[Anonymous]

26 February 2020 at 1:58:06 #825352

We have a 15 day Swiss Travel Pass for our 19 day Swiss adventure. We plan to activate on arrival in Zurich on June 10 to travel to Lucern 4n, Lauterbrunnen 4n, then using the golden pass line from Interlaken ost travel to Montreux 2n. We would like to detour on that day up to Gruyere & Broc for chocolate & cheese. Which station do we detour from? & where is the best place to arrange a luggage transfer to our hotel in Montreux? We then travel to Zermatt 2n, suggestions on train route to take? Finally we will take the Glacier Express to St Moritz 1n, & Bernina Express to Tirano with bus extension to Lugano 3n. Also we have had problems finding a detailed English website explaining the Ticino Ticket which we hope will fill the gap in Locarno & Lugano on our last 4 days in Switzerland. Is the Centrovalli train to Domodossola free with Ticino Ticket? If we buy a 2 day boat ticket in Locarno, can we use it out of Stresa, Italy on the 2nd day after arriving on the Centrovalli? Thanks for an amazing website, it has made planning our trip & activities very easy.

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[rockoyster]

Reply 1 of 9 • 26 February 2020 at 5:17:39 #930868

G’day Geripacker,

You detour to Gruyères via Montbovon. See this trip report.

You would want to send your luggage from Lauterbrunnen or Interlaken I should think but SBB keep changing their luggage shipping offerings so often that I have lost track of how they work. See http://www.myswissalps.com/train/practical/luggage.

Just use the SBB timetable to go from Montreux to Zermatt via the most direct route. Change at Visp.

I can’t lay my hands on the Ticino Ticket coverage map just now, but it is extensive. In the meantime see http://www.ticino.ch/en/ticket/partner/public-transport.html. The Centovalli to Domodossola is not covered. You can take a boat from Locarno to Stresa. Much more fun I would think – unless you are are keen on ticking off another scenic railway. 😉

I don’t know about 2 day Lake Maggiore boat ticket of which you speak. Sorry.

Here’s a trip report covering Lugano and surrounds.

PS Here’s the Ticino Ticket transport network coverage. I seem to recall it gives you 25% off a Lake Lugano Day Ticket.

[User]

Reply 2 of 9 • 26 February 2020 at 19:46:47 #930869

Hi Geripacker,

in addition to Rockoyster’s great answer, you can read about

• the Glacier Express route at http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/gettingthere;
• Golden Pass route description can be found here: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/gettingthere
• Bernina Express: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/gettingthere
• Route of the Centovalli Railway is explained at http://www.myswissalps.com/centovalli

On Lake Maggiore (http://www.myswissalps.com/lakemaggiore) I know only about the Holiday Card, that can be bought for 3 or 7 days. If you go to http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakemaggiore/tickets, scroll down to the end of the page and see under “More information”, you’ll find the link with the prices and the timetable (in Italian and English).

If you have time, do not miss the Brissago Islands: http://www.myswissalps.com/brissagoislands.

Learn about the Ticino Ticket at http://www.myswissalps.com/ticino/travel.

Ildiko

Also see:

• Where to buy the panorama train tickets (if you do not have a valid rail pass) and seat reservations:
  • Glacier Express route at http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/tickets
  • Golden Pass – no seat reservation is needed, only recommended on the Montreux – Zweisimmen leg during high season: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/tickets
  • Bernina Express: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/tickets
  • Centovalli Railway: http://www.myswissalps.com/centovalli

[rockoyster]

Reply 3 of 9 • 26 February 2020 at 20:05:53 #930870

Oops,I left off the network coverage map – bit.ly/2PrJnOh.

[User]

Reply 4 of 9 • 27 February 2020 at 1:59:42 #930871

“We would like to detour on that day up to Gruyere & Broc for chocolate & cheese. Which station do we detour from?”

The so called ‘Golden Pass line’ is (until next year) a full size BLS railway train from Interlaken to Zweisimmen, then a metre-gauge MOB (Montreux Oberland Bernois) railway train Zweisimmen – Montreux, via Montbovon

At Montbovon, the MOB railway meets the TPF (Transports Publics Fribourgeois) railway, which serves Gruyeres and Broc (change at Bulle for Broc Fabrique), so you need to get off the MOB train at Montbovon. Depending on which MOB train you get from Zweisimmen, the time between trains at Montbovon will be either 12 minutes or 23 minutes.

Coming back from Broc Fabrique, the TPF trains depart Broc Fabrique at xx.32 past each hour (change at Bulle) and then the Bulle – Montbovon trains depart Gruyeres at xx.59 past each hour; after the change back to MOB at Montbovon, you will arrive at Montreux at xx.13 past each hour (example: Broc Fabrique 15.32, Gruyeres 15.59, Montreux 17.13

Note that Broc Fabrique station is right at the chocolate factory (otherwise it wouldn’t exist), but Gruyeres station is some distance from the town, but next to the cheese museum

[User]

Reply 5 of 9 • 27 February 2020 at 2:27:07 #930872

“Montreux? We then travel to Zermatt 2n, suggestions on train route to take?”

There is only one route from Montreux to Zermatt; the standard main line trains from Geneva to Visp call at Montreux. From Visp you take the Visp Zermatt railway to Zermatt.

[User]

Reply 6 of 9 • 28 February 2020 at 1:35:13 #930873

G’day Rockoyster, it has taken 2 days to read your wonderful posts & follow all the links! Very clear how to travel from Lauterbrunnen to Montbovon on regular train, detour to Gruyere with luggage. The luggage transfer system hopeless (2 days) or very expensive for express! A forum link suggested contacting Gruyere Information Centre, & they quickly responded with an offer to store our luggage & also revealed lockers are available at both the cheese & Chocolate factories. Late afternoon we will collect luggage and return back to Montbovon & board the Golden Pass Train to Montreux. Have added many ideas of how to fill our days in Montreux & Locarno/Lugano. Not sure if it will be bad or great that our trip to Bellinzona (detour during transfer from Lugano to Locarno) coincides with the Jazz Festival. I also have a habit of falling off trails, so will be careful😀

[User]

Reply 7 of 9 • 28 February 2020 at 4:01:32 #930874

Hi IIdko, thanks for the Lake Maggiore tips, we will take the Centrovalli train to transfer from Locarno to Stresa for 2 nights. Will do the short boat/train/bus/walk trips to Swiss villages close to Locarno including Brissago Islands, then on our last full day in Stresa take the boat round trip for selected Italian villages, any favourites? We have until late afternoon on our final day to explore Stresa before flying out of MXP. 🤞🏾hoping the virus is gone by then.

[User]

Reply 8 of 9 • 28 February 2020 at 4:08:56 #930875

Thanks 1960man, I assume there is a bus from the Gruyere station to the Cheese factory, or how far is the walk? I have all other transport details for Switzerland sorted.

[rockoyster]

Reply 9 of 9 • 28 February 2020 at 4:44:55 #930876

The cheese factory is about 50 metres from the station. From there the village is about a 10-15 minute stroll or there is a bus.