Golden Pass Express and Itinerary Help

It is a 3 1/4 hour trip on the direct trains from Interlaken Ost to Montreux, so it is certainly possible.

To see the direct connections only, go to www.sbb.ch/en. Put in Interlaken Ost to Montreux for your travel date starting at 6 am. Then click on "advance search". Scroll down, and under "Connections" click on the box "Direct Connections", then down to the red "Search" button and click. You will see all the direct trains. I see 4 right now for Sept 13. 9:08, 11:08, 14:08, and 16:08. Then click on "Change extended search" and reverse the routing by clicking on the squiggle between the start and end point. That will reverse the direction. Click search again and see the 4 return trains. 7:35, 9:35, 12:35, and 14:35.

So if you leave on the 9:08 train, you will get to Montreux at 12:20. returning on the 14:35 train. that gives 2 1/4 hours in Montreux, time enough for a leisurely lunch. Also, you do not necessarily have to return on a direct train. You could return as late as 18:50 by taking connections in Zweisimmen and Spiez, taking 3 hours and 54 minutes, time enough to get back to your location in the B.O.

Thank you so much Sam! Your answer is so helpful, and made it so much easier to figure out the SBB website!

Another question, would it be worth it to buy a Swiss Half Fare Card if we're traveling in and out of Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Mürren, and Gimmelwald for a couple of days? Or is there another pass that would be more cost effective?

That also brings up the question, how are you getting to Grindelwald to begin with and where are going afterward?

The itinerary is still a bit up in the air right now, but for now, our itinerary is as follows:
Day 1: Fly into Zürich
Day 2: Rent car and drive to Tübingen
Day 3: Tübingen and surrounding areas
Day 4: Garmisch-Partenkirchen
Day 5-8: Salzburg and surrounding areas
Day 9-10: Appenzell and surrounding areas
Day 11: Drive to Interlaken (turn car in to rental place) then take train to Lauterbrunnen
Day 12: Mürren/Gimmelwald
Day 13: Golden Pass Express to Montreux and back
Day 14: Grindelwald
Day 15: Fly out of Zürich
We're willing to move things around, or consider taking trains instead of driving. We were just trying to save time by driving up to Tübingen and down to Salzburg.

A Half Fare Card costs 120 CHF and only makes sense if you have more than 240 CHF of full fare Swiss train tickets per person. The full fare r/t ticket from Interlaken Ost to Montreux is 106 CHF, and the one way from Interlaken Ost to Zurich airport via Luzern (the scenic route) is 56 CHF. So it looks unlikely that a Half Fare Card would pay off, since the trips between Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald are not that much.

BTW, don't forget to purchase a 10-day Austrian Vignette windshield sticker for your car for 9.90 EUR. A car rented in Switzerland will have a Swiss vignette automatically.

Also, when you say "my family", what is the number and ages? That is an important factor in determining the best ticket strategy.

The half fare card is also valid on most (all?) mountain railroads and cable cars above Grindelwald and Appenzell so I think it is very likely to pay off!

Also, the Berner Oberland Pass could pay off. But the ages of the family members is key. Kids under 16 travel free with the Family Card, which you get when you get a Half Fare Card (on request).

Thank you Sam, and Balso!

There are only three of us, and we're all over the age of 25. So unfortunately, we would all need to buy our own pass. With us taking the cable cars and trains out of Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Mürren, and Appenzell, I wondered if the half fare card would pay off, but it might be cutting it close.

you must mean Grindelwald as one of the things you'll do from your existing lodgings? They are so close and so easy to connect you don't need to up sticks and move hotels. Just head over in that direction, if you still want to, and do stuff there and return to your hotel/alternate method lodging.

Thanks Nigel! That's correct! We're planning on staying in Mürren or Gimmelwald the whole time in the Berner Oberland area, and then just taking the cable cars or trains to the other areas.

The new Golden Pass Express train sets are gradually entering service. These are new, and they can adjust their wheelsets so that they can run both on the standard gauge and the narrow gauge network. That is what makes the direct trains possible.

Until the arrival of those trains you had to change trains at least once. You can still do that. If the direct train doesn't suit your schedule you can take one of the services that makes you change trains in Zweisimmen.

At the moment there is only one daily direct return service, but more direct trains are going to be added.

Last note: You do not need to return the same way. You can also return from Montreux to Interlaken via either Bern or Visp, which is usually faster. So you could take the slow train one way, and return by faster train. Do mention that to the ticket clerk when buying your ticket though.

You do not really need reservations on this train. Only if you want to have the fancy premium seats at the front.

Thank you WengenK! Your reply is very helpful!
I think we'll end up doing what you suggested, and take the Golden Pass there, and then take a faster route on the way back. That will hopefully give us a little more time to spend in Montreux.

A benefit of the faster ways back, is that you can either see the Valais (if you go via Visp) or see the Lavaux vineyards (if you go via Lausanne & Bern). The first option is faster, both are quite scenic.

Thank you Balso! Those both sound like great options. Do you prefer the train ride through the Valais or the Lavaux vineyards?

Another question for everyone - I just realized that Zermatt is only a two hour train ride from Interlaken. Would you prefer to spend two days in Appenzell and skip Zermatt, or have one day in Appenzell, and then take a day trip to Zermatt from Berner Oberland?

I much prefer the ride thru the Lavaux vineyards, plus you get to see them thru 2 angles: along the lake coming from Montreux to Lausanne (sit left for lake views), and from high up heading from Lausanne to Bern (sit right). A minor railway "cuts the corner" from Vevey to Puidoux (avoiding Lausanne) but it does not save time. You will have to specify that you go via Lausanne when buying a ticket!

besides Lausanne is well worth a stop off. Ride the funicular metro down to the water or up to the higher level - a great city for a long stay or short visit....

Thank you Balso and Nigel! I appreciate both of your help!

Thank you for the heads up myswisslife! I'll definitely book a reservation at least for the Golden Express train. My dad can't handle standing for very long, so I'll make sure to get a reservation.