During the trip through Austria and Switzerland, the team of the Health Media Award e.V. took the opportunity to travel with the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz. The train offers its passengers the opportunity to experience Switzerland's most beautiful views from the comfort of the train - and combines the journey with an exclusive gastronomic experience.
Each section of the route offers scenic highlights and unique features. Between St. Moritz and Chur, the impressive route on the Albula line, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the famous Landwasser Viaduct. On the way from Chur to Andermatt, the journey continues through the unique Rhine Gorge, the 'Swiss Grand Canyon', and over the Oberalp Pass, the highest point of the route at over 2000 m.a.s.l. The journey then continues through the idyllic Rohne Valley, past traditional Valais villages with their unmistakable wooden buildings, before travelling along the wild Kipfen Gorge towards the Matterhorn. Thanks to the generous panoramic windows, which also allow a view through the sloping roofs of the train, you won't miss out on the various views from any seat. For gastronomic training, the service staff impresses with balance skills and, depending on the section of the route, also with artistic interludes as well as speed to provide up to 200 guests with a 3-course menu for lunch and delicious coffee and cake. "Especially with group tours, I always have to make sure that the gong sounds.
"This is especially important for the tour guide, who is always keen to moderate the sights to their guests"explains train manager Astrid Thönnißen. During the almost five-hour journey, the gong rings at least 10 times. Then there is always something special to see - and to explain.
Those who want to work on the move during the tourist experience can use the internet via W-LAN in large areas of the route. In between, however, there were repeated interruptions during our journey, so that video conferences on board were not possible, for example. And there is another technical challenge when travelling with the Glacier Express: in Disentis/Mustér, the locomotive is changed for the last section of the route. This means a service stop for at least 20 minutes. But despite these limitations, the journey is an extraordinary experience that is booked by tourists from all over the world for a reason.
