Montreux - Interlaken without change
 

The idea of linking Lake Geneva, Gstaad and Lakes Thun and Brienz dates back to 1873. It was already a question of linking three major tourist regions.In the end, the routes were built differently: metric (1 m) between Montreux and Zweisimmen and normal (1.435 m) between Zweisimmen and Interlaken. The project has resurfaced several times. In 1924, the GoldenPass association was created. And in the 1930s, they were thinking of building a third rail.


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At the end of the 2000s, the MOB starts on a totally different concept: instead of changing the rails, modify the bogies, those removable carriages that guide the cars. With a variable-gauge bogie and a gauge ramp, the train will be able to move from one track to the other. The principle is as simple in theory as it is difficult to achieve in practice.
Since the beginning of 2019, the MOB has carried out numerous tests. The variable gauge trucks travelled 2783 km on metric track and 742 km on standard track. They also passed the Zweisimmen gauge station 1020 times. A success!

In Zweisimmen, the gauge ramp is built.Only the cars are equipped with the famous bogies. This supposes that one locomotive will tow the train between Montreux and Zweisimmen and another one between Zweisimmen and Interlaken. The GoldenPass Express, which is out of the ordinary in many ways, also had to stand out for its aesthetics. With this in mind, the MOB has entrusted the design to the prestigious PininFarina workshops. The colours are inspired by the great European express trains of the end of the 19th century, while remaining modern.

• In addition to a 1st and 2nd class, the GoldenPass Express will offer a prestige class.
• The eighteen seats rotate so that you can enjoy the view to the fullest. They will offer exceptional comfort.
• The panoramic windows will be exceptionally large. The prestige part will be raised. The passenger will be practically inside the landscape.
• A catering service will propose an offer based on local products.

The timeline

• 11 December 2022: First commercial GoldenPass Express trip. The Goldenpass Express should have made its grand debut in June 2021, but we despite to postpone the launch due to the effects of Coronavirus.

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Wow. My favorite route.

Thanks!

Something to look forward to when we can travel again.

So what's the idea, to try to have one long trip from Geneva to Interlaken without changing trains?

Will that save a lot of time over the current train options?

I would have gone from Interlaken to the Montreux area this past June. But I was thinking of renting a car from Interlaken and I would have continued on to Chamonix after Switzerland.

I don't recall the travel times being too bad.

Still it would be interesting rail engineering, to be able to move the carriage, though I wonder if it's much faster than for passengers to change trains?

It will not ber really faster.
Timetable of 2019:
Interlaken dp 9.08 - Montreux ar 12.13
with new train:
Interlaken dp 9.08 - Montreux ar 12.26
Connecting train:
Montreux dp 12.43 - Chamonix ar 14.45 (unchanged, change at Martigny)