How to Experience Winter in Switzerland with the Swiss Travel Pass

From iconic routes like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express to charming towns, winter boat rides, and festive markets, winter in Switzerland offers a travel experience that feels straight out of a postcard.

In this episode, I’m joined by Swiss rail expert Andy Nef to break down one of the most beautiful winter routes in the country, highlighting train travel in Switzerland at its best. We walk through a stunning Swiss itinerary inspired by the Grand Train Tour, including Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt, and St. Moritz, all easily explored with the Swiss Travel Pass.

You’ll learn which panoramic trains operate in winter, when to book seat reservations, how to pair rail journeys with scenic lake cruises, and how your pass unlocks perks like discounted mountain excursions and free museum access. Andy also shares practical winter travel tips to help you stay warm, flexible, and stress-free while moving through the Alps.

If you want a smooth, scenic, and unforgettable winter journey, this episode gives you a clear path to planning a stunning Swiss winter adventure without the hassle, all while maximizing comfort and value.

Happy travels,
Carolyn

👉 Show notes - Episode 164

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Transcript

Carolyn Schönafinger: Welcome to The Holidays to Switzerland Podcast. If you're planning a trip to Switzerland, this is the podcast for you. I'm your host, Carolyn Schönafinger, the founder of HolidaysToSwitzerland.com. And in each episode, my expert guests and I share practical tips to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland.

You'll get helpful advice about traveling around Switzerland, and hear about the most popular destinations, as well as some hidden gems. And we'll introduce you to plenty of wonderful experiences that you can enjoy as part of your Swiss vacation.

Each episode is packed with expert tips, itinerary ideas, and inspiration to help make your Swiss vacation planning easy. So let's dive in.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Grüezi and welcome to this week's episode. If you're considering a winter visit to Switzerland, but you're not sure how to get the most out of your trip, you'll love today's chat with my friend and regular podcast guest, Andy Nef from Travel Switzerland..

Andy is here to share his tips for planning a journey through Switzerland by train in the winter. He's got a fantastic itinerary to share with us, as well as lots of useful info that will help make your trip planning easier. If you've ever pictured yourself floating through a snowy Swiss landscape on a warm and cozy train, you're in for a real treat.

And if a vacation in winter is one of your travel dreams, keep listening to the end to learn how you can get 5% off your Switzerland Rail package.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Hello, Andy, and welcome back to the podcast. Thank you for joining me again today.

Andy Nef: Good morning, Carolyn. Great pleasure to be here.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Thank you. Winter has arrived in Switzerland, and I know that a lot of people associate train travel in Switzerland with summer vacations. But traveling in winter is just as spectacular. And I was lucky enough to experience it last year, and it really is quite magical. What is it about traveling by train in winter that you like the most?

Andy Nef: Yeah, I have to say traveling in winter is very special, because it's a special atmosphere, right? You are in the warm, cozy train, and you see the winter landscape passing by, and the train is like floating through the landscape, because the snow is kind of muting the noise of the train. So, that's really something special. And yeah, it's warm and cozy on the train. And maybe you have something nice to drink and eat. And you have to know that all the standard trains, they are running year-round. So, for us, it's actually not something really special to travel in winter, even though it is special in a way. And most panoramic trains are even running in winter. So, there is really nothing preventing you from traveling in winter through Switzerland.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, living in your own postcard atmosphere with the beautiful, yeah, snowy landscape outside the window. Is there an especially scenic winter itinerary that you'd like to tell us about, and why would you choose this itinerary?

Andy Nef: Yeah, I have chosen the Winter Magic itinerary because this is really one of the itineraries which works very, very good. And it's one of the official Grand Train Tour packages which we are selling through our distribution partners. Most of you have been listening to me already, and I was explaining the Grand Train Tour, so you know how much variety you get there, how many different kind of packages and train trip you get. And this is really the perfect Grand Train Tour trip for winter. Because it includes three panoramic trains, and you are passing through the most popular destinations, and of course, all is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay, so tell us more about this itinerary and where it visits and what some of the highlights are.

Andy Nef: Yes, of course. So, you would actually start as usual at the airport, I guess, when coming from Australia or any other overseas destinations, or you can also start at any border points when you come into Switzerland by train. And then, the first leg would actually take you to Lucerne. And then, from Lucerne, you are taking the Lucerne-Interlaken Express all the way to Interlaken. And I mean, this is a very spectacular ride in winter. You are passing along these five lakes, and all of them have a different color in contrast to the white winter landscape. And well, here we are.

Then, from Interlaken, you are taking the train down to Zermatt. And what I recommend there, I mean, the fastest route is always through the Lötschberg Base Tunnel. Remember, that's a 39-kilometer long tunnel where you see a lot, 20 minutes of darkness. So, I recommend to actually take the old route, cross the mountain, takes half an hour longer, but you get all the beautiful sceneries, right? And then, of course, once you are in Zermatt, you have famous Matterhorn. It might be a little bit more difficult in winter to see it. But we hope you see it.

