I'm headed to Switzerland in a couple of weeks for a trip that involves several connecting trains (Zurich airport>Bern>Interlaken>Lauterbrunnen>Wengen is the first).

I got on sbb.ch and it's showing me that I can book the trip straight through to Wengen in Zurich - the issue is that it's only showing about 7 minutes between arrival & the next train's departure in Bern & Interlaken. Is this a problem, or can we just get on the next train of the same type if we miss the intended connection?

Dear sth,

I have done this trip many times including last weekend and if you don't really dawdle will have no problems making the connections. This trip is designed to be connectible (if that is a word!) and the Swiss are very efficient with their on time schedule and connections.

If you do miss the connection, yes, you can take the next train.

No worries on this - unless you are handicapped in some way.

gruezi

> I got on sbb.ch and it's showing me that I can book the trip straight through to Wengen in Zurich

By "booking" I think you mean "buying a ticket" because most Swiss trains are not seat bookable (except some private sight seeing trains). You get on any train for your destination and take any empty seats of the class for which you tha ticket. So yes, if you miss one train, just take another. No problem.

Great info. We're young & will have no problem rushing to the next train, just wanted to make sure that we had a backup plan in case something went wrong.

Thanks!

Make sure you get the train that goes past Lungern (but it doesn't have to stop there)

Don't rush to the other train unless you're on a race to see who reaches wengen first. There's alot to see in Bern and Interlaken. so even if you don't catch that connection, wait for the other that usually departs 30 to 60 min after the one you're intended to catch. The good think on being in vacation is taking thinks calmly, not chasing trains... but you should have no problems, Swiss trains usually are on schedule and you don't miss connections.

Be careful in Interlaken-Ost that you get on the right half of the train that splits en route to Lauterbrunnen, with half of the train heading to Grindelwald and the other half to Lauterbrunnen, where you change from one platform to the adjoining one for the tinier train to Wengen.

The train splits about 10 mins after leaving Interlaken-Ost so be sure to look at the signs on the exterior of each train car to see whether it is going to Lauterbrunnen. Everytime i take this train i see flummoxed tourists who end up in the wrong half of the train then have to scurry when the conductor says they are in the wrong car.

Make sure you get the train that goes past Lungern (but it doesn't have to stop there)>

schuler please clarify what does this refer to? Where is Lungern and how does it fit into this post?

sth12 I will arrive at the Zurich airport on the September 6 and take the train on to Wengen also. I did this last September and I had no problems with connections. I think I had 3 connections. Maybe I will see you there.

Taking the train from Zürich to Wengen takes 2hr 44 min if you go through Bern. This is definitely the quickest way to get there.

Taking the train from Zürich through Luzern and Meiringen (hence Lungern, which is along the way), is more picturesque but takes longer: 3 hr 45 min.

You could get off in Lucerne for a while and then catch the next train.

Check out sbb.ch for options.

Ok I see Lungern is a tiny town on the Lucerne to Meringen train line over the Brunig Pass - i get it now that some trains from Lucerne may terminate at Lungern so that is why to get a train that goes past it- train destination should say Meiringen and Interlaken-Ost terminus

Anyway try to take the far more scenic route up and over the Brunig Pass to Interlaken rather than the faster but less scenic route via Bern and Spiez - the Brunig Pass route, part of the Golden Pass scenic train route, also is direct-no changes of train needed-the faster way requires at least one if not two changes to get to Interlaken-Ost- IMO always more convenient to be on a direct train.

seriously consider schuler's great tip of if going by the more scenic but slower route to Interlaken/Wengen via Lucerne to put your bags in a station locker and putz around town for a few hours - the station is smack in the town center- just steps from the town's two iconic ancient wooden covered bridges (well ancient in that they have been there forever but both have burnt in recent times and have been rebuilt - anyone a few hours in one of Europe's comeliest towns IMO.

Maybe going back to Zurich would be better when you are not jet-lagged!

I got on sbb.ch and it's showing me that I can book the trip straight through to Wengen in Zurich

By "booking" I think you mean "buying a ticket" because most Swiss trains are not seat bookable (except some private sight seeing trains). You get on any train for your destination and take any empty seats of the class for which you tha ticket. So yes, if you miss one train, just take another. No problem.>

Well perhaps by not 'bookable' the poster meant he/she could not buy a thru ticket Zurich all the way to Wengen because, perhaps and i don't know - Wengen is reached by trains from Interlaken-Ost that are not a part of the Swiss Federal Railways or SBB and thus may have to buy a Interlaken-Ost to Wengen ticket in Interlaken-Ost.

I assume it would be possible to buy Zurich to Wengen but not sure - anyone clarify that that is possible?

curious

Of course you can buy a ticket that's good for Zurich through to Wengen.

Of course - duh - i guess i thought since the SBB tracks stopped at Interlaken-Ost and regional railways go from there it may not be possible - but in Switzerland that of course would not be the case as it may in other countries.

Stooopid of me?

We're stopping in Lucerne on the way back to Zurich for a couple of nights, so I think we'll be able to take the scenic route then. We'll probably be ready to get straight to Wengen with our bags after an overnight flight. Thanks for all the tips.

I did just buy the SBB iphone app, which looks pretty cool. Has anyone had any luck using that?