences — not just in Switzerland, but anywhere.

If you can only choose one: the Bernina Express for scenic intensity and value. If you want the full experience: both, on consecutive days from St. Moritz.

For booking everything, see our step-by-step how to book Swiss scenic trains guide and the complete Swiss Travel Pass guide.