Gotthard Panorama Express SBB — Attraction in Circolo di Lugano ovest

The Gotthard Panorma Express is a grand day trip by boat and train. Starting from Lucerne, we sailed on Europe's oldest steam boat across the mountain framed lake. In early October there was a fresh breeze (bring warm cloth if you plan to stay outside), but the upper deck also beautifully sunny. The morning fog soon lifted and views opened, so don't be deterred if the morning looks gloomy. The restaurant serves food and drink, but nobody minds if you bring your own either. Indoors there are information panels and one can watch the steam engine in full action. It looks as shiny and new as it started operations yesterday, not 100 years ago.

Arriving in Flüelen its a mere 100 m walk to the the train station, where within 15 min the train arrives. Beware that advance reservations is required for the panoramic train that runs only once daily in each direction. The staff was very welcoming and accommodating, I wasn't aware there would be a multi lingual guide on board and the human touch instead of canned recording made the whole experience more special. There's also an overview map and guidebook. The newer air conditioned wagons have panoramic windows, there's an older one where one can open windows to take photos, too. The restaurant serves light meals, including vegan options, though they took a while to arrive. A little Swiss chocolate at the end topped it off. :)

The whole experience was top notch and I'm eager to return for another of Switzerland's panorama...

Fantastic journey from the moment we checked in our bags to when we picked them up at the train station. What an incredible experience. I have to mention that the team on the train and on the boat were great, super friendly, knowledgeable and engaging with all guests onboard. The views along the way are breathtaking and the trip goes by a lot quicker than it seems. We loved the personal touch of being about write some postcards home, that they mail out same day. Fantastic touch! 100% recommend! Also the food on the boat was delicious, definitely book your table in advance for...

The best train journey of the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland, would absolutely come back just for this trip and visiting Lugano/Lucerne. The views are beautiful and the staff is lovely. There are interesting and relevant tidbits of information as you go along, both from an overhead speaker and the staff. Our carriage was taken care of by Reinhard who gets 11/10 from both myself and my Grandpa for his humour, hospitality, and engagement. Not to mention the ferry from Flüelen to Lucerne is gorgeous and a great experience...