The GoldenPass line train guide - tickets, travel classes, route map 

What is the GoldenPass train? 

The GoldenPass is a scenic 5.5-hour train journey in several special trains between Lucerne (Central Switzerland), Interlaken (Bernese Oberland) and Montreux (Lake Geneva). Of course, you can travel the other way around too. These are the trains:

1. Between Lucerne and Interlaken: the "Luzern-Interlaken Express".
2. Between Interlaken and Montreux, option 1: you'll first take a normal train between Interlaken and Zweisimmen. In Zweisimmen, you can board one of two trains to Montreux. This is either: a) the modern "GoldenPass Panoramic" with its large windows, or b) the nostalgic "GoldenPass Belle Époque".
3. Between Interlaken and Montreux, option 2: the direct "GoldenPass Express" train that features the luxurious Prestige class. You don't have to change in Zweisimmen.

You'll enjoy great scenery, including many lakes such as the Sarner- and Lungernsee, Lake Brienz, and Lake Geneva. The trains are comfortable. Most offer large panoramic windows and some have catering.

All about GoldenPass prices, tickets, and reservations 

Prices examples Lucerne-Montreux 2024, including reservations

This table shows sample prices per person for a single journey Lucerne-Interlaken-Montreux, or the other way around, in high season (from early May to late October). They include reservation costs. In most cases, these are optional. Reservation costs are a bit lower outside of the high-season months.

What the GoldenPass price depends on

The GoldenPass route consists of several sections on which several trains operate. The price you pay depends on these factors:

1. The travel pass or ticket you travel with. Some passes, such as the Swiss Travel Pass, allow free traveling on all trains of the GoldenPass line. Others, such as the Swiss Half Fare Card, provide discounts. Or you may not have a pass and buy regular tickets or Saver Day Passes instead.
2. The class you travel in: 2nd class, 1st class, or Prestige class which is available in the GoldenPass Express between Interlaken and Montreux.
3. Whether or not you make reservations. They're not obligatory (except for the Prestige class), but they are recommended. The costs differ per train, and sometimes per class.
4. The season in which you travel. For the Luzern-Interlaken Express, the optional reservation is a bit more expensive in high season (roughly May to October) than in other months. For the other trains, there are no seasonal differences.

GoldenPass price 2024 with a Swiss Travel Pass (Flex)

With a Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex, you don't need an additional ticket for your GoldenPass journey. If you don't travel in the GoldenPass Express Prestige class and don't make reservations, the entire ride is free.

If you do make seat reservations, you'll pay an amount ranging from CHF 26 for the cheapest option (a 2nd class journey that includes the GoldenPass Panoramic or GoldenPass Belle Époque) to CHF 65 for the most expensive option (1st class between Lucerne and Interlaken, and Prestige class between Interlaken and Montreux).

GoldenPass price 2024 with a Swiss Half Fare Card

With a Swiss Half Fare Card, and with seat reservations, you'll pay at least CHF 55 for the cheapest option (a 2nd class journey that includes the GoldenPass Panoramic or GoldenPass Belle Époque) and CHF 114 for the most expensive option (1st class between Lucerne and Interlaken, and Prestige class between Interlaken and Montreux).

These prices are based on:

1. The cheapest possible fares for a discounted Saver Day Pass (from CHF 29 for 2nd class, and from CHF 49 for 1st class). A discounted Saver Day Pass is mostly cheaper than discounted normal tickets, provided that you buy the pass well in advance.
2. Reservation costs.

GoldenPass prices with rail other rail passes

Several other rail passes provide discounts too. Find a complete overview here.

GoldenPass price 2024 without a rail pass

If you don't have a rail pass and do make seat reservations, you'll pay at least CHF 78 for the cheapest option (a 2nd class journey that includes the GoldenPass Panoramic or GoldenPass Belle Époque) and CHF 153 for the most expensive option (1st class between Lucerne and Interlaken, and Prestige class between Interlaken and Montreux).

