[Anonymous]

4 October 2019 at 4:17:29 #824084

Hi Swiss experts,

We will be doing the following rail journeys soon and I’d be grateful if you could tell me which side of the trains of the following routes gives better views:

1. Domodossola to Brig

2. Brig to Spiez via Kandesteg

3. Spiez to Interlaken

4. Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen

5. Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen (bus)

6. Lauterbrunnen to Wengen

7. Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald

8. Grindelwald to Interlaken

9. Landquart to Filisur

10. Filisur to Chur

11. Thun to Bern

12. Brunnen to Fluelen

13. Schaffhausen to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall

14. Neuhausen to Eglisau

Thanks!

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[Anna]

Reply 1 of 11 • 4 October 2019 at 5:09:54 #923133

Hi Xmistral99,

Oh tricky. I’m afraid I won’t have the answers to all your questions. Perhaps fellow travellers on the forum can give some insights.

• Domodossola to Brig – on the Centovalli line, the general recommendation is to sit on the right side of the train: http://www.myswissalps.com/ce ntovalli/gettingthere
• Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald – You can either sit on the right for an up close view of the Eiger North face or on the left for a wider view across the mountains
  http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfraujoch/gettingther e
• Grindelwald to Interlaken – Right side of the train
• Landquart to Filisur – Best sit on the right side if you want the best view of the Landwasser Viaduct
  http://www.myswissalps.com/be rninaexpress/gettingth ere

Be sure to check the timetable before you start your journey
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

For more information and tips, please check the scenic trips pages
http://www.myswissalps.com/ac tivities/scenictrips

Anna

[User]

Reply 2 of 11 • 5 October 2019 at 0:13:27 #923134

I’ve travelled on all but about 3 railways in the whole of Switzerland over 59 years so I’ll have a go, although on some lines the ‘best’ side is 50% one side and 50% the other so it is impossible to say which is the best for some lines without writing a 5000-word essay!

1. Domodossola to Brig

Neither (!!) as it is mostly in the Simplon Tunnel, for many yaers the longest tunnel in the World

2. Brig to Spiez via Kandesteg

Left (mostly)

3. Spiez to Interlaken

left

4. Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen

right

5. Stechelberg to Lauterbrunnen (bus)

doesn’t really matter

6. Lauterbrunnen to Wengen

right (mostly)

7. Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald

left (mostly)

8. Grindelwald to Interlaken

left (mostly – views not extensive and most people don’t pay much attention as they have spent all day seeing the views)

9. Landquart to Filisur

50/50 (collection of different lines)

10. Filisur to Chur

left to Tiefencastel, then right

11. Thun to Bern

Neither (flat land)

12. Brunnen to Fluelen

right (but most of the line is in tunnel or behind sound barriers)

13. Schaffhausen to Schloss Laufen am Rheinfall

short regional bus journey so probably irrelevant

14. Neuhausen to Eglisau

lowland territory so probably doesn’t matter (note this line crosses the border twice and thus has two stations that are in Germany)

[Anna]

Reply 3 of 11 • 5 October 2019 at 6:18:03 #923135

Thanks for the tips 1960man

I absolutely have no ideas really which side of the train has the best views 🙂

Anna

[User]

Reply 4 of 11 • 5 October 2019 at 14:06:33 #923136

Thanks a lot for the replies Anna and 1960man!

In fact our maiden trip to Switzerland comes soon and I am glad that a forum like this exists.I have planned so many things by considering forum posts and expert advices.

1960man I think you have put it in the correct perspective (as usual).I totally agree that for some lines it may not be possible to say one side is better.

Regarding 1, 9 and 14 may I please make some more extensions/clarifications?

1.I will be taking the train from Milan.For Milan-Domodossola leg is there a better side?

9.If I break it to Davos platz-Filisur is right side better?

14.I have STP.This line appears in red in the validity map.I assume it is totally covered by STP.

And I will only have to pay 75%of the ticket price for 7th line and all the other lines are totally covered by STP.Am I correct?

[Anna]

Reply 5 of 11 • 5 October 2019 at 14:40:56 #923137

Hi Xmistral99,

14. I have STP. This line appears in red in the validity map.I assume it is totally covered by STP.
And I will only have to pay 75%of the ticket price for 7th line and all the other lines are totally covered by STP.Am I correct?

Sorry, you got me a bit confused there. Which line are you referring to?

Anna

[User]

Reply 6 of 11 • 5 October 2019 at 15:11:50 #923138

Hi Anna

By 14 I referred to Neuhausen to Eglisau.

In the next para I referred to Kleine Scheidegg-Grindelwald line.And by “all other lines” I meant 1 to 14 lines except 7.

[Anna]

Reply 7 of 11 • 5 October 2019 at 15:56:51 #923139

Hi Xmistral99.

Aha. Thanks for the clarification. The journey from Neuhausen to Eglisau is indeed covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. And yes, you get 25% discount when you purchase a ticket from Kleine Scheidegg to Grindelwald.

http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/validity

Anna

[User]

Reply 8 of 11 • 6 October 2019 at 23:14:06 #923140

1.I will be taking the train from Milan.For Milan-Domodossola leg is there a better side?

Not really. Much of the line is not particularly scenic, although the line travels along the West bank of Lago Maggiore through Stresa so right side probably marginally better.

9.If I break it to Davos platz-Filisur is right side better?

Much of the line is in trees so the views are not extensive, so I wouldn’t stress. Very briefly the left is better at the Wiesen viaduct but you only see that at its best if you get off for 1 hour

14.I have STP.This line appears in red in the validity map.I assume it is totally covered by STP.

And I will only have to pay 75%of the ticket price for 7th line and all the other lines are totally covered by STP.Am I correct?

Yes. The line through a bit of Germany is Swiss infrastructure which is why it is free on STP (I have explained in Forum posts before how the border area lines work around the Swiss borders dependant on ownership rather than Geography)

[User]

Reply 9 of 11 • 7 October 2019 at 8:10:52 #923141

Hello everyone,

Just a quick personal overall input about this very detailed questions:

Generally in Swiss trains, you can move and change your seat during the journey, as normally you will travel without a seat reservation.
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/practical/howtotra vel
– http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/reservations

Best and don’t forget to enjoy the trip! 🙂

Steph

[User]

Reply 10 of 11 • 7 October 2019 at 23:44:51 #923142

Generally in Swiss trains, you can move and change your seat during the journey, as normally you will travel without a seat reservation.

I agree that is possible in theory, but quite often that won’t be possible on the popular lines (including many on Xmistral’s list) as there could well be people occupying the seats on the opposite side from one’s own for the whole duration of your own trip.

[User]

Reply 11 of 11 • 8 October 2019 at 9:54:32 #923143

Thanks everyone for the replies and valuable inputs!