The Gornergrat Railway

Posted on Mon, 16 February, 2015 by LensScaper

Zermatt’s high points in winter are not just the preserve of the skier. Anyone can ride the Gornergrat Railway to one of the great viewing platforms in the Alps, although the cost is significant. At the top, there’s a hotel and a restaurant, and a three-sixty panorama that will blow your mind on a good day.

Some of the ski runs from Gornergrat follow the line of the railway for some considerable distance and provide opportunities for photography to place the train within this winter wonderland.

IMG_7562_wpThe light can be difficult as the views tend to be always towards the sun but if the sunlight is a little diffused then the contrast becomes manageable and the train appears to be ploughing its way through billowing fields of white.

For images from Gornergrat itself click here or here, to see previous posts.

About LensScaper

Hi - I'm a UK-based photographer who started out 45+ years ago as a lover of landscapes, inspired by my love of outdoor pursuits: skiing, walking and climbing. Now retired, I seldom leave home without a camera and I find images in unexpected places and from different genres. I work on the premise that Photography is Art and that creativity is dependent on the cultivation of 'A Seeing Eye'.
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20 Responses to The Gornergrat Railway

  2. oneowner says:
    Mon, 16 February, 2015 at 13:08

    Here is a photo where all the elements came together. I like the way the flow of lines and contours in the sky, train and snow drifts follow each other. Great shot.

    Like

  3. Chillbrook says:
    Mon, 16 February, 2015 at 13:11

    Another lovely image Andy! I really like the soft tones highlighting the train perfectly.

    Like

  4. John Linn says:
    Mon, 16 February, 2015 at 13:31

    I love those Swiss trains, although I have not seen them in winter. This is really a nice picture with interest in the snow, the sky and of course the train.

    Like

  5. seekraz says:
    Mon, 16 February, 2015 at 14:08

    Gorgeous photo, Andy…

    Like

  6. sallyinouralley says:
    Mon, 16 February, 2015 at 15:36

    Great pic Andy! But was it cropped at all? I would like to see the train more to one side; you can’t easily tell which way it is going, if that matters, so either side would do! I am hesitant to criticise, I bet no one else would and now they might follow it up!

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    • LensScaper says:
      Mon, 16 February, 2015 at 18:27

      Thanks Sally. Unfortunately the train was very central in the frame, I have taken a tiny bit off the Rt hand side. I don’t think I judged it as well as I could have done, but I was on the move and so was the train. I’m not sure myself whether this one was going up or down – they look the same both ends!

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  7. Jimi Jones (@JimiJones) says:
    Tue, 17 February, 2015 at 03:35

    Ahh man, love this one, Andy! This is truly a wonderful photo. I’d sure love to ride that train through the Alps. 🙂

    Like

  9. Len says:
    Tue, 17 February, 2015 at 12:54

    I love trains and this one would be epic. If I ever get there, I will be on it.

    Like

  10. Toad Hollow Photography says:
    Fri, 27 February, 2015 at 17:04

    Love this, Andy, absolutely epic! I am a huge fan of train shots, there is something inherently romantic about rail travel. I love the sharp contrasts in this shot and how it all comes together with the train making it’s way across the stark white landscape here!!

    Like

    • LensScaper says:
      Sat, 28 February, 2015 at 16:55

      Thanks so much Toad. I’ve taken quite a few images of this train snaking its way through the snow fields. Every time I shoot the view and the light seems subtly different. Every time I go to Zermatt, at least once I will follow a train down and catch it at a convenient point.

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