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Good morning everyone
3 weeks until we leave for Switzerland, so I’m getting down to the nitty gritty now.I just have a couple of random questions and checking of my plans for you all.
1. Can you please advise for the route Locarno to Domodossola to Zermatt is the earliest bus for the section Domodossola to Brig, over the pass at 10.50am. I would like to take this option but it appears that the earliest bus leaves Domodossola too late at 10.50am. We only have 1 night in Zermatt so looking like we will take the train the whole way and that way we can arrive in Zermatt at 12.51, rather than 2.51.
2. We are planning to walk from Rotenboden to Riffelalp to Riffelberg and then on to Sunnegga, and then down by the underground funicular! so really want to have maximum time in Zermatt and allow that first afternoon and the next morning as a back up to try and fit this walk in. Hope the weather plays ball! Hope I’m not being too ambitious with this walk, looks easy/medium on paper. But it does seem if we get too pooped there is always a handy cable car to hop in! 3-4 hours about our timeframe for walks.
3. Mt Tiltlis. Train, cable car , bus to Sarner to Stockalp to Melchsee-Frutt and walk to Engstlensee and take cable car to Jochpass and down to Trubsee, up to Mt Titlis and back to Trubsee and walk and gondola down to Engleberg. Sound Ok?
4. On our day from Zermatt to Murren (7 train changes ) i am going to express the luggage ahead. Can you please tell what time the Murren train station closes? I can’t see it on the SBB site anywhere.
5. This one for Slowpoke who gave me much advice a few months back when I was obsessing over the Urmiberg gondola. We are going to boat to Vitznau, cog wheel to walk Rigi Kulm, walk to Rigi Kaltbad, to Rigi First, walk along the Felsenweg to Schild, to Unterstetten along the Seeweg to Scheidegg. Cable car to Krabel to Arth Goldau. 3-4 hours I hope?Train back to Luzern via Zug, very scenic wee trip I’ve read. Maybe even detour up Zugberg after reading a post last week. But there is also the option to continue on to Brunnen and the Urmiberg gondola if we have the energy.
Have a lovely day and thanks for taking the time, I hope, to read this
Regards
Marg
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Hi Marg,
I’m not sure if it is the correct pass you want to Brig, but buses leave Domodossola to Brig at 7am and 10am in the morning. Is that what you are looking for? Of course there are many train options as well. You can find the transport options on the Swiss railways timetable here.
The trains I’ve found between Zermatt and Mürren require only 5 changes – are you sure it is 7?
The Mürren train station is open for baggage from 07:35 – 11:50 & 13:45 – 17:45
When you are on the SBB website click stations & Services and then search for Mürren.I’ll leave the hiking questions for Slowpoke – it seems like you’ve chatted about these routes before and I am not familiar with them.
Cheers!
LucasHi Lucas
Thank you very much for replying.
Thanks for info on Murren station opening hours, we will make sure we arrive there before 5.30pm to collect our bags and yes only 5 changes….so much better! We might even catch the boat from Spiez to Interlaken West. Its looks a pretty cool alternative.
I am really struggling to get the train sorted. On 01.09.17 we want to go Locarno by Panoramic Centovalli train to Domodossola then by Postbus over the Simplon Pass to Brig, Visp and Zermatt. But whatever I do on the SBB website i cant get it to come up any earlier than a 8.50 departure form Locarno which doesn’t bring up the Postbus section. And I’m sure I read somewhere not to go via Iselle. Could you possibly just have a wee look please and see if it is possible to do this route and still arrive in Zermatt at a reasonable time.
And do we need to book seats on the section from Brig to Zermatt as that is on the Glacier express?
thanks heaps
Marg
Hi Marg,
>> On 01.09.17 we want to go Locarno by Panoramic Centovalli train to Domodossola then by Postbus over the Simplon Pass to Brig, Visp and Zermatt. But whatever I do on the SBB website i cant get it to come up any earlier than a 8.50 departure form Locarno which doesn’t bring up the Postbus section… And do we need to book seats on the section from Brig to Zermatt as that is on the Glacier express?
The first PostBus from Domodossola over the Simplon Pass to Brig leaves at 12:50. The best connection from Locarno on the Centovalli train would be the 10:50 departure, which gets you to Domodossola at 12:36.
At Brig, you have the choice of the Glacier Express at 14:45, for which reservations are compulsory, or a regional train at 14:49, which doesn’t require reservations, but you do have to change trains again at Visp. The regional train arrives in Zermatt 4 minutes after the Glacier Express.
