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Hello,
Are you able to see the platforms at a train station and get details in advance on how to access various platforms especially when you only have a 3 minute connection?
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Look up the station on google maps. Once you zoom in enough you will see platform numbers. Doesn’t work for Zurich which is a complex two storey station.
Hi Charwinelove-
<<“Are you able to see the platforms at a train station and get details in advance on how to access various platforms especially when you only have a 3 minute connection?>>
Sound like Spiez. 😉
At Spiez, tracks 2 and 3 are on two sides of the same platform. No problem.
You can see which platforms /trtacks are used in the SBB timetable. It gives you the track numbers for arrivals and departures:
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
If you can not figure that out, let us know. Give us the name of the station and the date and time.
Once you have that information, the advice given Rockoyster become useful. Not before.
However, for a simple shortcut, assume that the Swiss know what they are doing. If they say 3 minutes, you can make it unless your luggage is bigger than you are. 😉
Slowpoke
Yes one for sure is Spiez…..
Coming from Zermatt to VISP to SPIEZ to Interlaken Ost to lauterbrunnen on Sunday afternoon around l5.00 July 15th….(and in another post someone mentioned to do this via Kandersky for a more scenic route..
I see the platorms on the timetable but where do I see the track information on the train schedule?..
I also saw this link to view the stations on the SBB site.
Station plans provide information on boarding, alighting and changing trains. They show available services, shops and combined mobility in and around the station.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/railway-stations/trafimage/station-plans.html
Trafimage station plans | SBB
These plans are now available for more than 60 stations. To see all stations that have a plan, please zoom into the “overview of station plans” map…
However I will admit this was a little overwhelming.
The most scenic route from Zermatt to Interlaken is via Kandersteg.
Between Brig and Spiez you will travel on the Regio-Express Lötschberger train over the traditional, more than 100 year old mountain route, giving you a wonderful view along the impressive peaks and down into the Rhone Valley. The 1-hour faster route via Visp takes you through the fairly lengthy Lötschberg Base Tunnel with rather limited views.
Sorry, when I mentioned Google Maps earlier I assumed that based on the number of posts you have made you would already be familiar with identifying platform numbers on the timetable.
Hi Charwinelove-
Here is a bit more detail-
First- Trafimage Maps. Useful but complex. On the page in the SBB website where you saw this information –
<<“I also saw this link to view the stations on the SBB site.
Station plans provide information on boarding, alighting and changing trains. They show available services, shops and combined mobility in and around the station.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/railway-stations/trafimage/station-plans.html
Trafimage station plans | SBB
These plans are now available for more than 60 stations. To see all stations that have a plan, please zoom into the “overview of station plans” map…”>>
Look for the “See More->” link in a red box on the right.
Click on it. You get a map with a bunch of station icons on it. It deals with the main stations, and, so far, not the smaller ones. Spiez and Interlaken Ost are not available. For the ones that are available, click on the icons. Zürich and Bern are there, which is good because they are heavily used and Zürich is a very complex station. Trafimage maps show stores, service offices, etc.. I use that as a last resort. I need it to find specific travel support offices in Zürich main station.
See Screen grab #4, attached.
Now for your specific problem.
For your journey, I have opened the SBB timetable.
I forgot which way you were going, so I chose to go from Spiez to Zermatt. You can make the reverse choice when you try this. Check screen grab #1.
I have entered Spiez as a start point and Zermatt as a destination. If I choose NOT to put anything in the “via ” box ( click on “via” ) then I will get routed on the fastest route. That goes through Visp, and from Visp it then takes the new “Lötschberg BASIS tunnel” to near Spiez. That new lower tunnel shortens the old traditional higher “Lötschberg Pass route” by about an hour. If you are in a hurry, use that fast route.
Te scenery inside the tunnel lacks interest for me.
If you prefer the scenic route, force the timetable to route you through some station on that route. Kandersteg is the usual choice on this route
On that first page, ther eis a choice for “advanced timetable.” That allows you to enter “vias” for a series of stations. You could use it for your set of multiple stations. I usually just put in a start and finish and one “via” but and break the journey up into shorter segments. I find it simpler. However, you can force it through several vias if you wish..
This map can help you visualize the geography. I set it for Kandersteg and I have zoomed it in to zoom level 32, which makes the rail tracks stand out. I have used the menu under “Points of Interest/ Traffic” to turn on icons only for rail stations:
map.search.ch/?pos=624624,145856&z=32 &poi=zug
Slide the map up the screen and you can see Brig and Visp.. ycan also see Goppenstein, where the old upper short tunnel ends as described below. Zoom the map out and you can see the overall lay of the land for Zermatt, Interlaken, etc.
For your interest, I chose to put “Kandersteg” in the “via” box for screen grabs numbered 1, 2, and 3 , attached
That takes you high up through scenic valleys on both sides of Kandersteg. There is a short ( old) tunnel from Kandersteg to Goppenstein as part of the route.
