Glacier Express options?
 

I have started a new topic because my questions re Glacier Express are appearing under my Golden Pass question. Thanks to all who responded on that thread. On that thread I have received wonderful assistance. Thanks so much.

Rather than doing the entire Glacier Express route, I have decided I will travel Bern to Andermatt/Disentis and return to Bern through Chur. I seem determined to not go to St Moritz..
The other wonderful thing is that I have discovered how to connect with that Furka cogwheel steam train ride as a separate day trip from Bern.

I love train travel and for various reasons really wish to maintain Bern as my base until I'm ready to leave Switzerland. I fly out from Rome.

The William Tell express route, with accommodation around Lake Maggiore and travel on Bernina Express route (both ways) will (I am hoping) set me up to exist Switzerland to make my way down throught Italy to Rome.

Please can anyone see any problems with these plans?
Thanks again

ttt

Hi 2012,

So, you'll be going:

Bern-Brig-Chur-Bern, is that right?

You would leave Bern at 10.07 and arrive at Brig at 11.11. The Glacier Express departs at 11.18, and it arrives at Chur at 15.35. On the return, you could depart Chur at 16.09 and be back in Bern at 18.28.

Well, that's an awful lot of time sitting inside a closed-up, moving box. I myself would rather spend my valuable Swiss days outside in the open air at a mountaintop restaurant or on an Alpine path or at an Alpine lake . . . with truly panoramic views!

But to each her own . . .

Have fun!

s

I think perhaps I can appreciate your mode of travel a bit more than some of the other obviously biased responders. I also understand completely the excitement and satisfaction that comes with prolonged scenic rail travel.

Am not sure why you mention the Bernina "both ways" route BUT yes, if you take the Bernina all the way to Tirano you will have exited Switzerland. You can simply walk across the square from the Swiss rail station to the Trenitalia one and take the train from Tirano to Milan and change there for points south.

The Bernina trip is spectacular, no question about it.

<Swandav2000> Thanks for your suggestion on how to have a good time. All very well when one is able to walk distances and go to great heights. Keep doing it while you can. I have no wish to create a medical emergency! I used to do long hikes etc too. It's just as well I have always enjoyed train travel and scenery. Even the Nullabor.

<Dukey1) Thanks. I have since discovered Tirano connection to Milano. The discovery of the 3hr Bernina Express bus to connect from Lugano to Ticano has been a discovery too. It's making some difference to my planning.

It's a shame I feel compelled to return to Rome to fly home. I fly into Rome to tour Italy before Szitzerland. It is so much more expensive to fly into Rome and out of Geneva. It seems I will end up doing the Glacier Express, overnight stay, Bernina Express to Tirano and Tirano to Milano. It's spreadsheet time.

another variation that is more scenic than Chur to Bern - do the Brig to Andermatt portion of the GE and then hop a bus back south to Meiringen - going over some awesome mountain passes and from Meiringen take a train back to Bern via Interlaken.

Why stay in Bern? Much more expensive than bases in the Berner Oberland itself and a large city - a really nice city but one lacking the romance of smaller Alpine towns - for a small dreamy town on main rail lines look at Spiez, lovingly overlooking Lake Thun and with the castle of your dreams popping out of the town.

Ge Express even over that small portion will cost a supplement of about $40 I believe - can take regular trains over the same route - miss the commentary and fancy doilies on the seats but save a ton of money -

Here's a though - take train to Brig and then the train to Betten - then cable way to Bettermeralp and walk down to the Aletsch Glacier - largest glacier in the Alps - totally awesome - I did it from Interlaken as a day trip - took postal bus from Meiringen to Andermatt, train to Better - up to glacier - down to Brig on train and back to Interlaken (or Bern in your case).

Staying in Bern because it enables me to chase art in Basel (going to dodge Basel Art), Geneva, Zurich, Winterthur etc. Also reasonable access to the rest. My big problem is my urge for Bernina Express and how to connect with it. But I suspect many people have that problem. Which bits of it are the best?

How long in the bus Andermatt to Meiringen?
As for hiking... unfortunately out of the question for me now.
But as our ex Prime Minister (?soon to be our Prime Minister again) says "I'm a happy Vegemite".