Palenque's Scenic Swiss Trains

Old Nov 15th, 2005, 12:10 PM
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Palenque's Scenic Swiss Trains

I'm a train buff and retired travel writer specializing in European trains. Switzerland is my favorite country to rail around in - a Valhalla for rail nuts as well as those who enjoy scenic trains.
Here's part of an article i once wrote for a now defunct journal:
SCENIC SWISS TRAINS
No European country rivals Switzerland in the abundance of scenic railways, as nearly every mile of its myriad of rail lines is scenic and often, tracking by rugged Alpine peaks, sensationally so. With an incredibly dense rail system rolling through an often sinuous terrain, rail is the way to go in Switzerland. Trains link virtually every Swiss town, and in fact reach several renowned Alpine venues to which motorists can't get to by car. From rail stations, Switzerland's legendary postal buses roll to even more remote areas, meaning public transit can take a traveler nearly anywhere in this rather compact country. And making rail travel in this Alpine wonderland even better are a series of special tourist trains, such as the legendary Glacier Express, Bernina Express and Golden Pass train - all of which track by some of Europe's most awesome scenery.
This article will cover:
Bernina Express
The Davos Loop
The Centovalli Line
The Gotthard Line
The William Tell Express boat-and-rail journey
Scenic postal bus rides like the Palm Express
The Glacier Express
The Gornergrat Railway
Spiez-Montreux part of the Golden Pass route
The Bruning Pass line
The Jungfrau Railways
Brig-Lotschberg-Spiez mainline
The Simplon Bus
Interlaken area Three Passes bus
Lake Geneva lines, including the Chocolate train
The Rhone Valley line
Martigny-Chamonix
and more
As usual comments, experiences and questions from others are welcome.
This will be done in installments, starting with the next posting - The BERNINA EXPRESS, in my opinion Europe's most dramatically scenic train line!
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Old Nov 15th, 2005, 11:56 PM
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Anxiously waiting, Bob! I also think the Bernina Express is the most spectacular train ride in Switzerland and I plan to add my 2 cents to your article.
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Old Nov 16th, 2005, 04:20 AM
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Also anxiously awaiting!

We took the Bernina Express from Chur to Tirano and back in October 2004, and it was indeed an unforgettable experience.

Byrd
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Old Nov 17th, 2005, 08:53 AM
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Ingo and Byrd: Thanks for you expressions of interests and i hope you join in at any place to add comments!

THE BERNINA PASS TRAIN ROUTE
One of Europe's most overtly scenic mountain railways, and a great way to travel between Switzerland and Italy to boot, the 38-mile narrow-gauge line over the Bernina Pass between Tirano, Italy and St. Mortiz is one of the world's steepest railways, climbing nearly 6,000 feet with gradients of up to 7%. The highest in altitude of all European alpine rail crossings is also the rare one not tunneling under the Alps, but instead the trains on this route boldly climb up and over the Bernina Pass. Though the Glacier Express gets all the ink when talking about scenic Swiss trains, its scenery can't touch the Bernina Pass line in top-of-the-world scenery.
The Bernina Pass route has been around since medieval days, and today's sinuous 38-mile road between Tirano and St. Moritz roughly following the rail line was built between 1842 and 1865. (The road is often blocked by snow from October to May, but the rail line is kept open all year with herculean efforts and a cavalcade of snowsheds.) Part of the Rhaetian Railway's 93-mile-long Tirano-Chur line, the rail journey, starting from Italy, begins in Tirano (alt 1,407 ft), and soon plows into the Swiss canton of Graubunden (Grisons in French), where it begins a steady climb through cute Italianesque villages and the Mediterranean climate scenery of the Poschiavo Valley. At Brusio, an engineering highlight has the train rising steeply by traversing a tall spiral viaduct where the tracks loop under themselves (a photo often gracing Swiss rail brochures). The line then skirts Lake Poschiavo en route to Le Prese, a popular thermal resort, and Poschiavo (pop 3,600; alt 3,343 ft), the valley's pleasant main town. After Poschiavo, the train slowly glides up the line's steepest part, wheels squealing over a perpetually curving track until reaching the treeline around Alp Grum (alt 6,860 ft), and suddenly the barren and boulder-strewn landscape reminds one more of the lunar surface than the Swiss Alps. Alp Grum is famed for its sun terrace offering giddy perspectives over the nearby Palu Glacier and down into the Poschiavo Valley. (Sun terraces, with outdoor cafes and ecstatic panoramic views, are ubiquitous at celebrated Swiss lookout points.)
Next, the train crests over the desolate Bernina Pass (alt 7,392 ft), featuring a circular vista of an awe-inspiring amphitheater of ice-clad glacier-dripping peaks, the highest of which is Piz Bernina (alt 13,284 ft). The Ospizio Bernina rail station hovers over Lago Blanco, a mirror-like lake whose waters often bewitchingly reflect a parade of ice-bound peaks. (A popular 1.5-hour walk goes between train stations at Alp Grum and Ospizio Bernina.)
From the Bernina Diavolezza rail station, a nearly two-mile-long cableway climbs almost 3,000 feet in 10 minutes to the celebrated Diacolezza Hut (alt 9,754 ft), the gateway to one of Europe's outstanding ski area, renowned for its glacier and summer skiing, with a hotel, restaurant, sun terrace and fab close-up views of the awesome sea of ice and detritus of the glowering Pers Glacier. You can also walk to the hut on footpaths, or hike from it to higher locales. At Montebello, one of the line's most exciting vistas unfolds - that of the immense meancing Morteratsch Glacier, seemingly cascading down almost to the tracks. Paths from the nearby Morteratsch rail station go to the glacier's tip (45 min) and to the famous Chunetta Overlook (35 min, alt 6,832 ft), for a panorama of the glacier and a stunning panoply of solemn mighty peaks. The train then rolls through Pontresina to the world-famous spiffy resort of St. Moritz (alt 6,089 ft).
TO BE CONTINUED - NEXT ST. MORITZ TO CHUR PORTION
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Old Nov 17th, 2005, 10:25 AM
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ST MORITZ-CHUR
Just after Pontresina, a popular resort in its own right, the line splits, with some trains bypassing St. Moritz, re-joining the line at nearby Samedan, soon after which it burrows under the Albula Pass, via the seven-mile-long Albula Tunnel, one of the Alps' highest underground crossings (alt 5,971 ft). The highlight between St. Moritz and Chur comes after the tunnel, between the towns of Preda and Bergun, when the train makes like a pig's tail and amazingly curlicues under itself, both in and out of five loop tunnels, two normal tunnels, eight viaducts and two galleries wile staggering down the Albula Valley and plunging 1,365 feet in but 8 miles to Filisur. thusis and Reichenau-Tamins, from where it follow the Rhine Valley to Chur (alt 1,919 ft), located on the Swiss Federal Railways with fast trains to all of Switzerland. Interestingly, at Samedan and Thusis, road vehicles roll on and off trains shuttling them through the Albula Tunnel.
The Glacier Express traverses the St. Moritz to Reichenau-Tamins section, from where it heads west, away from Chur towards Zermatt.
The whole route described so far is valid with Eurailpasses valid in Switzerland and Swiss Passes.

