toni

I am a novice train traveller visiting Switzerland (Florence to Wengen to Paris-Est) with a friend and our four teenage daughters. When looking at the schedules, the changes are so tight, for example arriving Interlaken (platform 2A) and departing from platform 8 seven minutes later, I am stressed just thinking about it. Is it doable??

kleeblatt

Absolutely 97.8%.

The Swiss are used to these tight departing times. Get off the train, find platform 8 and hurry on.

You'll find it's not so difficult as it sounds.

beaupeep

It's not a big train station, you won't have a problem. Eight minutes is more than enough time if you already have your tickets.

ira

Hi T,

Platforms are numbered

Station 1 |||| 2-3 |||| 4-5||||6-7
where the |||| are the tracks.

You will have to go downstairs, through the tunnel under the tracks and up the stairs.

If you are in reasonable health and don't have more than one suitcase each, 7 min is not very rushed.

Enjoy your visit.

Dukey

Toni, you need to know how to read the posted schedules IN the stations in case you do miss a connection.

Whereas I agree that it is unlikely you'll miss a connection please remember this:

know when your stop is coming up

sometimes it helps to MOVE toward the nearest exit door before the train stops to position yourself...you'll find other people doing this

know HOW to open the doors from the inside if you are the first one at the door.

DalaiLlama

The schedules are purposely timed so as not to waste people's time. Seven minutes is generously timed for somebody who is not very mobile and has luggage. You'll make it in two minutes, it's just a hop and a skip from one track to another.

Here's a tip - you'll see others do it: When approaching a station, gather your things and move towards the exits. It will speed up getting off - just keep an eye on your watch and know exactly when you're supposed to arrive so you get up a bit before.

Another tip: Swiss passengers do not form a line on the platform to enter the trains - they form a throng that seems disorganized, but it works - no pushing, but not hanging back either, just inch your way forward and get used to the subtle give-and-take. Now and then somebody pushy will forge ahead, to the bemused raising of eyebrows, but otherwise it's no problem.

Another tip: Know where to line up on the platform if you get there before the train. Big letters above say A or B or C - these are "sectors" and you will hear announcements that 1st class will be in Sector A, dining car in sector B, 2nd class in sectors C and D (for example - this may vary).

There are posters on display that also show that train composition, but announcements are done in German, French and English, so just listen and position yourselves accordingly.

The big trains stop only very briefly, so be ready and get with the program, time is money (meaning time is Swiss Francs...).

2nd class is plenty nice for most people, 1st class buys you a bit more space (wider seats) and usually a quieter ride.

It is customary to keep an item on the seat next to where one is sitting, and when the carriages fill up, it's perfectly okay to ask "Is this seat taken?" - the person will (more or less reluctantly and graciously) remove their item and let you sit, of course. This custom helps to spread out the passengers until the train fills up to the point where folks have to sit right next to each other.

It's okay to stand if the train fills up, and to move from carriage to carriage (at least for now - there is talk that in the future only pax with 1st class tix will be allowed access to 1st class carriags, even only for marching through...). For now a ticket allows you to travel on that route any time on the day(s) of validity. Soon it may depend on the time of day, peak-hour tix may cost more in the future.

If you have a reserved seat, you have to stick to it. Reserving seats is not usually done in Switzerland, but it is mandatory in adjacent countries on fast trains.

Hope this helps - enjoy the trains!

PalenQ

For your itinerary the Swiss Pass will save you lots of money and if your kids are 15 and under they get a free pass to match what their parents buy. For novice train travelers i always refer three excellent sites for Swiss train travel: www.swisstravelsystem.com links you to the Swiss Railways (www.sbb.ch), scenic specialty trains like the Golden Pass (which you could incorporate into a Interlaken area-Paris itinerary; lake boats, postal buses, etc. And www.ricksteves.com and two sites that give tons of objective info on Swiss trains and not just the usual pass prices and little else: www.budgeteuropetravel.com - this site lets you download their excellent free European Planning & Rail Guide that has a good chapter on Swiss trains. Swiss Passes are sold in Switzerland but they are currently cheaper for some reason when bought in the U.S. (compare prices in CHF or Swiss Francs at www.sbb.ch and the two U.S. sites i reference above. And www.sbb.ch will also show you why IMO a Swiss Pass is by far the best deal for any Italian-border to Wengen to the French border train trip.

