Scenic train when in Switzerland in early May
Evelyn is planning her trip to Switzerland for early May after postponing it last year. She wants to know which scenic train route is better: the Golden Pass or the Glacier Express, and she's also exploring more about the Jungfrau region and the Bernina Express.
- Consider taking the Bernina Express for stunning alpine scenery, but ensure it fits within your overall travel plans.
- The Swiss Travel Pass allows you to travel on all main railway lines, including routes associated with the Glacier Express.
- If you're in the Jungfrau region, it's a good idea to choose a convenient base like Wilderswil for easy access to activities.
AI-generated summary-
Last year I had to postpone my trip but I’m definitely on for early May this year, so I’m trying to get back into planning….my first question is which route is more scenic the Golden Pass OR the Glacier Express?
-
Hi Evelyn,
Welcome back.
I would say the Glacier Express (in parts). But if you really want the best scenic train ride (personal opinion) then the Bernina Express would be my recommendation.
Having said that almost all trail rides in Switzerland are scenic to some degree or other and the routes you take really depend on your overall itinerary. There is no point trying to shoehorn in the Glacier of Bernina Express routes unless that works in your overall plans.
You will see more concentrated alpine scenery in the Jungfrau Region than on any “scenic train”.
Try not to focus too hard – nor be drawn in by the sometimes hyperbolic marketing of – the so called ‘scenic’ trains.
The ‘Golden Pass‘, Glacier Express etc are branded to mainly attract package travellers from outside Europe who go on each one end to end. But there are many more ways to see the Swiss Alps – often choosing one high altitude location (eg Jungfrau region, Zermatt, Engadine) is better scenically than rushing past everything on the sealed window Glacier Express.
Nearly all railways in Switzerland are scenic in some way – if you don’t see high mountains you will see other icons of Switzerland such as lakes, rolling pastures, farmsteads, cows etc. – so you will rarely be disappointed with any Swiss train trip
If you get a Swiss Travel Pass, you can travel on any and all of the railway lines of the main Swiss national network, this includes any train on the so called ‘Glacier Express route’ (which in fact is just a normal railway with lots of normal trains services throughout the day.
It’s a small country so you can start anywhere you like.
A good publication to start with is:
http://www.bradtguides.com/shop/europe/switzerland/switzerland-without-a-car-3302.html
A look at this relief map will show you where the high Alps are and it shows the railways in context with the mountainous regions very well:
http://www.citymetric.com/sites/default/files/article_body_2018/02/switzerland_without_trains.png
Thank you Rockoyster, and I’m going to Jungfrau…is the Bernia Express on that trip
Thank you so much 1960man….will try to get that book as well
Hello Evelyn,
The Jungfraujoch resp. the Jungfrau Region are not really on the route of the Bernina Express. Check below links for details:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch/gettingthere
– http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/gettingthereMake sure you get familiar with the timetable provided below in order to plan days trips and connecting journeys for any destination:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/timetableHappy planning and get back to us anytime for further input.
Best,
Steph
Noted and thank you very much Steph….I will be back to the drawing board with all the info from you and the others….but I may be back with a few more questions 🙂
You’re very welcome!
Planning is for sure important and we won’t run away, so take your time and of course, feel free to get back to us anytime for further input.
Best,
Steph
No, Jungfrau and the Bernina route are in different parts of Switzerland, although being a small country that’s not as bad as the difference between, say New York and California!
The Jungfrau region is just west of the centre of Switzerland, the Bernina region is in the far south east corner
Another question, what do ppl think are the top 10 things to see in Switzerland?….looking fwd to your feedback
Everyone would have a different list. A google search on Top 10 Switzerland brings this one up. – http://www.expatica.com/ch/out-and-about/best-of/top-10-places-to-visit-in-switzerland-102301/
Hi Evelyn! The activities listed at http://www.myswissalps.com/activities (scroll down for the list) are in order of (estimated) popularity by default, so the most popular ones are mentioned first.
Thank you Rockoyster and Annika
The problem with this list is of course that it reflects the ‘preferences’ of this site which – as you probably know from many of my posts – excludes dozens of extremely interesting places in Switzerland that escape notice of visitors to this site.
That’s not a bad list. But as usual, no place for the ‘less obvious’ fabulous sites such as forts and roman sites in north west Switzerland, the Jura mountains etc
Thank you all, that’s why I asked….I was sure there were places beyond the most obvious
Here’s a top 10 mountains countdown – http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/which-alp-was-the-coolest. Just one person’s perspective of course.
This thread has inspired me to do a list of my top ten most memorable experiences in Switzerland. It won’t be conventional. For example something I will long remember is the views across Lake Geneva, from our hotel (Eurotel) room in Montreux, of the ever changing sunlight playing on the Dents du Midi . Very few of the “top tourist attractions”, with perhaps the exception of the Bernina Express, would make it onto my list .
Wonderful, I even got a potential hotel to stay in the Montreux area….I am starting my trip in Geneva 🙂
Wow….my list is growing 🙂
Better than the views from the Golden Pass I would say!
- The thread ‘Scenic train when in Switzerland in early May’ is closed to new replies.
