Glacier Express in Switzerland: Hannah Hummel's Luxurious Journey Through the Alps

Snow-dusted mountains and glistening glaciers. Rocky gorges and stunning ski slopes. This is train travel at its peak. It's a full day of magnificent views of the Swiss Alps. Hi there, I'm Hannah Hummel from DW Travel and today I'm travelling on the Glacier Express. The twisting track travels through some of Switzerland's most scenic landscapes. Which is why it's often described as one of the most breathtaking journeys in the world. I'm starting my journey in St Moritz, a winter sports resort beloved by the jet set. It's early, the sun is just rising and it's minus 10 degrees Celsius. But hopefully it'll be worth it for the gorgeous winter views that I've been promised. Our eight-hour-long trip through the Swiss Alps begins in St Moritz, continues through Chor, Andermatt and Brigg and ends in Zermatt. The route connects two ski resort towns often viewed as the winter playgrounds of the rich and famous. So thankfully it's much warmer on board than it is outside. We're 10 minutes into the journey, I've got a nice tea, it's a beautiful view. Gorgeous day, so hopefully it'll be a great trip. The Glacier Express calls itself the slowest fast train in the world, averaging just 38 kilometers per hour. It passes through 91 tunnels and crosses 291 bridges, the most famous of which is the Landwasser Viaduct, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The train makes a stop, so I hop off to have a quick chat with train driver Mike Boechler. I hurry back onto the train, just in time for lunch. The Glacier Express prepares all of its food on board in this tiny kitchen. It offers a three-course meal of traditional Swiss food. Verena Mögele has been working on board since 2018, but has worked in gastronomy for 30 years. And she serves me a traditional schnapps. Just for digestion, of course. The Glacier Express wasn't always a luxury tourist attraction. It started running in 1930 as a way for locals to get around, but only in the summer months. The vast amount of snow and ice made it too difficult to operate in the winter. In the early 1980s, the Swiss began to recognize the train's tourism potential. The railway line was overhauled so it could run year-round. The Glacier Express became one of the world's most successful and well-known tourist trains. Several hours into the journey, we reach the highest point on the line, the Oberalppass, at an elevation of 2033 meters. It's one of the most iconic stretches of road in the country, and in the winter it's another popular ski spot. If you hadn't already noticed, there's a bit of a theme going on here. This is definitely the most amazing view so far. It's like being inside a snow globe. So we've still got a few more hours to go. I think I'm going to try and explore the train and see if there's anything else to see. So we're just going past the kitchen now. And I'm sitting in first class, but I have heard that there's also an extra class. It's called the excellence class. The creme de la creme of travel. Let's go take a look around. Tickets for these seats are an eye-watering 650 euros. But we are in Switzerland after all. Plush leather seats, a seven-course meal with wine pairing, champagne and a concierge. There were only a few people in this carriage, but I'm told it gets busier in the summer months. I take full advantage of the bar and order a Negroni made with regional Swiss gin. Cheers. I'm about seven hours into the journey now, and the sun is disappearing behind the mountains. It's been beautiful, but I'm definitely ready to get off the train. 300 kilometers later, the train finally arrives at its destination. After eight hours, we've finally arrived in Zermatt. It was like a winter wonderland. Gorgeous scenery. But now it's really time to stretch my legs. I even catch a glimpse of the famous Matterhorn mountain, just as the sun sets on this beautiful village. Click here for more videos like this one, and don't forget to subscribe to DW Travel.