We will be leaving Wengen 3rd week of September to continue trip to Italy. I would like to take the GE from andermatt to Chur or St Mortiz . The next day we will travel via Bernina Express to Tirano to begin A week in Italy.
My question is what is the best and fastest way to get from Lauterbrunnen to Andermatt?
Lauterbrunnen - Brig and take GE from there? Or
Lauterbrunnen- Zurich - Andermatt?
I appreciate your recommendations.
SBB says to take the 8:32 departure from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost, then Spiez and to Brig, arriving there at 10:11 to catch the Glacier Express as it stops there at 10:18.
Quick response- stay in Pontresina, not Chur or St. Moritz. Pontresina is much more charming. Safe travels!
I've only taken it once and it was a long time ago, but it seems to me that the part of the route between Andermatt and Brig was the best part. So I suggest starting from Brig.
Thanks everyone. I’ll plan on taking the GE from Brig to either chur or St Moritz. We’re so excited to be going !
I'd normally support Lola in everything Switzerland but in this case I would advise a longer connection in Brig to connect to the Glacier Express. That will mean getting up earlier.
The reason is that while 7 minutes is often loads of time to change trains, particularly in a station as small as Brig, but the problem is that the red trains of the Glacier Express actually start (Brig is the originating station) out in the middle of the road outside the station and if I remember correctly a hundred metres or so down the road.
I expect that 7 minutes is doable but you'll need to be quick off the train, down the stairs, through the tunnel and outside and down the street to the train - if you are well prepared, no luggage, and know what you're doing.
By the way, the full length of the Glacier Express is a really long pull. I love trains and I love Swiss trains (worked on trains for decades in the UK and the US) but even for me it was too much. I've done the western half and part of the eastern half and that was plenty. The Bernina Express route however is one of my absolute favourites. I could be on it for days if it were possible.
I think it is the difference of going at a fairly continuous high elevation and in pretty much a straight line, Glacier Express (although the ice lakes are fun), vs. winding in and out of curved tunnels, around mountains, up and down, the Bernina Express.
By the way, the local trains go the same speed and the same views as the named trains.
Nigel, I could also ride the Bernina Express for days!!!
Nigel hit the nail on the head regarding the change time at Brig. Inside of Brig station is all standard gauge tracks and the narrow gauge tracks that the GE travels on are out in the middle of the street outside the front of the station. The Ge actually originates in Zermatt and uses the narrow gauge tracks down to Brig and continue up the valley to Andermatt.
Here is a picture of the street in front of Brig station. Note the platforms to the left where the GE stops.
https://www.google.com/maps/@46.318921,7.9883024,3a,75y,319.92h,91.94t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sEOp76TY57yqpSGx7r1kdOQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3DEOp76TY57yqpSGx7r1kdOQ%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D120.62342%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
If you adjust the transfer time to minimum of 10 minutes, you'll see you can leave Wengen at 7:43 and have VERY comfortable connections at Lauterbrunnen, Interlaken Ost, Spiez and Brig.
BTW, having taken it fairly recently (last 10 years) the best part IMO is the section from Andermatt to Chur. That way goes over the Oberalp pass which is quite scenic. From Brig to Andermatt after a long stretch up the valley you go through the long Furka Tunnel to Andermatt.
Is there a way to get to Andermatt from either Lauterbrunnen or Montreux ( incase we change the order of our trip) that requires less time and avoids Brig?
The Brig route is what came up as the best when I put in Lauterbrunnen to Andermatt—-I did not try to favor going to Brig or get you to the Glacier Express specifically. I don’t understand why you want to avoid it.
But if you want to go another way, you can make SBB show you other routes by putting in an intermediate stop. Here is the map of the Swiss rail system so you see what might work:
Putting in Luzern (the logical choice) as an intermediate stop between Lauterbrunnen and Andermatt, you will see routes that get you to Andermatt in a minimum time of 4h 34 min, with 3 or 4 changes: Interlaken Öst, Luzern, and Göschenen at a minimum; sometimes Arth-Goldau as well. Going via Göschenen routes you on the Gotthard Pass route, avoid the faster Gotthard Basistunnel which goes under the Alps, bypassing Andermatt altogether.
Just remember to check the Glacier Express schedule to see what time it departs Andermatt so you don’t miss it—-unless you are content with a regional train. In September there should be 2 GE trains a day, departing Andermatt eastbound at 10:54 and 11:54.
Starting at Montreux, the fasted time to Andermatt is 3hr 3 min, with a single change at Brig. This one departs Montreux at 8:42, arriving at Brig at 10:02, giving you 16 minutes to catch the Glacier Express departing at 10:18. This is the same train you would meet at Andermatt if you skip Brig and go the other way. In summer it is the later GE, listed on the schedule as PE 902. Reservations are required on this train, but not on the regional,trains.
If you are doing this and the Glacier Express portion to St. Moritz all in one day, I suggest you keep the travel time to meet the Glacier Express to a minimum. Or consider riding a regular regional train on the route ( same tracks, same scenery) as Nigel suggested. If you end at Chur and overnight there, that will shorten the day’s journey and you can start your Bernina Express trip the next day.
Note that the famed Landwasser viaduct is on the section between Thusis and St. Moritz, so you will see it on either from the Glacier Express or the Bernina Express. We like sitting toward the back of the train so you can see the front of the train rounding the curve ahead of you. (Weride the regional train on the Bernina route, so I don’t know if this works on the Bernina Express panoramic cars.)
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/experiences/rhaetian-railways-landwasser-viaduct/
