How to travel in Switzerland via Interlaken

Hi,

I will visit Switzerland during Easter break weekend in 2016.

Here is my journey route.

• Day 1: travel from Zurich Airport to Zurich and travel to Interlaken.
• Day 2: Stay in Interlaken
• Day 3: From Interlaken, travel to Jungfraujoch - Schilthorn - Geneva (Golden pass Line route)
• Day 4: Geneva city - Geneva airport

Questions:

1. What is the best train ticket pass for my itinerary above?
2. Can I visit Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn on the same day? Would it be rushing?
3. How do I travel from Interlaken - Jungfraujoch - Schilthorn using Golden Pass line route?
4. How do I travel from Geneva city to airport?

Thank you.

Hi Ericjoe - Welcome to the forum.

Questions about rail passes are best answered by the experts -

the forum moderators Annika and Arno.

I can help with some of your items to start. Your itinerary will give you spectacular views of the Swiss alpine scenery, as long as you have clear weather. Going up to Jungfraujoch on a day when there are thick clouds is an expensive way to look at clouds. Check with webcams and at tourist offices/train stations when you are in Interlaken.

#2 -

You can do that and have a reasonable time on each mountain. It will fill the day, unless you spend only a short time on top at each one.

#3 -

The Golden Pass Route does not run into the Lauterbrunnen Valley. It passes through Interlaken on the journey between Luzern and Montreux.

#4 - There are frequent trains from the main station in Geneva ( Cornavin Station) to the airport.

Day 3 is a very very long day. You can judge the time for each section by using the timetable:

www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

A map may be helpful:

map.search.ch/

Slowpoke

Hi ericjoe!

If you're interested in the Golden Pass line, you can use it to get from Interlaken to Geneva, traveling via Zweisimmen and Montreux. Please refer to www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass for details.

As for travel passes: the Swiss Half Fare Card will probably be the cheapest option for the itinerary you mentioned. Details and purchase options are listed at www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard. Here's how to find the pass that best matches your plans: www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass.

Does that help you out?

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback. I will study the Swiss Half Fare Card and get the details with you.I have a question about the journey from Interlaken to Geneva. I want to travel from Interlaken - Montreux - Geneva via GoldenPass route. I have used SBB online timetable to check the journey.However, I cannot find Golden Pass route in the recommended journey route given by SBB online timetable.

I have attached a recommended journey route in PDF format from SBB online timetable website.

How can I know which train journey in the attached file is the GoldenPass route?Thank you.

Hi ericjoe,

None of the journeys in the attached file is the Golden Pass route. In order to get the correct schedule, you need to start by filling out Interlaken to Montreux and your desired departure time in the timetable. Initially it will show the quickest connections, which is what you see in your file. Next, you need to add 'via stations' to force it to only show options via the Golden Pass route. There's a detailed map on the first page I gave you in my previous post. In your case you can best enter Zweisimmen as the via station, which is about half way the route.

If you can't figure it out, feel free to let me know your date and time here so I can have a look.

Hi Ericjoe-

Annika has already given you the answer. The key is to force the time table to choose YOUR route. Normally it defaults to the fastest route. The Golden Pass route is not the fastest route. You can force it by putting an intermediate station in the "via" or "connections" box.

Annika has suggested Zweisimmen, which will work as a good intermediate station.

When you select a journey, in the details of each individual journey, where there is a column headed "Comments" it will say "Golden Pass ...." instead of phrases such as "InterCity 714". Watch for that.

Further, there are likely some regular trains that travel the same route at other times during the day. So, although you would not get the panoramic windows, you could still see the scenery.

Slowpoke