If you’re after a winter break to see the stunning scenery of Switzerland, a trip aboard the Glacier Express fits the bill nicely.

Swiss rail holidays are a great way to shelter from the cold while enjoying some breathtaking sights at a leisurely pace. With rail tours, you can relax in comfort yet get to see famous landmarks and truly beautiful surroundings you might otherwise not be able to navigate on foot.

Booking rail holidays in Europe can be a cost-effective way of seeing locations not too far from home in a new way. If you’ve been to Switzerland before, you’re guaranteed to find seeing the nation by train a completely new experience and a fantastic way of seeing more of the country’s awe-inspiring scenery.

Aboard the train, you’ll travel all the way from Zermatt to St Moritz and take in natural wonders as well as rustic towns along the way. The narrow-gauge locomotive dubbed the slowest express train in the world, gives you the perfect opportunity to sit back and relax as you take in the Alpine views and glaciers.

To begin with, you’ll be close to the colossal Matterhorn – a mountain in Zermatt on the border with Italy that stands at 4,478 meters tall. Zermatt is also home to an ice palace, where you can explore the local glacier’s crevasse and walk through a tunnel 15 m under the glacier itself.

As your train sets off, you’ll travel alongside the Matter Vispa River, created by water from the Gorner Glacier and the Zmutt Glacier, and then head towards the world-famous wine region of the Rhone Valley. After passing through, your locomotive will continue on to the Swiss region of Visp – a popular spot for winter sports fans and a great place to visit, combining tradition with modernity.

The next port of call on your journey will be Brig – a beautiful town to the east where you’ll find baroque architecture such as the eye-catching Stockalper Palace and numerous stately homes. Then, your train will climb through Betten, Grengiols and Oberwald on to the Furka Base Tunnel, which is around 1,369 m above sea level and 15.4 km, long connecting Valais with Realp in Uri.

Upon leaving the tunnel, you’ll find yourself heading for the rustic village of Andermatt and then the Oberalp Pass, which is the highest point on the line. The engine will chug its way up the track for 2,033 m, providing you with some fantastic views over the mountains from the top.

Your descent back down towards Disentis will be steep but stunning. The area is home to heritage sites, along with one of Switzerland’s oldest Benedictine monasteries, founded in around 720. Your engine will then be attached to another train before continuing on to Ilanz.

This town first appeared in records in 765 and became a historic location as the center of the Grey League, which was formed by the local abbot, feudal lords, and peasants in a bid to ally the surrounding areas and bring peace. The picturesque market town leads on to the Rhine Gorge in the Rhine Valley, which became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2002.

The area is important for a variety of reasons, including its importance as a trading route since prehistoric times and its geological makeup. The site is also dramatic, so keep your camera to hand as you gaze up at the 200 m high steep rock walls.

Next, your train will ferry you to Switzerland’s oldest city – Chur. Dating back to the early stone age, the area has a 5,000-year history and plenty of heritage sites, as well as being home to the regional mountain skiing resort of Brambruesch. Take a guided tour of the city and you can expect to see attractions such as the 800-year-old cathedral.

Afterward, your engine will continue on through Reichenau-Tamins and then south along the valley of the Hinterrhein before ascending to Thusis. Moving on, the scenery changes from mountainous views to green forests as you make your way to the elegant Landwasser Viaduct railway bridge. Cross the bridge and you’ll swiftly enter a 215 m tunnel carved into rock and head on through the village of Fleur.

Your train then navigates all kinds of tunnels, bridges, and coils as it climbs 416 m in 7.8 miles, following the track through the village of Preda and then the highest railway tunnel in the Alps – the Albula Tunnel – which is 1,820 m high.

Descend through picturesque woodland and pastures and on to the Engadine valley before crossing the channel of the famous bob-sleigh run, the Cresta Run. After another short tunnel, you’ll reach your last destination – St Moritz – where you can enjoy the dry, sparkling ‘champagne climate’.