NEXT: THE BERNINA EXPRESS, a special tourist train.
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Old Nov 17th, 2005, 10:35 AM
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I love trains, and one of my sons said he wouldn't mind to go with me on a train tour. So please keep posting!
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Old Nov 17th, 2005, 11:05 AM
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Having traveled over the Brünig Pass by both car and train in both directions several times, I would rank it at the bottom of the list.

We drove down it again last summer, and it was a ho hum kind of thing.



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Old Nov 17th, 2005, 11:13 AM
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Well the Bernina Pass is not the Brunig Pass, which lies much further south and, i agree, is not nearly so dramatic.
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Old Nov 17th, 2005, 12:43 PM
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THE BERNINA EXPRESS
Though regular trains go about hourly between Chur and St Moritz and St Moritz and Tirano, and there are also the trains of the glitzy Bernina Express that also ply the Tirano-St.Moritz/Chur route. Though the word express is a misnomer for these tourist-oriented trains, they do stop less, however, and offer bar and snack facilities, fancier doilies on seat backs and snippets of commentary. Bernina Express trains, which have first- and second-class cars, but only in first class do you get the famous glass-domed observation cars. The scenery, of course is the same with either normal trains or the Bernina Express ones. Bernina Express trains require reservations, which can be made at any rail station in Switzerland or in US thru RailEurope (i recommend Swiss rail experts BETS for reservations: 800-441-2387). The Bernina Express trains can often be full as they carry numerous tour groups so reserve as early as possible in Switzerland or US. Can be booked up to two months in advance. but keep in mind that frequent regular trains, on most of which reservations are not even possible, are rarely full; and if they are you can still jump aboard. Folks who don't cotton to trains packed with foreign tourists can hop these regular trains where, especially in first class, cars are likely to be half empty; second class, however, can be fairly full with Swiss hikers or skiers. (Recently I was there only person in first class on a normal train while the Bernina Express trains that passed us were chock full - i could move from side to side for changing views rather than being stuck in a seat on the Bernina Express trains.)
NEXT- THE BERNINA EXPRESS BUS FROM TIRANO TO LUGANO
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Old Nov 17th, 2005, 07:12 PM
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Love the info, but please insert more paragraphs to make them easier to read.
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Old Nov 18th, 2005, 07:32 AM
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Bob, there is not much to add! Thanks for the wonderful article.

I think it is worth to mention that there is another option for the hike from Ospizio Bernina to Alp Grüm in spite of the direct path: a short detour via Sassal Masone. This little restaurant sits a bit higher and more west towards the glacier than Alp Grüm and allows the best views in the area. The advantage is you can see the railroad winding down from Ospizio Bernina to Alp Grüm and further down to Cavaglia (which you cannot see as good from Alp Grüm).

A little correction: you cannot see Piz Bernina from the Bernina Pass. The glaciers hanging over Lago Bianco are those of Piz Cambrena and Piz Caral. Not that these are not spectacular ...

