MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Zurich to Montreux using the Golden Pass line?
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First trip to Switzerland arriving Nov 25th and not sure what I am doing. I plan on getting a 4 day Swiss Rail Flex Pass. Is it best to buy the pass now or in Zurich? Want to go to Montreux on our first full day and would really like to part of the Goldpass line and get the VIP seats on the Zweisimmen to Montreux leg. Not sure how to know witch train will be the Panoramic one, read there is two a day. Also plan on heading to Zermatt the next day or so. Not sure how to book this or make sure I get on the route I want to Montreux. HELP and THANKS! JIM
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Hi Jimonthemiss and welcome to MySwissAlps!
Normally we recommend buying the Swiss Travel Pass Flex online but it can’t be emailed to you – only shipped to you (or to a hotel in Switzerland). Shipping to the USA takes 2 to 6 days and is free via https://www.happyrail. com/en/pass/europe/swi tzerland/swiss-travel-pass-flex. If that doesn’t seem like something you want to do you can also buy it on arrival in Zurich airport for a few francs more. See options here: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpassflex/pric e
Unfortunately the VIP seats on the Golden Pass are in for revision/replacement as of Sep.3, 2018. I don’t have a timeline for when they will be returned to service.
The panoramic coaches with regular 1st and 2nd class seating are still in service. You can find schedules for the trains on the Swiss railways timetable: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
The panoramic carriages are noted as either MOB Panoramic (modern) or Belle Epoque (heritage style) between Montreux and Zweisimmen (click on the train departure you want to expand details).
As it is low season you can probably get away without reservations but if you want you can do so here: http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass/packages
No need to book the train to Zermatt – just hop on any train departure you like when searching the timetable (no ticket needed if using your Swiss Travel Pass Flex).
If you want to know for sure that the Swiss Travel Pass Flex will save you the most money on your trip, have a read through our page on how to find the best rail pass for your itinerary here: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass
This info helps a lot. I’m guessing that I can get my rail passes at the Zurich HB station also? Any thoughts on the trains from Zermatt to Lugano and then Lugano back to Zurich? Thanks, Jim
Hi Jim,
Sure, you can get it there too, although if you arrive by plane it’s best to buy at the airport so you don’t need to buy a train ticket from the airport to Zurich HB. Or buy it online so you can skip the ticket office entirely and board the train immediately.
All trains can be found through the timetable link in Lucas’s previous post. Zermatt to Lugano can be done via the scenic Centovalli line: http://www.myswissalps.com/ce ntovalli. This is via Italy but covered by the Swiss Travel Pass Flex as well. For Lugano to Zurich you can consider the Gotthard Panorama Express route. The official Express does not operate in November but you can take the same route on regular trains if you want: http://www.myswissalps.com/go tthardpanoramaexpress.
Thanks Arno,
We fly into Zurich at 6pm on Sunday the 25th and are staying in downtown Zurich by the train station the first night so I don’t want to use are 4 day passes till the next day going to Montreux. Plan on using to other 3 day going to Zermatt , to Lugano, then Zurich. Any thoughts on this. It is a short trip as we fly home Sunday December 2nd at noon. Thanks. Jim and Donna
Hi Jim and Donna,
Yes it makes sense not to use the Swiss Travel Pass on your day of arrival (the trip to Zurich from the airport is around 7chf only.
Have you done the math to make sure the Swiss Travel Pass Flex for 4 days is the best option for you? For simplicity the 8 day consecutive Swiss Travel Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass) might make a lot of sense (assuming you are planning some travel each day).
If you haven’t already and you want to compare rail pass costs and know for sure look at our page here: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass
Hi Jim-
It will be a bit colder in Zürich than in the Magnolia State (if indeed that is where you are from) and you’ll be jet-lagged. That first night in Zürich is good idea, because you’ll probably be jet lagged. My thought is to get things organized ahead of time as much as possible for the first days. Of course, if you don’t suffer from jet lag and lack of sleep, or don’t come overnight from the USA, ignore my comments. 😉
Concerning your question about the routing-
<<“Any thoughts on this.”>>
Yes. You’ll, likely change at Bern and Luzern to pick up the Golden Pass Route in Luzern. Luzern is a terminal station. Be sure to wake up; however, you do have to get off. Bern is a pass through. Even more important to be awake.
😉
Slowpoke
Slowpoke
Mississippi River, West Central Illinois, about 2 1/2 hours north of St Louis,MO. Looks to me it is just one train to Luzern, then three Goldenpass trains to Montreux. Question about Luzern or is it Lucerne, same town isn’t it? But I see it spelled both ways. Thanks
Hi Jim –
<<“Mississippi River, West Central Illinois, about 2 1/2 hours north of St
Louis,MO. “>>
Interesting part of the USA. Mark Twain country, not to mention Nauvoo.
My relatives are/ were from St. Louis, Indianapolis, Cincinnati. Omaha, too. These days, I’m a Yankee. Live in Connecticut.
<<“Looks to me it is just one train to Luzern, then three Goldenpass trains to Montreux.”>>
You’ve got it. I made an error in my earlier post, where I said-
“”Yes. You’ll, likely change at Bern and Luzern to pick up the Golden Pass Route in Luzern.”>>
The trains from Zürich Flughafen ( Airport ) are direct to Luzern once per hour, with the intermediate train in between every hour requiring a change at Zürich main station. The train change there might be simple if the incoming is on the main track level (main level, tracks 3-18) or might involve a bit of subterranean sign -following, if the incoming is on, for example, tracks 32-33.) If you miss, wait a half hour and catch the next one. Excellent signage overhead on the main train platform level.
You can learn inbound and outbound platform/track number info from the SBB website.
Once you are in Luzern, you pick up the Golden Pass routing to Montreux. Only one platform level. Easy train change. Two changes after that is right until they get that simplified in the foreseeable future. The issue is the track gauge. Meter gauge, Luzern to Interlaken; standard gauge to Zweisimmen; meter gauge to Montreux. That last section is the best. They are working to get a single train through all sections of different track..
<<“Question about Luzern or is it Lucerne, same town isn’t it? But I see it spelled both ways. Thanks”>>
When you are in Zürich, or in Luzern itself, or in other German-speaking areas, you will see “Luzern.”
Once you get off the train in Montreux, if you look up at the signs, you’ll see “Lucerne.” French spelling. Somewhere between Zweisimmen and Montreux, you cross the language boundary.
To make it easy, the pronunciation is almost the same in both languages, German “z” is pronounced “ts.”
Living in Illinois does not make you immune to jet-lag relative to living in Mississippi; it just allows you to understand cold weather. 😉
Slowpoke
Thanks again. We have an almost 8 hour layover in Madrid and plan on getting a room at the Air Bed place in the airport for 4 hours or so and getting a room in Zurich the first night. we land at Zurich at 6pm.
That nap in Madrid sounds like the perfect solution.
Slowpoke
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