There is track construction this week on the Goldenpass between Samen and Meirengen. There is a shuttle bus between these stations. We plan to go from Lucerne to Geneva with our luggage (one suitcase and a carryon each). With the shuttle bus this entails a total of 5 transfers and I'm concerned how exhausting this trip would be. what are the buses like, are they designed to handle luggage or are they meant for commuters? Plus the timetable shows only 2 minutes at each end of the bus section. Should we forget about the Goldenpass?
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
33804 posts
If the luggage is a concern for you there is a service called Fast Baggage which might help you. You leave your luggage at the station before you leave Luzern and collect it at dinner time in Geneva. It usually uses a different train than you will but is reliable. The stretch from Alpnach to Meiringen via Sarnen (note it is Sarnen not Samen) is the extremely scenic run on the rack over the Brunig Pass. It would be a shame to miss the descent through the forest to the valley, and into Meiringen. The road alternative - I've done both, frequently (road always in my own car, not on a replacement bus), is via a number of switchbacks and is also very scenic especially looking back at the lakes. I've never done the run in the darkness of November so I don't know how the waterfalls will look across the valley. Meiringen is famous for both the invention of meringue and for the Reichenbach Falls (which are great to walk or ride up and down) of Sherlock Holmes fame. On the route you have chosen the gauge (distance between the rails) changes from narrow to standard to narrow to standard, and each time it changes, you change trains. Even without the replacement coach you have to change trains at Interlaken Ost, Zweisimmen, and Montreux. You could take a much faster train Luzern - Bern - Spiez and connect to the train to Montreux if you don't mind missing the rack train west of Luzern, the alps, and Brienzersee and Thunersee.
Posted by
OP
Toronto
9 posts
Thanks so much for your helpful replies! That's reassuring and we'll be looking forward to the trip.
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
The Swiss think of everything, so I'm sure the buses will have enough room for everyone's luggage. The 2 minute connection for the buses isn't a big deal, they won't leave until everyone has transferred from the train, and the train at the other end won't leave likewise. If you don't want to deal with the buses then I suppose you could take a direct train from Luzern to Bern, and then another train to Spiez and pickup the Goldenpass from there, but it still involves transfers.