Taking pictures at Spiez train station?
Michelle is planning a trip from Interlaken to Zermatt and wonders if she can stop at Spiez to take pictures before catching the next train. She wants to know if it's feasible given the train's short stopping time and seeks advice on the best route to enjoy the scenery while traveling.
- Trains only stop for a minute or two at Spiez, so it's better to plan for the next train for a photo stop.
- If you want scenic views, take the Kandersteg route; it’s longer but offers breathtaking scenery.
- Sit on the right side of the train from Interlaken to Spiez for lake views, and switch sides later for the best scenery on the climb towards Zermatt.
- Check your ticket to ensure it's valid for both routes from Spiez to Zermatt during your travels.
AI-generated summary-
Hi,
I read that the most beatutiful angle for Spiez is outside its trainstation. I wonder if i have enough time to take some pictures and go back to the same train when it stops at Spiez on our way from Interlaken to Zermatt?
Is it feasible? or should we get off the train and catch the next train?
thank you!
Michelle
-
Hi Michelle,
What train connection are you taking? How long does the train stop in Spiez?
https://www.myswissalp s.com/timetableIf traveling on a regular ticket or rail pass of some sort then you can get off the train, wander around, take pictures and catch another train on to Zermatt.
The view from just outside the station across the street is quite nice indeed. I would count on taking the next train. Trains only stop for a minute or two in Spiez.
Hi Michelle
You have to change trains anyway at Spiez on the way to Zermatt from Interlaken. You’ll have two changes, either at Spiez and Visp, via the new base tunnel route, or at Spiez and Brig (very near to Visp) via the traditional Lötschberg mountain route via Kandersteg. I’d strongly recommend the mountain route. It will take a little longer, but well worth it for the breathtaking scenery, and you’d be able to factor in a photo stop at Spiez. As the Kandersteg route is hourly, you can take advantage of the more frequent service (two or three an hour) between Interlaken and Spiez to give yourself a decent stopover time.
The view from outside Spiez station is indeed lovely – you overlook the picturesque part of the town that slopes down to the lakeside and ferry terminal. There’s a Migros adjacent, with a restaurant, and a great independent bakery / cake shop in the same building!
Enjoy
John
Thank you guys!
John, I searched the route from Interlake to Zermatt via Kandersteg, it stops at Spiez and Brig and takes about 3 hours and 40 minutes, a lot longer than the other route. Is it what you referred to?
thanks again!
Hi Michelle
You’ll have spotted that I’m very enthusiastic about the lovely line from Spiez to Brig! It’s all down to personal preference and suitability for you. If you want to get to Zermatt quickly, the Visp route is best, but if you really want to enjoy spectacular scenery at the expense of one hour, the Kandersteg route wins hands down. I suppose a parallel is whether to travel by faster London Underground tube trains or slower above ground London buses to see the sights.
Quite right, the leg of the journey from Spiez to Zermatt takes usually one hour and one minute longer by the traditional mountain route via Kandersteg and Brig than by the much newer flat base-tunnel route direct to Visp. If you discount the common part of your journey, between Interlaken and Spiez, and allow yourself some time for photos and a good gaze at Spiez, both routes offer an hourly service throughout the day, and the timings are nicely regular with set times to the hour. As examples
***
The Spiez (base tunnel) – Visp – Zermatt service generally leaves at .36 minutes past the hour and arrives at Zermatt .14 minutes past the hour, 98 minutes later. The 10.36 service, for instance, is timed:
Spiez depart 10.36 (and so on, hourly)
Visp arrive 11.02
Visp depart 11.08
Zermatt arrive 12.14
A change of platform from standard gauge to narrow gauge is required at Visp station – 6 minutes should be adequate.
***
The Spiez (Lötschberg tunnel) – Brig – Zermatt service generally leaves at .12 minutes past the hour and arrives at Zermatt .51 minutes past the hour, 159 minutes later. The 10.12 service, for instance, is timed:
Spiez depart 10.12 (and so on, hourly)
Brig arrive 11.20
Brig depart 11.27
Zermatt arrive 12.51
A change of platform from standard gauge in the station to narrow gauge just outside is required at Brig station – 7 minutes should be adequate.
Incidentally, the 09.33 from Interlaken (West) arrives at Spiez at 09.50. That would allow you 22 minutes for your sightseeing before the 10.12 – plenty. Total time to Zermatt 3 hours 18 minutes via the slower route.
***
All of this pre-supposes that your ticket or pass suits either line. It probably does, but worth checking.
I hope that helps and isn’t confusing!
John
Hi John,
Thank you again for your detailed info. Are you suggesting the most scenic segment is from Spiez to Brig? what about from Brig to Zermatt? I am asking because we are thinking to take a late after/ early evening train, and we want to make sure we can see those beautiful scenes a long the way before dusk. in the mean time we want to leave Interlaken area the latar the better 🙂
thank you!
Michelle
Hi again Michelle
There’s so much beauty in Switzerland, and sometimes you’re really spoiled for choice. The entire route from Interlaken to Zermatt is so full of interest – I would say that if you take the longer route, and it’s in reasonable daylight and weather, you’ll have three and a half hours of gazing and marvelling at the most beautiful views, and so varied. Deciding on your best route and schedule for the day will of course depend on what you are doing earlier in the day at Interlaken.
