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Hello All,
I am planning to take the Golden Pass Panoramic train from Zweisimmen: to Montreux on 9/22/17 and ideally would like to take it VIP/1st class. I will be coming from Interlaken. Unfortunately the earliest available train with VIP is 12:25pm, but the train coming from Interlaken to Zweisimmen arrives at 10:19AM. Is it worth waiting for 2 hours to get the VIP /1st class seats? 🙂 Is there a big difference VIP/1st class.and 2nd class?
Thanks in advance!
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Hi Chyna,
There are a limited number of VIP seats (10) which are alongside the driver so you get to see the driver’s view.
1st class is a bit more roomy (2 seats on one side and 1 on the other) than 2nd class ( 2 seats each side). I’m not sure if 2nd class also has panorama windows.
Do you have to get to Zweisimmen 2 hours early? The 10:19 arrival is direct from Interlaken Ost but there is a train leaving Interlaken Ost at 10:30 which gets you to Zweisimmen at 11:57 with a change at Spiez.
Hi chyna,
>> Is it worth waiting for 2 hours to get the VIP /1st class seats? 🙂 Is there a big difference VIP/1st class.and 2nd class?
Travelling in the VIP seats is certainly a special experience, but is not the best option if you are keen on taking photos, as the windscreen wipers will be in every shot you take through the front window!
Ordinary first class or second class seats are better for taking photos in my opinion, and if you were happy with ordinary seats, you could take an earlier train.
If you are interested, I wrote about my experience in the VIP seats, and included some photos, in my post of Jun 24, 2015 – 3:50 AM on the following page:
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/seat-reservation-montreux-zweisimme-interlaken
Alpenrose
Hi Aplanrose,
Thanks for sharing those pics.
Did you see Chyna’s earlier thread at http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/help-with-itinerary-switzerland-and-austria-20d
She doesn’t seem to have elicited much feedback.
>> Did you see Chyna’s earlier thread at http://www.myswiss alps.com/forum/topic/h elp-with-itinerary-switzerland-and-austria-20d. She doesn’t seem to have elicited much feedback.
I’ll take a look!
Alpenrose
oh! Those were the only trains I saw – the 9:08am and 1:08PM from Interlaken to Zweisimmen via the Golden Pass using http://www.raileurope.com/eur opean-trains/golden-pass/how-to-book.html. Are there other trains? I wanted to take the scenic route.
Hi Chyna,
Your best bet for looking up timetables is here http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
Or if you like old school try fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/qu ery.exe/en
As long as you go Interlake Ost – Montreux via Zweisimmen you are on the scenic route. The Interlaken – Spiez – Zweisimmen part of the Golden Pass Line you just go on regular trains.
Thank you Alpenrose666! It’ll be my first time in Switzerland and taking those type of panoramic trains. I just have the “fear of missing out” if I do the 2nd class seats, haha. But also this trip is really for my father so I want to give him the best experience possible. He’s 81 yrs old. So not sure which is worse, the 2 hours wait or 2nd class. Although, @rockoyster seems to have found an alternate route! 🙂 Thanks for the pix and link to your post btw!
ok thanks rockoyster! This all seems so confusing to me. I thought the Golden Pass was the scenic route. But thank you so much for the alternate route. It’s via regular SBB train to Zweisimmen right?
Yes, the route mentioned by Rockoyster is the scenic Golden Pass route. As long as you’re on that route it’s fine; the type of train does not matter all that much apart from the type of windows/seats as discussed above. Actually it’s BLS, not SBB, operating the trains to Zweisimmen. But such details are irrelevant. It’s just a train, in a very nice landscape 🙂
Hi Chyna,
Did you read all about the Golden Pass Route here? It can be confusing as it is a route covered by a bunch of trains on different sections rather than a specific train for the whole route.
Hi Rockoyster, just for clarification, the train you mentioned “Interlaken Ost at 10:30 which gets you to Zweisimmen at 11:57 with a change at Spiez.” – this is the scenic route as well right? Thanks!
Hi Chyna,
Yes, it is part of the scenic Golden Pass route.
From Interlaken to Spiez the train follows Lake Thun. Sit on the right of the train for best views.
We made a connection at Spiez a few weeks ago. The train we joined arrived from Bern. One half went on to Brig (which is where we were headed) and the other half went to Zweisimmen. Just make sure you are at the correct end of the platform. It is well signed.
Hi! I’m just wondering for the 1st row VIP seats, which 2 seats (seats 81, 83, 85, 87) do you think is the best. I checked out your pictures and do the side seats have a slight obstructed view? Thanks!
>> Hi! I’m just wondering for the 1st row VIP seats, which 2 seats (seats 81, 83, 85, 87) do you think is the best. I checked out your pictures and do the side seats have a slight obstructed view?
I think seat 83 (centre) would have the best view through the front window. The corner seats (81 and 85) will have the windscreen wipers in the way, but do have the advantage that you can take photos through the side windows as well, without having other people’s heads in the way. I think seat 87 is probably the worst seat, because you probably have the windscreen wipers in the way as well as not having access to a side window. The side window seats also have reduced leg room, so aren’t so suitable for tall people.
So there are pros and cons with the seating. As I said in my earlier post, I think the ordinary seats are better for taking photos than the VIP seats are. Even in the central seat, your photos might still have the windscreen wipers in them, but I can’t be sure because I didn’t sit there. My son had that seat, but didn’t take any photos!
Alpenrose
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