Alps Post Bus tour – operating early October?

  • jlovda
    Participant
    51 posts
    25 July 2017 at 19:22:49 #812741

    I will be in Switzerland from Sept 26 to October 4. I am planning to take the recommended Postal bus tour over several passes starting in Meiringen to Wassen, Andermatt, Airolo, Oberwald and back to Meiringen. Will all the passes in this area be open during this timeframe. A Swiss Travel Map states a total time of about 8 hr and 45 min. Would this time include any stopping time for food and/or restroom or is this a none stop time? Are you high enough to be above the clouds? Thanks, John

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    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    26 July 2017 at 5:39:02 #867372

    Hi John, and welcome to MySwissAlps!

    >> I will be in Switzerland from Sept 26 to October 4. I am planning to take the recommended Postal bus tour over several passes starting in Meiringen to Wassen, Andermatt, Airolo, Oberwald and back to Meiringen. Will all the passes in this area be open during this timeframe.

    Yes, if you are referring to the PostBus tour from Meiringen through four passes of the Central Alps, it runs daily until 15 October 2017.

    >> A Swiss Travel Map states a total time of about 8 hr and 45 min. Would this time include any stopping time for food and/or restroom or is this a none stop time?

    Yes, it takes 8 hours 45 minutes in total, but you are never on the bus for longer than about an hour without a break.

    Details are:

    Grimsel Pass: 31 minute break

    Nufenen Pass: 15 minute break

    Airolo: 1 hour 18 minute lunch break

    Gotthard Pass: 20 minute break

    Andermatt: 27 minute break

    Steingletscher: 30 minute break

    There are toilet and refreshment facilities at every stop. When I did the trip in September last year, we didn’t stop in Andermatt, because we were running behind time due to traffic jams caused by construction works in that area.

    >> Are you high enough to be above the clouds?

    It depends on the weather. If you have not already read my trip report on this excursion (with photos), you can find it here if you are interested:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/postbus-through-four-passes-of-the-central-alps

    Alpenrose

    jlovda
    Participant
    51 posts
    26 July 2017 at 8:04:12 #867373

    Thank you so much for the information. This was exactly what I was looking for. I’m glad you told me about making a reservation. I will be staying in Zürich so I will have to leave REALLY early that morning to travel through Luzern and on the Brünig Bahn to reach Meiringen by about 9:00 am.

    Sincerely, John

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    28 July 2017 at 4:25:08 #867374

    >> I will be staying in Zürich so I will have to leave REALLY early that morning to travel through Luzern and on the Brünig Bahn to reach Meiringen by about 9:00 am.

    Here are a list of the connections that will get you from Zürich to Meiringen in time to catch the Vierpässefahrt bus, together with some comments about each:

    1. Zürich-Meiringen via Luzern and Golden Pass route

    Dep Zürich 6:04, Arr Meiringen 8:16

    Sunrise is between 7:18 and 7:29 depending on date. This will be between Luzern and Sachseln. You will miss some nice lake scenery, but should still have a good view of the Lungernersee (Lake Lungern) and good views from the Brünig Pass, but there may be deep shadows in the valley.

    2. Zürich-Meirigen via Bern, Spiez and Interlaken Ost

    Dep Zürich 6:32, Arrive Meiringen 9:07

    Sunrise will be between Zürich and Bern, so you won’t miss the best scenery, which will be along the Thunersee (Lake Thun) and the Brienzersee (Lake Brienz). You would not be travelling along the Golden Pass route though.

    3. Zürich-Meiringen via Luzern and Golden Pass route

    Dep Zürich 7:04, Arr Meiringen 9:16

    Sunrise will be between Zürich and Luzern, so you won’t miss the best scenery, which is between Luzern and Meiringen. However, you would arrive only 9 minutes before the bus leaves. If other people have started boarding the bus, you may not get your preferred seat. A reserved seat guarantees you a place on the bus, but not a specific seat.

    If it were me, I would travel from Zürich via Bern, Spiez and Interlaken Ost, arriving in Meiringen at 9:07, and then take the Golden Pass route back to Luzern at the end of the day.

    If you got the 18:42 from Meiringen to Luzern, you would get to Luzern just before sunset and should be able to see the views from the Brünig Pass and of the lakes between Meiringen and Luzern. You won’t miss much in the dark between Luzern and Zürich.

    Luzern is lovely after sunset, with all the reflections in water, so if you feel like taking a break there for dinner and a stroll across the bridges and through the old town, that would be worthwhile I think.

    The Rathaus Brauerei restaurant has a lovely riverside location in the old town not far from the railway station, and I can recommend it from personal experience for traditional Swiss food and ambiance. If the weather is nice, there is outdoor seating under the colonnade or on the promenade right at the river’s edge.

    One night when I was at the Rathaus Brauerei, the weather was warm and I had hoped for a seat at the river’s edge, but they were all taken, so I sat under the colonnade. Before long, a sudden downpour had all the riverside diners running for shelter, so I was glad of my table under the colonnade after all!

    http://www.rathausbrauerei.ch /en/

    I have attached some photos I took that night.

    Alpenrose

    jlovda
    Participant
    51 posts
    28 July 2017 at 8:08:32 #867375

    Thank you for the information.

    I will probably will take the first option. It gets to Meiringen a little earlier than necessary but for me the 9:07 and 9:16 arrivals are a little to close to the bus departure. I have been on the Brünig Bahn/Zentral Bahn more than ten times and I am determined to get a good seat by a window on the bus. That is what this particular day is dedicated for. Maybe the bus will be half empty but I won’t risk it. Unfortunately, I will miss breakfast at the hotel and Migros/Coop will probably still be closed at the Zürich HB. at that time.

    If you would like to see why I have come to Switzerland almost 20 times look at my site on Flickr and look at the “About” link. I’m getting older and this will be a trip where I am not focused on locomotives:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/ 79976134@N07/

    John

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    28 July 2017 at 8:14:50 #867376

    Hi John,

    Thanks for your Flikr link. 😍

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    28 July 2017 at 8:41:34 #867377

    >> I will probably will take the first option. It gets to Meiringen a little earlier than necessary but for me the 9:07 and 9:16 arrivals are a little to close to the bus departure … Unfortunately, I will miss breakfast at the hotel and Migros/Coop will probably still be closed at the Zürich HB. at that time.

    There is a Migros at Meiringen, within one minute’s walk from the station, and it opens at 8am. You can see it from the station. There is also a small “avec” supermarket at the station, which opens even earlier.

    The local specialty is meringues, and the best place for them is the Frutal Tea Rooms, quite close to the station. Might be a bit much for that time of the morning, but they do open at 7am!

    Alpenrose

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