These prices are based on:

1. The cheapest possible fares for a Saver Day Pass (from CHF 52 for 2nd class, and from CHF 88 for 1st class). A Saver Day Pass is usually cheaper than normal tickets, but you'll have to buy it far in advance.
2. Reservation costs.

Should you make GoldenPass seat reservations?

Seat reservations for the GoldenPass are mostly not obligatory. You can simply board with a valid ticket or pass. The only exceptions are:

• the Prestige class on the GoldenPass Express trains: reservations for Prestige seats are always required.
• trips with a group of 10 people or more: you'd best make reservations for all trains.

However, the GoldenPass is a popular route, so I do recommend making reservations in these cases too:

• You'll be making the GoldenPass ride in high season. This is mostly May to October, and particularly July and August. In my experience, there are often enough seats left to board without reservations in low-season months like March and April. No guarantees though.
• You definitely want to travel in 1st class. The GoldenPass trains have fewer 1st class than 2nd class seats.
• You want to ensure that all your travel party members will be seated together.

How to make GoldenPass reservations

• Check the reservation options in our list of ticket and reservation options, or under our list of useful websites.
• Decide whether you want to make reservations for a GoldenPass Panoramic, a GoldenPass Belle Époque, or a GoldenPass Express train. The Panoramic and Belle Époque trains (between Zweisimmen and Montreux) fall under a different reservation system than the GoldenPass Express trains (between Interlaken and Montreux).
• GoldenPass Panoramic and Belle Époque reservations can be made from 92 days in advance.
• GoldenPass Express reservations can be made earlier than that 3-month timeframe.
• During the reservation process, you can indicate if you'll be having a valid ticket or travel pass for your travel date. This can be anything that pays for your ride: a Swiss Travel Pass, a Saver Day Pass, or a regular point-to-point ticket for example. If so, you can order a seat reservation only. If you won't be having a valid ticket or rail pass for your journey, you can buy a combined ticket plus seat reservation.

Reservation details and prices per train

1. Lucerne-Interlaken: the Luzern-Interlaken Express

• Reservations for the Luzern-Interlaken Express train are optional. They cost CHF 12 in low season (10 December 2024 - 8 May 2024), and CHF 16 in high season (9 May - 27 October 2024).

2. Interlaken-Zweisimmen: regular trains

• Reservations for normal trains on the Interlaken - Zweisimmen leg are not required, except for groups of 10 or more.
• Reservation usually costs CHF 5 per person. I don't advise this though. This is just a short stretch.

3. Zweisimmen-Montreux: GoldenPass Panoramic and GoldenPass Belle Époque

• Reservations for the GoldenPass Panoramic and GoldenPass Belle Époque trains on the Zweisimmen - Montreux leg are not required, but recommended in high season and mandatory for groups of 10 or more.
• Reservations cost CHF 10 per person, or CHF 8 per person for a group of 10 or more.
• The availability of VIP seats (at the very front of the GoldenPass Panoramic between Zweisimmen and Montreux) is limited. You can mostly not book them in advance. Instead, you're advised to contact the train conductor once you're on board. If VIP seats are available, you can get seated there for a surcharge of CHF 5 to CHF 15 per person, depending on the length of your trip.

4. Interlaken-Montreux: GoldenPass Express

• Reservations for 1st and 2nd class seats in the GoldenPass Express train between Interlaken and Montreux are not required, but highly recommended.
• 1st or 2nd class reservations cost CHF 20 per person, or CHF 17 per person for a group of 10 or more.
• Traveling in the Prestige class requires a 1st class ticket or pas, plus an additional reservation supplement of CHF 49 per person.
• Catering packages should be reserved in advance, regardless of the class you travel in.