If you want to get to Zermatt any earlier, you will need to take a train from Domodossola through the Simplon Tunnel instead of the PostBus over the Simplon Pass.
Alpenrose
Hi alpenrose
thanks for your reply. I’m glad I wasn’t going nutty, there is no earlier bus. So we will check the web cams for Zermatt in the morning and go by train if cloudy or the longer scenic bus route if it’s a grotty day and no good for hiking anyway.
thank you very much for your time
regards
marg
Hello again,
what I meant to say, which you will have figured, is If it is a nice day we will go by train through tunnel.
I see there is a big festival in Interlaken during the week, we will be arriving in Interlaken from Zermatt on 9th September. Is it possible to book the regional trains from Zermatt to Murren, or not necessary?. Is there a limit on the number of people that can stand in a train? they just cram us in?
thanks
Marg
>> I see there is a big festival in Interlaken during the week, we will be arriving in Interlaken from Zermatt on 9th September.
Hi Marg,
It seems that the Jungfraumarathon is on on that day, and the SBB suggests allowing for a longer travel time.
According to forum member and Wengen expert Kim, the trains from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen will be crowded between about 9-11 am on marathon days, but things should calm down after that.
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/transportati on-on-day-of-jungfraujoch-marathon
>> Is it possible to book the regional trains from Zermatt to Murren, or not necessary?
It depends on what connections you take. Some sectors can be reserved, but not all, and not from Interlaken Ost onwards, which is likely to be the most crowded. The timetable will show what sectors can be reserved.
>> Is there a limit on the number of people that can stand in a train? they just cram us in?
It’s just up to individual people whether or not they want to try to squeeze onto a crowded train. With luggage, I would avoid it. You could consider upgrading to 1st class between Interlaken Ost and Lauterbrunnen if 1st class looked less crowded. After Lauterbrunnen most people would be heading for Wengen rather than Mürren, but there is no first class (and no reservations are possible) from Lauterbrunnen onwards anyway.
Alpenrose
Note that taking the Glacier Express from Brig to Zermatt is not an option, officially, as it only stops to allow people to get off the train. The stop is not for boarding. Apart from that the reservation fee would not be worth it for that short leg. A regional regular train is the best option there. Enjoy the ride!
Thanks Alpenrose.
I think I am over thinking it all. Note to self, take a chill pill we will be on holiday. Will just rock up to trains and see if we fit, or if not take the next one. We have a 15 day 1st class Swiss Travel Pass which sounds like will make a big difference anyway. We have no set arrival time in Murren.
and thanks Arno. I was trying to get on the GEX at Brig, to save us the change at Visp so that solves that problem thank you. regional train for us.
thanks
Marg
Hi Arno,
>> Note that taking the Glacier Express from Brig to Zermatt is not an option, officially, as it only stops to allow people to get off the train. The stop is not for boarding. Apart from that the reservation fee would not be worth it for that short leg
I agree with you about the reservation fee not being worth it, but according to my understanding of the timetable, this particular Glacier Express service officially allows boarding at Brig, although the later two services don’t.
I have attached a screenshot from the timetable, with half-circles showing stops at which only boarding or only alighting is permitted. For this train, Brig does not have the half-circle symbol, so my understanding is that boarding is unrestricted – for anyone with a reservation of course.
Alpenrose
Hmmm their timetable always drives me a little nuts 😉
Perhaps I will contact them to double check…typically I follow their timetable here.
If they list the train as arriving only (ARR) you can get off, but not on.
If it says (DEP) only you can get on, but not off (officially anyway…I don’t think they handcuff you to the train) 🙂Where is your timetable screenshot from?
Lucas
Hi Lucas,
>> Where is your timetable screenshot from?
It’s from the SBB Official Timetable at
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/ en/search-for.html
The specific page for the Glacier Express is at:
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/ fileadmin/fap_pdf_fiel ds/2017/144.pdf
The half-circles denote boarding-only (flat side on left) or alighting-only (flat side on right), as explained on this page:
rockoyster made a cheatsheet to make the explanation of symbols easier to read for English-speakers, and attached it to his post of Jul 26, 2017 – 3:20 on the following page:
Alpenrose
Interesting! I remember rockoyster’s cheat sheet but I’ve never used that website before.
I did email them this question to confirm what I currently understand….we’ll see what they say!
Lucas
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