We will be in Zurich for tree days in early September. This will be our first experience in Switzerland. My wife wants to take a scenic train ride for one day. What would everyone recommend. I see that the Golden Pass leaves Zurich and travels to Bern to Interlaken and back. Another way is to take a regular train to Luzern and take the Golden Pass to Interlaken and back. Is there any real advantage to traveling 1st class vs. 2nd class? Any ideas would be appreciated. I do not want to make it too long of a day. We will be just coming from the States.
Posted by
Green Bay
20125 posts
The Golden Pass really does not leave from Zurich, It goes from Luzern, so you would just take a regular train from Zurich to Luzern, then change to the train to Interlaken, which is sometimes referred to as the east end of the Golden Pass route. Yes, it is scenic, and has panorama coaches. Zurich to Interlaken is 2 hours and 51 minutes, including a 16 minute change time in Luzern, and costs 51 CHF per person each way 2nd class if you don't have a half fare card. 2nd class is just fine.
When you buy the tickets, tell them you want to go via Luzern, otherwise they will ticket you through Bern, which is faster but not as scenic, or you could return that way.
Posted by
Knoxville, TN, USA
7209 posts
Lucerne is a beautiful town about 50 minutes by train from Zurich. If it's possible you should stay in Lucerne instead of Zurich. From Lucerne you can get to Pilatus, Rigi, Titlis and you can take the boats around lake Lucerne (stunning) to Rigi and Pilatus.
Posted by
Houston, TX
219 posts
I agree with Sam and Tim's advice.
Posted by
not here anymore
631 posts
I agree you need to be at least as far as Luzern, and the Golden Pass route (it's a route not a specific train) is OK. Go out via Luzern but in warm weather (and this is very possible in September) you could return via Bern - but from Interlaken West take the lake ship to Spiez or Thun before rejoining the train to Bern and Zurich.
There is a stunning day trip possible from Zurich but it's only worth doing in fine weather. And to complicate things it only seems bookable in the preceding 2 days, and online. But for the record, see this (best with a map)
https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/ideas/offer.html/tagesausflug/rigi-koenigin-der-berge
It runs like this. You'd leave Zurich main station at 09:09 (can be later but why wait?) direct to Arth-Goldau by express train. From here you take the cog wheel railway to the summit of the Rigi mountain, the ticket includes a discount voucher for the restaurant at the top but you could buy picnic from a supermarket in Zurich. Spend some time at the summit which, on a clear day, has superb views of the mountains and Lake Luzern. Then you come back down on the other cog wheel to Vitznau and take a ship across the lake to Luzern. Time to see something of Luzern then train back direct to Zurich. All the travel is included in the one excursion ticket. There is no guide but you are free to flex schedules, if it's a really nice day spend more time at the summit, if it's getting cold come down and spend more time in Luzern.
If you are interested but wouldn't be able to book online, print the page and take it to the travel centre at Zurich main station as soon as you arrive and ask whether it can be booked through them. But don't bother if the weather is no good!
PS website for Rigi summit https://www.rigi.ch/en/Places/Rigi-Kulm
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Earl, I don't want to sound critical, but why, if this is your first trip, are you staying 3 days in Zürich?
Zürich is not in the Alps, it is not even the prettiest city in Switzerland. Or maybe you have some other reason for staying there (work?).
Depending on how you arrive in Switzerland (air, train), the usual advice is to go direct to Luzern, and spend your time there. If you are flying in to Zürich airport you can get a train direct to Luzern in 70 minutes.
I echo what the others say. The Golden pass is a route, not just one train, and all rail routes in Switzerland, including this one, have at least one train per hour. And it is very scenic. The actual "Golden Pass Route" is:
Luzern - Meiringen - Interlaken - Spiez - Zweisimmen - Montreux.
You can easily do a loop: (Zürich) - Luzern - Meiringen - Interlaken - and then loop back the fast way round the Alps via Bern back to Zürich.
You can see all of this on the Swiss rail map here (red lines are railways): https://www.sbb.ch/content/dam/infrastruktur/trafimage/karten/karte-sts-pass-gueltigkeit.pdf
And look up times and prices on the SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) site here: https://www.sbb.ch/en/
I would choose 2nd class.
Posted by
OP
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, USA
33 posts
Our original plan was to spend 10 days in Switzerland. We were going to travel directly by train from the Zurich airport to Luzern for 3-4 days, take the train on a broad loop around the country. However, we have a close relative who is very sick. We decided to change the itinerary, and move on coming back to the States earlier. Sometime in the future we will come again and do it right.
Posted by
OP
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, USA
33 posts
We do plan to take the train to Luzern for one day.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
EARL, I still don't understand why you can't stay in Luzern fro your 3 days. Just as easy to get a train from Luzern back to Zürich airport as it is from Zürich city centre. But, it's your trip and I hope you enjoy yourselves.
My recommended excursion from Luzern (it can also be done from Zürich with 1 hour extra travel time each way) is Titlis.
This is a mountain with a small permanent snow-cap (glacier). You take a train to Engelberg, followed by a series of 3 cable cars to the summit, where you can walk on and in a glacier (ice cave).
Check the weather in the morning before you start off to ensure it is clear at the top.
Details: https://www.titlis.ch/en