Switzerland. Railway Passion

Author: Alina Trofimova. Photo: Alina Trofimova, Switzerland Tourism

There is no doubt. The Swiss never played enough with trains when they were kids. Moreover, almost without exception. When asked about the name of the most popular Internet site in the country, my Swiss friend, without hesitation, answers sbb.ch - and, indeed, what could it be the schedule is more important train movements, attractive offers and convenient connections?!

Every time he finds himself in Switzerland, my husband loses his head (he has a special attachment to railways, or more precisely, their models). He “hangs out” when he sees another rare (but working) steam locomotive near the station, he may forget where we are going, looking at the restored Pullman cars Golden trains Pass. And he rushes to photograph another incredible diesel locomotive, carriage or train - and sincerely does not understand my bewilderment. Only with superhuman efforts, with the help of persuasion (“Come on, let’s go, there are two more halls with antique cars and airplanes.”) he is able to be taken away from the railway exhibition at the Transport Museum in Lucerne - there is a huge collection of rare life-size steam locomotives (according to old compositions you can climb on the carriages and touch everything with your hands). Located there, a working model of the railway system on the Saint Gotthard pass with moving trains (of course, accurately reproduced), cars and houses, makes even girls of different ages indifferent to transport masterpieces linger at the model.

The Swiss Travel System is a source of national pride and reverence in this country. They really have something to be proud of. Swiss trains are practically silent, comfortable and clean, they serve food, and, of course, they run strictly on schedule with convenient connections. The only thing you can't do on Swiss trains is smoke. The train can be rented and you can choose any travel route, for a few hours or for the whole day.

My daughter, who has traveled hundreds of kilometers on local trains, most appreciates the availability of sockets and Wi-Fi in Swiss carriages (although this is not available on all trains). And on every trip, he looks forward to the appearance of a colorful character with a cart - a kind of Swiss Santa Claus, who carries a cart with soda, sandwiches, sweets, bars, chips and other things that are prohibited in ordinary children’s life, and therefore even more desirable food.

Of course, the Swiss could not stop at simply selling tickets from one city to another, in 1st and 2nd class carriages. And they came up with a variety of travel cards. For example, the Swiss Pass ticket, in addition to regular trains, is valid on panoramic routes and on all types of public transport in all large (and not so large) cities of the country. Swiss Pass/Swiss Flexi Pass holders also receive a 50% discount on many mountain trains and cable cars. In late spring and autumn, a second Swiss Pass/Swiss Flexi Pass for 4 days is offered to travelers free of charge (when purchasing one ticket, a second one is issued at no additional cost; in 2012, this offer is valid until November 30). Passes of the Swiss Travel System are a kind of “all-terrain vehicle”: you just need to show it, and you won’t have to pay for admission to the museum (more than 470 museums in Switzerland are participating in the promotion). The same ticket gives discounts of up to 15% when booking some chain hotels).

Traveling by train in Switzerland is more than just getting from point A to point B. Numerous panoramic routes - Golden Pass, Glacier Express, Wilhelm Tell Express and other "express" routes are consistently among the most popular excursions in Switzerland. “The slowest express train in the world” - this is exactly what the Swiss say about the panoramic train Glacier Express (also known as the Glacier Express), with poorly concealed pride.

In the classic version, this train goes from St. Moritz (or Davos) to Zermatt (and back), along the Rhine and Rhone, crossing 291 bridges and 91 tunnels on its way: the journey takes about 7.5 hours. However, the most impatient can travel part of the route, for example, from Zermatt to Brig or Chur or from St. Moritz to Visp, in which case the journey will take significantly less time. Swiss Travel System passes are valid on all panoramic routes, but reservations must be made in advance. And clean (and large) windows in panoramic trains allow you to get beautiful pictures even through glass.

Along the way you will be told (headphones and a brochure are included with each seat on the train) about the sights and interesting facts. And, of course, it will not be possible without the favorite entertainment of all travelers - food and drinks. First, they will feed you Swiss dishes and offer Swiss wine (we know almost nothing about it, but in vain), then they will demonstrate a rather impressive way of serving local liqueurs (kirsch, apricotine, williamina, etc.).

For some reason, tourists from Asia are especially happy about this attraction, and there will be plenty of them in the carriages: traditionally, a trip on the Glacier Express and other panoramic trains is considered one of the most prestigious, it is a real must when traveling around Switzerland.

And of all the beautiful and very beautiful roads In Switzerland, the Rhaetian Railway stands apart. In 1904, a section of the route with the Albula tunnel was built, and a little later a route appeared that connected St. Moritz and Tirano. In 2008, the Albula and Bernina railways were listed World Heritage UNESCO. Part of the Rhaetian Railway is part of the Glacier Express route.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the idea of ​​running a train through passes, into narrow gorges, where there was no ordinary road, seemed like something out of science fiction. But not for the Swiss. The railway, later recognized as an engineering genius, includes many incredibly beautiful viaducts, tunnels and bridges. It is truly unique, and not only because it takes place on an incredibly beautiful places, forcing tourists with cameras and video cameras to rush from one panoramic train window to another.

