[Jenn_chuah]

19 February 2020 at 14:06:52 #825277

After my stay in interlaken and on my way back to my base in Basel, can I take the normal train that passes the Glasier Express’ route? I do not have the time to go all the way to st moritz. Please advise i need to take the train from which station until which station to enjoy the same scenic view as the Glasier Express including the Oberalp Pass?

Thanks.

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[Removed user]

19 February 2020 at 14:41:53 #930427

Hi Jenn,

yes, you can travel by local trains on the route of the Glacier Express, although that is a very different direction, not the one you need to get to Basel (http://www.myswissalps.com/basel). You find the description of the Glacier Express route at http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/gettingthere. From Interlaken you can go to Spiez then to Brig. From Brig (http://www.myswissalps.com/brig) you can follow the Glacier Express route via the Furka to Andermatt. This takes 3 hours 12 mins. From Andermatt to Chur you can get in 2,5 hours. That is a total of almost 6 hours. From Chur to get to Basel you need an other 2-2,5 hours. So in total you need around 8-8,5 hours.

If you would like to know about the differences between the local and the Glacier Express read at http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress.

I recommend to travel by the Golden Pass from Interlaken (http://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken) to Montreux (http://www.myswissalps.com/montreux) it takes 3 hours to get there. Then from Montreux you can get to Basel in less than 3 hours. Learn more about the Golden Pass at http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass.

You can check the timetable at http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable.

Ildiko

[Jenn_chuah]

20 February 2020 at 1:54:31 #930428

Hi Ildiko,

Thank you for the info and suggestion. Looks like the Glacier Express route is rather long.

1) Between the Glacier Express and Golden Pass Line, which one is more scenic based on the route that I can take?

I have tried looking up the various sites but rather confused with the info provided. Appreciate it if you could provide some quick info for Golden Pass Line based on the following to help save me some time. This part of my trip will be around 9 April.

1) How does Swiss Travel Pass and Swiss Half Fare Card work with the Golden Pass Line? How much will I have to pay in addition to the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare card (I hv yet to decide which pass to take)?

Do I have to purchase the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card first before I can do the booking for train and seat?

2) If I plan to leave early from Interlaken so that I can reach Montreux by late morning and spend some time exploring Montreux till evening since I am already there:

– how to book the right train with the correct timing since we have to change train? Appreciate if you could let me know which station, which train and what timing to opt for based on SBB apps.

3) How far in advance we have to book?

4) Are we allowed to select the seat? If yes, which side should I take to have a good view?

Thank You.

[rockoyster]

20 February 2020 at 2:20:31 #930429

1. If you don’t reserve seats then the trip is fully covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. If you make reservations they don’t care what sort of pass or ticket you will eventually use just so long as you have a valid pass or ticket by the time you travel.

2. The first two Golden Pass trains depart Zweisimmen at 8:25 and 10:25 (arriving Montreux 10:13 and 12:13) so you would want to leave Interlaken Ost in time to connect with one of those (ie 07:00 or 09:08). Quite honestly it doesn’t really matter if you go on the Golden Pass trains or any other regular train on the same route. The views are just the same. It is not a spectacular train ride but quite scenic and Montreux is nice.

3. You can make reservations for the Golden Pass Line (http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass) including seat selection at bit.ly/2kaq6Rf. Click the “e” for English language top right of the page. (where it says “Sprachwahl: d i f e”). Then change the class of travel, date of travel and start/end points to suit. Reservations are not compulsory but are recommended on the Zweisimmen to Montreux leg (which is where the Panoramic and Belle Époque trains operate) during peak tourist season.

4. It doesn’t really make a great deal of difference which side of the train you are on.

[Jenn_chuah]

20 February 2020 at 4:27:31 #930430

Thanks, Rockoyster.

[Jenn_chuah]

20 February 2020 at 7:52:03 #930431

If I go with Ildiko’s suggestion with the Golden Pass Line, I am thinking of arriving in Montreux on 9 April and spend 9, 10 and 11 April in the Lake Geneva region. I hope to explore Montreux, Lausanne, Geneva, chocolate n cheese factory. I tentatively have a hotel booking in Geneva for check in on 9 April and check out 11 April. But I can change hotel if it makes more sense to stay in Montreux or elsewhere.

With this limited time, appreciate if you could suggest the main attractions that I should cover in that region. I am not into museum.

Thanks.

[rockoyster]

20 February 2020 at 9:41:35 #930432

Oh! I thought you were based in Basel. Does this trip report help?

[Jenn_chuah]

20 February 2020 at 9:58:32 #930433

Hi Rockoyster,

Yes, my primary base is in Basel.

But if I take the Golden Pass Line to Montreux, I thought I might as well spend a couple of days exploring Montreux, Lausanne, Geneva since I am already in Montreux before I return to Basel.

I will check out the trip report.

Thanks.

[Removed user]

20 February 2020 at 17:48:07 #930434

Hi Jenn Chuah,

please find the description of the passes and how to use them below:

• Swiss Half Fare Card: http://www.myswissalps.com/swisshalffarecard/howtouse
• Swiss Travel Pass: http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/howtouse

If you have the Swiss Half Fare Card, you need to get the half priced ticket for the Golden Pass or the Glacier Express and also you need to get the seat reservation for full price. There is no discount on the seat reservations with any of the passes. The seat reservation for the Golden Pass is not obligatory only recommended on the Montreux-Zweisimmen leg during high season. Seat reservation for the Glacier Express is obligatory. You can read about these at http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/tickets and http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/tickets.

With the Swiss Travel Pass you do not need to buy any tickets, just the seat reservation. (Same as above: obligatory for Glacier Express and recommended on Golden Pass).

You can travel by local trains on the same route, in this case you might need to change trains more often and local trains do not offer the same comfort and panoramic windows, but they still have big windows. You can read about the differences between local and panoramic trains at http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass and http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress.

You do not need to have the rail pass before booking the tickets or seats for a panoramic train, but you need to have the valid pass at the time of the travel.

You can read our recommendations on where to sit at http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/gettingthere and http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/gettingthere.

If you are interested in “Montreux, Lausanne, Geneva, chocolate and cheese factory” I would choose Montreux as a base, but actually Geneva is good too. (personal opinion, Montreux is one of my favorite town in the region.) You can find a list of accommodations here:

• Geneva: http://www.myswissalps.com/geneva/hotels and http://www.myswissalps.com/geneva/rentals
• Montreux: http://www.myswissalps.com/montreux/hotels and http://www.myswissalps.com/montreux/rentals

Here you find the attractions of the region:

• Geneva: http://www.myswissalps.com/geneva/attractions and http://www.myswissalps.com/jetdeaugeneva and http://www.myswissalps.com/hiking/geneva
• Montreux: http://www.myswissalps.com/montreux/attractions
• Rochers-de-Naye: http://www.myswissalps.com/rochersdenaye
• Lake Geneva: http://www.myswissalps.com/lakegeneva/attractions
• Lausanne: http://www.myswissalps.com/Lausanne/attractions and http://www.myswissalps.com/hiking/lausanne

I hope this helps,

Ildiko

[Jenn_chuah]

21 February 2020 at 2:49:32 #930435

Thanks, Ildiko. I will go through the links you provided.