I am purchasing a travel package for London to Paris to Rome, taking the night train (Artesia) between Paris and Rome, then flying from Rome home to the US. I'm trying to figure out how I can even get close enough to the Alps to see them from a distance. I'm traveling the last half of March. Is there a chance for me to see them even from the air on a plane flight with a connection in Vienna, Frankfurt, Munich for example?
Posted by
Danville, VT
12040 posts
If you pass through the Alps by train at night, you probably won't see much. I have found the view from night trains limited to about 20 meters beyond the track, with perhaps lit buildings a bit farther. Even standing still in Interlaken at night, the mountains are difficult to visualize without the help of the moon.
Supposedly, you can gaze upon the Alps on a clear day from high points in Munich (like the belltowers of the Frauenkirch), but I have never seen them from here. In my experience, the Alps first appear visible well to the south of the city.
The Alps are not visible from Vienna or Frankfurt.
Posted by
Cleveland, USA
61 posts
We saw them very well from the plane last spring. We were on KLM, with plane changes in their hub city of Amsterdam. We flew over them on the Amsterdam to Milan, and Rome to Amsterdam legs of the flight.
Posted by
Wilmington, DE, USA
712 posts
We saw the Alps looking down from our plane from Paris to Rome this past September. We flew over them about 3 PM in the afternoon in Sept. and it was a crystal clear day. My husband held our digital camera to the window and got beautiful pictures and video clips. We were very lucky, they could have been covered with clouds. Try to get a window seat and hope for good weather. If you are flying non-stop home from to US, I am not sure if they go over the Alps.
We were flying Phila to Paris and then changed planes Paris to Rome and the pilot told everyone to look out the window.
Posted by
OP
Mesa
3 posts
Thanks for the good responses. One more question. If I take a day Lyria TGV rail from Paris to Zurich, will I have a good (or any) view of the Alps along the way?