The town of Chur is not at all what I was expecting. Apart from the fact that it’s much larger, it’s also very nicely laid out and has some beautiful architecture.
Today I’m on my way from Chur to Andermatt. From Zürich or Basel the easiest thing would have been to travel to Göschenen on the mainline, and then catch a train of the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn to Andermatt… or you can make the detour via Chur and catch the Glacier Express from Chur to Zermatt, which calls in Andermatt along the way. The journey by Glacier Express takes just over two hours and is operated by the Rhätische Bahn – RhB.
The RhB shares the station in Chur with the mainline trains of the SBB.
The platform for the Glacier Express is also marked in Japanese.
The Glacier Express is made up of an engine and four cars. There are two first class cars, the galley car and one second class car. In first class meals are served directly at your seat.
The first class cars are in a 4 + 2 configuration, with seats facing each other. There is also a toilet in each car and there is plenty of room to store luggage.
From Chur, at nearly 600 m above sea level, the train gradually ascends to the Oberalp pass at 2033 m, before descending into Andermatt on the other side, located at 1400 m. At Disentis a new engine is put in front of the train that has a cogwheel and is able to make the steep climb up to the Oberalp pass.
As soon as the train pulls out of Chur station, the drinks service starts. The meal service only starts an hour into the journey, after the engine change at Disentis.
Orders for food can be made either on the Glacier Express website at the time of booking, or by email or phone. You can also get food on the train without pre-order.
To start, I have a lovely mixed salad, which is served with bread. The first thing that strikes me, is that the portions are quite substantial.
For the main, I have dhal served with rice and a popadom.
And for dessert, a slice of Bündner Nuss Torte, which is a local speciality.
The meal is excellent, and honestly a lot better than I had expected.
As a side note, if you travelling by public transport in Switzerland, you will still need to pay a supplement for the Glacier Express, whether you’re travelling in first or second class. Included in the supplement is also the mandatory seat reservation.
The Glacier Express is not cheap, but I think the stunning views of the Swiss mountains are certainly worth the price.
We arrive in Andermatt right on time. It’s now just coming up to 17h. I’m not quite there yet. I quickly snap a photo of the engine that was added at Disentis, and then go in search of a locker to store my luggage. For the rest of my journey I’ll only need my rucksack.
