6-Day Drive 9 Swiss Passes, Glacier Express Route +Stelvio, Italy

The best part of this six-day trip is simple: you drive the Alps instead of merely looking at them from a train window. In a Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0, you follow the Glacier Express route, climb the famous Stelvio Pass, and string together nine major mountain roads between Zurich, central Switzerland, Graubünden, and northern Italy.

I like the freedom of a self-led route, and I like the thoughtful backup: a programmed GPS, English road book, hotel delivery and collection, insurance, and WhatsApp support. The luxury hotels, including the Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina and The Chedi in Andermatt, make this a polished trip rather than a bare-bones driving holiday. The main consideration is cost. At $11,629.51 for two people, with fuel, parking, meals, taxes, and entrance fees extra, this is a special-occasion splurge.

Key points at a glance

• Nine Alpine passes in six days: Drive Susten, Grimsel, Furka, Oberalp, Julier, Fuorn, Stelvio, Bernina, Albula, and Klausen, with the route crossing into Italy.
• A real sports car experience: The Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 Roadster gives you an open-air way to enjoy the bends, tunnels, and high mountain views.
• The Glacier Express without being tied to a train: Follow one of its most scenic stretches over Oberalp Pass and through the Rhine Gorge.
• Luxury bases along the way: Two nights are planned at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina, with nights also at Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel and The Chedi in Andermatt.
• Self-led, but not unsupported: Stephan and EPIKdrives arrange the briefing, GPS, road book, car, hotels, and en-route help by call or WhatsApp.
• Weather matters: High passes can be affected by conditions, and the experience requires good weather.

What this Porsche Alpine tour really offers

This is not a guided sightseeing coach trip. You and your companion drive your own route in a high-performance roadster, stopping when a view, village, gorge, glacier, or café catches your eye. The plan gives you structure, but you control the pace.

That distinction matters. You will spend much of the day behind the wheel, sometimes on narrow mountain roads with sharp curves and tunnels. The reward is a close connection with the scenery and the machine. The trade-off is that you must remain alert, keep to the route, and accept that an ambitious day may leave little time for long walks.

The trip begins and ends at the Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel. On the first afternoon, you meet the team at 5 p.m. for a briefing. The car is delivered and collected at the hotel, which saves you from finding a rental counter and immediately navigating Zurich traffic.

The Zurich hotel is practical for the handover, but it is in the Zurich Tower area rather than the historic center. One past itinerary noted that the location felt removed from traditional sights and restaurants. I would treat Zurich as the arrival and departure point here, not the main cultural part of the trip.

Day 2: Lake Lucerne, Susten, Grimsel, Furka, and the Rhône Glacier

The first full driving day gives you a dramatic introduction to central Switzerland. The route heads toward Lake Lucerne through green meadows and rolling hills before the road begins to rise into the mountains.

Near Weggis, you can pause for one of the classic views across Lake Lucerne. The listed stop is only about 20 minutes, so this is more of a scenic break than a full lakeside visit. If you want time for a proper walk or boat ride, you would need to discuss that with EPIKdrives before setting off, since the day already contains several major stops.

Susten Pass is one of the strongest driving sections of the whole trip. The road cuts through mountain rock and crosses 26 bridges and tunnels beneath the Gotthard massif. The curves are enjoyable in a Porsche, but the road is also a place to slow down and appreciate the engineering. Short stops are built into the schedule, including a view of Stein Glacier.

Aare Gorge gives you the day’s best chance to leave the car behind. A walkway follows the Aare River between towering rock walls, and the planned visit lasts about two hours. Admission is not included, so bring a card or Swiss francs for the entrance fee. This is also the clearest reminder that the tour is not only about driving. The gorge adds a short, manageable walk to a day otherwise spent on winding roads.

Grimsel Pass then carries you through granite walls, tunnels, reservoirs, and high bends. The road connects naturally with Furka Pass, one of Switzerland’s famous mountain crossings. Near the top, you can stop for the Rhône Glacier and its blue ice tunnel and ice chamber, cut into the glacier each spring since around 1870.

The glacier visit takes about an hour and has a separate admission fee. Keep your expectations sensible: this is an accessible man-made passage in a changing glacier, not an expedition into untouched ice. Still, it is a memorable stop, especially when paired with the high mountain road outside.