And then, from Zermatt, of course, you have the Glacier Express, which is running most of winter. We have to be a little bit careful there with the Glacier Express; it's not running from November to mid-December, right? That's when they do the maintenance on all the rolling stock. So, be careful there. But I mean, January, February, March, you're just fine on the Glacier Express. And of course, Glacier Express in winter is providing exactly the same service as in summer. So, the whole catering is available; you can have your three-course meal, you can have your à la carte, it's all possible, right?

And then, from Zermatt, you have the option to take the Bernina Express down to Chur. That's one option, but the other option is to take one of the regular trains down to Chur, which are running on the same line, actually. So, in short, that's the Winter Magic package, right?

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, visiting some very popular destinations. So, how long should travelers allow to do that itinerary comfortably?

Andy Nef: I mean, you should at least have six nights, right? That's the thing. But that's always very short, I have to say, because there is so much to do and so much to see. So, I recommend to take a little bit more time, right? You can easily add another night in all these destinations and make use of your Swiss Travel Pass and maybe do some local excursions, go on top of one of the mountain trips, etcetera. So, make use, take time, really take time, don't rush; that's what I recommend.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, great advice. I mean, if you're staying two nights in each destination, you've really only got the one full day there. And as you said, there's so much to see and do: there's mountain excursions you could do, there's lake cruises on Lake Thun, for example, if when you're staying in Interlaken, there's museums to visit. So, having more than one full day in each location is definitely a good idea.

Andy Nef: Absolutely. No, that's what I highly recommend. Make use of the Swiss Travel Pass.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Now, you mentioned there the Swiss Travel Pass, and that is going to cover the cost of all those train journeys that you've mentioned. But do any of these trains require advance seat reservations, and is there an additional cost for those?

Andy Nef: Yeah, very important point. As you remember, regular trains don't require seat reservation in Switzerland. We don't do that. Swiss, we love to just board the train we want, get on, get off whenever we want, so on the regular trains, that's really no issue. Should a train be very full, you just wait for the train half an hour later. That's how we do it. And there is plenty of things to do at the railway station usually; there is a café or a restaurant or whatever.

But, of course, the big exception, the very important exception, are the panoramic trains. And in this case, it's the Glacier Express which require seat reservations. And there is also, if you take the Bernina Express from Chur down to, or from St. Moritz down to Chur, you also have to book that one. So, these panoramic trains require seat reservations, even in winter.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. And how far ahead should people book those reservations?

Andy Nef: So, in general, seat reservations are open for the whole season. And so, you can really book far in advance. The big exception here is the Glacier Express, which opens only three months in advance. But please do it, do it as early as possible, especially the Glacier Express. It tends to sell out very, very fast nowadays.

Carolyn Schönafinger: All right. So, is there anything else that you'd like to tell us about this particular itinerary, or just in general, traveling through Switzerland in winter by train?

Andy Nef: Yeah, don't forget the added values of the Swiss Travel Pass. The Swiss Travel Pass is so much more than just a rail pass, right? For example, keep in mind that the days are short in winter. It's getting dark between 4 and 5 PM in the evening. Towards March, maybe 6. So, when you travel, you wouldn't see that much anymore, right? So, better to finish your travels in the late afternoon, and then maybe visit one of the museums. Remember, there is more than 500 museums included in the Swiss Travel Pass, and even if you just have time for a short visit, it's worth doing it, right?

Also, remember that most of the mountain railways and cable cars are operating in winter. So, when you are at the destination and you have time, maybe you add an additional night, make use of the reductions you get with the Swiss Travel Pass, and go up to one of these mountain peaks in winter. It gives you a different expression. And that's when it comes in handy to be dressed accordingly. So, well, remember the onion, right? Layers, that's what you should do. Especially when you go up to the mountains, wear layers so that you can easily get rid of some of your clothing when you're inside, but keep very nice and warm when you step outside.

Many people don't really relate a boat trip to winter. And that's another thing I want to mention here, that many boat companies provide services in winter. The timetable is not as dense as in summer. You may have to check in advance how it works with your travel plans. But that's something special to take a boat in winter. And do that. Gives you again a different impression of Switzerland.

And the other thing is I want to mention, well, snow is not granted. Just to avoid disappointments. So, especially in the lower parts of Switzerland, we don't get snow cover the whole winter. I mean, in Zurich, for example, there is maybe once or twice we get snow per year. And believe me, we are quite lucky not to get snow in Zurich, because once there is a lot of snow in Zurich, it's pure chaos. People are not used to drive in snow anymore, for example. But as soon as you get a little bit higher up, you can be certain to see snow in winter.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Fantastic. So, do the trains still run at mostly the same timetables throughout winter as they do during the summer, or are there reduced services?