Maybe I overlooked it, but it seems to me you did not mention the Landwasser viaduct between Filisur and Tiefencastel. Another fascinating highlight of the Albular route!

Please keep it coming!
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Old Nov 18th, 2005, 09:27 AM
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Jean - thanks for the paragraph suggestion!
Ingo - thanks for the corrections, sincerely thanks and for the additional info - that's what's so great about Fodor's - others adding in things to make a more complete picture. As for the Landwasser Viaduct i'm chagrined to explain why i left that amazing piece of railroad architecture out - it's very famous and also often pictured on Swiss train brochures. Thanks so much.
Also i forgot to mention that in summer on the regular trains going over the Bernina Route there are open-air cars you can sit in - just a few foot railing around the car - like a platform moving through such delightful scenery - beats the ballyhooed domed observations cars and i think are second class only and not reservable. They are not on all trains but i did ride in them on two different occasions.
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Old Nov 18th, 2005, 09:46 AM
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flagging
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Old Nov 18th, 2005, 09:53 AM
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This is so much fun to read..and now I know we must go back and take the walk to Alp Grum!

Waiting for more.

Byrd
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Old Nov 18th, 2005, 10:27 AM
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Oh yes, I forgot about these open-air cars! I did ride them, too, on several occasions. You are correct, Bob, they are 2nd class and not reservable. It's a fantastic experience. But be prepared that it can be quite chilly in these cars ... and the noise of the brakes when descending from Alp Grüm to Poschiavo is not music in everyone's ears.

These open-air cars are attached to the local and regional trains between St. Moritz and Poschiavo - they do not go further down to Tirano - and as you said in summer (July/August) only.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2005, 09:28 AM
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THE BERNINA EXPRESS BUS
From May through October some Bernina Expresses hook up with the Bernina Express Bus going to and from Lugano (75 mi; 3 hr), flying down the cute Valtellina Valley to Lake Como and then over to Lake Lugano, gliding along the shore of these pretty lakes.
Though Swiss and Eurailpasses cover both the Bernina Express train and bus fares, a reservation fee of $16 is required for the bus (less in Switzerland; $16 is thru Raileurope in US); Bernina Express train reservation is $12 in US - bit less in Switzerland. (Again i recommend BETS - 800-441-2387 for these reservations if not wishing to wait to Switzerland - as said groups at times book these trains and buses up but if you're flexible shouldn't have too much trouble getting one a few days ahead.
There is another bus that ties in with the Bernina Pass route at St. Moritz that goes via Chiavenna, the Palm Express that will be covered farther on in another posting - it's a 4 hour bus ride up a lovely valley just before St. Moritz.
THE HEIDI EXPRESS
The Heidi Express begins in Landquart and goes via Davos to Tirano, over the route of the Bernina Express but extended to Davos. Reservations are required as on the Bernina Express.
Tips
Don't forget if you get to Switzerland and can't get on the official Bernina, Heidi Expresses, regular trains run the same routes about every hour and on these you cannot even make reservations.
From Tirano there is also rail service to Milan that skirts Lake Como (Varenna) from where you can catch lake boats.
For the best views on the Bernina Pass portion sit on the left side when going to St Moritz and the right side when coming from St. Moritz.
In Tirano there are two stations - a Swiss one of the Rhaetian Railways and an Italian one just across the square. You pass thru customs coming out of the Swiss station (for the time being - Switzerland has decided to join the EU in terms of borders and will no longer do regular customs in a few years) but for now have you passport ready.
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Old May 19th, 2006, 07:56 AM
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Get current official Bernina Express schedules from the Rhätische Bahn's web site:
www.rhb.ch/berninaexpress/berninaexpress

the site contains an elevation chart of all the stations and also gives prices for all segments in Swiss francs and euros.
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Old May 19th, 2006, 10:43 AM
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Bob,
I've been interested in the Bernina Express trip for some time now...haven't put it together yet. You mentioned that some buses connect for a 3 hour trip to Lugano. Could you expand on that, please? The "some" buses part and...once you arrive in Lugano, what is that like and how do you, then, continue your vacation. Thanks for the details...
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Old May 19th, 2006, 11:46 AM
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Well there is one bus daily called the Bernina Express bus i believe that links Tirano, Italy, terminus of the Bernina Pass line, to Lugano, Switzerland. It should leave daily at 14:25 from the Tirano station (Italian station, across the square from the Swiss Bernina station). It's run in conjunction with one of the official Bernina Express trains so makes a thru routing St Mortiz-Lugano. Details: call (081) 8440121 (in Poschiavo, Switzerland) - don't dial first zero from inside Switzerland. The bus is valid with a Swiss Pass but charges a significant reservation fee of about $15 i think with passes. Reservations are required (can be made thru BETS-800-441-2387 who i recommend for any Swiss travel product) - of course can ride without a Swiss Pass by paying normal fare.
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Old May 19th, 2006, 12:02 PM
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Thanks for the great info - we have been wanting to ride the Bernina Express for a long time - bookmarking for a future trip!
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