Sept/Oct: Swiss scenic train rides / mountains itinerary + pass check
A traveler named Buckaroo is planning a 16-day trip to Switzerland, flying into Zurich and visiting several cities while riding four scenic trains. They seek advice on their itinerary, specifically whether it makes sense to purchase a 15-day Swiss Travel Pass for their travels.
- Invest in the 15-day Swiss Travel Pass for unlimited travel on the Swiss public transport network, which is efficient and offers many scenic options.
- Reservations are recommended for premium scenic trains as they can sell out quickly.
- Consider using regular trains instead of scenic ones for more flexibility and exploration, depending on your personal preferences.
AI-generated summary-
Our proposed itinerary is to fly into Zurich, catch the train from the airport direct to Lucerne-stay 4 nights, from Lucerne to Fluelen board Gotthard Panorama Express to Lugano, stay 2 nights, Board the Bernina Express bus and train from Luguno to Chur, stay 2 nights in Chur, Board Glacier Express to Zermatt. Stay in Zermatt 4 nights, then onto Montreux for 1 night. Board Golden Pass Line to Wilderswill, spend 3 nights there. From there travel via Zurich to Munich. Does this seem to be a suitable/sensible route/itinerary to spend 16 days in Switzerland to ride the 4 scenic trains and see the high mountain tops i.e Gornergrat & Jungfraujoch? We intend purchasing a 15day Swiss Travel Pass – does this make sense?
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Hello Buckaroo
Welcome to MySwissAlps
Thank you for sharing your very interesting plans, which certainly are ‘Doable’. I will however consider the drawbacks of focusing on the four ‘Panoramic’ trains.
Invest in 15-Day Swiss Travel Pass ( https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/)
This will give you the complete freedom of the world’s best public transport system. Hourly services run on all lines and routes of any importance, and they run 365 days a year. That means there are literally thousands of ‘SCENIC’ train rides a day, thousands of ‘SCENIC’ bus rides a day, and in summer hundreds of ‘SCENIC’ boat rides, some of which run in the winter as well.
There is the problem that your Swiss stay appears to last 17 days. On day one buy point-to-point tickets for the 68 Kilometres (42 miles) Zurich Airport to Lucerne. On day two confine your travels to the local area around Lucerne covered by the ‘Guest Card’ which your hotel will give you.
Your STP will start on day three. On days three and four do a lot of travelling with your STP. In the Lucerne area the STP is valid on certain high mountain lines – those to Rigi, Stanserhorn, Klewenalp and Stockhűtte. Day five, Lucerne to Lugano, is where I start to get controversial.
Special ‘Panoramic’ Trains vs Regular (usually hourly) Ordinary Trains
I suggest you read Queenie’s Trip Report (posted 4th October 2024) entitled ‘My review of Swiss Panoramic Trains – Golden Pass,. Glacier Express etc.’ Her original report, and the reply 1 from TIM are very important. I agree with their views!
For the opposite viewpoint see the replies from Olga and DebH.
For people like Queenie, Tim and myself, what we want from a Swiss train trip is undisturbed views of the fantastic scenery.
But for many others, they want an enjoyable experience. The scenery is only partof that experience. The wining and dining, and a train with people all enjoying themselves, are also part of that experience.
‘You pays your money and you make your choice’. However in this case it is ‘You pays your EXTRA money for special ‘frills’, or you pays no extra money.’
Day 5 Lucerne to Lugano
If I were travelling I would go as follows.
11 12 boat from Lucerne to Flüelen, arriving there at 13 55. I stroll the level 250 metres from the harbour to the station. I am NOT going for the 14 09 Gotthard Panoramic Express. I want the 14 15 Treno Gottardo bound for Locarno, arriving there at 16 27. There are local trains from Locarno to Lugano every 30 minutes.
Days 7 and 8 Chur-Albula-Bernina-Tirano
Now at first sight, I have a problem. The Bernina Express BUS runs once a day, and there is no parallel ‘ordinary’ bus service from Lugano to Tirano.
On Day 7 I would take any train for the short ride to Bellinzona. At Bellinzona I would catch the spectacular 171 bus which goes to Chur via San Bernardino. Buses are approximately hourly and take just over two hours.
On Day 8 I would take an IR38 train bound for St Moritz. The trains go at 58 past each hour from platform 10. I would aim to be on platform10 by about 40 past the hour so as to be able to grab a seat on the right hand side of the train in the direction of travel. I will be expecting a sudden influx of passengers at 52 past the hour, when the fast train from Basel and Zurich arrives on the adjacent platform 9!
I would get off the IR38 at Samedan and change (straight across the platform) to the R15 train to Pontresina, a very short ride. From Pontresina I would catch the R19 or RE9 train to Tirano, and have lunch in Tirano.
I would then catch an R19 or RE9 and stay on this train through to St Moritz. I would have a quick stroll by the lake and then catch the RE3 train departing at 53 past the hour and bound for Landquart via Klosters.
There are then very frequent trains from Landquart for the short journey to Chur.
Day 9 Chur to Zermatt.
I would catch an RE7 train from Chur to Disentis, where I go straight across the platform to the R45 bound for Andermatt. I would have lunch in Andermatt. I would then catch the R43 to Visp, then the RE41 to Zermatt.
Day 14 Montreux to Wilderswil
I have never been on the Bernina, Glacier and Gotthard Panoramic Expresses. I have been on the Golden Pass Express. Why? The GPE trains are new high-tech trains which change track gauge at Zweisimmen. I wanted to experience that.
As to reservation of seats, the GPE is in this respect different from the other three ‘premium’ trains. Reservation (at a highish price) is only required for the ‘Prestige Class’. Seat reservations are not required for second class or ‘ordinary’ first class. However, the GPE trains are extremely busy, so I would recommend reserving seats.
Going from Montreux to Wilderswil by ordinary trains, I would change at Zweisimmen, Spiez, and Interlaken Ost.
Day 17 Wilderswil to Munchen
This will be quite long day, involving changes at Interlaken Ost and Zurich (Hauptbahnhof), and possibly at Spiez or Bern.
The trains from Zurich to Munich are always VERY BUSY (and not just when it is OKTOBERFEST) so reserved seats are essential.
Learn to use the Swiss electronic timetable. (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/)
Very best wishes with your detailed planning.
Roger
One additional point about day 17. Your STP will be valid as far as St Margrethen, on the Swiss/Austrian border.
Kind regards
Roger
Hi Buckaroo,
That’s great you are planning on enjoying some of the popular Swiss scenic train rides. I agree with Roger, your plans are certainly doable for the duration of the time you are here. The Swiss Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/) makes for a sound investment that will cover all your train journeys too.
As Roger writes in his reply there are pros and cons to the scenic rides, whether to take the scenic trains themselves or follow the routes via the regular trains. Have a think, whether you prefer a ride with no changes (take the scenic trains) or if by the regular trains, changes are required along the routes (very doable and if you plan to make some stops to explore, this would make better sense). Essentially it’s down to personal preference.
More information on all your scenic train rides can be found here.
If you decide to go ahead with the scenic trains, make a note to purchase the seat reservations soon as these can sell out. Seat reservations are separate to your rail pass or rail ticket that covers the actual journey. All explained within the respective scenic train ride links.
You may want to take a look at our scenic train itinerary which includes all your rides:
Having the Swiss Travel Pass, as Roger explains, you can travel as far as St.Margrethen with your pass. So you’ll only need a ticket for the German section. More on travel between Switzerland and Germany here:
Have a great trip whichever ‘train’ you decide!
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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