Track Record in Switzerland: The Pleasures of Train-Riding
Precisely on the minute, the train pulled out of the station in Lucerne. Soon, the wide picture windows afforded views of stunning mountain and lake scenery. The train glided smoothly and swiftly, taking curves easily, sometimes traveling so close to the lake it felt almost like a boat rather than a train.
It was indeed a train. One of many that made my trip to Switzerland memorable. The Swiss trains are often considered the best in Europe, and I had a “passport” to use them freely. Swiss Rail Pass giving me eight days of unlimited train riding. I could travel high and low, to mountains towns and lakeside cities and with no reservation required. . All I needed to do was climb aboard and show my pass to the conductor.
Riding the trains proved to be an ideal way to explore this small country with its spectacular natural beauty and variety. Not only are the train routes extensive, covering all but the most remote areas, but there’s probably no other country in Europe where using the trains is so easy and predictable, even for a foreigner.
In each station, train schedules are posted prominently and are easy to read, with each scheduled departure listed for every hour of the day. Train tracks are well marked. Clocks with second hands are on every platform. Conductors are helpful and courteous, and they speak English.
Bern and Lucerne, two cities on my itinerary, offered especially appealing options for one- day train excursions. In Bern, one of my favorites was a journey to Interlaken and then to the mountain town of Grindelwald.
First, the train from Bern to Lucerne offered expansive views of the lake, of hills and mountains in the distance. Soon we arrived at Interlaken Ost station, a hub for excursions into the Bernese Oberland mountains.
It was easy to find the track for the trains to Grindelwald. Waiting on the platform were tourists with backpacks, mountain climbers with walking sticks, and some, like me, who were just going along for the ride. The mood was anticipatory, even festive, for this was hardly a mere commuters’ train.
This sturdy train, much simpler than the sleek inter-city vehicles, climbed steadily into the mountains. With comfortable seats and unobstructed views of looming mountain peaks, we passengers sat back and savored the 45 minute ride, aiming our cameras at particular dramatic views or just gazing out.
We passed waterfalls and wildflowers, and quaint mountain stations, which looked like Swiss chalets, all adorned with bright flowers.
Getting off in Grindelwald, we had a close-up view of the Eiger mountain peak enfolded in billowing clouds. Here trains were waiting to take passengers to even higher sites. But I’d already had my “peak” experience.
During a brief sojourn in Grindelwald, I strolled along the main street, stopped into a café, and admired the ever-present mountain views. Then it was time to board the train and enjoy the scenery all over again during the descent.
Lucerne, in the heart of central Switzerland, also offered varied ways to enjoy the nearby mountains by way of train rides, or, in some cases, a combination of train, cable car and even boat.
One highlight was a trip to Mount Rigi. It began not with a train but with a boat cruise along Lake Lucerne,