6355 posts
Hi Bebe,
The SBB timetable usually displays the fastest route. In most cases the fastest route from Interlaken to Brig is via the base tunnel. If you prefer to take the longer (and scenic) route, which is over the mountain rather than through the tunnel, you should indicate Kandersteg as your via station. You’ll be travelling on this route on the Regio Express Lotschberger , which is a regional BLS train.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Anna
72625 posts
Yes, I have answered this question before!
But to make it easy, trains through the base tunnel are Inter city route IC8, normally departing every hour at xx.36. From Spiez as long as you get on an SBB train with white and black coaches it will be going through the base tunnel direct to Visp.
Don’t get on a green train (BLS railway livery)
As Anna says, unless you specify a via, the fast route via the best tunnel will always been the one shown if you request a journey Spiez – Brig.
However, if you do go via the base tunnel the train usually terminates at Brig so you have to change trains to get a train to Domodossola.
43 posts
Thanks for the clarifications,
Anna and 1960man. The term “Lotschberg” used with both train lines had me stumped. Now I know which color train to board at Spiez.
Bebe
72625 posts
15483 posts
Hi Bebe,
Yes, that can be confusing. There’s the longer “Lötschberg base tunnel” between Spiez and Brig. And there’s the mountain route with the shorter “Lötschberg tunnel” between Kandersteg and Goppenstein. The paragraph “RegioExpress Lötschberger trains versus quick connections” at http://www.myswissalps.com/lotschberger may clarify things.
43 posts
Thanks, Arno & 1960man, for the additional info. I had not seen that map showing the two routes. Will be an interesting journey with either choice.
Best regards,
Bebe