Interlaken to Spiez, though only a short journey, hugs the southern shore of Thunersee, with lovely lake views against a backdrop of mountains. There’s more of the same at Spiez.
The Lötschberg route is one very steady climb from Spiez to Kandersteg. It was a principal main line into Italy for many years, so was designed for gradual increases in height rather than cogwheel sudden rises, so that trains can keep up a good speed from bottom to top. To achieve this you have an amazing series of loops, tunnels and viaducts that sometimes take you back in the direction you were travelling, but at a greater height, and the main view switches suddenly from one side of the train to the other. It’s exciting! At the summit, Kandersteg (a very pretty village) the line is surrounded by high walls of mountains, and disappears into the Lötschberg tunnel. When it emerges at Goppenstein it’s all downhill to Brig, very steeply, and some of the best views are from the line on a cliff edge hundreds of metres above the Rhône valley. Where this first comes into view you are high above the small town of Visp (where the base tunnel has emerged into the valley floor far below) and directly opposite you’ll see the steep Vispa valley on the south side, which is climbed by you later on on your way to Zermatt. You’ll miss most of these views, but gain time, by going via the base tunnel.
When (and if) you pull into Brig, walk down from the platform to the underpass, out of the main station exit, and the narrow gauge platforms for Zermatt are immediately in view, to the right. A quick dash to Visp along the valley floor on your new train (with the line from Kandersteg high above you, of course), and then it’s another jaw-dropping experience as you turn left out of the Rhône valley, climbing higher and higher towards Zermatt, past rapid streams and glaciers. If this is late in the day, and dark or dusk, you’ll presumably be reversing this part of the journey on another day, so all would not be lost.
Again, it would be best to check your plans and tickets with the booking office at Interlaken. Good luck with your plans.
John
Hi John,
thank you so much again!
a silly question, which side of train should we sit for ‘better’ view on these trains? 🙂
BTW, we will take train from Zermatt to Montreux later afterward, and i assume the scene will also be beautiful along way
Thank you!
Michelle
Hello again Michelle
Not a silly question at all!
Interlaken to Spiez – sit on the right, the lake side.
Spiez to Brig (if you go that way!) I’ve tended to sit on the left going uphill to Kandersteg, but as the line twists and reverses, you won’t miss out whichever side you sit. Look out for the lovely village on the left and car ferry trains on the right at Kandersteg. I suggest you switch to the right side here for the descending stinning views over the Rhône valley.
Brig or Visp to Zermatt and return – wonderful either side! The views tend to be more pastoral on the left, more rugged on the right, ascending.
Visp to Montreux. The first stretch along the Rhône (running west) is in a wide flat bottomed valley, and not especially scenic by Swiss standards, to my mind. The line turns north at Martigny – make sure you are on the left side for the views along Lac Léman as you approach Montreux.
Enjoy! When are you travelling?
John
Thank you John!
we will leave this weekend. stop over at london for a day, and then Vienna-Melk-Hallstatt-St Wolfgang-Salzburg-Innstruck-Zurich-Lucerne-Interlaken-Zermatt-Montreux-Lausanne-Geneva Hopefully the weather will cooperate:)
Enjoy your trip, Michelle.. Could you let me know how you get on?
After months of hot dry weather in London, it’s due to get cooler and wetter some time soon. I hope it’s OK for you.
John
The clearest description I’ve read about this route, extremely useful. Is this panoramic route via Kandersteg covered by Eurail Pass?
Thank you for the detailed information!
Hi Nataguzman,
You can see the PDF map here for the Eurail Pass and what it covers: http://www.myswissalps.com/eu railselectpass/validit y
Dashed lines are tunnel and are covered. Dotted lines are 50% discount unless there is a #1 beside it. Legend is on the right side of the page.
Hi Nataguzman, and thanks for your kind comment.
Lucas has sent you a good link to see what is available to Eurail in Switzerland (very little isn’t completely ‘free’ with your pass, but expect to pay a proportion or all of the fare on mountain lines around the Jungfrau, tourist cablecars, skilifts, funiculars, etc throughout Switzerland, buses, city metros and ferries). There are some restricted trains on the Bernina, Glacier and Golden Pass routes, but a bit of planning ahead and asking at any station will always put you right.
I used the sister Interrail pass (for Europeans) earlier this year and made many breathtaking journeys such as Spiez – Zermatt. I restricted myself to train travel, for which there were so many wonderful choices every day that I didn’t miss the heavy concentrations of tourists in the hotspots. However, I did take advantage of the free ferry on Thunersee (there’s another on Brienzersee).
John
Some excellent discussion. In 1989, I spent a week at Kandersteg and did some amazing trips from there.
Another option from Spiez would be the boat to either Thun or Interlaken. There is a bus between the station and the boat but it’s a good walk. Downhill from the station to the wharf. (I know because I did the uphill walk from the wharf to the station.)
Enjoy your travels.
- The thread ‘Taking pictures at Spiez train station?’ is closed to new replies.