Furka Pass supplies the cinematic moment. The road and view were used for the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, and the location gives you the same broad Alpine setting associated with Sean Connery’s Aston Martin chase. You will not need long here to understand the appeal, but this is one place where a few extra minutes with a camera make sense.

The day also includes a stroll past the wooden houses of Andermatt. Because the route includes many separate stops, this is a demanding day. You get a lot of scenery, but you should not expect leisurely meals and long village visits unless you trim something along the way.

Day 3: Oberalp Pass and the Glacier Express route

Day three follows the road used by the famous Glacier Express panorama train. The highest point is Oberalp Pass at 2,033 meters, or about 6,700 feet. Driving this section lets you pause at viewpoints the train cannot reach and gives you a different sense of how the valleys connect.

The Benedictine monastery at Disentis is a worthwhile cultural pause. It sits in the Vorderrhein Valley where the Lukmanier and Oberalp passes meet. The planned visit lasts about 45 minutes, and admission is extra. This is a good counterweight to the sports-car focus, giving you a glimpse of the region’s religious and architectural traditions.

At the Il Spir Conn viewing platform, you look down toward the Rhine Gorge and its distinctive horseshoe bend. The stop itself is brief, about 10 minutes, but the view is one of the day’s most rewarding. If you are sensitive to heights, take care near the viewing area and follow local signs.

Pradaschier adds a playful option: Switzerland’s longest toboggan run. The stop is scheduled for around two hours, with admission not included. It is not essential to the driving theme, but it gives you a chance to stretch your legs and do something active between long road sections. If the weather is poor or you prefer a quieter day, this is an obvious stop to skip.

Julier Pass carries you into the Engadine Valley at 2,284 meters, or roughly 7,493 feet. The scenery changes as you climb, and the pass serves as a natural gateway to the high valley.

St. Moritz is listed as an optional one-hour stop. You can walk beside Lake St. Moritz, take coffee at a smart café, and enjoy the resort town’s polished Alpine setting. I would not confuse St. Moritz with a traditional mountain village. It is more upscale and developed, while nearby Pontresina offers a quieter base with traditional buildings, trails, and a slower pace.

Two nights at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina are among the package’s major comforts. This is where the trip shifts from a road challenge to a luxurious Alpine stay. Pontresina also makes practical sense as a base for the Engadine and Bernina areas without requiring you to sleep in St. Moritz itself.

Day 4: Fuorn Pass, Val Müstair, and Italy’s Stelvio Pass

Day four is the international highlight. Fuorn Pass is a fast, sweeping road and the gateway toward the Italian Tyrol. Before crossing the border, you have the option to learn about the plants and animals of Switzerland’s only national park. The exact visit is not assigned a long duration, so you should confirm how much time is available if natural history is important to you.

The Convent of Saint John in Müstair is a compact but significant stop. This early medieval Benedictine monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage site because of its well-preserved Carolingian art. Admission is extra, and the planned visit is about 20 minutes. That is enough for a quick look, but not a deep art visit.

Then comes Stelvio Pass, the road many driving enthusiasts will be waiting for. Its 48 numbered hairpins climb to 2,757 meters, or about 9,045 feet, across roughly 47 kilometers. The zigzag route is dramatic, exposed, and busy at popular times. The Porsche makes the climb enjoyable, but the road demands patience. Motorcycles, bicycles, other cars, and opposing traffic all share the bends.

Do not treat Stelvio as a racetrack. The best experience comes from taking clean lines, leaving space, and stopping where it is safe and legal. Weather can change quickly at this height, and conditions may affect access. The tour’s weather requirement is important here, not just a small note in the fine print.

Bernina Pass follows, with the road running parallel to the UNESCO-listed Rhaetian Railway. The connection between road and railway is one of the day’s special touches. You may catch sight of a train crossing one of the celebrated viaducts, though the schedule and timing are not guaranteed.

Day 5: Albula Railway country and Klausen Pass

The fifth day begins with Albula Pass, following the Albula River and climbing by a series of bends beside the canyon. The northern section is considered especially scenic, and the road near Bergün gives you a strong view into the Albula gorge.

The Albula Railway Museum in Bergün is a useful stop if you enjoy transport history. The railway runs near the pass, and with good timing you might see a train crossing one of the stone viaducts. Museum admission is extra, and the planned visit takes about an hour.

