Golden pass in Switzerland

Old Jun 4th, 2015, 11:04 AM
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Golden pass in Switzerland

hi,
we will be in switzerland from 12th of july till 16th, we will stay in geneva. We would like to have one or 2 day trips, I know about the golden pass. I have some questions about it;
1- Should we buy the ticket in advance and if yes, from which site?
2-Can we hop off the train at cities and catch the later train?
3-I wonder if we buy the ticket from "montreux to lucerne" and enjoy the whole pass or just buy "montreux to Interlaken ost" and then explore the "jungfrau pass" ??
4- If you have any other suggestions I would love to hear it.
thank you in advance.
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Old Jun 4th, 2015, 11:15 AM
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Well Geneva to Interlaken and then into the hills is a long long day trip - once you get there you'll have little time to see much.

I'd take the Golden Pass on its most scenic portion - Montreux to Zweissimmen - or maybe just to Gstadd and enjoy this lovely Alpine reosrt with rugged mountain peaks, etc.

A popular trip from Geneva is the Chocolate train that goes to Gruyeres - a perfectly walled old town - stopping at a cheese factory and then the train rolls to Brocj Fabrique station for a Willie Wonkaesque tour of the Nestle (Callier( chocolate factory there. The train is composed of Belle Epoque vintage all gussied up Pullman cars.

You should be able to book both locally once there or on the Golden Pass official site: http://www.goldenpass.ch/en

Other sites for lots of great info on Swiss trains - www.swisstravelsytem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

If doing longish day trips and also boat rides or city transit the other days check into the 4-consecutive-day Swiss Pass, valid on trains - full coverage on Golden Pass trains and also on buses, boats, city trams and buses and gives free entry to 470 or so Swiss museums and sights like some I believe in Gruyeres and Geneva.

Another great day trip that is quicker to an Alpine paradise comparable to any around goes by bus from Geneva in one hour to Chamonix, France and glaciers and thrilling cable car rides such as the infamous one up to Pte Aguille and then over a sea of ice to Pt Heilbrenner in Italy (and back of course) - totally awesome ride that IME is Europe's most thrilling aerial cable car ride.
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Old Jun 4th, 2015, 12:09 PM
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The Golden Pass could always be full at least in the ballyhooed domed observation cars - I think you can make a reservation only on the official site and get the ticket later.
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Old Jun 4th, 2015, 01:37 PM
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Unless you want the VIP seats and for your dates I doubt they would be available there is no need to book, there are tains on this route ever hour, the Golden Panoramic Express is really a marketing exercise, some trains have panoramic windows, but if you want to see the scenery then I would just get on the most convenient Montreux Zwiessimmen train on the day you choose to travel.
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Old Jun 5th, 2015, 04:51 AM
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If you aren't a big group, you don't need to book ahead for the Golden Pass. In the last few weeks, I took about 5times a Golden Pass train, none of them was really full.
These trains are not only touristic trains, they are used by local people too, often for short legs like
Les Avants - Montbovon, Montbovon - Chateau d'Oex, Zweisimmen - Saanen, etc.
With a standard ticket, you can hop off and hop on as many times as you like, but tell the train conductor where you will leave the train when he is controlling your ticket.

If you just want to go to a glacier with stunning views to Mont Blanc and most peaks of Western Switzerland (Gd Combin, Matterhorn, Jungfrau area....), leave the Golden Pass train at Gstaad, take a Post bus to Pillon Pass and then a gondola to Glacier des Diablerets (just 1 hr from Gstaad).
http://www.gstaad.ch/en/mountains/wi...cier-3000.html
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Old Jun 5th, 2015, 05:02 AM
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Wow! Great help, you are all awesome.
Thanks a lot, I now have a very good info that will help to plan my trip.
Just another question!:
What pass do you recommend: Lake geneva regional pass? Swiss travel pass? or the ordinary train tickets??
we are 2 adults and one 11 years old boy.
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Old Jun 5th, 2015, 05:14 AM
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"What pass do you recommend: Lake geneva regional pass? Swiss travel pass?"
It depends on your itinerary: give us all the legs you will travel, mountain railways, etc. included
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Old Jun 5th, 2015, 06:04 AM
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4-consecutive-day Swiss Pass would cover all your travels - even in Geneva - but IF you are traveling out of Geneva itself for each day which I would recommend.
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Old Jun 5th, 2015, 11:40 AM
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Thanks PalenQ,
Sorry for not being more accurate!
We would like to enjoy the most beautiful scenery in our 4 days of stay.
These are what I think of: golden pass panorama route from montreux to interlaken, Gruyere, Burn? yvoire?
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Old Jun 6th, 2015, 02:32 AM
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"These are what I think of: golden pass panorama route from montreux to interlaken, Gruyere, Burn? yvoire?"

not beyond Interlaken and without any mountain railways, cablecars or gondolas: sure?
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Old Jun 6th, 2015, 08:58 AM
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"These are what I think of: golden pass panorama route from montreux to interlaken, Gruyere, Burn? yvoire?>

Well the GP after Zweissimmen is not awfully scenic though when it goes along Lake Thun it is just before Interlaken but Interlaken itself is not much for most tourists - you may instead want to get off in Spiez - sitting high above Lake Thun and with the castle of your dreams brooding high above the lake.

and then maybe take a lake boat from the docks under the castle to Oberhofen and Thun - then take the mainline train back to Geneva - quicker than the GP.
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Old Jun 6th, 2015, 10:41 AM
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...or leave the train at Boltigen, 10 min after Zweisimmen and change to the Bulle bound bus (Boltigen dp 11.55) which brings you over the Jaun Pass in 1 hr to Broc bif Botterens, a bus stop (on request) 10 min on foot from the Cailler chocolate factory.
From the latter, you may continue by train to Gruyeres and Montreux.
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Old Jun 6th, 2015, 01:24 PM
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neckervd gives a novel and awesome way to reach the Broch Nestle chocolate factory - a scenic train ride and iconic postal bus jaunt.
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Old Jun 7th, 2015, 08:16 AM
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Dear PalenQ and Neckervd
You both rock! I have a friend in Geneva and she couldn't be much of help, but your suggestions are very unique and doable.
Thank you☺️
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Old Jun 13th, 2015, 07:24 AM
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Thank you! Have a great trip! No matter where you go you will love it in that area - you can't go wrong!
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Old Jun 13th, 2015, 12:20 PM
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BTW - there are conflicting takes on whether you should book the GP train or not - especially the observation cars - some like me and tipsygus say no but others in the know maybe more than me (only me) say yes - a reservation can be made locally in Switzerland for a nominal fee - I guess it would not hurt to have and please report back about what you saw onboard - all seats full or not? Of course it depends on the time of year, day of week, etc.
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Old Jun 13th, 2015, 01:17 PM
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PalenQ Last September when I traveled this route there were very busy coaches, almost full if not full, but this was usually when a group was traveling and there were coaches reserved for them so the rest of us had less space. Having used the route at least twice I always got a seat but often had someone sit next to me.
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