SusanC

I’m spending 7 days along Lac Lehman. The 6 nights will be spent 2 each in Geneva, Lausanne and Vevey/Montreaux. My lodging is already arranged in Geneva but not the other locations. My basic itinerary is

Saturday – Geneva
Sunday – Geneva
Monday – TBD (possibilities below). Monday night in Vevey/Montreaux
Tuesday – 2 of: Chillon or Lavaux vinyards or rocher en naye or Vevey/Montreaux
Wednesday – The other 2 of the previous day. Wed night in Lausanne
Thursday – Lausanne
Friday - Lausanne. Fri night train to Paris.

TBD options include:
1. partial or full 3rd day in Geneva if I want to see more before moving to Vevey/Montreux – I KNOW most of you are going to counsel against this but what prompted this trip is wanting to go to Geneva so I’ve left the 3rd day available
2. If done in Geneva, then some combo of Coppet/Nyon/Celigny (or could do Geneva in morning and one of these in afternoon).

Questions:
1. Vevey vs Montreux? I was leaning towards Vevey but for some reason lodging is more expensive there.
2. I'm assuming Chillon / rocher en naye / hiking Lavaux vineyards each take one half day - correct?
3. I will be on foot/public transport - I can still see the vineyards right?
4. Recommendations between Coppet vs Nyon vs Celigny? If I go there on my way to Vevey, will be I able to store my luggage at the train station?
5. In Lausanne, better to say in Ouchy or higher up?
6. Any other thoughts welcome!

I'm flex re hotel budget (depends on situation - like value and like to be conveniently located). Like cities and museums but also am very active - hope to bike and swim in lake.

Thanks! Susan

swandav2000

Hi SusanC,

I love Montreux and have visited there about 10 times, the last one for three weeks. I'll try to help with your questions.

1. I'm surprised to hear that you're finding hotels more expensive in Vevey than in Montreux; the reverse has been true for me. Anyway, Montreux is more touristy and resort-y while Vevey is more routine and low-key with fewer folks looking confused -- If you like a more "residential" vibe than a resort, then your instincts are good; head for Vevey. Take a look at the Hostellerie Bon Rivage in La-Tour-de Peilz. In Montreux, take a look at Hotel Masson.

2. I haven't done Chillon since the 1960s and never done Rochers-de-Naye. But you can take as long as a full day in the vineyards or as little as a half day if you like. I like to rent a bike and ride along them, and I like taking some time in Lutry, and I like to stop for a bite in Rivaz. So it really depends on what all you do there.

3. Yes, I don't ever have a car there (well, I did once -- never again!!). To see the vineyards, you can either take the train to Chexbres and then hike downhill through the vineyards or to Lutry.

4. I would recommend Morges, lol! Nyon is ok; it's great if you like Roman ruins. Never been to Coppet. Celigny doesn't have much except Burton's grave in a neat little cemetery.

5. ??

6. Lausanne and Vevey/Montreux are only about 20 minutes apart by train; I think it would be more time-efficient to stay in one place for four days or so and do day-trips.

Also, how about adding the village of Yvoire, in France? It's a flower-bedecked medieval village that is really sweet and lovely. Not much to do there but shop & eat though. You can get there from Nyon by boat-bus.

Have fun!

s

Palenque

Vevey to me seems more romantic than Montreux, which is also romantic - both are on the lake but Vevey sticks out into the lake - but you cannot go wrong with either IMO

nearly every Swiss train station i have been in has luggage lockers.

A neat thing i did when in Vevey was to take the steamers over to Evian-les-Bains, France - a swank spa town known of course for its mineral water. So for a taste of France take the hour or so boat ride there from Lausanne, Vevey or Montreux

SusanC

Thanks! I'm having some trouble with hotel reservations (problem with last minute).

The trouble with Vevey is that there are less hotels to start with and they are almost all booked. There are only 3 hotels available - one seems not so nice, another is $600 and the mid-priced option is over $300 which is more than I want to spend!

So looks like I'm in Montreux. I've narrowed it down to Hotel Splendide for $110 or Hotel Eden Palace du Lac for $140. I like Splendide b/c it's cheaper, more convenient to train station and is rated #1 in Trip Advisor. I like the other b/c it seems more comfortable and quieter (noise at night seems to be an issue at Splendide), has old world charm and is right on the lake. Plus has a pool!

