Glacier Express’ Excellence Class seats could turn any miserable 8 a.m. train commuter into Francis Bourgeois.
That is if you can afford it.
A ticket for the plush eight-hour journey through the picturesque Swiss Alps costs about $540, tenfold the price of the train’s basic fare. However, the sweet seats may be worth the cost.
The Glacier Express operates one of the most beautiful train trips in the world. Plus, they come with trendy bragging rights — these seats have become a hot commodity.
Frank Marini, president and CEO of Railbookers Group, told BI that his train-focused tour company saw a 68% spike in luxury bookings from 2023 to 2024.
“It keeps snowballing,” Marini said. “We see passengers that have come back traveling with us on a lot of luxury rail, and they’re like, ‘well, where else is there luxury rail?’”
The answer? Around the world and especially in Switzerland, which has become “immensely popular” for luxe train experiences, Andrew Channell, Railbookers’ senior vice president of product and operations, told BI, adding that it’s one of his favorite destinations.
In the Swiss Alps, you’ll find a particularly popular pick — the Glacier Express.
The iconic train brings guests on an eight-hour journey between the resort town of St. Moritz and the base of the iconic Matterhorn in Zermatt.
Along the way, travelers pass through 91 tunnels and 291 bridges, providing a picturesque peek at the snow-capped peaks, majestic gorges, and popular tourist towns.
With views like these — and a fortuitously ongoing rise in “coolcations” — it’s no surprise that the train is often sold out, a company spokesperson told BI in an email.
Demand for the Glacier Express’ top-tier Excellence Class seats has been particularly strong.
A red carpet rollout and Champagne welcome the train’s highest-paying guests to their eight-hour journey (at a window seat, of course).
Relish the Swiss sights as you dine on a five-course meal with a wine pairing.
Expect dishes such as smoked trout with roasted beets and horseradish cream cheese.
If the included booze isn’t satisfactory, you could buy a drink at the crystal chandelier-topped Glacier Bars exclusive to Excellence Class guests.
These upscale seats ring in at 490 Swiss Francs, about $537, each.
It’s a steep price compared to the cheapest seats, which cost CHF 49, or about $54.
Yet, the sumptuous accommodations — which see a 94% to 96% occupancy rate throughout the year — are often the first section to be reserved, according to the spokesperson.
The company saw more than 281,300 passengers in 2023, the strongest year in its more than 90-year history.
To keep up with demand, the Glacier Express increased its winter capacity in 2024, accommodating almost 290,000 guests. (It operates 1,820 trips annually, about 70% in the summer.)
After all, Disney’s Matterhorn bobsleds likely don’t compare to views of the real thing.
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