Hi folks, I've been studying the SBB website to determine train routes for early June (I know I can't buy tickets yet), where daughter and I will be based in Gimmelwald for 5 days. Initially I wanted to do the scenic trains to get from Paris (start of trip) to Interlaken to arrive, and then Interlaken to Varenna on Lake Como as our next destination. I see that the scenic routes (Golden Pass and Gotthard Express) add a couple hours per trip and I'm thinking by that time my teenager will be sleeping anyway (haha) so why not just get there as fast as possible. Are there some routes that are faster but still with good scenery? For example, is going through Bern or Basil better or I could still route through Geneva and maybe get some scenery? And then going to Varenna, the fastest is regional train through Milan, but is there a scenery benefit in going to Lugano and then making our way to Varenna? As a final question, on the SBB, sometimes it shows a price and sometimes it just says purchase but no price listed. Why don't those routes have a price listed? Thank you all!
Posted by
Green Bay
21140 posts
Even if SBB shows a price, it is probably prefixed with the word "From" and you know what that means. You only get that price if you have a Half Fare Card, or it is a Super Saver ticket, only if bought nonrefundable in advance for that specific train, or both.
Click on the red ticket icon, enter your name and birthdate. Then you can adjust the inputs, like whether or not you have a Half Fare Card, and if you want a flexible ticket (point-to-point) or Super Saver ticket.
Personally, I'd take the fastest way, with a TGV to Basel, then train to Bern, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, then bus to Stechelberg and cable car to Gimmelwald.
Posted by
Bend, Oregon
2545 posts
Even routes that aren’t listed in those “scenic train ride” lists are scenic in Switzerland! The difference in time will be how the train gets over vs thru the alps. The slower, more scenic routes go up and over the mountains. The faster routes will include more time going through long tunnels.
Posted by
Wengen
2493 posts
There is no choice between "Bern or Basel" here, as the fast route to Interlaken goes through both Bern and Basel. And I would take just that. The best scenery doesn't start till you are very close to Interlaken anyway.
Regarding to Varenna: The most scenic way to get there is via the Bernina Railway. But in that case I would add at least a night (but maybe more) somewhere in the East. You could go to Pontresina, spend the night there, and then continue on to Varenna via the Bernina railway.