I realize this is a very specific question, but it involves taking the train to the GENEVA airport, then making a 4 PM flight (with 2 hours from train to plane) vs a 9 PM flight (with 7 hours from train to plane) to Barcelona from Terminal 1 during mid-September. I will need to check luggage.
I'm hoping to take a very scenic route in the morning (1st leg is the Golden Pass line from Zweisimmen to Montreux). Or I could take a less scenic route from Spiez via Bern that would arrive at Geneva Airport train station an hour earlier, with three hours from train to plane.
Or - here's another option: Is taking the scenic route from Zweisimmen to Montreux worth sticking around the airport for a long while (7 hours from train to plane), and arriving in Barcelona at 11:30 PM? (Not thrilled about arriving so late.)
Oh - and I saw that one can pay for expedited security in advance at Geneva Airport. Is that worth it, no matter when my flight departs? Again, I'll be traveling mid-September. Thank you for any help you may be able to provide.
Posted by
Green Bay
22429 posts
Where are you starting from? Zweisimmen?
Generally, 2 hours is adequate for a flight within Schengen.
Posted by
Wengen
3301 posts
a 9PM flight does not imply 7 hours between train and plane, as you can just take a later train the airport. The Golden Pass route runs every hour.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Yes, originating in Zweisimmen. There’s only one train via Montreaux that morning. Glad you feel two hours would be adequate.
Re: other reply, yes, there are other trains going hourly from Zweisimmen to Geneva Airport, but in the opposite direction, via Bern. That’s always an option, if I feel two hours would be too tight.
The seven-hour wait at the airport would be if I wanted to cover my bets by taking a later flight. But I’ve already talked myself out of that because I would arrive in Barcelona at 23:30! Anyway, thank you for weighing in, everyone!
Posted by
Green Bay
22429 posts
You say you have a very specific question, but you don't give us a specific date, just a general "mid-September".
I look at every day between Sunday, September 14 to Sunday, September 21, and I see trains via Montreux at 8:02, 9:02, and 10:02, all getting you to Geneva Airport in 4 hours. So if you are worried, why not just take the 9:02 train?
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
12737 posts
Presumably you are on the easyjet flight that departs at 355PM?
You are aware the plane door closes 30 minutes early?
Gates close promptly 30 minutes before your departure.
https://www.easyjet.com/en/help/boarding-and-flying/boarding-and-on-board-services
Have checked bag(s)?
Only you know your comfort zone of 'too close'.
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Hi, Everyone - Thank you for your input! I guess I was seeing only the Express golden pass trains from Zweisimmen to Montreaux on the SBB website. Which is why I though I had only one option that morning, the train that left at roughly 10:00. Nice to know (via the website of just the Golden Pass trains) that there are other trains that follow the same route, although not express. And very good to know that Easy Jet airlines closes the door 30 minutes ahead of time. Thank you for looking that up - an excellent tip! I'll definitely give myself more than 2 hours from airport train station arrival to plane departure.
Posted by
Green Bay
22429 posts
The "Express" only means that it is a though train from Interlaken, and thus has dual-gauge bogies. Until the last year or so, coming from Interlaken, you always had to change trains at Zweisimmen because the tracks from Interlaken are standard gauge and the tracks to Montreux are meter gauge. Now that they have a handful of these dual-gauge train sets, a couple runs a day are "Express" and people do not have to change trains at Zweisimmen. But since you are starting in Zweisimmen, it makes no difference to you.
Posted by
Wengen
3301 posts
Thank you for your input! I guess I was seeing only the Express golden
pass trains from Zweisimmen to Montreaux on the SBB website.
That is odd, as the SBB website will show all trains on that route. And there are plenty. The SBB planner has basically the totality of all public transport in Switzerland in its database. If it exists, it is there. If it is not there, it does not exist...
So just leave 9:02, and you will be fine.