Five days is the shortest trip that fits both of Switzerland headline experiences — the Jungfrau region and the Glacier Express — without turning into a blur. It works because of one structural trick: you do not ride the Glacier Express end to end. The full run is eight hours to St. Moritz and leaves you at the wrong side of the country. Ride its best half instead, finish at Chur, and be back in Zurich the same evening.
Trip essentials
The five days at a glance
| Route | Zurich → Lucerne → Interlaken → Zermatt → Chur → Zurich |
| Pass to buy | 6-day Swiss Travel Pass, CHF 399 — there is no 5-day option |
| Reservation to book | Glacier Express, about CHF 49 — the only compulsory one |
| Hotel changes | Three: Lucerne, Interlaken (2 nights), Zermatt |
| Headline days | One Jungfrau-region mountain, one Glacier Express leg |
| Longest travel day | Day 5, about six hours on the Glacier Express plus an hour to Zurich |
| Best months | Late May–June and September–mid-October |
| Total rail cost | Roughly CHF 448 including the reservation |
Buy the 6-day pass, not the 4. Swiss Travel Passes come in 3, 4, 6, 8 and 15 days — there is no 5-day. A 4-day pass at CHF 309 leaves your last and longest day uncovered, and a single Zermatt–Chur–Zurich ticket costs far more than the CHF 90 difference.
Day by day
Day 1
Zurich → Lucerne · 1 hour
Take the train straight out of the airport. Lucerne is an hour away and a much better first night than Zurich. Afternoon: the covered wooden bridge, the old town, and a lake boat — free with your pass, and the best possible first hour in the country. Sleep Lucerne.
Day 2
Lucerne → Interlaken · 2 hours
Morning on Rigi if the sky is clear — one of the very few mountains covered 100% by the pass, so it costs nothing. Then the Lucerne–Interlaken Express over the Brünig Pass in the afternoon, right-hand side. Sleep Interlaken.
Day 3
The Jungfrau day
The only day with no train to catch, so keep it flexible and go where the weather is. Jungfraujoch is the big occasion at 3,454 m but only 25% off; Schilthorn is free to Mürren then half price and much better value. In cloud, drop both and take a lake boat instead — free, and just as good in flat light. Sleep Interlaken.
Day 4
Interlaken → Zermatt · about 2½ hours
Via Spiez and Visp, then up the Nikolai valley with the Matterhorn appearing in the final minutes. Arrive lunchtime and take the Gornergrat railway up — 50% off, and the best Matterhorn viewpoint there is. Get off at Rotenboden on the way down for the Riffelsee reflection. Sleep Zermatt.
Day 5
Glacier Express: Zermatt → Chur → Zurich
Roughly six hours to Chur rather than eight to St. Moritz — you still get the Oberalp Pass at 2,033 m, the Rhine Gorge and the Landwasser Viaduct, which are the parts people remember. From Chur it is about 1 h 15 to Zurich, so an evening flight is comfortable. Fly home.
Why stop the Glacier Express at Chur
The full Zermatt–St. Moritz run is eight hours and finishes in the Engadin, which is three hours from Zurich by a different route. On a five-day trip that costs you the entire last day and an extra hotel night.
Chur is the natural break: it is on the same train, it comes after the best scenery, and it connects to Zurich in just over an hour. You lose the Albula descent into St. Moritz — worth having on a longer trip, not worth restructuring a short one around. Booking details are in our Glacier Express guide.
What it costs
- 6-day Swiss Travel Pass: CHF 399, covering every train, boat, bus and city tram in the plan.
- Glacier Express reservation: about CHF 49, compulsory, bookable three months ahead.
- Mountain day: roughly CHF 85 for Schilthorn or about CHF 168 for Jungfraujoch with the pass discount.
- Gornergrat: 50% off with the pass.
Compare against a Half Fare Card only if you plan to stay put — this itinerary clears the pass break-even on day two.
Three things that make it work
- Book the Glacier Express first and build everything else around it. It is the only fixed point in the week and peak dates fill within days of opening.
- Keep Day 3 movable. It is the only weather-dependent day; if Day 2 is clearer, swap them.
- Send the bags ahead on Day 4 and Day 5. Neither the Zermatt line nor the Glacier Express has a luggage van, and Zermatt is car-free — a luggage transfer costs less than the reservation.
If you can find two more days, the 7-day Grand Train Tour itinerary adds the Bernina Express and completes the loop. Shorter than five days? Use the 3-day planning guide instead.
When five days cannot hold both
The Glacier Express and the Jungfrau region are the two headline experiences in this itinerary, and they sit at opposite ends of the country.
- Each is a full day, not a half. The train is an eight-hour journey. The high mountain is a whole day with weather risk attached. Fitting both into five days leaves the remaining time for transfers.
- The transfer between them is not scenery, it is admin. Moving from one region to the other consumes hours that look small on a map and large in a morning.
If five days is what you have, pick one anchor and build around it properly. Two anchors in five days gives you a trip you will describe as rushed, and you will be right.
5-day Switzerland itinerary questions
Can you see the Glacier Express and Jungfrau in 5 days?
Yes, and five days is the shortest trip that fits both without rushing. The trick is not riding the Glacier Express end to end — take it as far as Chur, about six hours, which covers the best scenery and puts you an hour from Zurich.
Which Swiss Travel Pass do I need for 5 days?
The 6-day pass at CHF 399, because there is no 5-day option — passes come in 3, 4, 6, 8 and 15 days. A 4-day pass leaves your longest travel day uncovered and costs more in tickets than the difference.
Should I ride the Glacier Express all the way to St. Moritz?
Not on a five-day trip. The full run is eight hours and finishes in the Engadin, three hours from Zurich by another route — it costs you the whole final day. Chur comes after the best scenery and connects to Zurich in about an hour and a quarter.
How much does this 5-day itinerary cost in rail fares?
About CHF 448 — the 6-day pass at CHF 399 plus roughly CHF 49 for the compulsory Glacier Express reservation. Mountain excursions are extra, at around CHF 85 for Schilthorn or CHF 168 for Jungfraujoch with the pass discount.
Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn on the mountain day?
Schilthorn for value — free to Mürren then 50% off, reaching 2,970 m, and no reservation needed so you can wait for clear weather. Jungfraujoch is the bigger occasion at 3,454 m but only 25% off and considerably more expensive.
When should I book the Glacier Express?
As soon as your dates are fixed. Reservations open three months ahead and peak summer departures fill within days. Book it first and build the rest of the itinerary around that date — it is the only fixed point in the trip.
Buy your Swiss Travel Pass
One pass covers every train, boat and bus in this itinerary — instant e-ticket delivery.