Train Options?-Interlaken to Paris

What's your priority? Time, scenery, cost? What website are you using? The website usually picks the most efficient routing if you put in departure station and destination, so that you don't have to choose the routes.

Generally, you will try to get from Interlaken Ost to either Zurich or Geneva, and from there you want to take a fast train to Paris that you reserve in advance, using www.trainline.com For more info, see www.seat61.com

Karen,

My suggestion would be to go through Basel. There are a few direct TGV trains from Basel SBB to Paris Gare de Lyon with a travel time of about 3 hours. Very easy!

Hi, many thanks Ken, Stan, & Shoe, for your suggestions! Looks like Basel is the gateway city to use! The www.seat61.com site is very helpful! Thank you. Karen

Karen,

As I recall, there are several stations in Basel. The one you'll be using is Basel SBB. When you arrive at Paris Gare de Lyon, you can use a Taxi or whatever to your hotel. Depending on which part of Paris you'll be staying, you may also be able to use the Metro (although with luggage, I'd suggest a Taxi). The closest Metro stop appears to be Bercy.

Agreed, the fastest way from Interlaken to Paris is via Bern then direct to Basel, NOT via Zürich, that is a longer route.

In general you do not need to know such things to find train times and routes. Just look up Interlaken Ost to Paris on your favourite train website ( http://www.trainline.com/ or Swiss Railways: https://www.sbb.ch/en ). That will always give you the quickest route and tell you where that route goes through.

We took the TGV train from Bern to Paris in June last year. Our train left around 10:30 am from Bern, so we arrived from Lauterbrunnen/Interlaken the evening before, and did some sightseeing.