Scenic Rail Trips
 

Scenic Swiss Trains Routes (Which Ones To Take?):

I had the very good fortune to win an 8-day trip to Switzerland by entering “The 100 Years of Swiss Presence in Toronto” contest, sponsored by the Swiss Consulate!

Due to unavailability of the return airfare on the date we were supposed depart Switzerland, we will stay an additional night, at our expense (no complaints here!) so it's actually 9 Days/8 Nights. The trip my husband and I will take includes airfare, via Swiss International Airlines (business class) from Montreal, to Zurich, accommodation at Best Western hotels and Swiss passes (first-class) on Switzerland Public Transportation.

We’ve never been to Switzerland, nor to Europe for that matter.

I’ve been reading so much written information and Internet postings over the last few weeks; I’m simply over whelmed.

Which transportation routes would you suggest, based on this itinerary? We are more than willing to pay for tourist excursion upgrades, if they are warranted, and if the connections available. I've read about the various "tour trains" including the Glacier Express, but it's not clear to me if you can board at various points along the designated routes.

I have also heard that various regular trains also travel some of the same routes?

Our October 2006, itinerary is as follows:

Zurich to Lugano
- 2 nights, Best Western Hotel Du Lac (Oct. 3rd & 4th)

Lugano to Zermatt
- 2 nights, Best Western Hotel Butterfly (Oct 5th & 6th)

Zermatt to Grindelwald
- 2 nights, Best Western Hotel Derby (Oct. 7th & 8th)

Note: I tried to book Wengen, but the hotel closes for the season a few days before our arrival in the area.

Grindlewald to Zurich
- 2 nights, Best Western Hotel Glodenhof (Oct. 9th & 10th)
- Including perhaps, a day-trip to Lucerne.

Any pertinent feedback would be very much appreciated.

P.S. Thank you Marigross for such an informative trip report.

You can check train schedules by going to www.sbb.ch and clicking on the EN version.

I STRONGLY suggest you consult a map of Switzerland if you haven't already.

For the Glacier Express..yes you can board it at the places it stops but that's one of the differences between taking the "regular trains" and the "special" train over the same route (such as the GE)..the regular trains stop much more frequently and for the GE route they don't necessarily go all the way through.

I've stayed at the Butterfly in Zermatt..it is a very nice, comfortable hotel. Consider using your pass to take the Gornergratt railway up for a view of the peak although it will only give you a discount.

I assume you know that your passes will also be good for public transport in many cities and as I recall, Zurich is one of them.

As a follow-on, for your segment Lugano to Zermatt. You might consider taking the train from Lugano to Bellinzona and changing there for a train over to Locarno. Change there for the ride over to Domodossola and change there for the route to Zermatt. You will be traveling through Italy but your SwissPass will cover that route.

Be aware that to get to Zermatt you'll have to change again in Brig (I know this is a lot of changes but I think you'll find the scenery worth the effort.

Once in Brig you not only have to change trains but you'll also have to change railroads (from the federal system to the Matterhorn-Gotthard Bahn and that means changing stations. This is easy to do in Brig as the two stations are across the street from one another.

Technically, the trip Brig-Zermatt is on the GE route and the trip up to Zermatt can be pretty spectacular. Returning from Zermatt to Grindelwald you'll have to change in Brig once again.

For a more spectacular scenery route you <b>could</b> go from Brig (or possibly Visp) westbound to Montreux and change there for the GoldenPass route up to Interlaken and on to Grindelwald. A roundabout route to be sure but perhaps more scenic than the straighter shot Brig-Spiez-Interlaken.

Thank you so much for your suggestions, Dukey!

I'll be sure to look into those routes.

On your way back north from Lugano to Zermatt you will get to Brig where you have to change trains before taking the train for Zermatt. There are regular trains and there is the Glacier Express - they share the same route. The Glacier Express has glass roof carriages and such - check it out at http://www.glacierexpress.ch/route.php

Look at www.rail.ch and you'll see good connections like the 08.12 from Lugano (with a quick change in Bellinzona) that lets you pick up the mountain train in G&ouml;schenen, gets you to Z. at 14.24.

Or the equally scenic one at 09.12 via Giubiasco and Locarno and Domodossola (briefly in Italy) down to Brig. With that one you need to reserve a seat beforehand for the Domodossola-Brig portion - at any train station.

Don't pack too much for this short trip, you'll be moving house every two days and should make do with a minimum. Newbies always take too much and suffer the consequences - every change of train becomes a dreaded chore, and heaving big suitcases up onto trains and platforms is no fun.

Ideally no more than a roll-away that is cabin-legal in the US, and a light backpack.

But have something with you against cold and rain, they are likely at that time of year, and especially up at elevations like Zermatt.

Thank you too, WallyKringen, for expanding on this thread!