Zermatt to Interlaken, Golden Pass or not ?
A traveler named KolaX is planning a trip from Zermatt to Interlaken in September and wonders if it’s worth taking the scenic Golden Pass route from Montreux to Interlaken, which adds over four hours to their journey. They have already completed the Bernina and Glacier Express and will only have one morning to explore Zermatt before heading to Interlaken.
- Consider taking the scenic route via Brig and Kandersteg instead of the Golden Pass for stunning views and a shorter travel time.
- Research the Golden Pass line to determine the most scenic portions, especially between Montbovon and Lake Geneva.
- Use the advanced timetable for train routes to maximize your sightseeing opportunities.
- Prioritize spending more time in Zermatt if you’re short on time, as it's a beautiful area with great hikes.
AI-generated summary-
Hi , Would be travelling from Zermatt to interlaken in Sept and was wondering is it worth to do the Golden Pass line between Montreux to Interlaken ? From Zermatt to Interlaken , shortest route is 2hr 20 min But if we were to do the Golden pass via Montreux and Zweisimmen to Interlaken , then it would take 6 hr 13 min.
Just wondering if it’s worth the extra 4 hrs on train ? or should we just use the 4 hrs to spend more time in Zermatt/Interlaken ? ( some other info , we would have completed the Bernina and Glacier Express before this ) Also we only reach Zermatt the day before ( afternoon as we will arrived by Glacier Express ) and might only have the early morning to do the Gornergrat train.
Easy hike on Zermatt area / explore Interlaken Vs train view on Golden Pass Express , Any advices ? Thanks
P/s : we would be doing Interlaken to Lucerne few days later which is also on the Golden Pass line , On this site, I read the best part is between Montreux and Zweisimmen but some advice i saw on other forum that best is from Interlaken to Lucerne, so will I be missing much ?
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Hello KolaX,
Many people would say the “most scenic” part of the Golden Pass route is the descent towards Lake Geneva from Montbovon. The Interlaken to Luzern leg is attractive as well. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder so you will have to make your own judgement about the merits of spending an additional 4 hours sitting in a train.
As an alternative can I suggest a more scenic route then the fastest between Zermatt and Interlaken. If your timetable permits then I strongly recommend you take the route via Brig and Kandersteg. You will then travel between Brig and Spiez on the Regio-Express Lötschberger train over the traditional, more than 100 year old mountain route, giving you a wonderful view along the impressive peaks and down into the Rhone Valley. The 1-hour faster route Visp direct to Spiez takes you through the fairly lengthy Lötschberg Base Tunnel with rather limited views. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ L%C3%B6tschberg_railwa y_line.
Hello KolaX,
To check out Rockoysters input regarding the alternative route use our advanced timetable. Make sure you read how it works (using via, etc) in order to most profit from it.
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metableFor details on the Golden Pass line as well as the other scenic trains you mention use these links:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass
– http://www.myswissalps.com/be rninaexpress
– http://www.myswissalps.com/gl acierexpressTo find hikes and activities in the Zermatt area use below link, the hikes are in the lower section of the page:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/ze rmatt/activitiesI personally would most probably spend additional time in the Zermatt area and head directly towards Interlaken. But both options are valid and do-able.
Also check:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/in terlakenBest,
Steph
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