MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Swiss Travel Pass: inclusions/exclusions confusion
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- I’m probably not the right person to ask as I would never book the VIP seats. I do think it’s worth visiting the chocolate factory in Broc. Not sure if I would go to Bern for dinner. If the weather is nice you could also consider having dinner in Lausanne (Ouchy) or in one of the little villages in the Lavaux vineyards and enjoy the lake view.
- I’m not sure if I understand this. You will start in Zurich? This seems like a long trip.
- I think that Lindt chocolate is one of the best (make sure you buy plenty at Jungfraujoch), but the chocolate factory is a better experience. I haven’t been to Kilchberg. I don’t think it can beat the chocolate factory.
I would go for the first option. You are familiar with the Swiss railways timetable to plan your trip in more detail?
Thanks a lot Chantal for your input and suggestions for the dinner. I discussed with my family and we’re still quite allured by the VIP seats because we haven’t experienced anything else like this ever and it doesn’t cost too much over the other seats. Could you tell me your reasons of never booking those seats please? 🙂
The front row VIP seats for the 18:25 departure from Zweisimmen to Montreux on 13 June 2018 are now booked out. Hopefully that is because you booked them yourself.
Alpenrose
If only this site had a Like button the same as Facebook. 😎
Hehe that’s true, Alpenrose. I booked them because I really didn’t want to miss that opportunity of getting front row VIP seats for all of my family. And thanks a lot for informing me about that opportunity in time. I just wanted to be informed and mentally prepared for the reasons why Chantal (and I’m sure other people as well) would want to skip the VIP seats.
Unfortunately, that might mean that either I choose the chocolate factory or a little self-guided orientation tour of Geneva the next day because I won’t be able to fit in both of them as I’m doing two different kinds of cruises on Lake Geneva the rest of the day – Heritage cruise on the Lausanne/Vevey-Lavaux-Montreux-Chillon route and a Raclette sunset cruise on Lausanne-Vevey-Montreux-Lausanne route. Any advice/suggestions are always welcome.
I’m sure the VIP seats will add value to the experience. Maybe it’s because I’m living here that I don’t book them? This weekend for example I’m taking the Gotthard Panorama Express. And again I won’t reserve seats, but will travel on the regional train. I also like the idea of having the flexibility of taking any train. And all the trains are comfortable in Switzerland anyway.
Good for you that you have your seats booked! I’m sure you will enjoy it. Have a good trip.
Thanks Chantal. I hope you have a great weekend as well. I agree with you because even I prefer the flexibility and find the second class comfortable enough. I’ve made an exception for the Golden Pass VIP seats only for the view 🙂
By the way, I just got to know that the Broc Chocolate factory has lockers to store luggage. If that’s true, I might still be able to cover Bern, Broc and Golden Pass line to Montreux on the same day. Please confirm/advise. Thanks.
Yes, you could do that. I think you need to look at whether you want to go to Montreux (via Zweisimmen – 3 hours) first and then take the fastest route to Broc-Fabrique (1h32) or go directly to Broc (via Zweisimmen and Gruyeres – 3 hours).
Ok so after consulting the Swiss timetable, this is my new tentative plan for that day:
Check out of Zurich hotel at 7 am and reach Zurich HB by 7.45 am. Board the 8 am direct train to Bern that reaches at 9 am. Store luggage at the station. Roam around Bern old city centre for a couple of hours including heavy brunch somewhere. Reach the station in time to collect luggage and board 11.09 am train to Bulle. Reach Bulle at 12:11 and change platform from 1 to 5 to board train in 5-6 minutes to Broc-Fabrique to reach the chocolate factory by 12:45 to 13:00. Store luggage at factory, take the tour, taste chocolate, buy chocolate, pick up the luggage and reach back Broc-Fabrique station in time to catch 15:32 train to Bulle. At Bulle we change platforms from 6 to 5 within 7-8 minutes to take 15:51 train to Montbovon where we change trains to take a (panoramic) train reaching Zweisimmen at 17:34 giving us more than enough time to board 18:25 Golden Pass line train to Montreux. After reaching Montreux, we finally check in at hotel and have dinner to end the day.
Everything in this route is covered by Eurail and minimizes the inconvenience caused by luggage. Although the train from Zurich to Bern will be problematic because of rush hour for commuters. Does this seem doable? Any advice/suggestions are welcome to improve the experience.
I couldn’t have done it better. Sounds good to me.
Ok thanks for the confirmation. I hope the 5-8 minutes time while changing platforms at Bulle station both the times is enough considering we’ll have luggage with us.
You should be fine. It might even be on the other side of the platform on which you arrive.
>> I hope the 5-8 minutes time while changing platforms at Bulle station both the times is enough considering we’ll have luggage with us.
It usually is. Transfer times are not random, but designed to be achievable. However, it appears from the SBB information on Bulle station that platform access is not step-free, so negotiating steps with luggage might slow you down a bit.
On your trip from Bern, as you are aware, you will need to transfer from platform 1 to platform 5 at Bulle. It is always a good idea to be ready with your bags at the door of the train shortly before you pull into a station at which you will be getting off.
If you do happen to miss your connection, the next train will be in an hour. If taking that later train would throw your plans for the rest of the day into disarray, then I would consider getting an earlier train from Bern to Bulle.
