[Uallin]

20 September 2022 at 12:22:08 #828387

Since I last sought help here we have a change in our December itinerary. Hence, would like to ask the following regarding our trip please. Will travel from Zurich to Grindelwald for 2 nights there. First day will go up First. 2nd day will go Jungfraujoch & perhaps Mannlichen if there is time. Following day plan to take the Golden Pass line from Interlaken to Montreux.

For the Zweisimmen to Montreux section no problem seeing the “PE” trains on the SBB app. However, I can’t seem to find the BLS RegioExpress from Interlaken to Zweisimmen. Furthermore, is it correct that there are only 4 departures a day for this BLS RegioExpress? Do we book 1 segment at a time in order to connect at Zweisimmen to Montreux? Are the costs of tickets using Half Fare Card as follows – Interlaken – Zweisimmen CHF 13.5 per adult. Zweisimmen – Montreux CHF 16.50 per adult?

Also, is it necessry to make any seat reservations for all the above cable cars or trains in December? Had read that the train up to Jungfraujoch may be crowded but not sure if that applies to mid December & we do wish to have a good window seat on the Golden Pass trains too.

Thank you once again for your help.

Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions. Sign up

[Anna]

20 September 2022 at 14:01:00 #947116

Hi Ualin,

For the Golden Pass train trip from Interlaken to Montreux, you can get a point-to-point ticket for CHF26.50 with the Swiss Half Fare Card: https://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/switzerlandhalffare. You can use the timetable by entering Interlaken as your departure point and Montreux as your destination: https://www.myswissalps.com/timetable. Be sure to indicate you are travelling via Zweisimmen. You can take any train from Interlaken to Zweisimmen. It doesn’t have to be a BLS Regio Express. From Zweisimmen to Montreux, depending on your connection you’ll be travelling with the Golden Pass Panoramic or Golden Pass Belle Époque. Further details here: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/gettingthere

There is no need to make seat reservations on Swiss trains, unless you are travelling on special panoramic trains. This is explained in detail here: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/reservations. Similarly, there is no need to make reservations on cable cars.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Anna

[Removed user]

20 September 2022 at 22:55:00 #947117

You can get from Interlaken to Spiez and Zweisimmen at least once per hour (every half hour at peak times)

the whole timetable PDF can be seen here, with all the connections at either end as well:

http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadmin/fap_pdf_fields/2022/320.pdf

for example, look for a 10.30 departure from Interlaken and follow the column down – you will find that after making all the connections a GoldenPass train will leave Zweisimmen at 12.02 towards Montreux

[Uallin]

21 September 2022 at 6:50:41 #947118

Thank you, Anna and 1960man.

So means only the segment from Zweisimmen to Montreux is a panoramic train. Looking at the connections starting from Grindelwald departing 7.48am. Arriving Zweisimmen at 9.59am, Platform 7. Wonder is there enough time to catch the 10.02am train departing from Platform 5? It’s only 3 min transfer time.

[Removed user]

21 September 2022 at 8:14:56 #947119

Hi Uallin,

Yes, you can do it. Short connection times are part of the effective Swiss rail system 🙂

Ildiko

[Uallin]

21 September 2022 at 9:35:34 #947120

Thank you for the reassurance, Ildiko! Well-noted 🙂

[Removed user]

21 September 2022 at 17:27:13 #947121

The connections at Zweisimmen are ‘cross-platform. It has been like that since 1910…

The connection time is short because the connection is designed to be ‘seamless’ – as nearly all people make the connection between the two trains. There is only a change of train because one line is metre gauge and the other is normal gauge. However this changes from mid December 2022 with the introduction of the first gauge changing through train Montreux – Interlaken.