Mont Blanc Express to Martigny?

It is worth it ! the train climbs up into the mountains on the edge of the Trient Valley ( rack rail at that point ) and the view is dramatic . Sit on the right going toward Martigny , on the left returning to Chamonix . There are little villages up there in the heights , that are worth a stop or two before arriving at Martigny . Also , The Mer de Glace rack rail from Chamonix is also a great ride , The view at the top recalls the view from the top of the Jungfraujoch , not quite as spectacular , but not a slouch either ! http://www.mont-blanc-express.com/cms --http://www.chamonix.com/montenvers-mer-de-glace,81,en.html

Yes...the journey is beautiful!
Once you get to Martigny you can spend some time in this small, overlooked town. It has a very "real" downtown core that is quite lovely (and lively!) with nice cafes and shops. You can also visit the museum of the St. Bernard Dog in town...the actual monastery where the dogs were originally bred (and still are) is high in the mountains nearby but you can visit the museum in town if you're interested. There is also a small Roman amphitheater next to the museum and a nice castle on the hill above town that you can walk to.
If you want to change trains and go a bit further than Martigny, Montreux is just west of there with beautiful Chateau Chillon on Lake Geneva. The town of Sion is northeast of Martigny and is also quite nice. It has a lovely, medieval town core with two hills in the middle...one topped with a castle and the other with an ancient church.

We did a daytrip to Chateau de Chillon from Chamonix on a rainy day when we did not wish to hike. The train ride is fun and scenic, and the castle is well worth the time. I like Anita's suggestion of visiting the St. Bernard dog museum in Martigny as well.

Wow! Thanks Steven, Anita & Lola!

After reading your comments, we will certainly take the Mont Blanc Express to Martigny!
I have a few questions for you all.

Steven, which villages did you visit on the way toward Martigny?
Thanks for the tip about where to sit on the train for best views too.

Anita & Lola, did you visit Martigny, as well as Montreux on the same day?

Anita, if you had to choose one, which would you choose, Montreux or Sion?

Lola, Once you get to Montreux, did you take a bus or taxi to Chateau Chillon?

I'm also a bit confused... I thought the Mont Blanc Express (TER) travels directly to Martigny, however, according to the train timetables here, it appears that we'd have to transfer to a TMR train in Vallorcine, right?

Thank you once again! :-)

Priscilla,

I've never taken that particular trip, but a day trip from Chamonix to Chateau de Chillon is probably going to be a long day with several train changes. If you arrive at the Chateau at about lunch time, you might want to pack some food along, as there are no food facilities there aside from vending machines.

Visiting the Chateau is much easier from either Lausanne or Montreux, and a pleasant journey if using the boats from Lausanne (especially the Belle Epoque steam paddlewheelers).

Several of the villages worth time - Finhaut , Les Marecottes and Salvan . Also , the switch to the TMRSA train at Vallorcine is simple , just a cross platform change .

You may or may not have to change at Chatelard. The extra line in the timetable is there just to indicate the change in the train's official running number as it crosses the border.

Until a few years ago everybody had to change at Chatelard due to differences between the French and Swiss sections of the railway (the French bit has third rail electrification and the Swiss bit overhead, the Swiss section is partially rack (cog) operated, there were signalling differences) but more recently new trains have been acquired that operate over the whole length of the route. However, there aren't enough of them to operate all journeys and you may still have to change.

Ken, thanks for your insight!
I agree with you, it would be a long day to go all the way to Montreux form Chamonix.
I think we will visit Martigny & some villages along the way as Steven has suggested.

Steven, thanks for the recommendations on the villages worth visiting!
Did you visit them on the way to Martigny or on the way back to Chamonix?

Do you know if we can get on & off with the same train ticket, or will be need to buy new tickets every time we get on & off on this route?

Philip, thanks for explaining about the trains on this route! I wasn't sure if we'd have to change trains or the train #'s just changed.

I have another question...

I will need to get some Swiss Francs for this day trip, do you recall any convenient ATMs at the train station, in Martigny, or in any of the villages along the way?

Thanks again! :-)

From Annecy, you could train to Laussane, around 2 hrs , then take the ferry as Ken mentions, about 1 1/2 hrs.

Priscilla,

If you're just buying a meal, use a credit card and that way you won't have to worry about currency exchange. If you're prefer to have a few Swiss Francs on hand, check at the Tourist Info office. I don't know how current this information is, but they may be able to provide currency......

"The Tourist Office in Chamonix is located on the Place du Triangle just opposite the Place de L’Eglise and St. Michael’s Church. This office is open daily from 8:30am until 12:30pm and then again from 2pm to 7pm. During July and August there are extended hours. They stay open from 8:30am until 7:30pm. This is a good place to visit if you are in need of exchanging currency, and all the banks are closed. They have a currency exchange desk which is open during the normal hours."

There's also this....

"There is a Bureau de Change located on Place Balmat, the main square in the centre of Chamonix, as well as several banks and a Post Office where you can change money. Cash points in the centre of town are numerous and in Les Houches and Argentière this is one of the easiest ways to obtain Euros using a credit or debit card. Please note that most banks in France close on Sundays, Mondays and all public holidays. They also take the traditional lunch break of 12am to 2pm, so if you need to speak to a cashier make sure you have checked their opening times first. This should not affect the availability of cash points."

The exchange rates may not be "optimum" but for a small amount of Francs, that's not really a big deal.

Anita & Lola, did you visit Martigny, as well as Montreux on the same day?
We did not go to these two towns from Chamonix in one day but I think you could do it. My suggestion would be to take the train to Martigny and have lunch there. Then get on the train to Montreux and then see Chateau Chillon. This would all depend on the train schedules and whether you could piece it together with the right timing so you aren't waiting around too much for the next train or rushing through the chateau to get to the train back to Martigny/Chamonix.

Anita, if you had to choose one, which would you choose, Montreux or Sion?
They are both just very different experiences. If you want to see Lake Geneva and Chateau Chillon, which are both well worth seeing, then you should go there. The chateau has interesting graffiti in the basement left by prisoners and famous visitors, interesting collections of furniture, and it's in a fairytale-like setting that really is quite unique.
I like Sion because it is not nearly as touristy as Montreux and Chateau Chillon - I have never run into another American while there and we spent quite a bit of time there when we stayed in a neighboring village for a month one summer. It's definitely off the main tourist track except for other Europeans. The ruined chateau on the one hill in town is fascinating with extremely old frescoes, some of which a caretaker needs to let you in to see...pretty amazing stuff. The Valere Basilica, on the hill next to the chateau, dates from the 11th century and is little changed. The interior is extremely well-preserved. The oldest working organ in Europe is played regularly. The original medieval town core surrounds these two hills and lower down is the "newer" town from the 1700s. It's a great place to spend a day or even just an afternoon. Check out this picture. What this picture doesn't show are the miles and miles of vineyards and orchards in this valley and how beautiful they are.
Tough choice!!

Gerri,
Thanks for the information!

Ken,
It's good to know that I may be able to get some Swiss francs in Chamonix. Thanks!

Anita,
Wow! Sion looks & sounds like a very charming town. How long is the uphill trek to reach the castle in Sion?
The trail looks pretty steep, is it? Thanks again for suggesting this beautiful medieval town!