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European Railroad Discussion > Next question, Zermatt for a day and a halfDate: 04/09/22 02:11 Next question, Zermatt for a day and a half Author: goduckies I want to go to the tram obviously, but what else shouldn't I miss? Will be coming from lauterbrunnen. Thx
Posted from Android Date: 04/09/22 04:21 Re: Next question, Zermatt for a day and a half Author: Train29 Not sure what you mean by the "tram." But if you are referring to the trip to the Gonergrat for views of the Matterhorn, that's a must. But if the weather is bad, it's not worth the price. Just watch the weather. Clouds tend to build in the afternoon so an early departure tends to be more rewarding. Not knowing your physical condition, but for more of an adventure, there is a hiking trail you can take all the way back to Zermatt. Much of it follows the rail line so you can get lots of photos and get back on at intermediate points.But be aware.hiking down isn't that easy. No strain on the heart, but I had some serious knee pain the next day and was thankful for tub in the my hotel.
Date: 04/09/22 07:27 Re: Next question, Zermatt for a day and a half Author: railsmith goduckies Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > I want to go to the tram obviously, but what else > shouldn't I miss? Will be coming from > lauterbrunnen. Thx Be sure to travel from Lauterbrunnen to Zermatt via the original Loetschberg Tunnel rather than the newer Loetschberg Base Tunnel. Either way, you'd travel from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost on the BOB, then change for a train to Spiez. It's at Spiez where you'd have to decide whether to take a train through the original tunnel or the base tunnel. Going through the base tunnel on an express train would get you to Visp in 26 minutes, much of it in the 21.5 mile base tunnel (boring --pun intended). At Visp, you'd change for the metre-gauge MGB train to Zermatt. which takes 66 to 70 minutes. But if you take a BLS train through the original 9-mile tunnel, you'll be rewarded with a wonderful view at the south end of the journey, as your train descends the Suedrampe (South Ramp) down into Brig. It's a stopping train and takes extra time -- 68 minutes from Spiez to Brig. At Brig you'd board your train to Zermatt, which takes 84 minutes. This is the same MGB service as you would have boarded at Visp if you'd taken the first option. There is a time penalty for taking the longer route, but it's more scenic, and along the way you'd catch views of the BLS car-ferry operation through the original tunnel. There is no road through Loetschen Pass, so motorists drive their cars on to the auto-carrier train for the ride through the tunnel. The first photo below shows a view from the Suedrampe. Down below on the floor of the Rhone Valley is Visp, and in the centre distance is the valley that leads toward Zermatt. I took this route when I visited in 2019 because it was highly recommended by an experienced rail traveller, and I'm glad I took his advice. I liked it so much I rode it again in the opposite direction. The second photo was taken from Gornergrat, where the clouds indeed toyed with the views of the Matterhorn -- no two photos were the same. You can indeed walk down, but there's no need to walk the whole way. On your way up, take note of the station locations and decide which ones you want to walk between on the way down. Your ticket to the summit is a pass -- you can get on and off where you like. I got off at several spots on the way down. Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/22 08:12 by railsmith. Date: 04/09/22 08:17 Re: Next question, Zermatt for a day and a half Author: goduckies Travel to zermatt I was thinking Golden pass to Lausanne and then a geneva train to visp.
Posted from Android Date: 04/09/22 08:19 Re: Next question, Zermatt for a day and a half Author: goduckies And tram, I meant cable car... but yes I Want to do the train too.
Posted from Android Date: 04/09/22 19:00 Re: Next question, Zermatt for a day and a half Author: railsmith goduckies Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------- > Travel to zermatt I was thinking Golden pass to > Lausanne and then a geneva train to visp. Good ideas. Golden Pass is marvellous. When transferring at Zweisimmen, be sure to check out the track installed for the change of gauge on the fly. I know that the trains for this have started testing but I don't know if they are in service yet. The Golden Pass route terminates at Montreux, so no need to continue west to Lausanne unless there is something there you want to see. The descent into Montreux is fabulous. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/09/22 19:03 by railsmith. Date: 04/10/22 02:10 Re: Next question, Zermatt for a day and a half Author: railsmith The change-of-gauge technology at Zweisimmen referred to in my post above will go into regular service on December 11 this year. That will see specially-equipped trains of the Montreux-Oberland Bernois (MOB) railway running the full distance between Montreux and Interlaken Ost.
The system not only changes the gauge of the wheelsets but also raises and lowers the carbodies to suit the platform heights of the metre-gauge and standard-gauge sections of the trip. https://tripbytrip.org/2021/12/29/switzerland-goldenpass-montreux-gstaad-interlaken-without-changing-at-zweisimmen-thanks-to-dual-gauge-trains/ Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/22 03:42 by railsmith. |