Train timetable Interlaken-Zermatt via Golden Pass
A traveler named Sandie is planning a trip through Switzerland, wanting to travel from Interlaken to Montreux and then to Zermatt in one day. She is looking for advice on train schedules, specifically for the Golden Pass and Glacier Express, and whether her itinerary is feasible while using the Swiss Travel Pass.
- Enter your route as Interlaken to Zermatt via Zweisimmen and Montreux for accurate train schedules.
- Reservations on the Golden Pass line are optional; flexibility is allowed, but it's recommended during peak summer travel.
- Consider purchasing a Swiss Travel Pass for your trip, as it can cover all travel days efficiently.
- Your travel agent may be unclear about the Swiss Travel Pass options; check the details online for accuracy.
AI-generated summary-
I’m having difficulty in finding the train timetable from Interlaken via golden express to Montreux then onto Zermatt all in the one day. When I enter the data it keeps sending me to spiez then brig then Zermatt. How do I book the golden Express and glacier express and from where they leave and what time. Thank You.
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Hi Sandie and welcome to MySwissAlps!
How to get the proper routing to take the Golden Pass (not express) is to enter the correct VIA towns (otherwise the timetable gives you the most direct route between towns). It is Zweisimmen to get you to Montreux then any train on to Zermatt.
Details are explained here: http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass/gettingthere
Timetable here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
The Glacier Express train details are noted here:http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpress/gettingth ere – the panoramic train is denoted as PE on the timetable, all other trains are regional/regular trains.
Hi Sandie,
In your case you’d enter Interlaken to Zermatt via Zweisimmen and Montreux.
You won’t travel on the Glacier Express during this trip. Only the Visp to Zermatt leg is covered by that train and I don’t think you can even book it for such a short section. Just take a regional train as suggested by the timetable. See Lucas’ link if you intend to do a longer trip on the Glacier Express on another day.
Seat reservations are optional for the Golden Pass line: http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass/tickets.
I’d recommend not to buy anything until you know all your travel plans in Switzerland. You can possibly save money with a Swiss Travel Pass, which would include this entire trip as well:
Hello Sandie,
What time of year are you travelling? Reservations are not compulsory on the Golden Pass though recommended during peak summer tourist periods on the actual Golden Pass Panoramic trains between Zweisimmen and Montreux.
There is no need to book for any of this route if you want to retain flexibility, although the MOB railway recommends reservations on the although that is to cover themselves rather being strictly necessary. My standard ‘FAQ’ below
Route is Interlaken – Spiez – Zweisimmen (BLS railway) Zweisimmen – Montreux (MOB railway narrow gauge), then Montreux – Sion – Visp (SBB main line train); Visp – Zermatt (MGB narrow gauge train)
A few facts about the Montreux – Zweisimmen railway – ie the MOB (Montreux-Oberland Bernois):
The Golden Pass is historically only Montreux – Zweisimmen, only more recent marketing branding takes the ‘Goldenpass route’ east of Zweisimmen to Interlaken and beyond to Luzern.
The Golden Pass is the touristic branding for the Montreux – Oberland Bernois (MOB) railway which runs from Montreux to Zweisimmen, but after a few years of favouring ‘Goldenpass services’, the company decided it was losing its tradition and has reverted to putting the Chemin de Fer Montreux – Oberland Bernois name on publicity and train coaches.
MOB pioneered the Panoramic coach concept on Swiss trains, starting in 1976.
There are now several versions of panoramic coaches in service, but MOB keeps changing its mind how to dub each service.
It hardly matters anyway as most modern Swiss trains have large windows, even if not officially panoramic. The key element of a ‘panoramic’ coach is ‘toplight’ windows above your head but in practice very few of the major views from panoramic trains are directly above your head, so the view through the normal side part of windows is normally fine.
I recommend using regional trains on the MOB (the real name for the Montreux – Zweisimmen railway). Again, this gives you the flexibility to get on a train at whichever time suits you.
If you do do the MOB railway you can catch any train, there is no need to book,
Thanks guys for the info. Very much appreciated. I’m trying to get the nerve to circumnavigate all the details on my swiss Alps. All the change of trains is daunting to say the least. My husband and I are visiting at the end of May by flying into Zurich and heading straight to Lucerne for 2 days then onto Wengen for 2 days exploring the Mts. Then travel from Interlaken to Montreux then Zermatt in one day. Is this doable? Staying a night or 2 in Zermatt to do the Matterhorn. Do the Glacier Express to St Moritz then catching a train to Salzburg if possible and from where? Looks easy on paper. Plan to buy the Swiss Travel Pass. My Australian travel agent tells me I would only need a 4 day Swiss Travel Pass as you dont count the days not travelling on the trains. Is that correct? I’m a bit unsure of that arrangement and think it may be easier to cover all the days in switzerland. Happy to hear any of your input. Sandie.
End of May is good. That’s when I went in 2017. Brilliant weather for 3 weeks. Everything you have mapped out is doable. Ignore your Oz travel agent, they are clearly not conversant with the Swiss Travel Pass. Or they have confused the Flex Pass with the consecutive day pass.
Using your itinerary you should read “How to choose the best travel pass” (http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass), download the handy spreadsheet calculator and do the math.
Swiss railways are a piece of pie. 😎
Hi Sandie,
The timetable link from my first reply will give you trip details/duration and you can decide if the trips are doable for yourself (too long for one person isn’t too long for another etc).
Connection times can be short in Switzerland but they are designed to be able to be done. 🙂 Sometimes you just walk out one train and on to the next train (platform 4 to 5 for example) and they give you 3 minutes to transfer which is fine (trains are on time here).
Indeed your travel agent may have mixed up the Swiss Travel Passes. Read below for details on consecutive and flex Swiss Travel Passes. Make sure to read through the various pages (click through the tabs on each page for prices, how to use, validity etc).
Certainly worth staying in Zermatt. My top place in Switzerland
To get to Salzburg from St Moritz you would take an RhB railway train :
St Moritz – Landquart via the Engadine and Vereina – Klosters
You can also go via the Albula line to Chur but you will already have done that if you come to St Moritz from Zermatt on the GEX.
At Landquart take a direct RE regional express to Buchs SG. Buchs SG is the Swiss border point on the Zurich – Salzburg line.
Austrian Railjet trains towards Salzburg pick up passengers at Buchs at 11.54, 13.54, 15.54 and 18.00 – journey time Buchs – Salzburg = 4 hours 09 mins
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