Klausen Pass supplies the final major driving chapter. It connects Altdorf in Uri with Linthal in Glarus, reaches 1,948 meters, and covers about 46 kilometers with 136 curves. Because it is only about an hour from Zurich, it can also work as an introductory Alpine drive. On this tour, it arrives after several bigger passes, but it still provides a satisfying final set of bends and views.

The published plan for the final day is a leisure period followed by departure. Before booking, ask EPIKdrives to confirm the exact hotel order and nightly routing. The supplied accommodation plan names two nights in Zurich, two in Pontresina, and one at The Chedi in Andermatt, while the route notes also refer to a beautiful hotel in Interlaken. That may reflect route flexibility or a variation in the package, but it is worth clarifying in writing.

Luxury hotels and the value of the package

The price is $11,629.51 per group of up to two people. That is a serious amount, but it covers more than a standard rental car and a stack of hotel bookings.

Included are five nights in four- and five-star accommodation, a 96-hour Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 Roadster rental, comprehensive car insurance, all tour mileage, delivery and collection at the hotel, programmed GPS, an English day-by-day road book, private transportation, a personal briefing, and en-route help by phone or WhatsApp.

The hotel mix is a major part of the value. Two nights at the Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel provide an easy start and finish. Two nights at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina give you a refined base in the Engadine. One night at The Chedi in Andermatt adds another high-end Alpine stay.

Still, the price does not cover everything. You pay for fuel, parking, local tourism taxes, meals, admission fees, and travel insurance. A CHF 3,000 credit-card deposit is required for the Porsche, and the minimum driver age is 23. For two people celebrating an anniversary or major milestone, the package may feel more worthwhile than assembling the same pieces independently. For a budget-minded road trip, it will not.

One particularly useful strength is the planning. A past trip arranged by Stephan included car delivery, hotel reservations, GPS directions, and changing travel paperwork. That kind of coordination matters when your route crosses regions and an international border. The value is not only in the car. It is in having someone else handle the fiddly parts.

Who will enjoy this and who should think twice

I would choose this trip if you want a luxury driving holiday, care about mountain roads as much as famous towns, and prefer private travel to a fixed group schedule. It suits couples marking an anniversary, confident drivers who love sports cars, and people who want Switzerland, the Glacier Express route, and Stelvio in one compact trip.

You should think twice if you dislike long periods in a car, want extensive museum time, or expect every meal and entrance ticket to be covered. The itinerary is full, and several stops are timed for 10 to 20 minutes. You will see a lot, but you will need to decide which places deserve extra time.

A moderate level of physical fitness is requested. That makes sense for Aare Gorge, the glacier visit, and general movement around mountain stops. The car is the center of the trip, so this is not the best match if your priority is a slow walking holiday.

Cancellation is flexible only up to a point. Cancel at least six full days before the start for a full refund, while later cancellations receive 50 percent or no refund depending on timing. Poor weather may lead to a different date or a full refund, which is useful for a route built around high passes.

Should you book the nine-pass Alpine drive?

Book it if the phrase Porsche on Stelvio Pass makes you sit up, and if luxury hotels and careful logistics matter as much as the roads. You get an unusually broad sample of the Swiss Alps, a taste of northern Italy, a stretch of the Glacier Express route, and enough freedom to shape each day.

Before paying, confirm the precise hotel sequence, border arrangements, expected driving hours, and which mountain passes are open for your dates. Also budget for fuel, meals, parking, taxes, and entrance fees. If those details fit your expectations, EPIKdrives offers a polished way to turn a dream Alpine drive into a practical six-day plan.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at the Renaissance Zurich Tower Hotel, Turbinenstrasse 20, 8005 Zürich, Switzerland.

Where does the tour end?

The activity ends back at the meeting point in Zurich.

How long does the experience last?

The driving tour lasts six days and includes five nights of accommodation.

What car is included?

You receive a Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 Roadster for 96 hours.

What is the minimum driver age?

The minimum driver age is 23.

Is insurance included?

Comprehensive car insurance is included. Travel insurance is not included.

Is fuel included?

No. Fuel is an additional cost.

Are meals included?

Lunch and dinner are not included.

Are attraction admission fees included?

No. Admission fees are extra. This applies to places such as Aare Gorge, the Rhône Glacier ice tunnel, the Disentis monastery, Pradaschier, the Convent of Saint John, and the Albula Railway Museum.

Is the route guided?

This is a private, self-led activity. You receive a personal briefing, a programmed GPS, an English road book, and en-route support by call or WhatsApp.