Chocolate Train: the must-knows

  • The Chocolate Train is a fully arranged 1-day excursion by train and bus from Montreux.
  • You’ll visit a cheese factory, the town Gruyères and a chocolate factory.
  • If you’re short on time, this is an excellent way to visit multiple Swiss culinary highlights in one day.
  • Plan ahead: the Chocolate Train is available from May to September and not on all days of the week.
  • Do you have a Swiss Travel Pass? In that case, it’s cheaper to make a similar tour by yourself. The pass covers all rides and entrance fees.
Min. time required: 8:00
Season: early May to late September
Recommended season: early May to late September
Max. altitude: 810 m (2657 ft)

Prices, tickets and reservations Copy link to clipboard

Chocolate Train ticket prices 2024

A Chocolate Train ticket costs CHF 89 per adult in 2nd class and CHF 99 in 1st class.

This includes all rides, coffee and chocolate bread on board the morning train, and the entrance to the cheese and chocolate factories.

The price difference between 1st and 2nd class is relatively small, as the class difference is only relevant for the train leg from Montreux to Montbovon. The rest of the trip is done by bus, in which all seats are the same.

Discounts with your rail pass

Several rail passes provide discounts. Examples for 2024:

Find a complete overview of rail pass discounts here.

Where to book your Chocolate Train tickets

You have to get your tickets in advance. They also serve as seat reservations. You can get your tickets online or at railway stations along the route, for example Montreux.

Get your Chocolate Train tickets Copy link to clipboard

MySwissAlps
Custom-made self-guided Switzerland itinerary
Christmas, City trip, Mountains, Museum, NatureIndependent multi-day tour
Don’t have the time or knowledge to plan a trip to Switzerland? Get a customized itinerary from experienced travel consultants.

Offered by MySwissAlps: www.myswissalps.com

  • Offer from one of our best partners.
  • Extra Support: MySwissAlps can assist if you have questions about your order.
This list includes external links to our trusted partners.

Promotions Copy link to clipboard

There are currently no promotions available.

Find other promotions

Discounts with your rail pass Copy link to clipboard

The rail passes below provide discounts on the Chocolate Train excursion.

PassDiscount
Regional Pass Lake Geneva-Alps Discount 35%:
  • Exact discount varies
More information:

Surcharge required. The price depends on the class of your pass, the class of your Chocolate Train trip, and whether you travel on a free travel day or not.

Swiss Half Fare Card Discount 25%:
  • Chocolate Train day trip from Montreux
Swiss Travel Pass Discount 35%:
  • Chocolate Train day trip from Montreux
Swiss Travel Pass Flex Discount 35%:
  • Chocolate Train day trip from Montreux

The Chocolate Train route in detail, with map Copy link to clipboard

SBB|CFF|FFS
From
To
Via (optional)
Via (optional)
Departure date
Example: 01.07.= 1 July
Departure time
Example: 13:15=1:15 PM

How does the timetable work?

The Chocolate Train leaves from and returns to the railway station of Montreux.

How to reach Montreux by train or car

Montreux can best be reached by train from many directions.

If you arrive by car, mind that you’ll have to navigate in a busy city and need to find a parking spot. There's a paid P+Rail parking at the railway station of Montreux.

The Chocolate Train route

You’ll first enjoy a beautiful train ride from Montreux to Montbovon. This is part of the scenic GoldenPass route. You'll be seated in a nostalgic Belle Époque train.

Shortly after departure from Montreux, the train winds its way up along the shores of Lake Geneva. After a ride through the valley, including the tunnel at Les Avants, you’ll reach the town of Montbovon.

There you'll board a bus for a ride across the green hills of the Fribourg canton, until you reach Gruyères. You'll visit the cheese factory and the village. From Gruyères, it’s only a short bus ride to Broc. You'll enter the chocolate factory and get to enjoy free sample tasting at the end of the tour.

A bus will bring you back to Montreux in the late afternoon.

Map of the Chocolate Train route

Maps are available to members only
Check out all the benefits members have access to
Create a free account
Map

Operation dates, schedules and timetable Copy link to clipboard

Operation dates and hours

The Chocolate Train runs from 2 May to 29 September 2024 on the following days:

  • May-June: on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays
  • July-August: on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
  • September: on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays

Departure from Montreux is around 09:50, and you'll be back in Montreux at about 17:15.

How to plan your journey with the timetable

You can best consult the separate Chocolate Train schedule here.

Not all of the trip can be found in the general Swiss timetable. The morning train from Montreux to Montbovon is visible as the GoldenPass Belle Époque train, but you won't find the rest of the route that's covered by bus.

Best season Copy link to clipboard

The Chocolate Train ride can be made from early May to late September. The best months in our opinion are May, June, and September, as there are usually fewer travelers than in July and August. If you want to travel in July-August, we advise you to book the excursion well in advance.

Weather Copy link to clipboard

Sunny skies are preferable for the views from the Chocolate Train and bus, and for your free time in Gruyères. But most of this trip is indoors, so it's actually a perfect excursion for cloudy or rainy days.

