European Railroad Discussion > Headed to Switzerland...Advice please !

Have my Swiss Passes in hand (2nd class) and will have four days to explore. So far I have seat reservations on Golden Pass VIP (front seats) from Zweisimmen to Montreux and I know I have to buy/upgrade to first class tix for that segment. Would love to hear recommendations of what else are "must ride" trips. Staying two nights each at Renaissance Hotels in Lucerne & Zurich...close to stations and cheap thanks to my daughter working for Marriott. Dates are November 14-17 so no Glacier Express. Any tips and advice welcomed...Thanks in advance!

From Lucerne, you could catch the IR service towards Locarno (every 2 hours, or change at Arth Goldau alternative hours) This travels up the Gotthard Pass, amazing views. Exit the train at Göschenen and catch the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn train to Andermatt. This train leaves from the FRONT of the station, & is a narrow gauge rack railway! From there you could either travel towards Brig or Chur. If short on time, travel towards Chur to Oberalppass - station at the top of the pass. The train from Andermatt is scheduled to arrive before the one in the opposite direction, so you can change & return to Andermatt. Tell the conductor on the way up, that is what you want to do & this should solve any connection issues. Return back down to Göschenen & rather than catching the next train to Lucerne, spend an hour on the platform - usually plenty of trains. You can see the north portal of the Gotthard Tunnel from the platform. there is also a cafe in the station, with tables on the (unused) 3rd platform. Watch the trains will enjoying a coffee or beer!

I have videos on my youtube site (search "VideoMitch") of the region from a recent trip

It's actually better to catch the local trains rather than the Glacier Express, as the windows can be opened!



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/14 18:22 by Stephenloco.

There is an amazing narrow gauge train running between Locarno, CH and Domodosolla, IT just south of the Swiss Border that was recommended to me by an Italian Friend that I have taken several times. You can look it up under the rather unfortunate English name of, FART SA; (Ferrovie Autolinee Regionali Ticinesi) regional train services at: http://www.centovalli.ch/?lang=EN

My favorite ride is the Bernina Pass route, from Chur to Tirano. And when the new Alp base tunnel opens, the old Gottard line will loose most of its traffic, so now would be a good time to ride that. But it's all good.

JBWX

The Alpine rides are great, but for me the point about Switzerland is the service as a whole. You will realise quite quickly that trains connect, not just with other trains but with buses, even in some places with trams or services that aren't that far from Interurbans. Spend 30 minutes at Zurich HBF, starting at 15 or 45. Watch the intercity trains arrive and watch them leave around 00 and 30 and then, by 15 and 45 the platforms are empty again. Also your pass covers urban transport, so ride the Zurch trams.

Why no Glacier Express? If not running, there are certainly many local trains running on the same route. And with in my view better equipment with the older cars that have windows that open. The newer Glacier Express cars are like riding in a green house. Great visibility but no open windows and cramped seating at tables for 4. If near Interlaken, I'd go up the Jungfrau. A unique trip mostly inside the mountain! Switzerland is so small, much can be accomplished in just a few days.

Combining two previous comments, the service is so frequent, with such good connectivity, and the country is so small, if you don't spend a lot of time at any one place, you can cover a lot of the interesting rail lines in just a few days. When I was making a lot of business trips to Switzerland and often had weekends to "kill", I'd just go to one of the train stations and catch the first train going about anywhere, and then walk across the next platform to the next connection, and so on. Kind of a random walk way of touring. In one weekend I could cover a lot of ground. The Swisspasses make that easy. And it is tough to get so far away that you can't get back to your hotel that night, if that is important. As George Drury described it, Switzerland is a railfan theme park. And it is very user friendly. If you don't speak German, French, Italian, or Romansh, a lot of folks speak enough English to keep you moving, feed, and with a roof over you head each night. What takes a bit longer is finding and riding some the smaller interesting railways, like the funicular up the hill that connects to the isolated little railway to Murren. Not to mention some of the little lines in the Rhone Valley (which are still on my to do list). You can cover the principal lines rather quickly, but the little ones do take some planning.

JBWX

As pointed out by JBWEST the Bernina is a fantastic trip if you have good weather. Your daytime hours are limited so leave early. I printed out a timetable from SBB for you. Connections are timely and easy.
TOM BIERY

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And to add to my point from earlier - look at those connections. It's a system that designed to be used as such rather than one based on single trains per day.

I also rather like the idea of "just getting on a train to see where it ends up". Seems a wonderful way of travelling.

I did the Bernina trip from Zurich one winter, only I turned at Ospizio Bernina to get some pix in the snow. I probably should have gone on to Alp Grum, but did need to get back to Zurich that night. I believe that was the trip when the RhB was late into Chur because of blizzard conditions, but the connection to Zurich waited right across the platform as usual. The connectivity really works. And they often tell you the platforms ahead of time.


