Swiss trip October 2008

[Neil_M]

Another spin to the railway paradise that is Switzerland. An early start to get to Heathrow for a 0705 departure, but an early arrival at Zurich and a swift exit of the airport saw an 0940 arrival translate into a 1013 departure from the Flughafen station underneath the airport.

Plan was 3 nights in Chur to cover the metre gauge RhB network, 2 nights in Brunnen to cover the Gotthard route and 2 nights in Interlaken to leave my options open, maybe Rothorn, maybe Gornergrat....

It all went swimmingly. Weather was glorious and autumnal, trains all on time, and as usual the Swiss hotel industry provided its usual attention to detail.

Highlights were standing at the summit of the Bernina line in sunshine, lunch on the terrace at Alp Grum, the usual slick high quality operating performance of all the railways, a sun kissed trip to Gornergrat to gaze on the Matterhorn and overtaking a mainline steam loco working a trip just outside Bern on my way back to the airport.

If you like railways and get a chance, go to Switzerland. Nothing like it!

Lots of photos at http://50031.fotopic.net/c1594696.html

and http://50031.fotopic.net/c1596196.html

Enjoy!

 

[MrFSS]

Very nice pictures!

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Steve4031]

I enjoyed these immensely. I have traveled in Switzerland a few times, and they bring back memories. Where does the new tunnel start on the line between Brig and Bern? Where does it come out near Brig? I have an old map of Switzerland and was puzzling over this the other day.

Also, those TGV sets in Zurich; Do they operate over the TGV east line to Basel, and then to Zurich? I am planniing to go to Paris and Switzerland with my girlfriend in the next couple of years and am plotting my attack so that I can get a ride on that TGV est line without appearing to go out of the way. LOL

Thanks

 

[gaspeamtrak]

Another spin to the railway paradise that is Switzerland. An early start to get to Heathrow for a 0705 departure, but an early arrival at Zurich and a swift exit of the airport saw an 0940 arrival translate into a 1013 departure from the Flughafen station underneath the airport.Plan was 3 nights in Chur to cover the metre gauge RhB network, 2 nights in Brunnen to cover the Gotthard route and 2 nights in Interlaken to leave my options open, maybe Rothorn, maybe Gornergrat....

It all went swimmingly. Weather was glorious and autumnal, trains all on time, and as usual the Swiss hotel industry provided its usual attention to detail.

Highlights were standing at the summit of the Bernina line in sunshine, lunch on the terrace at Alp Grum, the usual slick high quality operating performance of all the railways, a sun kissed trip to Gornergrat to gaze on the Matterhorn and overtaking a mainline steam loco working a trip just outside Bern on my way back to the airport.

If you like railways and get a chance, go to Switzerland. Nothing like it!

Lots of photos at http://50031.fotopic.net/c1594696.html

and http://50031.fotopic.net/c1596196.html

Enjoy!

Neil, as usual INCREDIBLE pictures again!!! I will be dreaming of going over there tonight in my sleep to see the action some day!!!

Everything looks so clean over there? It's absolutely clean around the tracks and on the platforms of ANY garbage!? Is this normal?

Looking forward to your next trip and pictures!!! What's next???

 

[Neil_M]

I enjoyed these immensely. I have traveled in Switzerland a few times, and they bring back memories. Where does the new tunnel start on the line between Brig and Bern? Where does it come out near Brig? I have an old map of Switzerland and was puzzling over this the other day.
Also, those TGV sets in Zurich; Do they operate over the TGV east line to Basel, and then to Zurich? I am planniing to go to Paris and Switzerland with my girlfriend in the next couple of years and am plotting my attack so that I can get a ride on that TGV est line without appearing to go out of the way. LOL

Thanks

The new Lotschberg tunnel starts just alongside the existing station at Frutigen and remerges just west of Visp(on the Brig to Geneva line) at a place called Raron. What used to take an hour and 10 from Brig to Spiez over the mountain route now takes about 20 minutes! Sadly you miss out on the mountain views and just have a tunnel to look at! All of the IC/EC fast trains go that way now, but there is still an hourly service from Brig to Speiz via the mountain line.

As you correctly state, the TGV from Paris to Zurich travels via LGV Est, Strasbourg and Basel, then runs to Zurich. TGVs to Geneva or Lausanne still go from Gare de Lyon and via Dijon.

One slight difference to TGV operation in Switzerland is that you can travel from Basel to Zurich (Or any TGV journey entirely in Switzerland) and you do not need to reserve a seat, unlike travel in France where seat reservation is compulsory. The same applies to any non SBB (German or Italian) train service in Switzerland.

 

[Neil_M]

Neil, as usual INCREDIBLE pictures again!!! I will be dreaming of going over there tonight in my sleep to see the action some day!!!Everything looks so clean over there? It's absolutely clean around the tracks and on the platforms of ANY garbage!? Is this normal?

Looking forward to your next trip and pictures!!! What's next???

Switzerland is very clean. There is some graffitti in city centres, but stations are spotless, the streets are washed down at evenings and everything is just right.

Many of the larger and (smaller) stations have very good restaurants attached, the one at Speiz is excellent,good value and huge portions and the 2 evenings I was in there was packed. If you angle yourself right you can see Lake Thun and the trains as well! I had a soup to start, a huge Wiener Schnitzel, a huge plate of fries, a trip to the salad bar, a beer and a coffee for about 40 Sfr, about $20 or so. Recommended!

Where next? Heading your way!!!

 

[Steve4031]

thAnks Niel. Can't wait to go. You took lots of pictures from lots of places. You know Switzerland well

 

[Neil_M]

thAnks Niel. Can't wait to go. You took lots of pictures from lots of places. You know Switzerland well

I try to get over there at least once a year. It helps having free rail tickets for nearly all the railways in Switzerland as well...

If anyone has never been there then you really just have no idea about how amazingly good integrated public transport can be, it really is an eye opener for anyone with even just a little interest in railways.

I think it should be compulsory for members of management of any mass transit organisation to spend a week or two there and then go back home and apologise to users of their system for being so utterly useless.

 

[Steve4031]

thAnks Niel. Can't wait to go. You took lots of pictures from lots of places. You know Switzerland well

I try to get over there at least once a year. It helps having free rail tickets for nearly all the railways in Switzerland as well...

If anyone has never been there then you really just have no idea about how amazingly good integrated public transport can be, it really is an eye opener for anyone with even just a little interest in railways.

I think it should be compulsory for members of management of any mass transit organisation to spend a week or two there and then go back home and apologise to users of their system for being so utterly useless.

I agree completely. I have coined a phrase that describes the inadequacy of service in Chicago. I call it Chicago Stupid. An example. If you are riding the El, and train A pulls into the station and you are on it wanting to transfer to train B which is in the station, train B pulls out as train A pulls in, leaving you to stand out in the January cold for 15 minutes. Not to mention a bus system that is completely unable to provide any kind of reliable service. Our mayor just sits there shrugging his shoulders and saying there is no money. Well . . . Switzerland sure found the money, and they keep finding it. As well as any country in Europe including the UK. Even though many want to beat up on the transit sytem in the UK, it is way better than the third world offerings in the USA.