platform changes in Lausanne
 

I am looking at booking a trip by train from Paris to Thun that requires a change of train in Lausanne.

The connecting trains give about 5 mins to exit one train and enter the next, on different platforms. Is this short time possible, especially with suitcases? The platforms numbers range considerably, such as one journey has exit platform 1 and then enter platform 8.

Hi Linblue,

The Swiss train schedules have been engineered and designed to work for most folks under most circumstances; unless you have a mobility problem, you should be able to make it easily.

If you have any fears, just be standing at the train door with all your bags and be ready to exit the train when it stops in Lausanne (making sure you aren't rude to all the other passengers who are doing the same thing!).

If, however, you do happen to miss your connecting train, you can be sure there will be another one soon -- there are two per hour.

I wonder where you are looking to book your trip? I looked at the Swiss rail site, and I don't see a good connection between Paris and Thun that goes through Lausanne. A better connection would be through Basel. If you want to check it out, you can use these sites

www.rail.ch (Swiss rail site)

www.tgv-europe.com

Have fun as you plan!

s

We too were concerned with a tight change like yours and dislike the poster above suggested. Our fears were unwarranted! The station is small and they had it very well organised...we made our change with no problems

Sorry - did like , the poster above, NOT dislike!

"I don't see a good connection between Paris and Thun that goes through Lausanne. A better connection would be through Basel."

I think you are referring to the train at 10:23am from Paris direct to Basel? I so desperately wish I could take this train but it does not run on the date I travel - 30 September. So failing this train, Basel becomes a bit lengthy so I've looked at either Lausanne or Bern as alternatives. I've been using the Swiss "SBB.ch" site.

I've still got a week to consider before the booking line opens for this date. I want to get to Thun as early as I can within reason.

I am relieved to hear the short time between trains is manageable. It never occurred to me to stand with suitcase in hand before the doors open. I haven't caught a train in over 30yrs & I was thinking it is like a plane landing. silly me.

Hi again,

I'm not sure why you say that train via Basel doesn't run on 30 Sep -- according to the schedule I just pulled up, it does.

It leaves Paris at 14.23, changes in Basel, and arrives in Thun at 18.52. The other connections I see involve two changes.

You don't need to fret about where to put in the changes; just input your entire route as one journey, i.e.,

From Paris

To Thun

The scheduler will give you all the possible options and connections. I have to say, every time I input that request, it always routes it through Basel.

I don't see any 10.23 from Paris at all on 30 Sep. I see one at 09.06 (changes in Mannheim & Basel) and one at 11.11 (changes at Geneva and Bern).

Anyway, I hope you get it worked out!

s

Hi again/again!

Ok, I see the train you mean now. I input a date of 16 Sep (still a Sunday), and that 10.23 train does come up.

The schedule may be different because we are so far out. I would wait until just 90 days before your trip and then see what the schedule looks like.

s

I hadn't found the tgv Europe site & have just been playing around on it. It gives more info about costs & is possibly easier to use. Thanks for the link. You,ve done me a favour.