Regular trains on Glacier Express route off season

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    1 April 2018 at 17:19:01 #815091

    Hi, I have booked my trip to Switzerland and planned an itinerary for 12 days. Zurich-lucerne-montreux-zermatt-chur-zurich. I had wanted to take the Golden Pass and Glacier Express.

    However, I read that the Glacier Express won’t run between Oct and early Dec. So i would have to take the regular trains from Zermatt to Chur on 3 Dec 2018.

    1. May I know if the regular trains have open windows that will open to allow me to see the scenery? i can’t find pictures of the regular trains and their windows.

    2.Will the trains zip by so fast that phototaking is not possible?

    3. If i am taking the normal seats, is it safe to get onto a regular train without reservations?

    Thanks!

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    rockoyster
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    1 April 2018 at 21:28:01 #880645

    Hello Chloe and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

    1. Some trains have opening windows but your fellow travellers may not appreciate you opening them if it is sub-zero outside. 😎

    2. The scenery is off in the distance so it should be OK. Even on the Panoramic trains photography can be problematic.

    3. Yes.

    If you want to follow that route at that time of year your only choice is regular trains. This thread may be useful http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/how-to-take-the-7-day-tour-in-late-october.

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    2 April 2018 at 2:05:24 #880646

    Hi Chloe,

    >> So i would have to take the regular trains from Zermatt to Chur on 3 Dec 2018. 1. May I know if the regular trains have open windows that will open to allow me to see the scenery? i can’t find pictures of the regular trains and their windows.

    I have attached a photo of a window in a regional train.

    You can see photos taken through the (closed) windows of a regional train attached to my post of Jan 9, 2018 – 3:27 AM on the following page:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/planning-3-days-in-switzerland-must-sees

    There are some more photos here, some of which were also taken through the closed windows of a regional train:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/train-across-the-oberalppass-on-a-gloomy-day

    >> 2.Will the trains zip by so fast that phototaking is not possible?

    No, this is a mountain route, single track for most of the way, with climbs, descents, curves and viaducts. It is not a suitable track for high-speed trains. Sometimes the train will stop for a while on a short section of dual track to allow a train from the other direction to pass. It also stops at most stations along the way, unlike the Glacier Express.

    >> 3. If i am taking the normal seats, is it safe to get onto a regular train without reservations?

    Reservations are not possible on the regional trains. Services leave hourly throughout the day, so there is no shortage of seats.

    Alpenrose

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    2 April 2018 at 2:37:15 #880647

    Thanks so much for the info! I will make good use of the time table in the website for the rest of my planning.

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    2 April 2018 at 3:21:12 #880648

    Hi, I have another query. Besides Andermatt, is there another town along the way to Chur where you think will be open to tourists? My timing in Switzerland seems off. I would like to see sights and some light walks/hikes. Thanks!

    *Please ignore attachment. I can’t take it out.

    rockoyster
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    8889 posts
    2 April 2018 at 3:47:23 #880649

    Going from Zermatt to Chur, Brig is quite nice. I never stopped anywhere else along the route.

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    2 April 2018 at 3:50:37 #880650

    Thanks!!

    rockoyster
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    2 April 2018 at 9:56:35 #880651

    Hi Alpenrose,

    I’ve been wondering for a while at exactly what point one gets promoted. Now I know. Oh, and the earlier “Richie Benaud” Commemorative ranking. See attached.

    LOL. My work here is done! 😇

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    3 April 2018 at 3:41:03 #880652

    Hi, Rockoyster

    Congratulations to your work and contribution to this Forum.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    3 April 2018 at 17:50:35 #880653

    Well done Rockoyster! No, your work here is not done 🙂

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    3 April 2018 at 23:36:38 #880654

    congratulations Rockoyster! And thank you! Love your style as well as the useful info!

    Maggie

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    3 April 2018 at 23:38:06 #880655

    Hi Arno

    You also reached a massive milestone too! Congratulations and thanks!

    Maggie

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    4 April 2018 at 0:10:06 #880656

    Thanks MaRock, Arno and Maggie.

    I started off just seeing out how many posts I had to do to click over to expert status. Now I are one!

    I’ve a great deal more to learn and many more trips to Switzerland to take before I could contemplate claiming to be an expert. But if the forum software wants to credit me with that status I won’t knock it back.

    Meantime I’ll keep answering the simple questions and letting truly experienced experts – Alpenrose, Slowpoke, Snowman, Peterlii, Kim and others as well as the moderators fill out the details.

    Learning all the time.

    Removed user
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    4 April 2018 at 7:03:53 #880657

    Congratulations! No resting on your laurels though …. 🙂

    Alpenrose

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