At one time, this road became the highest in Europe (until the railway to Jungfraujoch was built) and today it is still one of the steepest in the world. The train winds through the mountains and valleys, sometimes rising up, closer to the snow-capped peaks, then descending a little lower, towards cozy villages. Passing tiny stations and looking at the bright red trains and carriages, you can’t escape the feeling of “déjà vu”. And, having rummaged through your memory, you begin to understand where popular railway models were copied from. Here is the station building and the station, here different types carriages and electric locomotives, viaducts, bridges, interchanges - it feels like, as if by magic, a railway model, with all its details, painted toy houses and trees, was taken and enlarged tenfold.

Why drag yourself to the resort by train if there are cars, a skeptic will ask. In some cases, traveling by car in Switzerland is indeed justified - for example, if you are planning daily trips to a new ski area, it is more convenient to have a car at hand. But renting a car doesn’t always make sense: the fact is that in most ski resorts a car is simply not needed. Moreover, in some villages you cannot use cars - you will have to leave them in the parking lot at the entrance to the resort or next to it. In particular, such resorts include Zermatt and Saas-Fee, as well as Wengen (which can only be reached by train), Betmeralp and Riederalp. If you absolutely don’t want to carry a bag with skis and a suitcase in addition, you can entrust the Swiss railways to do this for you - the Fly Rail service allows you to make sure that your luggage arrives at its destination without you, right from the airport, you don’t even have to wait for your luggage. This is especially convenient if you are going to spend a day or two in Swiss cities on the way to the resort (or back). Details and delivery rules can be found at website sbb.ch .

Useful:
Swiss Pass (valid on all types of transport throughout the country without restrictions): € 222 for 4 days (2nd class). Children under 16 years of age travel with one parent for free (if the parent has travel ticket). There are also discounted tickets for young people for a fixed number of days (Swiss Flexi Pass). For a trip only from the airport to the resort and back, it makes sense to purchase a Swiss Transfer Ticket (sold only outside Switzerland, from tour operators and travel agencies, or it can be pre-ordered for delivery on the website sbb.ch): from €108 (2nd class, ticket to both sides).

Panoramic routes:

Glacier Express
Route: Zermatt - Brig - Andermatt - Chur - Davos/St. Moritz
Travel time: 7.5 hours. Performed throughout the year. Winter schedule valid from December 9 to May 8. The journey crosses 291 bridges, through 91 tunnels and the Oberalp Pass at an altitude of 2033 m.

Advance reservation of seats in the Glacier Express carriage is mandatory and implies an additional payment of 13 CHF in winter, 33 CHF in summer. Schedule and prices:

Golden Pass ("Golden Pass")
Route: Lucerne - Brünig Pass - Interlaken - Zweisimen - Montreux (/Geneva)
Travel time: 5.5 hours. Performed all year round.

Two languages, three worlds, six lakes, one route - all this is the “Golden Pass”. The route connects Central Switzerland and Lake Geneva. The train departs from historic Lucerne through the Brünig Pass along Lake Brienz to Interlaken, then through to the Lavaux vineyards.

The Golden Pass Classic train runs between Montreux and Zweisimmen with carriages styled after the famous Orient Express.
Reservations are recommended.

Bernina Express
Route: Chur - St. Moritz - Bernina Pass - Poschiavo - Tirano (- Lugano)
Travel time: 4 hours. Performed all year round.

This route connects Chur (canton of Grisons) with Tirano. The total length of the route is 145 km. The train climbs the Bernina Pass, at an altitude of 2253 meters, crosses 196 bridges and passes through 55 tunnels. From Tirano (Italy) you can continue the route on a modern bus through Veltlin to Lugano (summer only).
Reservations on trains and buses are required.

Swiss Chocolate Train
Route: Montreux - Gruyere - Broc and back
Travel time: 8 ocloc'k. Performed from May to October.

The Swiss Chocolate Train is a joint project between GoldenPass Services and Cailler-Nestle. Traveling in a Belle Epoque carriage or a modern panoramic carriage, you can see the picturesque terraces of the vineyards above Montreux and the medieval town of Gruyères, the birthplace of the famous cheese. After the excursion, the train goes to Broc, where the famous Swiss milk chocolate factory is located. The price includes the following services:
. booking a place
coffee and croissants on the train
bus from the station in Gruyères to the village and back
visit to Gruyere Castle
visit to the cheese factory in Gruyères
video presentation, production visit and tasting at the Nestle confectionery factory

Schedule: May, June, September and October: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, July-August: daily. Departure from Montreux at 9.12, return to Montreux at 17:40. Price: CHF 99.- for adults, CHF 69.- for children and discount card holders.

Wilhelm Tell Express Express "Wilhelm Tell"
Route: Lucerne - Lake Lucerne - Fluelen - St. Gotthard - Bellinzona - Locarno/Lugano
Travel time: 5 o'clock. Performed all year round.

Speed ​​is not what you should expect from the William Tell Express. The route starts in Lucerne, on board the historic double-decker paddle steamer, the same as more than a hundred years ago. After this, you can transfer to the panoramic train to continue the journey to Locarno, Ticino - the Italian part of the country. The road to this canton goes through the famous St. Gotthard Pass.
Reservations are required.

