[Mark96720]

2 March 2022 at 20:57:42 #826596

Aloha! My wife and I are traveling to Zurich in the middle of May. We are planning on staying near the airport to get some rest after traveling for about 24 hours then taking a train to Zermatt the next morning. Looking at either traveling through Bern or taking a route that goes by the lakes via Lucerne and Interlaken. Are the scenery going by the lakes worth the extra travel time?

Thanks,

Mark

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[User]

Reply 1 of 6 • 3 March 2022 at 1:00:56 #939173

Zurich – Zermatt

There are three or four practical ways from Zurich to Zermatt

1) Direct inter city route via the Swiss plateau (Mittelland)

Zurich – Bern (change)

Bern – Visp (change)

Visp – Zermatt

1a) as above but Bern – Brig over the BLS Loetschberg mountain route, then Brig – Visp – Zermatt

2) The ‘Lakes / Berner Oberland’ route

main line express Zurich – Luzern (change)

narrow gauge Luzern – Interlaken express (change Interlaken Ost)

main line Interlaken – Spiez (change)

Inter city Spiez – Visp (change)

Visp – Zermatt

2a) as above but Spiez – Brig via BLS; Brig – Zermatt

3) ‘Gotthard/Goms’ route

Zurich – Goeschenen (Treno Gottardo Inter regional train)

Narrow gauge SchoellenenBahn gorge railway Goeschenen – Andermatt

MGB regional train Andermatt – Brig – Visp – Zermatt

[User]

Reply 2 of 6 • 3 March 2022 at 9:11:19 #939174

Hi Mark and welcome to MySwissAlps.com!

If you are going via Lucerne – Interlaken, that route is a part of the Golden Pass route: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/gettingthere.

In case you are going via Andermatt and Brig, that is the route of the Glacier Express: http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/gettingthere.

Both are wonderful!

if you travel a lot, make sure to have a look at the rail passes, you can save money with them.

Ildiko

More about Zermatt: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt

[Mark96720]

Reply 3 of 6 • 3 March 2022 at 21:21:42 #939175

1960man, thanks for your detailed route information. I was trying to piece it together myself, but you made it easy and also made me aware of a third option.

Ildiko, I should have noted that I have purchased a 7-day Eurail pass and will be using it to not only travel from Zurich to Zermatt, but also for the Glacier Express (Zermatt to St Moritz) and Bernina Express (St Moritz to Tirano). The rest is to travel in Italy. This will be the first time we are traveling in Switzerland.

My question is given we are traveling the Glacier and Bernina Express, is it worth traveling the scenic routes like the Golden Pass in additional transfers and longer travel times or is the route via Bern to Spiez just as scenic and enjoyable?

[User]

Reply 4 of 6 • 3 March 2022 at 23:22:15 #939176

Just to clarify that you would not in any case travel over the ‘true/original’ Golden Pass’ section which is the MOB railway Montreux – Zweisimmen

There isn’t much point in going via the third of my routes if you going back that way on the Glacier Express.

On the other two routes, the fast inter-city route does make use of the high speed lines which were built to make travel between the main Swiss cities much quicker, therefore between Zurich and Bern you are sometimes in tunnels, but you will still see some of the typical lowland Swiss scenery – farmland, crops, cows etc. South of Bern you will see more scenery as you move closer to the Alps. Just before Spiez you will see the Thunersee. In fact if you do go this fast route I suggest you break your journey at Spiez. Walk out the front of the station and there is an area to sit where you get a lovely view of the lake.

If you take the base tunnel route south of Spiez you will see nice scenery as far as Frutigen, and on exiting the tunnel you immediately cross the river Rhone as you approach Visp.

If you take the old Lotschberg mountain route from Spiez, you will also go to Frutigen , but then you will climb up into the mountain on the way to the old Lotschberg tunnel at Kandersteg. Between Frutigen and Kandersteg you go up a spiral. On exiting the south end of the old tunnel at Goppenstein get ready to sit on the right hand side of the carriage for the famous view over the Rhone valley as you descend to Brig.

[Anna]

Reply 5 of 6 • 4 March 2022 at 7:11:47 #939177

Hi Mark96720,

I think that if you have time and not in a rush, travelling via Lucerne and Interlaken is definitely worth the extra 2 hours. As mentioned by Ildiko this route is part of the Golden Pass line. While you may not travel in the classic trains (like you would between Montreux and Zweisimmen), your journey will take you pass Lake Lungern, Lake Sarnen and over the Brunig Pass which offer some really great views, in my opinion.

Regards,

Anna

[Mark96720]

Reply 6 of 6 • 4 March 2022 at 16:55:22 #939178

Thank you everyone for your insights, information and feedback. This all helps very much!