4 days Geneva to Zurich via scenic trains
A traveler named JayPaul is planning a whirlwind 4-day trip to Switzerland from Nice, France, and needs advice on scenic train routes. They are particularly interested in the Montreux to Zurich route via Lucerne and Interlaken, and are confused about rail passes and the best views of the mountains during their visit.
- You can hop on and off trains without issue if you have a Swiss Travel Pass, which allows for flexibility in your travel.
- The Golden Pass route requires changes but offers stunning views, especially if you only travel from Montreux to Zweisimmen.
- In early September, you might not see snow in Zermatt, but you can find it at the peaks like Gornergrat.
- Flying into Geneva and out of Zurich is recommended for a more straightforward travel route.
- Traveling across Switzerland in September is pleasant with less crowding and good weather.
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Hello,
First off the website is fantastic and I realize these questions have likely both been asked and 4 days is a whirlwind trip. We will be in Nice, France prior to traveling to Switzerland and then flying out of Zurich to return home. I personally would really like to see some of the scenic mountains via rail but have found it a little complicated to book tickets. Specifically comparing rail pass prices to individual tickets. More confusing I have seen that the specific time on a train ticket is not needed?
Understanding that we likely do not have time to take the longer trains through the Alps, I was looking at the Montreux to Zurich going through Lucerne and Interlaken. I thought the GoldenPass went from Montreux to Lucerne but I saw another thread describing otherwise and using the timetable showed a lot of long gaps with changeovers for such a trip. I am also wondering if I would even really see what I was interested in…not that I won’t enjoy the view regardless.
Right now I am thinking to fly from Nice to Geneva (or could do Zurich) to get there quickly. Spending 1 day in Lucerne and 2 days in Zurich with the last day likely being the traveling from Nice to Lucerne and stopping at some cities in between.
Really I am debating if I should try to do one of the scenic train routes as a priority, but the travel time from Nice to said destinations combined with the length of the train routes seems a lot. I would really like the flexibility of stopping at various cities along the way if it seems interesting. If I book a ticket from Montreux to Lucerne, could we hop off and back on later without issue? Forgive me from asking a simple question, but how much can we see the mountains from these cities?
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Hi JayPaul,
Thank you for joining MySwissAlps.
Travelling on the panoramic trains is indeed a great way to experience the Swiss Alps.
The Golden Pass is a series of scenic trains travelling between Montreux and Lucerne. This route comprises three sections as explained here: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/gettingthere It is not a direct train. In fact you will need to change in Zweisimmen and Interlaken Ost before reaching Lucerne. However you don’t need to travel the entire route if you think this will take too long. The Montreux – Zweisimmen stretch in my opinion provides the best views of the mountains and landscapes, so if you are pressed for time, I would recommend this leg of the trip.
From Zweisimmen you can continue to Lucerne on regular trains. There are various connections and it’s fairly easy to plan your trips using the SBB timetable. You can hop-on and hop-off as you wish if you have a day ticket or a Swiss Travel Pass. You can find more information about how train travel works here: http://www.myswissalps.com/train
And if you are unsure about railpass, this simple guide explains how to choose the best rail pass in a few simple steps: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass
If you are interested in other panoramic train rides, please check out this link: http://www.myswissalps.com/activities/scenictrips/train
I hope you’ll find all these links useful.
Let us know if you need further information.
Regards,
Anna
Hi Anna,
Thank you for all of the information. I was hoping to post sooner but I am still trying to make a decision! I have a much better understanding of the timetable website now as well, which is very helpful. Right now I am debating if my original route I was thinking above would really show give me a good view of the snow and mountains that I was hoping for. That being said, I was looking at maybe going up to Zermatt instead of Zweisimmen. As you can see I am all over the place.
I was wondering what the temperature and amount of snow would look like in early September in general across Switzerland and the mountains. I have a lot more to look up….
Hi JayPaul,
If you are visiting Zermatt in September, you won’t see snow in the village but if you go all the way to the top of Gornergrat or Klein Matterhorn, you might come across some snow (hard snow most likely). The best time to visit to experience fresh snow is between January and April: http://www.myswissalps.com/besttimetovisit
You can find more information about Zermatt here: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt
Regards,
Anna
Hi JayPaul,
You do seem to be a bit all over the place. Not really sure exactly what you’re interested in seeing. If it’s mountains, then any train you board will afford you that scenery. I wouldn’t concern yourself too much with the scenic ones. No need to worry about reservations and such. If you get the 4 day Swiss Travel Pass, you can hop on/hop off at any time, at any location. Trains, busses, and boats included. Again, no need to worry about reservations and such. The beginning of September is basically the end of the tourist season and not quite as crowded. The weather is great in Sept. I wore shorts and a sweatshirt for the two weeks I was there.
Sounds like you’d be better off flying into Geneva and out of Zurich. The train to Montreux is a little over an hour. That would bring you to the Golden Pass route to Lucerne. Either that or the local trains will get you to Spiez and Interlaken. Interlaken (Ost) will get you to Lauterbrunnen if you want to see the Junfrau region. Then you can take train to Lucerne. Zurich is only about 45 min ride from there. This way you’re going in pretty much a straight line and not bouncing all around. I wouldn’t try to squeeze in going to Zermatt, as it is all the way south and not really worth it to just stop by. Just keep in mind that if you do just stop by, you’re toting luggage around with you as well. Just some food for thought. Four days doesn’t give you a lot of time to see things but it will still be worth it. Good luck in your planning and enjoy.
Danielsan
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