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Hello, I am traveling with my husband to these destinations from June 24th to July 8th, We were wondering what would be the best way to travel by rail. We have purchased a Swiss Pass for these days. Our itinerary is as follows:
June 24th: Land in Geneva and will take train to Montreux where we will be staying for 2 nights
June 26th: Montreux to Zermatt
June 29th: Zermatt to Wengen
July 3rd: Wengen to Lucerne
July 7th: Lucerne to Geneva
July 8th: Depart Geneva
We have a rough idea of how we will travel from Montreux -> Zermatt. What would be the best way to travel from that point forward? Also, we understand the GoldenPass Line is a much more scenic train. What is the best way for us to incorporate the GoldenPass line without adding too much to our travel time? Any other suggestions in mind?
Thank you!
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Hello spkumar and Welcome to MySwissAlps,
If you go from Zermatt to Wengen you will join the Golden Pass Line (http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass) at Spiez. If you include via Kandersteg then between Zermatt and Wengen then between Brig and Spiez you will travel on the Regio-Express Lötschberger train over the traditional, more than 100 year old mountain route, giving you a wonderful view along the impressive peaks and down into the Rhone Valley. The 1-hour faster route via Visp takes you through the fairly lengthy Lötschberg Base Tunnel with rather limited views.
Some would argue the leg between Montreux and Zweisimmen is the best part of the Golden Pass Line. To do that would require some backtracking to fit into your destinations unless you did it as part of your Lucerne to Geneva day. Going via Bern and Zweisimmen would make sense.
HI spkumar1130,
You can play with the various route options on the SBB timetable here: https://www.myswissalp s.com/timetable it gives you the fastest options automatically. You can enter VIA towns to force it to give you alternative routes (like the ones Rockoyster suggested).
Regarding the ‘Golden Pass line’ is not really ‘much more scenic’ than any other railway in the Swiss Alps.
My suggestion is to keep it simple
You say you have a rough idea for Montreux – Zermatt but in practical terms there is only one way to go Montreux – Zermatt, ie Montreux – Visp on fast SBB IR train, connecting at Visp onto the Visp Zermatt (MGB) line.
Zermatt – Wengen:
Take the MGB (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) train Zermatt – Brig (look up to the north on the way from Visp to Brig and you will see the route you will take next (ie the Lötschberg railway ‘South ramp’).
Change at Brig onto a Lötschberger train (ie a green and blue BLS railway train going to Bern via Kandersteg). Sit on the left in the direction of travel for famous and stupendous view of the valley as you climb up the valley side over a succession of famous viaducts.
Change at Spiez for a train to Interlaken
Wengen – Luzern
Simple ‘ordinary’ train itinerary Wengen – Interlaken (change to Luzern – Interlaken Express train – red and white colour). Interlaken – Brienz (sit on right hand side for lake) – Brünig Pass – Sarnen – Luzern
Luzern – Geneva
Two options
1) direct SBB main line train (no changes) goes via the Swiss ‘Mittelland’ so a nice change from the Alps
2) Via the Luzern – Interlaken Express (repeat) Interlaken then on the Golden Pass proper Zweisimmen Montreux (the MOB line) overall journey 6.5 hours
Thank you all for the replies! This has helped so much with planning our transportation. You are all so kind and thoughtful to share your knowledge.
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