Traveling in 1st class or Prestige class with a 2nd class pass or ticket

Even if you have a 2nd class pass or ticket, you can still enjoy the Golden Pass ride in 1st class and Prestige class by buying an upgrade ticket. This costs CHF 56 for the entire route Lucerne-Montreux. If you have a Swiss Travel Pass (Flex) or a Swiss Half Fare Card, you'll pay the discounted fare of CHF 28.

Get your GoldenPass tickets, reservations and tours 

If you don't have a rail pass that allows free traveling, you need to get GoldenPass tickets. Also check if you want, or need, seat reservations.

If you book a tour instead, tickets and reservations are usually included.

GoldenPass discounts with your rail pass 

Video 

The GoldenPass route explained, with map 

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How does the timetable work?

The GoldenPass route can be traveled in both directions. It runs between the German-speaking Lucerne in Central Switzerland and the French-speaking Montreux in the Lake Geneva area. Towns along the way are Brienz, Interlaken, Spiez, Zweisimmen and Gstaad.

The route consists of 3 main sections. If you travel by GoldenPass Express, a change in Zweisimmen is not necessary.

Section 1: Lucerne to Interlaken Ost

The train departs from Lucerne and passes the foot of the Pilatus mountain. You can see Lake Lucerne every now and then, but you will soon leave it behind you.

You'll pass two more lakes, the Sarnersee and the Lungernsee, before the train starts climbing the Brünig Pass. The pass has an altitude of 1008 m, which isn't very high for Swiss standards. Next, the train has to descend 413 m to reach Meiringen at 595 m on the valley floor, and it uses the cogwheel track to do so.

The train changes direction in Meiringen. A flat stretch through the Hasli Valley follows before the train reaches Brienz on beautiful Lake Brienz. About 20 minutes later the train arrives at Interlaken Ost ('East'), which is the gateway to the Jungfrau Region.

Section 2: Interlaken Ost to Zweisimmen

First, the train runs along the river Aare to the other side of Interlaken. It continues its way to Spiez, a town at a scenic location along Lake Thun. You can see the pyramid-shaped Mount Niesen from here.

The GoldenPass line proceeds into the Simmen Valley: a typically Swiss green valley with farms, small villages, and forests.

Section 3: Zweisimmen to Montreux

The train climbs to the highest point of the entire GoldenPass line, near Saanenmöser, at 1279 m. Next up is the upper-class town of Gstaad, with luxurious shops and hotels. Soon after you will leave the German-speaking part of Switzerland and enter the French-speaking regions.

The train winds its way through the valley, which is quite narrow in some places. The valley ends in a tunnel that leads to Les Avants. From there, Montreux is just 3 km as the crow flies, but there are still 578 meters left to descend. A cogwheel track and many curves are required to complete the last 20 minutes of the journey, and you will have a wonderful view of Lake Geneva along the way.

Map of the GoldenPass train route: Lucerne-Interlaken-Zweisimmen-Montreux

Operation dates, schedules and timetable 

GoldenPass: 2024 operation dates

The GoldenPass trains run all year long.

Planning your GoldenPass journey with the timetable

You can consult the GoldenPass schedules through the links here. The trains can also be found in the Swiss timetable:

• Enter your departure and destination stations.
• Select your travel date and your preferred departure or arrival time.
• Enter one or more via-stations along the route to force the timetable to show GoldenPass trains. If you don't, the timetable shows quicker connections via Bern and Lausanne instead by default. You can enter "Meiringen" and "Gstaad" as via-stations between Lucerne and Montreux.

GoldenPass train abbreviations in the Swiss timetable

Once you've entered your journey, date, and time, you'll see an overview of available train connections. This overview contains several labels/abbreviations. You can recognize scenic trains by the label "PE", which stands for "Panorama Express".

The exact GoldenPass train names are indicated too: "Luzern-Interlaken Express", "GoldenPass Panoramic", "GoldenPass Belle Époque", or "GoldenPass Express". 

