[Removed user]

4 January 2017 at 12:16:19 #810517

My husband and I will be hiking the Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt in July 2017. We fly to Geneva, shuttle to Chamonix to meet our hike group on July 9. We plan to arrive two days earlier in Chamonix to enjoy the sights there before meeting the group (and celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary!). We leave on Monday, July 10 on the hike with just a small backpack and arrive in Zermatt on Tuesday late on July 18. Our hike leader will be transferring our luggage.

We spend the night in Zermatt and then are free on Wed, July 19. We will have two large rolling bags to pick up in Zermatt.
We need to be back in Geneva by Saturday afternoon for our flight back. Since we will be doing a lot of hiking, we thought we would enjoy the city of Bern for a few days before we return. We also read your info on Zermatt.

What is the best, scenic train to take from Zermatt to Bern? If we need to change trains, what is the logistics? What sights should we see in Bern or surrounding areas? We have already booked a hotel in Bern, downtown near the train station. We understand that we can take a train direct from Bern to the Geneva airport on Saturday morning. Thank you.

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[Removed user]

4 January 2017 at 16:16:16 #857785

Hi Jenwoltjen and welcome to MySwissAlps,

This sounds like a fantastic trip and congrats on the wedding anniversary!

I have only taken one train into and out of Zermatt and that is the Glacier Express, which, with its panoramic windows, I can highly recommend. However, it doesn’t work to well for you if you want to reach Bern in one day (as you already have a hotel booked).

I have a feeling that any train you take to Bern in that area will be scenic however. Most likely you will transfer just once through Visp. You can take the Glacier Express just to Visp and then transfer to a regular train on to Bern.
Another member may be able to say something more specific on other routes to Bern for you.

I have been to Berna few times and always enjoyed exploring the city – it is very charming and historic. Bern is also a nice base to explore the Bernese Oberland area.

Cheers,
Lucas

[Arno]

4 January 2017 at 16:31:57 #857786

Hi Jenwoltjen,

You can take a train to Visp and switch Bern there as Lucas mentioned, or alternatively stay seated to Brig and then take the local train via Goppenstein and Kandersteg to Bern. That route is more scenic but it will take you at least an hour extra.