Switzerland is where French, German and Italian Europe connect in one unique country. For travellers seeking Alpine adventure, it’s a peerless destination, with plenty to offer history buffs, foodies, art and culture lovers, and so much more. One of Switzerland’s great hidden heroes however is its Alpine train network, best experienced with the Swiss Travel Pass. Cutting through the nation’s towering peaks, a Swiss train trip takes in sweeping views of lakes, villages and valleys at any time of year, with plenty of easy connections across the country to get travellers on track.
What sets Switzerland stands apart from its neighbours
A member of the Schengen Zone, but not of the EU or Eurozone, Switzerland likes to do things a bit differently. While neighbours like France, Italy, Germany and Austria each have their own stunning Alpine regions, in Switzerland’s case, it’s the entire country, meaning any train network here had unique challenge to meet. Still, you’d expect the country that invented the ski-lift to know a thing or two about moving people through the mountains. Switzerland’s rail network is the world’s densest by area and plays a vital role in day-to-day public transit, making Switzerland Europe’s capital of train travel for railway miles covered per capita. Best of all, your Swiss Travel Pass includes unlimited travel by train, bus or boat.
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Zurich: Gateway to Northern Switzerland
Zurich is Switzerland’s largest air hub and most likely arrival point for North American travellers. Unfortunately, travellers have a bad habit of boarding a train immediately and leaving it behind. More than just a city of bankers, Zurich is a treasure trove for travellers looking to explore Swiss culture and cuisine. Curious travellers and families can also spend a day exploring the University of Zurich’s superb free museums. We’d also recommend the Swiss National Museum, the Museum of Art and the Pavilion Le Corbusier in any case, but if you’ve picked up a Swiss Travel Pass, your tickets to these attractions are also included, blending a little more Swiss culture into your Alpine sightseeing.
Lucerne offers a quieter pace, closer to the Alps, with awesome mountain excursions that make the most of Switzerland’s beauty. The Gotthard Panorama Express combines a boat and train ride for the ultimate experience of its namesake lake and surrounding mountains. Mount Rigi offers incredible views over Lake Lucerne and the Alps. The Stanserhorn cable car offers the unique experience of an open-air upper deck, while Stoos invites you to ride the world’s steepest funicular from Schwyz. By the way, your Swiss Travel Pass includes these three mountain excursions, so make sure you spend enough time in the area to do them all. A good rainy-day option in Lucerne is the Swiss Museum of Transport, which tells the incredible story of Switzerland’s rail network alongside many others.
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Interlaken and the Bernese Oberland
The mighty mountains and glaciers of the Bernese Oberland are easily reached via the Luzern-Interlaken Express. This region contains many of the country’s most famous mountains, cog railways and scenic attractions, including Eiger and Jungfrau. The famous Jungfraujoch Railway takes close to a million visitors to the summit each year. It’s the highest railway in Europe and currently the ninth highest in the world, and includes the Eiger Express cableway, opened in 2020.
Jungfraujoch remains popular for good reason. Even in winter, when the green slopes of the Oberland are blanketed white, the views from ‘The Top of Europe’ (Their words. Sorry Mt Blanc!) are spectacular, and include the Aletsch Glacier, the largest in Europe. We recommend going early in the morning for a more tranquil experience! Winter is also a quieter time for crowds, attracting more domestic tourists and skiers. Tobogganing and exploring ice caves are highlights of this time of year, though even in summer, it’s cold at 3,463m/11,362ft above sea level. The ice caves are also open year-round, so travellers will want to pack accordingly. As for that ticket price, the Swiss Travel Pass offers a sizeable discount, making it an ideal addition for travellers already using the rail system.
The Oberland rewards exploring at lower altitudes too. Picture-perfect Swiss villages, some of which can only be reached by public transit, remind travellers that amid all that spectacular scenery, Swiss mountain culture is alive and thriving, balancing technology with tradition. The extreme geography of the Alps has also created natural wonders such as Aare Gorge and of course, all the mountain hikes one could possibly crave, each with its own unique discoveries.
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Magical Montreux and Lake Geneva
If Lake Geneva conjures images of the Jet d’Eau de Genève spurting high above its namesake city skyline, let us introduce you to its eastern shores, where Montreux invites travellers to discover the Swiss Riviera. If the name seems to evoke Southern France, it’s because we’re in the heart of French Switzerland now, where romance, fine wine and food, châteaux, and creative celebrity all come together in yet more spectacular Swiss countryside. Even getting to Montreux from Bernese Oberland is a pleasure aboard the GoldenPass Express, a panoramic train that opens up the southwestern part of Switzerland in all its glory.
Many have fallen in love with Montreux over the years, including the rock band Queen, who are honoured with an interactive museum and a fetching statue of Freddie Mercury. Jazz is the city’s first musical love, however, with Montreux’s Jazz Festival drawing a quarter of a million people to the city each July. A boat ride on Lake Geneva, or even just a walk along its shores is a must, and there’s no better place to spend sunset in Montreux than near Castle Chillon.
Montreux itself can be seen comfortably in one day, allowing plenty of time for visiting Switzerland’s wineries, embarking on day trips to Gruyères (home of the cheese… and also a Swiss chocolate train), the spectacular Peak Walk, which connects the viewpoints of Scex Rouge and Glacier 3000, the Olympic City of Lausanne and its popular Olympic Museum, or even the city of Geneva, which has nonstop flights to destinations in both the USA and Canada.
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15 Perfect Days in Switzerland
Being punctual doesn’t mean we rush in Switzerland! With so many fascinating attractions, gorgeous views, outdoor experiences and Alpine towns to take in, one piece of advice prevails. Take your time! 15 days is an ideal length for getting your bearings in Zurich, basking in the beauty of Lucerne, and exploring the blockbuster views of the Bernese Oberland before finishing up enjoying the finer side of Montreux and the Vaud region.
Goway’s Grand Swiss Rail Adventure is the perfect Swiss rail vacation for first-timers, or return travellers who want to experience some of the country’s most scenic train journeys.
Christian’s first globetrotting adventure saw him get lost exploring the streets of Saigon. Following his nose to Asia’s best coffee, two lifelong addictions were born. A freelance writer and novelist, Christian’s travels have since taken him around his native Australia, Asia, Europe, and much of North America. His favourite trips have been through Japan, Spain, and Brazil, though with a love of off-beat, artsy cities, he’ll seize any opportunity to return to Paris, New York, or Berlin.
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