They both have views although not sure if I will get one in a single (unless I get upgraded).

BTW on the map there seems to be more than one train station in Montreux (one near Splendide and the other a bit further south and several streets inland) - do you know what the difference is?

Do you know these hotels or have any opinions on them? Thanks!

swandav2000

Hi again,

Yes, I've stayed at the Eden two times (before it added that pretentious "Palace" to their name, lol). Its best asset is its location, right in the center of town next to the Casino and right on the lake. It's lovely to sit on your balcony sipping somthing and watching the folks below walking on the promenade, and I've enjoyed watching the gardeners create their sculptures over several days from my windows --

I never liked the food there though. The service is fine, and the decor is standard Art Nouveau.

It's not at all far from the train station, btw. Just leave the station, turn left, and head downhill. It's about a five-minute walk.

If you'd like to try my absolute favorite hotel in the area, it's the Hotel Victoria in Glion, above Montreux. It's also a four-star but it doesn't sell out as fast and can be less expensive because it's a little inconvenient. This is my favoirte for when I don't feel the need to be right at the lake, and I've stayed there four times. It wins for decor and service and that old-world feel. Its food is also better! It sits on a hill over Montreux, and its views are absolutely unbelievable, over the lake and all the way to France. Even if you don't stay there, you might enjoy heading there for a drink on their terrace at sunset.

You can get to Glion two ways: by train from Montreux or by funicular that runs every 15 minutes to Territet.

As for train stations, there is only one in Montreux proper. In the suburbs, some of the local trains will also stop at Veytaux and at Villeneuve. Usually you would have to change trains for one of these ultra-locals.

Hope you're getting set!

s

Palenque

there is actually two train stations in Montreux but they are both in the same train shed - one is the mainline SBB or Swiss Federal Railways station and the other is the non-SBB station from whence the Golden Pass line begins.

swandav2000

Hi again,

I'm sorry -- I don't really think there are two train stations there. In fact, the GP leaves on track #8 (I think it is) of the Montreux station.

There are lots of private lines in Switzerland that interconnect with the federal lines, and they don't have different stations.

I just don't think they would be considered separate stations.

s

Palenque

there is a separate ticket window area in Montreux' station for some mountain climbing railway - not the Golden Pass line but the line to Rochers-de-Naye - the SBB ticket windows are on the west or front side of the station and the narrow-gauge mountain train is on the east side of the tracks - this is how is was a few years ago but could have changed and been consolidated but Swannay is right that there is only one train station shed.

swandav2000

Hi again my friend Pal,

I think we're going to have to agree to disagree about this. I know the station well -- I spent ten days in a hotel in the Old Town and cut across the staion often, using their back stairs. Yes, the MOB has a separate ticket window there. The MOB runs the GP as well as the line up to RdN. They themselves call it "Montreux Station":

http://www.goldenpass.ch/goldenpass_...ontreux_region

Anyway. It has a single footprint, yes, or shed.

s

Palenque

Swandav - i think we are using different terminology and mean the same - by two separate ticket windows i would say two stations in one station - but not in the sense of separate stations

But apparently there was indeed two separate stations next to each other:

The station of Montreux is quiet particular in ma sense: three gauges wide can be found there (CFF with regular 1435mm, MOB metric 1000mm and MTGN narrow 800mm). And a sometthing very special is that the starting point of the MTGN is in a hotel! When then line was under construction, the Jura-Simplon railway compagny that owned the station of Montreux didn't accept the Montreux-Glion on their field, because it was a concurrent to the Territet-Glion funicular. The promotors of the line decided to by the Hôtel Terminus near the station and scratch it and built a new hotel incorporating the railway station of the MGl!>

http://membres.lycos.fr/beuret/english/real/mtgn.htm

so is the current MOB station still in the Hotel or actually in the SBB station? You have been there recently i have not and am now curious about this

But yes for all usual meanings of the word 'station' you are indeed right.

Cheers

SusanC

Hi S&P,

Yikes, sorry to start a disagreement over trains but this leads to another train question:

I'm thinking of buying the Lake Geneva Regional Pass. I've found some info online but not everything I want. Can I buy it in Switzerland or do I have to buy it before I go?