Current forecasts for Gruyères

Weather reports are available to members only
Check out all the benefits members have access to
Create a free account
Weather forecast

What to expect from the Chocolate Train

The Chocolate Train, consisting of nostalgic GoldenPass Belle Époque coaches, leaves from the rail station of Montreux in the morning. You’ll be served coffee and chocolate bread on board. After a beautiful 45-minute train ride along the GoldenPass route, you’ll reach the town of Montbovon, where you’ll transfer to a bus.

The bus takes you to your first culinary destination: the cheese factory La Maison du Gruyère. After about an hour there you’ll have a short bus ride to the beautiful small town of Gruyères. During your free time, you can have lunch, shop for cheese and chocolates or visit the medieval castle.

In the afternoon, the bus continues to nearby Broc for a visit to the chocolate factory Maison Cailler. The bus will bring you back to Montreux, where you’ll arrive in the late afternoon.

How the Chocolate Train is related to the GoldenPass

The GoldenPass line is a long train route between Lucerne and Montreux. Several trains ride this route, including the historic Belle Époque trains. This is the train that’s pulled by a Chocolate Train locomotive and in which you’ll ride a short section of the GoldenPass route: from Montreux to Montbovon. Other than that, the Chocolate Train and the GoldenPass are very different excursions.

The Chocolate Train versus an independent trip: how to decide

Why choose the Chocolate Train over an independent trip

You can visit Gruyères, the cheese factory and the chocolate factory by yourself and at your own pace. Reasons to choose the Chocolate Train excursion are:

  • It’s a fun trip for kids and families.
  • It’s a fully arranged tour, so you don’t have to worry about planning, transportation, waiting lines at the museums and opening hours.
  • You’ll be served chocolate bread and coffee during the morning train trip to Montbovon.
  • It’s an efficient way to visit some Swiss culinary and cultural highlights in one day.
  • There are passes that get you a discount on the normal fare.

Why choose an independent trip over the Chocolate Train

You may prefer to visit the sites on your own for these reasons:

  • The Chocolate Train trip has a fixed schedule, meaning you can’t travel at your own pace.
  • You may want to visit just one or two of the Chocolate Train destinations, or combine one of them with other activities.
  • It can be cheaper to plan your own trip. The Chocolate Train trip is more expensive than the regular costs of return train tickets from Montreux and the entrance tickets of both museums.
  • Holders of a Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex can make a similar trip entirely for free: the train rides to Gruyères and Broc-Fabrique, and the entrance to the cheese and chocolate factories, are all included.
  • If you’re not staying close to Montreux, other culinary tours closer to your base town can be more convenient.

The “Chocolate Train” versus the “Chocolat Express”

The “Chocolate Train” is the day trip from Montreux as described here: you’ll travel by train and bus to Gruyères, the cheese factory near village, and the chocolate factory Maison Cailler in Broc. The “Chocolat Express” is something else. That’s just a regional train between Bern, Fribourg, and the chocolate factory Maison Cailler in Broc.

Other websites of interest

Schedules

Prices

More activities near Montreux and Gruyères Copy link to clipboard

Chocolate shop in Maison Cailler, Broc

Maison Cailler

Maison Cailler is a modern chocolate factory, museum and shop south-western Switzerland. A must-visit for anyone who loves (Swiss) chocolate! …
Cheese making in the Maison du Gruyère museum

La Maison du Gruyère

La Maison du Gruyère is a Swiss cheese factory and show dairy in the Fribourg area. Learn how to get …
Gruyères Castle with spring snow

Gruyères

Gruyères is an attractive small medieval town in Switzerland, with a beautiful castle and many culinary delicacies. We'll explain how …
GoldenPass on snowy spring day in Montbovon

GoldenPass

Several special GoldenPass trains run on this beautiful route between Lucerne, Interlaken and Montreux. Here's all you need to know …
Lake Geneva and mountains seen from Rochers-de-Naye

Rochers-de-Naye

How to take the trip by cogwheel train from Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye, which views over Lake Geneva and which restaurants …

Our info about Montreux and Lake Geneva Copy link to clipboard

Montreux seen from Lake Geneva boulevard toward Veytaux

Montreux

Montreux is a pretty town on eastern Lake Geneva, with one of the most beautiful lake promades of Switzerland. It's …
Lake Geneva seen from Corseaux in spring

Lake Geneva

Lake Geneva is a sunny, vibrant holiday region in western Switzerland. Get to know Geneva, Lausanne and Montreux, the beautiful …

About MySwissAlps

We’re passionate tourists and locals. We share tips about how to plan a trip to Switzerland. MySwissAlps was founded in 2002.

Get a free account for a worry-free trip

  • Join our 10610 members and ask us questions in the forum
  • Access to member-only promotions
  • Detailed maps and weather forecasts

Planning your first Switzerland adventure?

Get a jump-start with Annika’s 20-minute e-mail course, “Switzerland for beginners”. Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock the course.

Arno
Page author: ArnoI have visited Switzerland countless times since 1997. I've explored most of the country, but find myself staying in the Bernese Oberland and Graubünden most frequently. The alps and the rail network remain very impressive, even after all these years.