Enter your start and finish and put Kandersteg in the via box (it says “add via +”). You get the via box by clicking there. (if you want more “vias” use the “advanced timetable.”
Enter date and time.
“Search for connection.”
You get screen grab #1. with several journeys at different times, The dots on the lines signify change of trains. Read the header of the page carefully.
Next, chose one journey. Click on it.
You get screen grab #2. It shows platform numbers.
There is now a “+” sign in a circle on the vertical line for the route. Click on it. It shows all intermediate station stops. Th e + becomes a “-“.
Click on the minus to hide the intermediate station stops. You don’t need track numbers or platform numbers because you are not changing at those intermediate stations.
At first, it certainly does seem overwhelming. And, to make it worse,the timetable has been dumbed down for smartphones with small screens. That process of revising the software is still underway. So, now and then, there are glitches, or those of us with old habits have trouble figuring out the software. ;-(
However, after you follow those steps a few times, it becomes intuitive.
And, once you know the platform numbers, you can find the track numbers on Google maps as Rockoyster described.. …often two tracks on the two sides of one platform, as at Spiez, where tracks 2 and 3 are on one platform. Just walk across the platform for that 3 minute change..
Trafimage maps will give you that, too, if there is one for your station.
I have described the screens that I get on my desktop computer. I have the smartphone app, but don’t use it unless forced to, so I don’t know how that process would work out on small screens. The logic would hold true, however.
Let us know if you still need some more help. I think I answered
<<“I see the platorms on the timetable but where do I see the track information on the train schedule?..”>>
but I may not have.
Slowpoke
Hi Charwinelove
If you have time to extend your journey, I strongly recommend taking the route Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Kandersteg – Spiez. It will still be two trains, but you will see some amazing scenery. The new direct fast route from Visp to Spiez is at a lower level, and mostly in a very long tunnel, whereas the old Lötschberg tunnel route climbs very steeply out of Brig, with wonderful views of the Rhone Valley, crests the summit high up near picturesque Kandersteg, then descends via a spectacular series of loops and reverses to Spiez. Well worth the extra hour or so if you can.
The short run from Spiez to Interlaken and the valley journey to Lauterbrunnen are both very attractive. Enjoy.
John
Wow,,,,,this is intense..
I have been working on the Montreaux station as we arrive from Goldenpass line at Platorm 6 for MOB Panoramic train.
We then need to get to Cully so I searched Montreaux to Luasaunne via Cully and got S3 train at 16:56 heading in the direction of Allaman on SBB Timetable it says it leaves Platform ONE but the information on the train station map doesn’t show platforms it only shows Tracks l – 8
Still don’t understand the difference between a platform and a track. Where are the Platforms at Montreaux or are they one and the same….
You can safely assume the terms platforms and tracks are interchangeable. Slowpoke will no doubt have a more thorough explanation.
Interestingly Google Maps does not show ether numbers for Montreux so my earlier theory has holes.
<<“You can safely assume the terms platforms and tracks are interchangeable.”>>
That is the best bet.
<<“<<‘Slowpoke will no doubt have a more thorough explanation.”>>
Wish I did.
I don’t understand the apparent anomalies and ambiguities in the naming conventions.
May there is some confusion from translation.
I any case, there will be lots of signs and where you have to go will be rather obvious. None of these stations is very large, or confusing, except for Zürich.
Slowpoke
>> Still don’t understand the difference between a platform and a track. Where are the Platforms at Montreaux or are they one and the same….
It’s just a cultural/language difference. English, German and French all have different words for platform (where the passengers wait) and track (on which the train travels). However, how the words are used differs.
In English, the convention is to say a train arrives on/departs from a platform. We understand that the train will be on the track beside the platform, not on the actual platform itself.
In German, when referring to where a train will arrive or depart, the convention is to refer to the Gleis, i.e. the track, rather than the Bahnsteig or Perron (platform). In French-speaking Switzerland, they refer to the “voie“, which also means “track”.
For a tourist, the terms are interchangeable.
Alpenrose
Thank you John I will check that out and see how long of a train ride it is for us from Zermatt to Lauterbrunnen on July 15th. .We are thinking of leaving around 15:00… When inputting that into the schedule from all the great advice I have received I understand I would put Zermatt to Lauterbrunnen via Kandersteg and that would give me the most scenic route.
I appreciate your response and all the other fabulous responses I have received. I couldn’t travel with the support of trip advisor participants/experts. Thank you
Alpenrose has hit the nail on the head – platform and track can be taken to mean the same thing for passengers. It’s just a question of semantics. In the UK, platform is generally used, possibly because the platform height is so much taller than on the continent of Europe, so it’s the bit of railway infrastructure that passengers associate with.
Amusingly, it’s common here to refer to ‘the train on platform one’, quite a physical feat! I recently asked a member of station staff which platform my train was on. He said – either one or two, but not both, unless the train has come in sideways.
In the US, I imagine the term Track is more common, as in Chattanooga Choo Choo – ‘Track twenty-nine’.
Even without maps, directions around Swiss stations are very clear and easy to understand.
John
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