Where to buy tickets for Swiss trains?
Swiss Travel System travel tickets can be purchased from accredited tour operators in Russia. Their full list: , ticket prices do not differ from Swiss ones. Some types of tickets, in particular the Swiss Transfer Ticket, can only be purchased outside of Switzerland.

Tickets for single trips and some types of passes can be ordered in advance online: sbb.ch .

You can select the appropriate type of travel ticket using the service

Swiss railways are named SBB-CFF-FFS, which are three separate acronyms in German, French and Italian, translated as "Swiss State Railway Company". During the 19th century, there was no single company, and all sections of the country's railways were privately owned by various companies, which led to constant competition between them and the indiscriminate construction of new tracks throughout the country, sometimes even duplicating existing ones.

It was extremely difficult for the state to nationalize the railroads due to the strong antitrust requirements in the country, but in 1898, following the results of a popular vote, the state managed to take control of all companies, which led to the creation in 1902 of a national railway corporation under full state control. Since 1919, active electrification of the tracks began, and in 1999 the government again lost control over the railways, and the company was transformed into a joint stock company, but the shares are under strict state control.

But unlike other countries, a private railway company remains in Switzerland - the Rhaetian railway with a narrow gauge, connecting the most picturesque corners of the country - the resorts ski towns Davos and St. Moritz.

Switzerland is distinguished by a unique topography - a huge part of the country is cut by the high Alps, which has led to the fact that a large length of railway tracks have steep ascents and descents. For the safety of passengers and the technical possibility of lifting, a third one is laid between the main rails - with teeth, to which the gear wheels of the train cling, pushing it upward. Such a cogwheel railway is built on almost every steep slope in the country.

Contact details for Swiss Railways

Swiss Railways - official website, content is presented in the 4 most popular languages ​​- English, German, French and Italian for ease of use by guests from anywhere in Europe. The site content includes information about the company, types of trains and classes of service, a set of bonus offers, train schedules, and also makes it possible to book the required tickets. The site does not have a Russian version.

Passengers of SBB-CFF-FFS can use any of the numerous contact numbers provided by the company to receive answers to all their questions:

• +41-848-44-66-88 – multi-line phone hotline, around the clock.
• By clicking on the link, customers can leave reviews, complaints and suggestions, leaving their contact information.
• +41-51-229-61-61 – telephone number of the internal police service in case of an emergency.

The company's headquarters is located in Bern at Hilfikerstrasse 1
3000 Bern 65.

Note! Swiss railways does not have representative offices in Russia, but anyone who speaks any of the 4 languages ​​presented on the website can use all content services, book and buy a ticket from anywhere in the world where there is Internet access.

Train types and levels of service on Swiss Railways

Millions of tourists and citizens of the country use the developed railway network in Switzerland every year. SBB-CFF-FFS, having invested more than 1 billion Swiss francs in the development of the network, has in its depots a wide variety of trains that meet the needs of every passenger.

• Giruno is a new high-speed train with 405 seats, running from Basel to Zurich and south to Milan. The train has a WiFi zone, a conference room, a bistro restaurant, bathrooms, a quiet area, and space for luggage and bicycles.
• LD double-decker is a high-speed two-level train for domestic connections, routes run from Zurich to Geneva via Bern and Basel. The number of seats is 200, the amenities are the same as in Gurino, with the exception of the presence of a panoramic area that allows you to enjoy picturesque views during the trip.
• ETR-610 is a popular high-speed train with 430 seats, transporting passengers between the most major cities domestically and to Italy, has a separate family area with an equipped children's room, but does not have a quiet area.
• The ICN is a spacious high-speed train with almost 500 seats, including both a family and a quiet zone, operating within Switzerland.
• IC2000 is a standard train with two decks and 1st and 2nd class service, has a full range of amenities and a viewing upper level, including a restaurant on the second floor of one of the cars.
• Standard couch IV / Eurocity - has 60 seats in each carriage, transports passengers throughout the country, has a full range of services for passengers, like the Gurino train.
• Flirt – Suburban train serving passengers near Bern, Zurich and Geneva.
• Regio double-decker - two-level suburban train, operating between Bern and Zurich, has a capacity of 535 people and a minimal set of features for passenger comfort.
• Domino, GTW, DPZ, DTZ – commuter express trains for various destinations within the country.

Each high-speed train, as well as trains for transporting passengers across the country and abroad, have 2 classes of service - 2nd economy class and 1st business class, the differences between which are the comfort of the seats during the trip and the level of service and food for passengers . Each train, regardless of class, has high-quality finishes, an internal climate system and LCD displays in each car, which display travel information.

Many seats are equipped with sockets for the convenience of using mobile computers and charging phones, and each carriage is equipped with a place for attaching a wheelchair for the disabled.

