Scenic Swiss Trains in a Nutshell
Sep 12th, 2008, 09:36 AM
#22
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RHAETISCHE BAHN OFFICIAL SITE
Scour this for schedules, prices, possibly to make reservations if you have a pass already, etc.
Rhätische Bahn: Vereina
Rhaetische Bahn / Rhaetian Railway ... die Schweizer Erlebnisbahn. ... Your card will be sent to you by post within two working days (Switzerland only). ...
www.rhb.ch/Vereina.83.0.html?&L=4
Scour this for schedules, prices, possibly to make reservations if you have a pass already, etc.
Rhätische Bahn: Vereina
Rhaetische Bahn / Rhaetian Railway ... die Schweizer Erlebnisbahn. ... Your card will be sent to you by post within two working days (Switzerland only). ...
www.rhb.ch/Vereina.83.0.html?&L=4
Sep 15th, 2008, 07:49 AM
#23
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Some appetizing photos of the Albula and Bernina lines of the Rhatische Railways is on this site.
In July 2008 UNESCO added these lines of the Rhatische Bahn railways to its vaunted list of World Heritage Sites - only the third railway to be so included
Rhätische Bahn now a UNESCO world heritage site
On Monday, July 7, 2008, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) added 13 new sites to its World Heritage list.
http://www.trainorders.com/discussio....php?6,1710828
NEXT THE ALBULA LINE (Which ties in with the Bernina Line) - can called one of the true marvels of railway architecture and engineering
In July 2008 UNESCO added these lines of the Rhatische Bahn railways to its vaunted list of World Heritage Sites - only the third railway to be so included
Rhätische Bahn now a UNESCO world heritage site
On Monday, July 7, 2008, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) added 13 new sites to its World Heritage list.
http://www.trainorders.com/discussio....php?6,1710828
NEXT THE ALBULA LINE (Which ties in with the Bernina Line) - can called one of the true marvels of railway architecture and engineering
Sep 16th, 2008, 07:16 AM
#24
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THE ALBULA LINE REICHENAU/CHUR TO ST MORITZ
A part of the Berinina route if coming from the north to St Moritz is the fabled Albula Line, called a tremendous feat of railway engineering when it opened around 1903 - entailing some 144 bridges and 42 tunnels as it climbs up to St Moritz
Two famous parts of the infrastructure are the Ladnwasser Viaduct and the Albula Viaduct where between Filisur and Preda the line cork screws up in 4 360 degree circles
Along with the Bernina Line, the Albula Line was granted World Heritage Site status in July 2008. The Bernina line being cited for its 52 bridges and 13 tunnels and being the only line to go up and over the Alps from north to south.
A part of the Berinina route if coming from the north to St Moritz is the fabled Albula Line, called a tremendous feat of railway engineering when it opened around 1903 - entailing some 144 bridges and 42 tunnels as it climbs up to St Moritz
Two famous parts of the infrastructure are the Ladnwasser Viaduct and the Albula Viaduct where between Filisur and Preda the line cork screws up in 4 360 degree circles
Along with the Bernina Line, the Albula Line was granted World Heritage Site status in July 2008. The Bernina line being cited for its 52 bridges and 13 tunnels and being the only line to go up and over the Alps from north to south.
Sep 18th, 2008, 11:29 AM
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THE MARTIGNY-CHAMONIX (MC) RAILWAY
One of my favorite scenic Swiss train rides actually ends in France - at Chamonix, a premier Alpine resort IMO right up there with any in excitement and stunning scenery.
From the lowlands of the Rhone Valley at Martigny, the MC train starts immediately a prodigious climb all too close for some along the edge of a cliff with sheer drop-offs down to the Rhone River Valley far below. (Try not to think that one of the trains kind of fell off the cliff here some years ago - sit on the left if you are a Nervous Nellie!)
Anyway the train climbs steeply and then goes along a rocky gorge all the way to the French frontier - offering glimpses of the high Alps and the dramatic Emisson barrage high off to the north.
After crossing the frontier the train line kind of levels off and soon begins it's every so gradual descent to Chamonix, following a gurgling stream and offering, just before Chamonix, awesome views of glaciers that seem to come right down to the tracks.
