Voralpen-Express - Lucerne

The gentle side of Switzerland: It’s not all 4000-metre mountains and deep ravines. On the Voralpen-Express, visitors discover a different kind of Switzerland – undulating hills, picturesque villages and lovely orchards.

Voralpen-Express is the most appealing way to travel between Eastern and Central Switzerland. Starting from Eastern Switzerland’s urban centre of St. Gallen, whose Abbey district is a UNESCO world heritage site, the train traverses the 99 metre high Sitter viaduct and the rolling landscape of “Toggenburg”. Passing by Rapperswil and the impressive upland moor near Rothenthurm, the journey ends after a little over two hours in historic Lucerne on the shores of Lake Lucerne.

Facts

Route: St. Gallen – Wattwil – Rapperswil – Arth Goldau – Luzern
Distance: 125 km
Duration: 2 h 15 min

Excursion tips

St. Gallen and surrounding area

• Abbey district and Abbey library
• Säntis – one of the most breathtaking panoramas of Switzerland at 2505 m a.s.l.
• Appenzell region – tradition is important between Bodensee and Säntis

Rapperswil and surrounding area

• Rapperswil castle
• Lake Zurich Navigation – 2 steamboats and 12 motor boats regularly navigate Lake Zurich

Lucerne

• Lion’s Monument – in memorial of Swiss citizens who died in 1792 during the French Revolution
• Lake Lucerne boat tours
• Landscape and Animal Park Goldau – refuge for stags, wolves, lynxes and other wild animals

Food & Beverages

Each Voralpen-Express train has a bistro coach with catering services.

Timetable

All Voralpen-Express (VAE) connections here

Ticket

This route is fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass (Flex) and GA travelcard.
Book Swiss Travel System tickets

Offers

Book here

Reservations

No seat reservation possible – free seating.