Map of the main routes on Swiss Railways

Due to the presence of a developed railway scheme, as well as huge amount passengers - about 1 million per day, combined with the central location of the country on the European continent, SBB-CFF-FFS have a developed map of destinations both within the country and abroad:

• Along southern border countries with Italy and France.
• Between the main cities of Zurich, Lausanne, Bern, Basel and Geneva.
• International routes to Italy to Milan, to Austria to Innsbruck and Vaduz, to France to Annecy and Paris, and to Germany to Munich.

Traffic on each route is carried out at least once a day, which is very convenient for passengers when planning trips.

Ticket reservations and basic rates on Swiss Railways

The main tariffs offered by the company for the convenience of travelers:

• Individual - standard rate, booked in advance, refundable, with a service fee.
• Supersaver – the highest discounts for specific travel dates offered by the company.
• A one-day pass is convenient for tourists who plan to use the train several times in one day; it gives the opportunity to use the railway services an unlimited number of times for one price.
• First grade - best places and service during the trip.
• Group – save up to 20% when purchasing tickets one-time for a group of more than 10 people.
• Children - big discounts, up to 100%, for passengers with children, regardless of whether they occupy a seat or not.

Swiss Railways provide the opportunity to choose any method of booking and purchasing a train ticket for its customers:

• At ticket offices at stations or train stations throughout the country (ticket sale).
• In specialized terminals for automatic ticket sales (ticket vending machine).
• Online on the website via a link for visitors who speak one of the 4 proposed languages. Payment can be made by debit or credit card.
• Using the hotline telephone, the passenger will be connected to the ticket reservation department.
• By installing a special mobile application on a smartphone or tablet and further registering in it.
• IN travel companies around the world who can act as an agent for their clients.

Despite the fact that Switzerland is a very conservative country and so far all the old carriages from the century before last have not been disposed of, but continue to either be used on special routes or turned into museums on wheels.

Advanced technologies combined with huge annual investments are rapidly developing the SBB-CFF-FFS company, pushing it to a leading level among competitors from other European countries.

But in fact, this is my most interesting experience travel around the country using regular passenger trains, where almost every train is a panoramic cinema, showing green meadows, snow-capped peaks, dazzling glaciers and dense forests. Streams and lakes, roads and paths, suspension bridges and multi-level highway overpasses rush past. And most importantly, you have absolutely no time to get tired! The country is very small and traveling by train takes only a few hours, but the emotions remain in the memory for many years.

Let's take a look at a small piece of what you can see from the windows of trains in Switzerland. I didn’t go on tourist panoramic express trains, I just moved around the country by trains and electric trains, but what I saw so far exceeded my expectations that I can say unequivocally - Switzerland is not a country where you need to rent a car, you only need a rail pass here pass!

Swiss Federal Railways, SBB-CFF-FFS is a state-owned railway company.
This is more than 1600 locomotives, more than 4000 passenger cars, more than 13000 freight cars!
And all this in such a small Switzerland, a country that does not even have access to the sea.

Legendary watches of the Swiss Railways. This design could not be surpassed even by Apple, which released iOS7, the interface of which had a copy of this watch. This ended in a lawsuit in which Apple lost to the railroad company!

Just 30-40 minutes from Zurich towards St. Moritz. It is impossible to look at this calmly! This is just a picture from the train window:

Cool advertisement national park, which turns 100 years old.
By the way, interesting fact, which really surprised me - it turns out there is only one (!) national park, which is called Swiss National Prak. Two more have the status of candidates for national parks; the procedure for converting them into national parks lasts for 5-10 years, everything is very democratic and with a voting procedure in several stages. Against - local fishermen and hunters :)

I am always amazed at how conveniently all modes of transport are interconnected and combined into one transport system.

In civilized countries I can no longer live without mobile internet, I even started using buses in a new and completely unfamiliar city, thanks to Google maps and walking routes to the bus stop that the application builds. Previously, I only used the metro, because it was difficult to delve into a paper map bus routes boring and long.

A very convenient application for iPhone from Swiss Railways, it is convenient to create a route and automatically export it to the calendar:

All passengers must have a clear view of the mountains!

On the table (which is the lid of the urn) there is a map of the route:

I traveled by train, part of the route is also included in the Bernina Express route. Along its entire length (67 km) there are 42 tunnels and covered galleries, 144 viaducts and bridges.
And all these 67 km are a UNESCO site!

Of course, it’s better to photograph the red photogenic composition against the backdrop of green foliage in summer or white snow in winter from the side, but it’s very cool to be inside!

This is a Glacier Express car, unfortunately the windows don't open. I rode in it in the evening, when the train was being transferred and it was built into the schedule like an ordinary train.

This is a high-speed intercity train:

Toilet in a two-story train:

In general, words are superfluous here... It's worth watching and definitely a must try! And there is no need for haste here. Take a rail pass and just ride around the most interesting parts of the country.

Practical information:

If you love railways, then the number one information site for you should be Seat61. In all countries the most detailed information, very practical, with all the “appearances and passwords” and all on one page for each country.