The narrow-gauge train continues thru Chamonix all the way to St-Gervais-Fayette-les-Bains (sp?) where the French mainline trains and even an odd TGV train i think ties in with service to Lyon, Paris and Geneva areas.
Next - Practical Train Info - Itinerary Planning - Using Railpasses - Chamonix and Martigny
One of my favorite scenic Swiss train rides actually ends in France - at Chamonix, a premier Alpine resort IMO right up there with any in excitement and stunning scenery.
From the lowlands of the Rhone Valley at Martigny, the MC train starts immediately a prodigious climb all too close for some along the edge of a cliff with sheer drop-offs down to the Rhone River Valley far below. (Try not to think that one of the trains kind of fell off the cliff here some years ago - sit on the left if you are a Nervous Nellie!)
Anyway the train climbs steeply and then goes along a rocky gorge all the way to the French frontier - offering glimpses of the high Alps and the dramatic Emisson barrage high off to the north.
After crossing the frontier the train line kind of levels off and soon begins it's every so gradual descent to Chamonix, following a gurgling stream and offering, just before Chamonix, awesome views of glaciers that seem to come right down to the tracks.
The narrow-gauge train continues thru Chamonix all the way to St-Gervais-Fayette-les-Bains (sp?) where the French mainline trains and even an odd TGV train i think ties in with service to Lyon, Paris and Geneva areas.
Next - Practical Train Info - Itinerary Planning - Using Railpasses - Chamonix and Martigny
Sep 18th, 2008, 06:46 PM
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PalenQ - this is organized very well. I've been working on a possible one week trip to southern France the first week of May 2009. That said, I keep coming back to my husband's wish to take the Bernina Express for photo ops. You helped me last year with details but we opted instead to take our son to Rome. Again, this is nagging at me. Honestly, what do you think of the first week of May taking the Bernina Express/Switzerland? Thanks, in advance...
Sep 19th, 2008, 12:59 PM
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Thanks dorkfm -
Well i think May would be a splendid time - not many tourists yet and weather should be nice - though perhaps cool at the summit but i think this area may get southern warm drafts from Italy.
One problem with the Bernina is that it is relatively remote vis a vis Switzerland's other scenic mountain railways which are mainly in central Switzerland and right on or just off the main north-south Germany and France to Italy rail and road routes.
You basically have to add an extra day to include it say in going between Venice or anywhere in Italy and say most any other place you want to go to.
But as for May i think that would be fine.
Well i think May would be a splendid time - not many tourists yet and weather should be nice - though perhaps cool at the summit but i think this area may get southern warm drafts from Italy.
One problem with the Bernina is that it is relatively remote vis a vis Switzerland's other scenic mountain railways which are mainly in central Switzerland and right on or just off the main north-south Germany and France to Italy rail and road routes.
You basically have to add an extra day to include it say in going between Venice or anywhere in Italy and say most any other place you want to go to.
But as for May i think that would be fine.
Sep 21st, 2008, 07:03 AM
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Pal --
This is a great post, thanks so much!
We were thinking of doing the Glacier Express but after reading this I'm changing my mind to the Bernina Express.
Do you think if we took it from Tirano to St. Moritz that we would have great views or do you think it necessary to go further? We will be going next end of April, beg of May.
Thanks in advance!
Mary
This is a great post, thanks so much!
We were thinking of doing the Glacier Express but after reading this I'm changing my mind to the Bernina Express.
Do you think if we took it from Tirano to St. Moritz that we would have great views or do you think it necessary to go further? We will be going next end of April, beg of May.
Thanks in advance!
Mary
Sep 22nd, 2008, 03:27 AM
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Hi PalenQ,
I read some of the early messages in this post and have been mulling over a few things as well as being too busy to get back with some questions.
Your comments about the cow pastures, flower-bedecked chalets and mountains had me saying - "that's just what I want to see" Initially I was convinced that the Golden Pass train was the way to go but now I am unsure. We intend visiting in May and I'm concerned that the weather won't be the best for some of the more mountainous parts of the trip. Would it still be a great option in May or do you have a better suggestion?
I read some of the early messages in this post and have been mulling over a few things as well as being too busy to get back with some questions.
