Glacier Express and Lucerne tour: scenic train and walk

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/11

Duration10h

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Ride 291 kilometers of Alpine scenery, then walk into the Middle Ages

This 10-hour tour from Zurich combines the Glacier Express scenic train with a guided walk through Lucerne's Old Town. You board at Zurich HB, travel through Chur and Andermatt on the legendary panoramic train, and arrive in Lucerne for a guided tour of the medieval center, Chapel Bridge and the Lion Monument. A live guide in English or Spanish travels with you and provides commentary on Swiss traditions, the train's history, and the region's heritage.

10h

Step-by-step itinerary

Glacier Express and Lucerne tour

Meet guide at Zurich train station
Train ride to Chur with stories
Board Glacier Express panoramic carriage
Enjoy scenic Glacier Express ride to Andermatt
Depart train at Andermatt, board train to Lucerne
Stop at Lake Lucerne and learn history
Tour Lucerne Old Town and landmarks
Return to Zurich

The Experience

The day starts at Zurich HB's main hall, where your guide meets you before the journey to Chur—Switzerland's oldest city, with over 5,000 years of history. From there you board the Glacier Express itself, settling into a modern panoramic carriage for the 291-kilometer inland route. The train moves at a pace that lets the landscape unfold: snow-capped mountains around the Oberalp section, architecturally striking bridges at the highest altitude of the tour, and the steady shift from canton to canton. Your guide shares stories about Swiss traditions and the Express's operational history as you travel. Lunch is served at your seat (available for purchase on board), so you don't break the view.

At Andermatt—a traditional Swiss village in the Ursen Valley—you transfer to another train for the final leg to Lucerne. The guide uses this stretch to explain how the Swiss Confederation formed and the endurance of the Swiss Guards, context that deepens what you'll see later. Then comes Lake Lucerne, the lake of four cantons, ringed by sparkling water and deep mountain ranges. Arriving in the city itself, the guide leads you through the medieval Old Town on foot, pointing out the perfectly preserved gothic architecture and the backdrop of snow-capped peaks. You stand in front of the Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)—the world's oldest surviving bridge—and the Lion Monument, an intricate 19th-century rock carving carved into the mountainside to commemorate the Swiss Guards who died in the French Revolution. The full day ends with a return to Zurich.

What’s included

Glacier Express seat reservation and standard rail pass.
meet-and-greet at Zurich HB.
live guide in English or Spanish throughout the day.
guided walk through Lucerne's medieval Old Town, Chapel Bridge and Lion Monument.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Tours of Switzerland

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want mountain scenery and Lucerne's medieval core in one journey with a guide who narrates in English or Spanish—the fixed route combines the train and city walk without separate bookings.