"You're so beautiful!" - this is what guys tell their girls. They smile shyly. Or they laugh loudly, like me, for example. So, I want to say that the Swiss railway is beautiful! You will probably decide that this is not quite an appropriate epithet to describe trains and rails. Oh, if only you would watch beautiful panoramas mountains, meadows and waterfalls opening from the train window, you would agree that such a trip is not just moving from point A to point B. It is a portion of real aesthetic pleasure.

Swiss Railways - general information

The bulk of transportation is carried out by the state company SBB-CFF-FFS. Switzerland, compared to its European neighbors, is a rather miniature country. But about 4,000 carriages carry passengers, and the length of the railway tracks is 13,000 kilometers. As I already said, SBB is a monopolist, but there are several others, both private and international companies carrying out transportation. And this variety of trains and companies can sometimes confuse a tourist at the station. You don’t immediately understand which train you need to take.

Swiss Railways are famous for their panoramic routes. I can sing odes to them for a long time, but that will come a little later. First, I’ll tell you about the main types of trains in Switzerland.

Swiss trains

As I said above, there are many different categories of trains in Switzerland. All without exception very comfortable. There is no reason to warn against traveling on any type of train. But first, I’ll tell you basic information about the compositions, it will help you form a first opinion about them.

Just as a theater begins with a coat rack, so a Swiss train begins with the entrance to the carriage. To get there, you need to press the button located on the door. When leaving, proceed in the same way.

Trains in Switzerland come in single-decker and double-decker types. Most often it is assumed that the first floor should be quiet (without loud conversations from passengers); there are even special signs on the doors, but this rule is not strict. By the way! In a double-decker train, the transition between cars takes place on the second floor. The food cart is also transported there. However, on the ground floor, special sensors light up and passengers can go upstairs to buy snacks and drinks.

The carriages are divided into first and second classes. In the first one, tickets are much more expensive. However, in my opinion, there is no point in overpaying for the class. The main difference between second class is that there may be one more seat in a row. The seating arrangement will be “2 + 2” across the aisle. There may be tables between some seats.

In the first class, the arrangement of passenger seats is carried out according to the “2 + 1” scheme. Well, they are a little more comfortable. One tourist once joked that the only difference between classes was the colored patch on the seats in first class.

Some trains have dining cars. You can always find out about their availability in the schedule. Visiting such a restaurant is a very tempting idea, I tell you. Drinking wine and dreamily peering at the landscapes flashing outside the window is simply wonderful!

If you don’t want to stomp into the dining car, then a train employee will come to your rescue, delivering drinks and goodies on a cart.

Oh, I can’t help but tell you the story of why I love European trains so much and am still afraid to wander around in search of a dining car, a buffet or a working outlet on domestic ones. It was about 15 years ago. The scene is an intercity train that has seen best years Khrushchev. For some reason I needed to go to the next carriage due to my important children's affairs. Having asked my mother for leave, I set off on such a long journey with my head held high. I went out into the vestibule without incident. Then, with grief in half, she opened the doors to move to another carriage. She took a step, closing her eyes and trying not to look at the gap between the cars, through which the rails were visible. And then the doors treacherously slam behind me, and the next ones do not open. And I find myself blocked in this “accordion”. Pulling on the handles of one or the other door did not give anything. I was already imagining how one carriage would be disconnected from the other and... At that moment, a man opened the doors to the vestibule of my carriage. Saved!

Years have passed, but some fear remains. I was also afraid that when leaving the train I would fall into the gap between it and the platform. But European compositions do not conceal such dangers. The transition between cars, which is called the sweet word “souffle,” is completely safe and does not cause any negative emotions. And there are convenient steps to exit the train. Everything for the people!

Such a strategically important object as a toilet is located in every carriage. There are special buttons on the floor, on the tap or on the wall, by pressing which you can turn on the flush, water and soap. And it even works at stations. Oh, I immediately remember moments from my rail travel at home, where toilets could be closed for an hour before and after stops. And for tea and coffee lovers this is almost a tragedy.

There are sockets near the seats. Wi-Fi too, but not on all trains. You need to clarify this point in the schedule. If you are a bicycle lover like me, then some trains have special carriages for them. But again, you need to look at the schedule. There such trains are marked with a special icon.

Swiss carriages are also adapted for people with limited needs - the platforms are located on the same level as the carriage, there are retractable steps, more spacious toilets. To sum up, I would like to say that Swiss trains are among the most comfortable in the world.

Train categories

Now I will move on to the main categories of compositions. In order not to repeat ten times what each category of train looks like (and they are very similar), I will attach photographs. However, I would like to note that the “inner world” of the car may differ from route to route, and also depend on the date of production of the train and the manufacturing company.

In Russia, the railway is used exclusively as a means of transportation. But Switzerland is a completely different matter. Sometimes a train ride turns into a real adventure! The main thing is not to die of delight! :) Just kidding, of course. I want to tell you about several of the most popular panoramic routes.

Panoramic routes

What is this anyway? You will travel in a comfortable train with huge windows. And behind the glass you will see mountains, valleys, bridges, passes... Each seat in the carriage comes with headphones and a brochure, so you will not only enjoy the views, but also learn a lot of interesting things. And, of course, it won’t do without food and drinks.

