In this magnificent film of the "Glacier Express" the viewer is immersed in what is probably one of the most impressive and romantic train journeys of the world.
Over a century ago lovers of travel and the wild discovered the Alps, and quiet mountain villages such as Zermatt and St Moritz changed into mondaine centres of health and mountain adventure. Especially after they had been made accessible by the construction of amazing rail links. In 1926 the
Visp Zermatt Bahn, later the Brig Visp Zermatt Bahn, Furka Oberalp Bahn and the Rhätische Bahn created a direct connection between Wallis and Graubünden. Now was the time for a luxury train between Zermatt and St. Moritz.- the "Glacier Express" became a reality. On 25 June 1930 the fi rst
"Glacier Express" left Zermatt on a truly unique journey literally through the mountains. While the BVZ and RhB used electric locomotives, until the 40s the FO used nostalgic steam engines. Because of snow and avalanche dangers the journey over the Furka Bergstrecke below the Rhone glacier, was not possible in winter and thus only used in summer. Only in 1982 did this all change when the Furka Base tunnel between Oberwald and Realp was opened and the avalanche risks could be avoided. In the 1980s and 90s the "Glacier Express" grew from what had humorously become known as the the world's slowest express  into one of Switzerland's top attractions. This was helped by the use of
comfortable panorama coaches with airco and passenger service of an extremely high standard. On 1January 2003 the BVZ and FO merged under the name Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn or MGB.
RT 70 mins  Multilingual narration 2009