Normal trains on the stretch Interlaken-Spiez-Zweisimmen can be labeled "R" or "RE" (indicating regional trains), "IR" (interregional trains), or "IC" (intercity trains).

Daily availability of each train type

Luzern-Interlaken Express (between Lucerne and Interlaken)

There are 13 Luzern-Interlaken Express trains each day, operating at one-hour intervals. They depart at:

• xx:06 (6 minutes past each full hour) from Lucerne to Interlaken
• xx:04 from Interlaken to Lucerne

These trains run from about 06h00 until 18h00. Before and after, you can use other trains to travel between Lucerne and Interlaken. These may involve a change of trains in Meiringen, or another route via Olten.

GoldenPass Express trains (between Interlaken Ost and Montreux)

There are 4 GoldenPass Express trains each day. They depart at:

• 09:08, 11:08, 14:08 and 16:08 from Interlaken Ost to Montreux
• 07:34, 09:34, 12:34 and 14:34 from Montreux to Interlaken Ost.

GoldenPass Panoramic trains (between Zweisimmen and Montreux)

You can choose from 8 or 9 GoldenPass Panoramic trains, operating on a 1- to 2-hour interval between approximately 08h00 and 18h00.

Before and after, other regional trains on this route are available. Alternatively, you can travel via another route: through the Lötschberg Base Tunnel and Visp in the Rhone Valley.

GoldenPass Belle Époque trains (between Zweisimmen and Montreux)

The availability of GoldenPass Belle Époque trains is limited to 2 connections in each direction. There's:

• 1 in the late morning/early afternoon and 1 in the late afternoon/early evening from Zweisimmen to Monteux
• 1 mid-morning and 1 mid-afternoon from Montreux to Zweisimmen

Best seasons for the GoldenPass 

You need good, clear weather for the best views from the GoldenPass trains. That could be in any season. We prefer early January to late February and early April to late October.

• Spring (April-June) is wonderful as nature is green and fresh in the valleys and there's still snow at higher altitudes.
• Summer (July-mid September) is a beautiful time around the several lakes. The trains can be more crowded than in other months. Seat reservations are recommended.
• In fall (mid-September-late October), the brilliantly colored trees make the trip a special experience.
• Winter (January and February) is great for a snow-covered landscape. The GoldenPass ride isn't at very high altitude, so snow along the route isn't guaranteed. But you will see snow-capped mountains.

In our view, early March and November are the least attractive. Nature can be brown and a bit dull in the regions crossed by the GoldenPass.

Weather 

Clear skies are best for a GoldenPass ride. This will get you the best views of the beautiful scenery. Clouds are no problem: you'll still see most of landscape. As the trains are comfortable and an attraction on their own, the GoldenPass ride can even be a perfect rainy-day excursion.

Low clouds, fog, heavy rain, and thick snow can partially block the views though.

If you travel in low season and don't make seat reservations, you can check weather forecasts shortly in advance. Then decide whether or not to make the journey.

Weather forecasts for Interlaken, halfway on the route

Other websites of interest

• www.zentralbahn.ch: Luzern-Interlaken Express seat reservations
• www.zentralbahn.ch: Luzern-Interlaken Express catering
• www.mob.ch: GoldenPass Panoramic/Belle Époque seat reservations Zweisimmen-Montreux
• www.mob.ch: GoldenPass Panoramic VIP seats Zweisimmen-Montreux
• www.gpx.ch: GoldenPass Express seat reservations Interlaken-Montreux
• www.gpx.ch: GoldenPass Express culinary packages

Schedules

• www.mob.ch: GoldenPass Panoramic/Belle Époque timetables
• www.gpx.ch: GoldenPass Express timetables

Prices

• www.mob.ch: GoldenPass Panoramic/Belle Époque ticket prices
• www.gpx.ch: GoldenPass Express ticket and reservation prices

Itineraries including the GoldenPass 

Our info about connecting panoramic trains 

About the regions and towns on the GoldenPass line