We have a week in Switzerland after river cruise ends in Belgium and relatives to stay with for 2-3 nights in Chur and flight home from Zurich. Wish list is Golden Pass, Jungfraujoch and Bernina Express. Need sensible route not killer. I see how long and multi-trains many of these rides are - we will have suitcases with us for some of these trips.

Wondering about flying Brussels to Geneva; then it looks on SBB like I can get from Geneva Airport and end up using part of Golden Pass Line on day 1. Do all trains use same tracks? Can you still see scenery from "fast" train? Not sure where to overnight on Day 1, but was wondering about Jungfraujoch trip next day...Ideas for overnights at this time of year after GP and before JF? Is Jungfraujoch normally a bad idea at this time of year like Zermatt is? Then would go to Chur and visit.

Thinking about ending with Bernina Express train and bus and overnight in Lugano then train to Zurich airport hotel afternoon before plane.

Hope someone can help as I am getting overwhelmed with so many train sites and information and not gettng anywhere.

Golden Pass Line on day 1. Do all trains use same tracks? Can you still see scenery from "fast" train?>

Yes same tracks - same scenery and the 'express' is not really an express train but compared to others in Europe slow moving.

Take GP to Spiez - then connecting train to Interlaken-Ost - jumping off station for trains to Alpine villages like Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen or Wengen - stay in one of those and be eyeball to eyeball with glacier-girdled soaring Alpine peaks- can catch Jungfruajoch train from any of them.

Weather in Alps is always fickle at any time of year- you can never tell but there are many other things to do in the Jungfrau Region besides the Jungfraujoch train if conditions dictate.

Getting to Chur from Interlaken - take the Golden Pass to Lucerne- throw bags in locker and look around this gorgeous city and then go via Arth-Goldau to Goschenen and take shuttle train up to Andermatt to catch trains on the Glacier Express line to Chur - much more scenic than via Zurich, which is probably quicker.

Anyway for lots on Swiss trains check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. If doing the Jungfraujoch get a Half-Fare Card (at Swiss stations) and you'll get 50% off every transport in Switzerland you'll be on - Jungfraujoch train 1/2 off will pay for about half the card!

Thinking about ending with Bernina Express train and bus and overnight in Lugano then train to Zurich airport hotel afternoon before plane.>

And the official BE also goes slowly - the world's slowest express train they say - and there are regular regular regional trains over the same tracks.

But you want the official BE so you can tie in the BE bus that coordinates with BE arrival in Tirano to go to Lugano. Book both as early as possible as official BE trains are often chock full - locals you can always hop on - no seat reservations possible I believe. Just show up and buy ticket.

Book your own BE on the official Rhaetisch Bahn site (they run both locals and BE).

Sit on the west side of the train to have by far the best views!

Personally, I think you are considering a route that includes too much time on trains and gives too little latitude if weather is not cooperative -- and I say this as someone frequently criticized for planning to do too much in the time I have. You might want to pick just one area that offers a reasonable chance of good weather and see a bit of what that one area has to offer -- IME, it will be a lot!

Good luck!

You can also go Brussels-Lyon by direct TGV and connect by local train to Geneva. Takes as little as 6h14, relaxed, no check-in, no airport, no flight, no hassle. The TGV has a cafe bar, great scenery between Lyon and Geneva.

Just book it at www.b-europe.com

and going by train you see the Europe in between big cities and not just tarmacs and airports. Though 6 h 14 is a tad long for many people so flying may makes sense Brussels to Geneva.