Gstaad Switzerland: GoldenPass Belle Époque, Glacier 3000, Fairytale Charm & Cow Parades

Dreaming of a Swiss Alps escape? Gstaad offers everything from vintage train journeys on the GoldenPass Belle Époque to breathtaking mountain adventures at Glacier 3000, to centuries-old traditions like the Zuglete cow parade. Just three hours from Zurich or Geneva, this alpine village is the perfect blend of fairytale charm, outdoor adventure and historical culture.

A vintage train journey, stunning Swiss alpine scenery, chocolate-box chalets, goats and COWS, what more could you want?

If you too have children or family members living abroad, there’s often a deep desire to visit as often as possible, especially when they are only a short flight or train journey away. While these visits are always wonderful, they can also bring dilemmas. You are desperate to reconnect, yet conscious of time away from work, the cost of a short break, and not wanting your loved ones to feel pressured into becoming your local tour guide. It is a delicate balancing act.

Sometimes, the answer is to combine both: reconnecting with family while also exploring a different part of the country. This way, it feels like a holiday and new experience for everyone, you get to spend precious time together, without the pressure to entertain or be entertained.

That is exactly what we chose to do. My husband and I flew into Geneva Airport, where our daughter met us at arrivals. From there, we headed straight to the train station and boarded a direct train to Montreux, a lakeside town at the far end of Lake Geneva. The journey took just over an hour, giving us time to catch up on our daughter’s news while vineyards and marinas whirred past the windows.

A quick patisserie stop in Montreux provided pastries and coffee before the next stage of our adventure: the MOB GoldenPass Belle Époque train to Gstaad.

Riding the GoldenPass Belle Époque Train - This vintage train, with both 2nd and 1st class options, is one of the loveliest ways to travel through the valley. Having travelled 2nd class before, charming with its wooden bench seating, small tables and little lamps, we decided this time to upgrade to 1st class for a more opulent experience. Think cosy armchair-style seating for 48 Swiss francs, compared to 28 for 2nd class. We booked via SBB.

The GoldenPass Belle Époque departs Montreux twice daily (09:05 and 14:43), taking 1 hour 39 minutes to reach Gstaad. There’s no food service, so our pastry stop was essential.

For our return journey, we chose the GoldenPass Panoramic train—modern, with sweeping glass windows offering a completely different perspective of the route. You can explore all train options, including the GoldenPass Express to Interlaken, on MOB’s website.

Arrival in Gstaad - As the train climbed steadily from Montreux, leaving Lake Geneva glistening below, we passed through the Gruyère district and the timeless Pays-d’Enhaut valley. Villages like Château-d’Oex, Rougemont and Saanen appeared like postcards, before the train gently pulled to a stop in Gstaad.

Stepping onto the platform felt like arriving in an adult Disneyland, not because it was artificial, but because it was so beautiful, natural and magical. Even the vending machine was a joy, dispensing cheese, Swiss chocolate, jars of honey, olive oil, and even small wooden cows!

Speaking of cows, I have to confess my deep love for them. I find them such beautiful creatures, with the gentlest faces, and for me, no Alpine trip is complete without seeing them. We were in Gstaad for the Züglete (Alpabzug), the traditional festival celebrating farmers moving their cows and goats down from summer mountain pastures to the valleys for winter.

Where We Stayed - Our base was the wonderful Hotel Gstaaderhof, just a 10-minute walk from the station. Strolling along Gstaad’s Promenade with its exclusive shops and charming restaurants and hotels, it is impossible not to be captivated by the chalets, hand-painted details, flower-filled balconies, all framed by pine-clad mountains. The Saane (Sarine in French) river runs through the town, marking the cultural divide between Switzerland’s German- and French-speaking regions. 

After a long but magical day of travel, we opted for convenience and dined at the hotel’s Muli restaurant. Far from being a compromise, it was fabulous, a blend of French and international dishes, and the perfect ending to a sensory-filled day.

Even the hotel decor delighted me: artwork and bar displays celebrating the COW, whilst also showcasing Switzerland’s traditional paper-cutting art. This style can also be admired at the Musée du Pays-d’Enhaut in nearby Château-d’Oex. To top it all off, the view from our room revealed the iconic Gstaad Palace Hotel, glowing red against the night sky like a fairytale castle.

Exploring with the Gstaad Card - Many accommodations in the region provide a Gstaad Card with your stay. This offers free local bus and train travel across the Saanenland and Simmental region, plus discounts on attractions. Ours came in handy for a morning trip to Glacier 3000, just a 25-minute bus ride from Gstaad.