kleeblatt

And if worse comes to worse, find a conductor and tell him you need help. He'll get the train to wait 30 seconds to 1 minute for you.

suze

Especially with 6 people trying to move around together, I think everyone having only a single small wheeled suitcase also will make this easier. Fumbling around with too large of luggage or too many bags per person will slow you down.

Yes that is sufficient time, but you do need to know what you're doing and move fast. As above, ask for help if you need it from train employees or even other passengers.

PalenQ

And if you do miss a connection (and Swiss trains are indeed late not unusually) there will be another train within if not 30 mins or soon an hour - you will not be stranded.

but like said above they do try to keep connecting trains from leaving until the other train comes in for some time at least IME

toni

Thanks everyone for your responses. I have told everyone to pack light (or bear the consequences). I will make sure that our tribe is waiting by the doors. I had mental images of it being like a scene from The Amazing Race. We are travelling on Eurail passes as this is part of a much bigger trip. We are travelling next July and will be in Switzerland for only three short days but wanted to give the girls just a glimpse of how beautiful it is, I know that there will be a "next time". So, thanks for saving me from a sleepless night, there will be many more I suspect, so I hope the Swiss experts stay around to help with the itinerary.

nytraveler

The connections are doable if you are prepared and move briskly, which means very limited luggage.

You need to be at the door with luggage in hand when the train stops, pop down the steps (maybe) walk briskly to the next platform and get your selves and your luggage up quickly. If you have to climb those steep narrow stairs up into the train you may want to send one person up and pass the luggage up and have them push it behind them - just temporarily - so everyone has time to board. then you can find your seats and stow the luggage.

mariebut

Hi toni, we had a great experience with Swiss trains in October like you with only seven minutes in between but had no problem. Another great thing is that the Swiss stations have ramps not stairs for going under platforms so makes it much easier to change platforms and at Wengen i remember that you can just cross the tracks..Enjoy your trip it will be fabulous.

toni

We will be staying in Wengen. I have compared Hotel Alpenrose and Hotel Baren but am now leaning towards Hotel Alpenrose because they can guarantee me two mountain view rooms but Hotel Baren can not. Has anyone stayed there recently?

PalenQ

No but if i had a choice of a mountain view or no mountain view that would be my decider - i do not think there are any sub-par hotels in upscale Wengen

PalenQ

In Germany i've been near perhaps seriusly injured when trains suddenly pull out even though they may see me or someone trying to board late - and getting off too

my fault of course but still

in Switzerland IME the conductor waits until everyone is safely on board before pulling out and will hold the train if they see someone running to catch it, etc, not being some maniacs for punctuality as the Germans IMO (many German trains are late but if they are to pull out at say 9:17 then they may well pull out quite fast as soon as the second hand hits the 12.

enzian

We haven't stayed at the Alpenrose, because they did not have a mountain view room available for us.

I would always choose the mountain view.

The Alpenrose is a bit further from the train station, if that matters. It is a downhill walk to the hotel----and uphill back to the station.

Connie

One of the biggest keys of moving around quickly is having one SMALL bag and maybe a back pack or purse you can put across your body.

suze

If this is part of a larger trip, than the "packing light" advice is even more important!

toni

I think I will go with Hotel Alpenrose,as you say what's the point of being in Wengen if you are not looking at those mountains. Especially since we come from Sydney so it is certainly a sight we don't see every day. My children (huh, 21 and 18) have never seen snow so I have my fingers crossed for a fine day for the Jungfrau. Our 6 week trip goes Athens, Mykonos, Naxos, Athens, Bellagio, Vernazza, Venice, Castellina in Chianti, Wengen, Paris, London. Wooo, planning this is a military exercise as sometimes we are a group of 10 and at others (thank God) it is my husband and me.