Bern to Zermatt

Do you perhaps mean Basel, rather than Bern. The river in Bern is only navigable by canoe?

But from Basel, you would go to Bern on the train, then change to the Loetscheberger train to Brig. If you use www.sbb.ch/en to plan your route, put in "via Kandersteg". That will route you on the Loetschberger, which uses an older route that is mostly over the mountains and more scenic than the new route which uses a base tunnel that bores completely under the mountains. That way is faster, so the website will want to route that way, thus you have to request specifically to go through Kandersteg. At Brig, you board the train to Zermatt in the street in front of the main station.

There are luggage bays for large bags at the ends of the cars, and overhead racks for carry-on size things. On the Loetschberger sit on the right side for views of the mountains across the valley as you go down the "ramp" on the side of the mountain into Brig.

I concur with what Sam said.

• There are no riverboats in Bern. If this is a Rhine cruise boat, the terminus is Basel.
• You can look up Basel to Zermatt on the SBB website ( https://www.sbb.ch/en ). 1or 2 departures per hour, and it takes just under 3½ hours.
  • That is the quickest route via the new Lötschberg base tunnel. If you want more scenery at the expense of time, use the older shorter Lötschberg tunnel.
• For views, after Bern the lake is on the left. However if you take the old Lötschberg tunnel the views are on the right after the tunnel (you can't win)
  • And the train changes direction in Bern. So if you leave Basel facing forward on the left of the train, you will be on the right facing backwards after Bern.

"room for our luggage" - standard comment about luggage on trains; you carry it yourself. You are responsible for carry in it through the station, onto the train (steps up) and stowing it either in the overhead racks or at the end of the coach. Do not leave luggage in the aisles or on seats. If you can carry it yourselves, finding room it is not a problem.

A great source of information about trains is The Man In Seat 61. Here's his page on luggage on trains, complete with pictures so you know what to expect: https://www.seat61.com/luggage-on-european-trains.htm.

I am so sorry.... I misspoke! We are disembarking from our riverboat in Basel and then continuing our tour to Bern where the tour ends. We are then going on to Zermatt. The information you gave was so helpful. Thanks to you all!!