Your comments about the cow pastures, flower-bedecked chalets and mountains had me saying - "that's just what I want to see" Initially I was convinced that the Golden Pass train was the way to go but now I am unsure. We intend visiting in May and I'm concerned that the weather won't be the best for some of the more mountainous parts of the trip. Would it still be a great option in May or do you have a better suggestion?
Sep 23rd, 2008, 10:36 AM
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elainee - suzanne - i will address your questions soon i hope (or others feel free to do so as well!)
dorkforcemom - you say your hubby wants photo ops on the Bernina - in my much longer thread on Scenic Swiss Trains i dwell a lot more on the Bernina and someone graciously took time to point out which trains had the open-air platforms on the Bernina route - these would provide the ultimate photo opp IMO
Fodors.com > Travel Talk > Europe > Palenque's Scenic Swiss Trains
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34707687
dorkforcemom - you say your hubby wants photo ops on the Bernina - in my much longer thread on Scenic Swiss Trains i dwell a lot more on the Bernina and someone graciously took time to point out which trains had the open-air platforms on the Bernina route - these would provide the ultimate photo opp IMO
Fodors.com > Travel Talk > Europe > Palenque's Scenic Swiss Trains
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34707687
Sep 24th, 2008, 12:31 PM
#36
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<Will be in Basel for a week. Can you recommend a one day train trip from there, mainly for scenery? Due to busniness appointments we willnot be able to stay overnight out of Basel.>
Not any really awesomely scenic trains that are right in that vicinity
but some options for great scenic trains farther afield - it's two hours each way to Interlaken-Ost station from where a few-minute mountain train takes you up to Grindelwald and or Lauterbrunnen - both nestled at the foot of the high Alps towering 1000s of feet above them.
And then from say Grindelwald take the tiny mountain train up to Kleine Scheidegg and then down to Wengen (a dream spot with some of the finest views in the Alps) and then to Lauterbrunnen and back to Interlaken-Ost - awesomely scenic from Interlaken up.
but a lot of time of trains - about six hours actual train time i would think
Similarly you could also train from Basel to Spiez, near Interlaken and then hop the Golden Pass train to Montreux and then a fast train back to Basel. Bit less travel time i suspect but not nearly as awesome Alpine scenery as the Grindelwald-Lauterbrunnen area
I'll be back with a suggestion of a scenic train closer to Basel - it's actually in Germany and some ideas for shorter day trips from Basel - like to Colmar, France and the Rhine Falls or Lake Constance.
Not any really awesomely scenic trains that are right in that vicinity
but some options for great scenic trains farther afield - it's two hours each way to Interlaken-Ost station from where a few-minute mountain train takes you up to Grindelwald and or Lauterbrunnen - both nestled at the foot of the high Alps towering 1000s of feet above them.
And then from say Grindelwald take the tiny mountain train up to Kleine Scheidegg and then down to Wengen (a dream spot with some of the finest views in the Alps) and then to Lauterbrunnen and back to Interlaken-Ost - awesomely scenic from Interlaken up.
but a lot of time of trains - about six hours actual train time i would think
Similarly you could also train from Basel to Spiez, near Interlaken and then hop the Golden Pass train to Montreux and then a fast train back to Basel. Bit less travel time i suspect but not nearly as awesome Alpine scenery as the Grindelwald-Lauterbrunnen area
I'll be back with a suggestion of a scenic train closer to Basel - it's actually in Germany and some ideas for shorter day trips from Basel - like to Colmar, France and the Rhine Falls or Lake Constance.
Sep 25th, 2008, 01:14 PM
#37
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DAY TRIPS FROM BASEL BY TRAIN
For a rather scenic and rather mountainous train ride hop hourly trains from either Basel station to Freiburg and then change to the hill climbing train that plows thru the fabled Black Forest up to the Titissee (sp?) - a lake way up in the mountains that is a popular hiking venue. Not dramatically scenic but very very nice scenery. And you can look over cutesy Freiburg as well - a really cute town.
Or hop a train from SBB station in Basel to Colmar, France - about an hour i think - rather scenic as it goes thru bucolic countryside and the alsace wine growing region around the cute Alsace regional town of Colmar - very very quaint and cute - easy day trip about an hour each way or so. Strasbourg, France is just a few minutes beyond Colmar and to me is one of Europe's most underrated big cities - fanatstic city with a fantastic church.