JBWX



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/14 07:31 by jbwest.

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Thanks to all for the info...I truly am foaming at the mouth in anticipation of this trip. Will be shooting plenty of
photos and video to post when I return.

While in Luzern: Take ZB Zentralbahn narrow gauge express to Interlaken Ost. Then SBB to Spiez. At Spiez connect to train for Brig via Goppenstein. Return to Spiez via new Lotschberg tunnel. Then back to Luzern via Bern and Langnau. November weather for Zurich - Luzern may be fog and rain. But towns in the Rhone Valley (Brig) or south of the Alps (Locarno) should be sunny.

Your Swiss pass is valid for all city trams and busses. A tram is a great way to tour Basel, Bern or Zurich. All trams make a loop trip and bring you back to the main station. Be sure to have your pass validated before you make your first journey at the beginning station. A back pack filled with rain gear, camera, water and lunch is a must. You may purchase food to go each day at Migros or Coop stores found in every town and many stations. I would print out your daily trip itinerary from the SBB site so your ready to go each day. You could get lost but most Swiss enjoy assisting tourists in English.
Tom Biery

Photos: Brienz, Alp Grum, Spiez



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/14 08:44 by TrackOne.

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Another option from Lucerne is Zentralbahn's other line, up to Engelberg. You can ride this cute little guy in Engleberg. 3rd pic is Zentralbahn rolling stock in 2008.

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Freight trains outside the Lötschberg and Gotthard transit corridors will be minimal after noon on Saturday 11/15, and all day on Sunday 11/16. Passenger services are reduced on Sunday, but nothing like the reduction in freight traffic. Gotthard traffic travels east out of Basel Muttenz Yd. and crosses the eastern spur of the Jura Mountains via the Bözberg Tunnel then south climbing the Reusstal to Rotkreuz, Arth-Goldau, Erstfield, and Göschenen and the Gotthard tunnel. Traffic bound for the Lötschberg can use the Bözberg route but then heading west through Olten before turning south at Matstetten. Lötschberg freight traffic can also take the more direct route to Olten via the Hauenstein Base Tunnel.

wmshawk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is an amazing narrow gauge train running
> between Locarno, CH and Domodosolla, IT just south
> of the Swiss Border that was recommended to me by
> an Italian Friend that I have taken several times.
> You can look it up under the rather unfortunate
> English name of, FART SA; (Ferrovie Autolinee
> Regionali Ticinesi) regional train services at:
> http://www.centovalli.ch/?lang=EN


Definitely agree this is worth a side trip, although I am not sure if it is covered under your swiss rail pass, since one station is in Italy.

chakk Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> wmshawk Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > There is an amazing narrow gauge train running
> > between Locarno, CH and Domodosolla, IT just
> south
> > of the Swiss Border that was recommended to me
> by
> > an Italian Friend that I have taken several
> times.
> > You can look it up under the rather unfortunate
> > English name of, FART SA; (Ferrovie Autolinee
> > Regionali Ticinesi) regional train services at:
> > http://www.centovalli.ch/?lang=EN
>
>
> Definitely agree this is worth a side trip,
> although I am not sure if it is covered under your
> swiss rail pass, since one station is in Italy.

When I rode FART 20 years ago, the Swiss rail pass was good not only on FART but also for the connection between Domodosolla and Brig. But that was 20 years ago.

JBWX

jbwest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> chakk Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > wmshawk Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > There is an amazing narrow gauge train
> running
> > > between Locarno, CH and Domodosolla, IT just
> > south
> > > of the Swiss Border that was recommended to
> me
> > by
> > > an Italian Friend that I have taken several
> > times.
> > > You can look it up under the rather
> unfortunate
> > > English name of, FART SA; (Ferrovie Autolinee
> > > Regionali Ticinesi) regional train services
> at:
> > > http://www.centovalli.ch/?lang=EN
> >
> >
> > Definitely agree this is worth a side trip,
> > although I am not sure if it is covered under
> your
> > swiss rail pass, since one station is in Italy.
>
> When I rode FART 20 years ago, the Swiss rail pass
> was good not only on FART but also for the
> connection between Domodosolla and Brig. But that
> was 20 years ago.
>
> JBWX

The Swiss Pass is still good to Tirano, and from Locarno to Brig via Domodossola. You can also take the Bus in Italy from Tirano to Lugano if you want to do the circle trip via the Bernina and Gotthard Passes.

Map of the valid routes is linked on this SBB page. Also listed on this page are the variations of the Swiss Pass that are cheaper, but more limited by the number of days.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/holidays--short-breaks-in-switzerland/swisstravelsystem/swiss-pass.html

...the sheep, you don't want to get trampled.

JBWX

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Looks like Switzerland has replaced sheep dogs with dudes on rollerblades.