Up and away
Railways hit new heights in the Alps, says NICK DALTON
THE train that click-clacks its way ever-upward above Grindelwald is spellbinding even by the standards of a country where almost any rail journey is a magnificent experience. The Jungfrau Railways train starts high in the pastures (where a coffee on the sunny platform outside a station buffet like no other is delightful) and not only heads up the slopes but climbs inside the Eiger and Mönch mountains. Windows hewn through sheer rock give some of Switzerland’s most dizzying views while the panorama from Europe’s highest station, at 11,330ft, shows just what this country holds.
This is nature at its most dramatic, where rolling slopes alive with flowers circle the snow-capped high points.
The scenery is green and Switzerland is too, a place where you can hop from one breathtaking spot to another by trains that run like clockwork, whether scaling a mountain or not.
Clear skies, clean air and warm sun combine to revitalise and rejuvenate you as you discover the magic of the mountains.
Whether you’re in the valley or up above, walking trails cater for every level and where there are mountains there are lakes – a combination at the heart of Thomson Lakes and Mountains’ devotion to this part of the Alps.
Here medieval towns mix with huts on mountain tops, where you can dine on cheese fondue and the crispy potato dish rösti.
Grindelwald, with the sheer north face of the Eiger as a backdrop, is a cosmopolitan town where the train ride up to Kleine Scheidegg gives the chance of an enchanting walk back down – or the Jungfrau Railways train to the summit.
Neighbour Wengen is quiet and traditional with festivals, concerts and walks. Take a train to Grindelwald (and the Jungfraujoch) in one direction and the sophisticated valley town of Interlaken the other. The latter sits between glacial lakes Brienz and Thun. The pair – both shimmering turquoise delights – are connected by a little waterway, ideal for a stroll while the lakesides themselves offer longer walks. Search out the waterfalls, fairy-tale castles and picture book villages.
Zermatt is another grand mountain town, one with a rugged mountaineering history – not surprising with the majestic Matterhorn as a backdrop. Horse-drawn carriages clatter along the car-free streets past beautiful hotels, shops and cafes.
The Gornergrat Bahn takes you high into Matterhorn country while the Glacier Express connects with the likes of swish St Moritz. Lucerne is a city with a classically beautiful old quarter in the curve of mighty Lake Lucerne that weaves its way around the mountains. The 14th-century Chapel Bridge is on all the postcards, steamers head out to fjord-like arms, while the world’s steepest cogwheel railway reaches the peak of Mount Pilatus.
Montreux, sophisticated and elegant on Lake Geneva, has the feel of another century. A lakeside promenade offers divine walks, ornate paddle steamers chug about while the GoldenPass Line provides many days out to mountain delights.
Stay in one of Switzerland’s great resorts and combine trains and walks for a relaxing holiday like no other. INFORMATION: Thomson Lakes & Mountains (020 8234 6546/thomsonlakes.co.uk) offers holidays in the Swiss Alps starting from £446pp (four sharing) for seven nights, self-catered, at the Residence Apartments, Wengen, departing September 2, plus flights from Luton to Basel and rail transfers