The gondola ride isn’t free, but with the Gstaad card you get 20% off the 89 CHF fare. Once at the top, the Tissot Suspension Bridge links two peaks at 3,000 metres. Not for the faint-hearted, but really exhilarating, even though low cloud meant we couldn’t take in the full view.

We made our way back down the stunning valley into Gstaad and then hopped on the GoldenPass Panoramic to spend the afternoon in the quieter, yet equally charming village of Saanen, home to the famous Gstaad Menuhin Festival, founded by world-renowned violinist Yehudi Menuhin who visited the area frequently. Returning to Gstaad for an early dinner in one of the fabulous restaurants along the Promenade. 

Experiencing the Züglete Festival - There was a real sense of excitement as the morning of the Züglete dawned bright and clear. Breakfast was quickly finished so that we could head straight to the Promenade and be ready to greet the first cows and goats making their long descent into the village.

The Züglete, also known as the Alpabzug, is one of Switzerland’s most beautiful Alpine traditions, rich in history and meaning. The word literally means “descent from the Alp,” while its spring counterpart, the Alpaufzug, means “ascent to the Alp.”

For centuries, Alpine farming has relied on this seasonal rhythm. In late spring (May/June), when the grass in the valleys grew scarce, families moved their cattle up into the lush summer mountain meadows (Alpaufzug). Then, in autumn (September/October), before snow made the pastures inaccessible, the animals were brought back down (Alpabzug).

These movements were practical but also deeply symbolic. Sending the animals up ensured hay could be preserved for winter, while their safe return down marked gratitude for a good season. Families, neighbours and farmhands would walk together, guiding the herds through valleys and villages, praying for protection from storms, avalanches, wolves and accidents. Over time, this necessity became a celebration: hope and abundance in spring, gratitude and safe return in autumn.

Each herd usually belongs to a particular family, and they descend separately, along different routes, so the community can celebrate each family’s animals and they don’t get mixed together. The pride for each family is known as the Kranzkuh or the crown cow, chosen as the finest in the herd. She always leads the way, adorned with a spectacular floral headdress and wearing the largest ceremonial bell (Senntumsglocken). These bells are treasured family heirlooms, often engraved or decorated with embroidered straps, and passed down through generations. The large bells are only worn for short times during ceremonies whilst everyday bells are much lighter and smaller and worn in the mountains for practical use, though some farmers now use GPS collars to keep track of their herds.

The decorative headdresses are far more than ornamentation. Flowers and herbs are chosen for their protective powers and blessings, carrying gratitude for the summer just passed and hope for the winter to come.

What struck me most is that the Zuglete is not simply cows and goats walking through a beautiful village, it is a living celebration of gratitude, heritage, and the natural rhythm of Alpine life. It binds communities together and honours both land and livestock in a way that feels timeless and deeply moving.

If you ever wish to experience this tradition yourself, there are many Alpabzug and Alpaufzug festivals across Switzerland. But with its easy three-hour train journey from Zurich or Geneva, and its storybook charm, the Gstaad Zuglete is an especially magical place to witness it.

Heading Home - All too soon, it was time to retrace our steps back to Geneva. This time we boarded the more modern but no less impressive the GoldenPass Panoramic train, we watched the chalets and alpine meadows slip past the windows, the rhythm of the journey giving us time to reflect.

For my husband, the trip had been about spending time with our daughter, slowing down and soaking up the mountain scenery. For our daughter, it was a welcome pause from her busy life, a chance to simply “be” together without the pressure of entertaining. For me, as well as sharing our own precious family time together, it was the magic of experiencing a centuries-old tradition, one that made me feel deeply connected not only to Switzerland, but also to the land, the animals and the people who care for them.

It reminded me that sometimes the most meaningful trips aren’t about ticking off big sights, but about finding moments that stay with you, whether that’s sharing a meal, walking through an enchanting flower-filled village, or standing in a crowd as decorated cows parade proudly past.

For anyone visiting family abroad, or simply craving a short break in the Swiss Alps, Gstaad offers the perfect blend of connection, tradition, and beauty. A few days here can truly feel like a lifetime’s worth of memories.

If you ever wish to experience this tradition yourself, there are many Alpabzug and Alpaufzug festivals across Switzerland. But with its easy three-hour train journey from Zurich or Geneva, and its storybook charm, the Gstaad Zuglete is an especially magical place to witness it.

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