Alpenrose
Thanks Alpenrose. In that case, to keep a buffer I’ll have to prepone the whole plan by an hour meaning that I’ll have to take the 7 am train to Bern from Zurich and so on. Do you think that at Bulle, the platform change from 6 to 5 in 7 minutes is going to be easier than the change from 1 to 4/5 in 5 minutes, or is it going to be equally hectic?
Also, is the journey to Broc Village covered by Eurail or is the journey to Broc-Fabrique also covered?
And I’m assuming that all trains that begin with an ‘S’ are under S-bahn which is covered by Eurail. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
>> Do you think that at Bulle, the platform change from 6 to 5 in 7 minutes is going to be easier than the change from 1 to 4/5 in 5 minutes, or is it going to be equally hectic?
Well, it is likely you will still have the stairs to contend with, but you have a few minutes extra, so it should be OK – and the station will no longer be completely unfamiliar to you.
>> Also, is the journey to Broc Village covered by Eurail or is the journey to Broc-Fabrique also covered?
I would say anywhere in Broc is covered, as the Eurail map does not distinguish between stations in Broc.
>> And I’m assuming that all trains that begin with an ‘S’ are under S-bahn which is covered by Eurail.
Yes. In any case, it’s the route that is covered, regardless of what sort of train runs on the route.
Alpenrose
Thanks Alpenrose. Here’s another update from CGN:
Discounted prices for Raclette sunset gourmet cruise (on June 14):
2 class half fare Eurail pass : CHF 23.00.- per person
1 class half fare Eurail pass : CHF 32.50.- per person
They have confirmed my reservation. So I’m hoping I can directly buy the tickets onboard itself.
>> So I’m hoping I can directly buy the tickets onboard itself.
There will be a ticket office on the boat, but usually there is also one at the wharf. If you get your tickets at the wharf before boarding, you can settle in on the boat straight away instead of perhaps having to queue at the ticket office on the boat.
Alpenrose
Ok thanks. I have a few more queries related to the cruises that CGN hasn’t been able to clarify yet:
1) On the noon cruise from Lausanne on the heritage route of Lausanne-Lavaux-Montreux-Chillon-Lausanne, is it a good idea to get down at Chillon (even if we don’t have time to explore the castle) and walk back to Montreux station along the lake? Google Maps says it’s a 45 minute walk. Is it a hiking-type route or is it a lakeside promenade-type route? Basically is it a smooth walk? My idea was that walking along the lake would give us better and different views of the castle and the surrounding area rather than returning to Montreux by boat.
Also, I’m assuming that if I want to get down at a certain port/stop then I’ll only be charged fare for that much journey and not the complete return journey to Lausanne.
2) As I earlier reported, CGN gave 2 different prices – 1st and 2nd class – for the raclette gourmet sunset cruise that otherwise only has a uniform 1st class available according to their website. So what does the 2nd class mean in this scenario? (None of the 2 given prices – 1st or 2nd class – includes food/raclette)
Please clarify if possible. Thanks.
>> 1) On the noon cruise from Lausanne on the heritage route of Lausanne-Lavaux-Montreux-Chillon-Lausanne, is it a good idea to get down at Chillon (even if we don’t have time to explore the castle) and walk back to Montreux station along the lake?
Well, that’s a personal preference, and depends on how much time you have. Chillon Castle is interesting to see from the outside, but it is much more interesting and atmospheric to experience the inside.
>> Google Maps says it’s a 45 minute walk.
Yes, that’s about right, at an easy pace.
>> Is it a hiking-type route or is it a lakeside promenade-type route? Basically is it a smooth walk?
Yes, it’s a smooth, paved promenade.
>> My idea was that walking along the lake would give us better and different views of the castle and the surrounding area rather than returning to Montreux by boat.
It’s a lovely walk, with beautiful lakeside gardens, but better in the other direction in my opinion, when you are walking towards Chillon Castle, rather than away from it.
>> Also, I’m assuming that if I want to get down at a certain port/stop then I’ll only be charged fare for that much journey and not the complete return journey to Lausanne.
I’ve always travelled free on boats, using a pass, so I’m not sure whether you can get on and off boats in between your starting point and destination if you have a ticket instead. Hopefully someone else knows and can advise you.
>> 2) As I earlier reported, CGN gave 2 different prices – 1st and 2nd class – for the raclette gourmet sunset cruise that otherwise only has a uniform 1st class available according to their website. So what does the 2nd class mean in this scenario? (None of the 2 given prices – 1st or 2nd class – includes food/raclette)
I don’t know I’m afraid. You probably don’t get access to the restaurant if you are travelling 2nd class. However, you would need to clarify the details with them.
Alpenrose
Ok thanks. I have some confusion about the Lucerne-Interlaken Express. I’ll be taking the 19.04 departure from Interlaken to Lucerne on June 11/12. The pdf timetable for Golden Pass route says that there’s a train replacement bus service going on between Interlaken and Brienz till October whereas the SBB Timetable doesn’t show any such bus service (although it does show the bus service for train replacement on the Zweisimmen-Montreux route for May). What should I be expecting on the date of my travel?
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