Eh, hold me three, I want to jump on the train, but that’s not all...

Well, okay, thoughts materialize. Go!

Glacier Express

He's the same Glacier Express. Pass almost 300 bridges and almost 100 tunnels in 8 hours? Yes Easy! This route connects the St. Moritz Express and. You can, of course, leave somewhere earlier, but it’s better not to. Seriously. Miss out on a lot of beautiful things. During the trip you can see the Grand Swiss Canyon, the Oberalp Pass, Mount Matterhorn, nature reserves of the canton of Grisons, alpine meadows.

By the way:

Golden Pass

Known as Golden Pass. Such a small life. Why is that? Yes, because during the trip you can see a lot of things, so many different pictures will flash before your eyes. The train travels from Lucerne through the Brünig Pass, passes Interlaken and Zweisimen and ends its journey to Montreux (). The journey will take five and a half hours. There will be a stop in Rociniere, during which you will be able to explore magnificent castle Grand Chalet. Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, wooden houses- a dream trip, in a word.

Adviсe:

Bernina express

It's like a journey from winter to summer. You can travel from Switzerland to Italy and back. The route connects the cities of Chur and Tirano. This ride is not for the faint of heart, as the train will make some ascents at a 70-degree incline! It's almost like a right angle! Scary? But during the entire existence of the express, not a single accident has occurred; passengers arrive at their final destination alive, healthy and without nervous shock, which is the most important thing. :) During this trip you will cross almost 200 bridges and cross more than 50 tunnels. The train covers the distance one way in 2 hours 30 minutes. In summer, you can travel from Tirano to Lugano by bus.

Lifehacks:

• All strategically important information you can find out about the trip. There you can also make reservations for travel, but this must be done.

Woralpen express

From Lucerne the train departs for Romanshorn, passing Lake Lucerne, Mount Pilatus, Sattel swamps, Lake Zurich, and Rapperswil Castle along the way. And this is not all that you can see on the road! The journey time is approximately three hours, and trains run every hour.

Important:

Chocolate Train

This route was created especially for those with a sweet tooth. There are two options: travel in a first class Pullman carriage or choose a modern panoramic carriage for your trip. Personally, I am more attracted to the first option. I am a connoisseur of all things antique. The train goes from Montreux to Broc, and then to Gruyères and back. Trip to Swiss Chocolate Train- far from being a passive pastime. You will visit the Gruyere castle and cheese factory, the Nestle factory and taste delicious chocolate there. The duration of such a trip will be nine hours.

Note:

These are not all panoramic routes in Switzerland! It would take forever to list them. Lavaux Line, Jungfrau Railway, William Tell Express, Palm Express... Dreams, dreams!

I told you basic information about panoramic routes. I didn’t dwell on the cost of tickets, since the most up-to-date information you can find it on the pages of the sites to which I gave you links.

Swiss Travel System - travel card system

You know, the standard cost of a train ticket in Switzerland is quite high. I went to one city, took a ride to a second, went to a third to eat chocolate and that’s it - the budget ran out! “Today I eat alms,” as the head of my group at the university said. :) So, in order to eat well while traveling and travel the length and breadth of the country, you need to take advantage of the Swiss travel system.

What kind of “beast” is this Swiss Travel System? This is the name of the special preferential travel system for tourists. Not just a system, I would say a system! This is as much as 29 thousand kilometers of tracks (and not only railways). Tourists can take advantage of STS when traveling by bus and aquatic species transport.

The main advantages of the Swiss Travel System:

• All-in-one passes. As I said, one pass is good for traveling by train, bus and ship.
• You can use public transport for free in 75 cities.
• And visit hundreds of museums for free.
• And also get a 50% discount on many mountain routes.
• Bonuses. Who doesn't love bonuses? You can get good discounts on excursions, hotel stays, and city tours.

The advantages are clear. Now I turn to the main types of STS passes.

Swiss Travel Pass

Buy yourself this pass and enjoy life! After all, having it in your pocket, you can travel for free on the train, bus, and enjoy invigorating water walks.

Swiss Travel Pass Features:

Swiss Travel Pass Flex

It also includes free travel throughout the country on three types of transport, visiting museums and so on. But it has several features:

Swiss Transfer Ticket

This type of ticket is suitable for those who want to experience all the delights ski holiday or relaxing at a resort. With this pass you can go from the border railway station or airport to get to the desired resort and back.

There are several features of this pass:

Swiss Half Fare Card

If you come to Switzerland for more than a few days, then this is the type of travel pass you need. With it you will receive a 50% discount on all types of transport for a month. Peculiarities:

• 50% discount on trips to public transport 75 cities.
• The ticket price is only 112 EUR in a first class carriage.

Swiss Family Card

If you are traveling to Switzerland with your family, you should definitely remember to apply for this card. It is provided free of charge for all four categories of travel cards that I listed above.

Ticket Features:

• Children under 16 years of age travel free of charge when traveling in the company of at least one parent of Swiss Family Card holders.
• If children travel independently by public transport, they are given a 50% discount.
• This card is absolutely free. It can be obtained together with other ticket categories.