Next in Swiss - the Rhine Falls and Lake Constance from Basel
For a rather scenic and rather mountainous train ride hop hourly trains from either Basel station to Freiburg and then change to the hill climbing train that plows thru the fabled Black Forest up to the Titissee (sp?) - a lake way up in the mountains that is a popular hiking venue. Not dramatically scenic but very very nice scenery. And you can look over cutesy Freiburg as well - a really cute town.
Or hop a train from SBB station in Basel to Colmar, France - about an hour i think - rather scenic as it goes thru bucolic countryside and the alsace wine growing region around the cute Alsace regional town of Colmar - very very quaint and cute - easy day trip about an hour each way or so. Strasbourg, France is just a few minutes beyond Colmar and to me is one of Europe's most underrated big cities - fanatstic city with a fantastic church.
Next in Swiss - the Rhine Falls and Lake Constance from Basel
Oct 3rd, 2008, 10:18 AM
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BASEL TO THE RHINE FALLS
A rather scenic trip thru the southern reaches of the Germany's Black Forest by train takes you in one hour to Schlauffhausen, a pretty regional town in Switzerland.
check out Schlauffhausen a bit and hop a local train to Niederhausen (? not sure of the name but a platform station that is right by the famous Rhine Falls - the first station west of Schlauffhausen - some trains also stop here before hitting Schlauffhausen.
Anyway the Rhine Falls are a thunderous falls and cascades in the Rhine - very impressionable and there are paths that lead around it. You can also walk the few miles from Schlauffhausen along paths along the Rhine to the Falls.
Anyway a rather scenic train thru bucolic parts of Germany gets you to Schlauffhausen - hourly trains go from the Basel Bad Bhf - the German train station in Basel.
Schlauffhausen is weirdly a Swiss town that is in a small Swiss enclave that is on the northern side of the Rhine - sticking into Germany.
A rather scenic trip thru the southern reaches of the Germany's Black Forest by train takes you in one hour to Schlauffhausen, a pretty regional town in Switzerland.
check out Schlauffhausen a bit and hop a local train to Niederhausen (? not sure of the name but a platform station that is right by the famous Rhine Falls - the first station west of Schlauffhausen - some trains also stop here before hitting Schlauffhausen.
Anyway the Rhine Falls are a thunderous falls and cascades in the Rhine - very impressionable and there are paths that lead around it. You can also walk the few miles from Schlauffhausen along paths along the Rhine to the Falls.
Anyway a rather scenic train thru bucolic parts of Germany gets you to Schlauffhausen - hourly trains go from the Basel Bad Bhf - the German train station in Basel.
Schlauffhausen is weirdly a Swiss town that is in a small Swiss enclave that is on the northern side of the Rhine - sticking into Germany.
Oct 12th, 2008, 07:48 AM
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Susanne - sorry for delay - i think May would be fine - later in May the better. You should, and locals can correct me, find little snow except where there is always ice and snow - Jungfraujoch type areas - normally that is.
I have been in Murren and Grindelwald in mid-Sep and at times have seen ice and freezing temps there - but rarely.
And for trains like the Golden Pass, which does not really climb that much, May should be a Wunderbar time as orchards will be in bloom and flowers start gracing the chalets and spring is blooming.
And May is still an off-season - in between so you will not have summer type crowds in places like the Berner Oberland.
Early June would be better but i think May would be a great time - Swiss experts can add some light to this perhaps.
That said weather in the Alps can be fickle - it could be very warm or quite cool - so do bring sweaters, etc. to layer - esp if hiking as the sun comes out you feel to warm, it goes back in and you feel chilled.
Cheers
I have been in Murren and Grindelwald in mid-Sep and at times have seen ice and freezing temps there - but rarely.
And for trains like the Golden Pass, which does not really climb that much, May should be a Wunderbar time as orchards will be in bloom and flowers start gracing the chalets and spring is blooming.
And May is still an off-season - in between so you will not have summer type crowds in places like the Berner Oberland.
Early June would be better but i think May would be a great time - Swiss experts can add some light to this perhaps.
That said weather in the Alps can be fickle - it could be very warm or quite cool - so do bring sweaters, etc. to layer - esp if hiking as the sun comes out you feel to warm, it goes back in and you feel chilled.
Cheers
