Hi all, after our My Way Alpine Europe tour we will be returning to the Berner Oberland area for a few more days. Has anyone done the rail trip between Chaminox and Lauterbrunnen? If so, what is the best train route that would minimize travel time and number of stops?
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
The answer to such a question is always: Look it up on the appropriate railway website. These will always return the quickest option.
In this case go to www.sbb.ch enter Chamonix to Lauterbrunnen, and a date and time. This told me there is a train every hour and it takes 4 to 4½ hours. For example:
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc depart 08:54, Vallorcine (F) arrive 09:30
Vallorcine (F) depart 09:43, Martigny arrive 10:36
Martigny depart 10:43, Visp arrive 11:24
Visp depart 11:28, Spiez arrive 11:53
Spiez depart 12:05, Interlaken Ost arrive 12:28
Interlaken Ost depart 12:35, Lauterbrunnen arrive 12:55
That's a lot of changes, but they should all be easy, just a few steps.
P.S., I just noticed you spelled it "Chaminox", you won't be able to find it under that spelling, it is "Chamonix"!
Posted by
San Francisco/Marin County
9422 posts
We've taken a train from Chamonix to Lauterbrunnen, it was fun and easy. Don't remember the route, We used Bahn.de which made it easy to figure out. I assume Chris' suggested website would be even better.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32220 posts
The route that Chris suggested will work well, although that's a lot of changes. I travelled a similar route last year on the way from Chamonix to Lausanne. On one part of that trip (might have been the section from Martigny to Visp?), the train travels along the side of a cliff, and those sitting on the outside get a rather "dramatic" view. As I recall, it might have been a cogwheel train for that section.
Another method you could consider is to take one of the Chamonix Shuttle services to the main station in Geneva, and then train from there. That will be a bit quicker than the other method (about an hour for the Shuttle and then 2H:45M on the train with one change). There will likely be others from your group that are also travelling to Geneva to either connect with rail or flights, so you could share the Shuttle. Your travel director will be able to provide information on that.
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11362 posts
Ken has given good advice. I would take the shuttle to Geneva (Alpybus is another company to try) and cut out a few train segments. Alpybus dropped us at the airport and the train station is adjacent.