Important information regarding STS passes

Tickets

Having understood the world of Swiss Passes, I suggest moving on to tickets that are available as local residents, and for tourists. And which you will definitely encounter. First, I’ll tell you what a ticket looks like and decipher all the symbols on it. At the time of my trip, tickets were in the form of pink and blue cards.

Ticket Features:

• The expiration date is indicated at the top of the ticket. The ticket can only be used for one specific day.
• Next, the route, departure and arrival stations are indicated in large letters.
• The ticket may also indicate which city your train is passing through. And you need to go through this city. For example: you are traveling from Zurich to Interlaken, and the ticket indicates that the train goes through Lucerne. But you looked at the schedule and saw that there is a train to Interlaken via, which will cover this distance faster. You might think that it makes no difference which cities the train passes through. The main thing is that the points of departure and arrival coincide. But no. The ticket indicates Lucerne, which means you need to get there through Lucerne. If you go through, you will be considered a free rider and will receive a hefty fine.
• The arrows on the ticket indicate whether it is valid in one or both directions.
• A large number 1 or 2 indicates the class of the car.
• The ticket price is indicated in the lower right corner.

Ticket prices depend on the number of kilometers you travel by train. In order to save money, you can buy tickets at special rates.

Click&Rail

This type of ticket can be purchased much cheaper, but they go on sale two days before the trip and their number is limited.

Click&Rail has the following features:

The ticket is not available on all routes. The trains on which Click&Rail operates are indicated on the ticket.

Sparbillette

These discounted tickets go on sale two weeks before the train departs. And they also only apply to some routes and trains. You can search for Sparbillette here.

I told you the basic information regarding tickets. I have not described all of their types, because if you do this, you can write a whole book. This book will also need constant updating, because the information tends to become outdated. So, go to the official website of the Swiss railway and find out the most up-to-date information there.

Travel Features

Tickets are tickets, but there is also a carriage and a small trolley - information you need to understand before traveling. In this section I will tell you about the schedule, delays, fines, luggage storage and luggage transportation.

Schedule

The schedule is designed so that you can leave in any direction once every 30–60 minutes. The best way to plan your trip is to use the SBB website. There and the schedule is up to date and prices are for tickets.

If there is no access to the network, then, for example, there are several computers installed at the Zurich train station, with the help of which you can find out the necessary information and print it out. There are also brochures with the schedule near the ticket office. The station board indicates the train schedule approximately 30 minutes in advance.

Lateness

Train delays are a fairly rare occurrence in Switzerland. But possible. Serious delays are only possible due to accidents or emergencies. Closer to 6 pm there may be slight errors in the arrival of trains (literally by 5 minutes). If the destination is touristic (for example, in the mountains), then the next regional train may also be delayed so that tourists have time to board it.

By the way, I approve of this practice. Once my train was 10 minutes late, and the connecting time was negligible. You should have seen my satisfied face when I saw that the next train was waiting for its passengers. “Oh, these trains are always late, you can get off ten minutes later,” if in the CIS countries passengers often say something like that, then in Switzerland, forget to even think about stopping somewhere on the way to the station. Otherwise you will be left waving a white handkerchief at the train.

Fines

This is a nightmare, comrades! The Swiss railways are unmerciful to all free riders. Even too much, and now I’ll tell you why. “It was better before!” - I never liked this phrase. I thought that saying such things was for whiners. And I still think so, except for the moment when buying a train ticket. A few years ago you could buy tickets on the train, but now this is no longer possible. All tickets must be purchased before the door slams behind the passenger. Now imagine the situation: the ticket offices are closed (or there are none), the ticket machine is not working, and the desired train is about to leave. And you need to leave! you jump on the train and the ticket inspector comes up. You try to explain the situation, but he is unshakable, because in the rules there are no exceptions for the reasons why the ticket was not purchased.

Have you heard the horror story about the British tourist who boarded a Swiss train and never returned home? Just kidding, he returned home, but in a very bad mood. And it was like this. The passenger purchased the ticket through the SBB mobile app a few minutes before the train departed. Confirmation of payment was received on the mobile application a few minutes after the train departed. And the stubborn inspector refused to accept such a ticket, and also issued a fine, since, in his opinion, the ticket was purchased after the passenger entered the carriage.

To make it more convincing, I will give you a table with the amounts of fines:

And, of course, you also need to pay the cost of the ticket.

In general, my advice to you is not to board the train without tickets. However, it would be unfair to say that such harsh measures are always taken against tourists. It is not uncommon for inspectors to be more lenient towards foreign travelers. Well, it’s understandable: it’s difficult to delve into all these railway intricacies. But it’s better to travel with a ticket in your pocket on the right train than to count on a pardon from the ticket inspector.

Ticket composting

During my trips, inspectors walked through the train carriage and did it themselves. If the ticket does not have the exact travel time, it is still better to validate it in special machines.

I look at the ticket, and if I see that it can be used again (for example, along the same route during the day), then for me this is always a signal for composting. Otherwise, the conductors will think that I’m going to ride five times on one ticket.