Andy Nef: So, the regular trains, they are running in winter as in summer, right? It's more like the more tourist trains which reduce maybe their services in winter. There is, for example, less connections on the Glacier Express in winter than in summer. So, that's why we always recommend to check, check timetables online. When you do the planning of your trip, check them on sbb.ch. And when you check timetables, always make sure to enter the right dates. So that you get the timetable and the connections of your travel day. That's a mistake many people do; they just enter any day, and then they're surprised that a train is not running or a boat is not running, right?

And of course, whenever, well, important about this is also when you enter the accurate date, should there be a train line being closed. At the moment, for example, the Lucerne-Interlaken Express is not running from Lucerne to Interlaken; it's only running as far as Meiringen. So, this will be shown on the web, right? This will be shown on the online timetable. So, so you don't get any surprises.

And of course, once you arrive to Switzerland, make sure that you have SBB Mobile app downloaded. That's where you always get the real-time timetable information, indicating even delays of one or two minutes, by the way. I always have to laugh about that. But should there by any chance be an interruption due to avalanches or whatever, this will be shown in the app. And they would give you alternatives, right, on how to travel between certain points.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Okay. So, with that Lucerne to Interlaken route that you just mentioned, I'm assuming that when the train isn't operating from Meiringen, there's probably a bus service in its place?

Andy Nef: Yeah, of course. Of course. We wouldn't let the people get stranded. Don't worry. So, there is always a bus replacement. I mean, we always try to get people from one place to the other, get people home, get people to their hotel. The only exception which I can think of with no replacement and maybe no solution is, should there be a cut-off, for example, should there be an avalanche or a landslide or whatever, then, of course, I mean, if if the road is blocked as well, what should we do, right? So, that's how, how it is.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah. But with the Swiss efficiency, those kind of issues are dealt with very, very quickly, aren't they? So, there's usually not too much disruption.

Andy Nef: No, of course not. We, as I said, try our best.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Any final tips for anyone who's considering a Swiss winter rail holiday?

Andy Nef: Yeah, think about the Christmas markets. I mean, that's what Switzerland is actually quite famous. Many people maybe don't know, because there is bigger markets in our neighboring countries. But in Switzerland, in many, many cities and towns, there is Christmas markets. And of course, all these beautiful towns and cities are connected by public transport. So, you could even do a Christmas market hopping in Switzerland with the Swiss Travel Pass and travel from one Christmas market to the other. Well, just an idea.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Yeah, great idea. And of course, if anyone has left it a bit too late for this Christmas, they can start planning now for next Christmas and use the Swiss Travel Pass when they travel around.

Andy Nef: Yeah, that's actually the perfect timing because now the panoramic trains have opened the reservations for the next reservation period, so for 2026. Now is the time for making plans as far as mid-December next year.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Wonderful. It's always great to be organized and have a trip to Switzerland on the horizon, so why not book early and and get that sorted?

Andy Nef: Absolutely.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Thank you very much, Andy, for sharing that with us today. I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas, and look forward to having you back on the podcast again next year to share more Swiss rail tips with us.

Andy Nef: Thank you very much, Carolyn. I can't wait for Christmas.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Well, have a happy one. Bye for now.

Andy Nef: Same to you. Bye-bye.

Carolyn Schönafinger: Lucerne, Interlaken, Zermatt, and St. Moritz are all gorgeous destinations to visit in winter. Are you ready to embark on your own Swiss Winter Magic trip?

After doing exactly that myself last winter, I highly recommend it. So, how do you go about arranging a trip like this? There are a couple of ways.

Firstly, you can purchase a Swiss Travel Pass, which you can buy from the Holidays to Switzerland shop, and then book all your overnight stays separately. Don't forget, you'll also need to book seat reservations for the Glacier Express and Bernina Express. I'll include a link to my guide about booking seat reservations in the show notes.

The alternative way to book your Winter Magic itinerary is to book a rail package through Switzerland Travel Centre and have them make all the arrangements on your behalf. Packages include accommodation with breakfast, seat reservations, and all rail travel for the itinerary. Train tickets are based on the most cost-effective for your trip, but you can specify that you'd like a Swiss Travel Pass when booking. So, you can take advantage of all those added bonuses that Andy mentioned, like museum entry, lake cruises, and discounted mountain excursions.

With everything arranged for you, a rail package is the simplest way to book your trip. And if you quote the Holidays to Switzerland promo code HTSWISS, when booking, you'll receive a 5% discount.

In the show notes for this episode, you'll find further details about the special discount offer, a copy of the Winter Magic itinerary, and some other fantastic winter itineraries. There's also a link to get a copy of my free Winter in Switzerland Checklist. Those show notes are at https://holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode164 

Thanks so much for tuning in today. I hope you enjoyed the episode and are now inspired to plan your own winter vacation in Switzerland. Don't forget to share the podcast with your family, friends, or colleagues who are also planning to visit Switzerland, too.

Until next week, Tschüss.