Also, re the Vineyards, you mentioned taking the train. I've heard of the Wine Train and the Lavaux Express - are these the same thing?

S why have you not done Rocher De Naye? Is it some overrated touristy thing?

To wrap these questions, up would the train pass be good (or at least get a discount) on these special trains (Vineyards and RDN)?

Thanks!

swandav2000

Hi all again,

The MOB ticket window is in the basement in the back of the SBB tracks -- the stairs go up to the old town right behind it.

For your purposes, SusanC, yes there is one Montreux train station; when the train pulls into "Montreux," you get off (unlike Interlaken Ost/Interlaken West and the myriad of stations in Zürich).

Yes, you can buy the local Regional Pass in Montreux. Don't forget that your hotel will give you a Riviera Card which gives you free travel on all the town busses, and they run from Villeneuve to Vevey. The only thing you'll need that Pass for, then, would be ferries or trains beyond Villeneuve and Vevey.

I'm not sure what the Lavaux Express is -- it may be the little train that runs through the vineyards (I've never seen it operating). The Wine Train is just a gimmick -- it runs from Vevey to Chexbres. There is regular service between these two towns, and in summer, they hang up a fancy sign saying "Wine Express" at the track.

I guess I'm somewhat of a mountain-snob! When I want to see peaks, I go to Wengen! So, not only have I not done RdN, I also haven't done Pilatus, Titlis, or Rigi near Luzern. I know, I know -- bad me!!

You'd have to look at the MOB site to see what kinds of discounts you'd get up to RdN. But yes the Wine Train would be covered totally. Not sure about the Lavaux Express.

I usually get the Half Fare Card when I travel to Switzerland so really don't know how the passes work.

Have fun!

s

swandav2000

Ok, I've found the info on the Lavaux Express. Here's the site for information in English:

http://www.lavaux.com/content-page.asp?id=23

Its own site is at

www.lavauxexpress.ch

That second site seems to be only in French, but they don't show any discounts for any Swiss or Regional Passes. I think, because this is more of a "tour" than a "train," there may be no discounts at all. You may want to e-mail them to ask.

s

Palenque

Wow - Swandav's knowledge of this area is immense!

I never heard of the Lavaux Express either and it is not a train really but a tractor pulling faux train cars with rubber tires - much like ones at zoos, etc. Thus would not be covered i believe by any transit pass.

One tourist and bona fide train leaving from Montreux is the Chocolate Train - using vintage Pullman cars and it does trek up thru the vineyards girdling Lake Le Man first to Gruyeres, one of the sweetest towns in Switzerland - known for its dreamy old castle and old town walls hemming in the old town center - a visit to a cheese factory is included here. Then the train trundles to Broc-Factory, a station at the Nestle Chocolate plant, which you visit before returning to Lausanne. I believe cheese and wine are served on board.
Swiss Passes are valid on this train but not sure about the regional pass you are talking about - but the train is 1st class only so if a second-class railpass you'd have to pay a steep supplement.

The Swiss Chocolate Train
Have a sweet trip when you ride the Swiss chocolate train to the chocolate factory in Broc, Switzerland.
http://www.raileurope.com/train...tr...ain/index.html -

And if you want to walk thru vineyards you can take either the train up thru the vineyards from Montreux (the Golden Pass route) and get off at a station and walk back down to the lake on paths.

swandav2000

Yes, Pal, Montreux is probably my second home! I went to boarding school there . . . . some time ago! Since I grew up in Saudi Arabia, it was the first Western place that I lived, and it made a huge impact on me.

And I've visited about 10-11 times since 1995. My last visit was for three weeks (half in an apartment, half in a cheapie pension). I'm going back "home" in early Nov.

I actually love to respond to questions about Montreux, it always takes me home.

Oh, since I just don't much like Raileurope, here's the url for the folks who actually run the Chocolate Train (yes, it's the MOB again, lol!):

http://www.goldenpass.ch/goldenpass_chocolate_train

You'll note that in Sep & Oct, it only runs three days per week. You can also very easily to its parts on your own!

Also, the Golden Pass route doesn't go to the Lavaux -- Pal, are you thinking of vineyards around Les Avants?

Anyway, have fun in my "hometown"!

s