Luggage storage

They are at all stations major cities. In villages, of course, this may be a problem. Cameras vary in size: the smaller it is, the cheaper it will be to store your luggage. The cells are arranged in several rows. You need:

• come up;
• choose the appropriate box size;
• throw a coin, the denomination of which is displayed near the lock in the receiver;
• fold your luggage;
• close the door and turn the key.

The camera will be closed for 24 hours.

Baggage transportation

If you don’t want to walk around lopsided from the weight of your suitcases, you can send them to the desired station or airport using the Schnelles Reisegepäck service. If you send your luggage before 9 am, then after 6 pm it will be delivered to your destination. By the way, bicycles cannot be transported using this service. The cost of transportation is 21 EUR.

If you want to transport your bike on the train, you need to buy a Velo-Tageskarte pass, which costs about 18 EUR. On short distances such a ticket is cheaper and must be purchased together with a ticket for the passenger. The bicycle can also be sent as unaccompanied baggage.

Ticket booking

Reservations are not required on most routes. However, when traveling panoramic, international, as well as some domestic flights You still need to make a ticket reservation.

Buying tickets

We sorted out all the nuances regarding trains, tariffs, and travel features. And now my story comes to an end. And as a parting note, I’ll tell you about several options for purchasing tickets.

At the register

Since I “don’t speak languages,” I’m always writing notes to cashiers with directions, travel date, fare. In Switzerland it is quite possible to do without this. Cashiers speak several languages, including English. And even if you don’t have a lot of knowledge, the cashiers will still understand you. They are so smart! They look at something on their computers, select flights, give a schedule, draw diagrams so that tourists understand where to go. In general, you won’t be left without a ticket. They will select the most profitable travel option for you and provide you with all the necessary information.

In the vending machine

Personally, I don’t like buying tickets through various machines. Childhood trauma, so to speak. More than ten years ago, I was opened some kind of junior card at the bank, and on the same day it was swallowed by the ATM. I decided to drown my sorrows and buy some hot chocolate from the vending machine. This miracle of robotics took the money from me, but somehow it didn’t work out with the delivery of the drink. Since then, I have a biased attitude towards all such machines. But if necessary, I can get along with them quite well. I’ll tell you how you can buy tickets from SBB machines.

The first step is to choose the most convenient language. Welcome and let's move on!

A screen appears with the most popular stations and ticket types. If the desired station is in the list, click on the corresponding button.

If it is not there, you need to click on Alternstive connections. A keyboard will appear, and on it you need to start entering the required name. After the name of the required station appears, the available route is displayed. As you can see, in my example it is Bern-Zurich.

Possible transfer options appear on the right.

When did you choose convenient option transfers, you still need to decide whether you need a one-way or round-trip ticket.

And decide on the choice of carriage class. Well, there’s nothing to think about, let’s take the second one. We save.

Now you need to select a discount and number of seats. Options on the left and marked 1/2 offer travel at half the cost. They are suitable for children, dogs and holders of various discount cards. On the right are options without discounts for adult passengers.

And your last step is to check the data you entered and pay for the ticket.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated. But you are now sitting at home, sitting comfortably on an armchair, apparently drinking tea. And there at the station the conditions are not nearly as comfortable, and from surprise or even fright you can forget everything that I told you here. To prevent this from happening, knowledge must be consolidated in practice. Here is a simulator that will help you practice buying a ticket so that you can be fully prepared at the station and purchase it in 60 seconds!

Via the SBB website

Well, I don't like their website. And by the way, objective reasons no for that. I guess I was so captivated by the cashiers that I didn’t want to bother with online shopping at all. But some ticket options are not available at the ticket office, so you will still have to explore the Swiss Railways website.

On the main page, enter information about the route and departure time. Next you need to click Search connection.

Now a list of flights appears in front of us. No, not just a list of flights! And all the information about them, right down to which platform the train departs from. This is really convenient, respect to the railway workers, you don’t need to spend time thinking about whether to make cheese sandwiches for the trip or whether you can go to the dining car for lunch. To get more information, you need to click on the plus sign, which I indicated with an arrow. When clicked, the icon turns into a minus sign, and all the necessary information appears in front of the buyer. Having decided on the flight, you need to click on Fare/Buy.

Next, a page appears on which you need to select your preferred carriage class and ticket type - one way or both. You must also indicate your first and last name and date of birth. At this step, you can add other passengers. Pay attention to the Reduction column. If you have a discount on travel or are traveling with a child, you can select the required discount option from the drop-down list. Click on Next.

On this page you are offered to buy additional tickets, for example, to move around the city. If necessary, add to cart. Go ahead.

Here you need to register, log in or continue without registering. Select the most recent option and click Next.

Now you are prompted to enter your discount voucher number. If only it were still there... If it’s not there, then simply skip this block and click on Continue shopping.

You choose the most convenient option for making a payment transaction and transfer the required amount. The ticket will be sent by email and needs to be printed. By the way, you can also make a purchase through the mobile application. But what will you show to the ticket inspector on the train if your smartphone is dead? Don't forget to take this point into account.

***

Enjoy! What else can I tell you? A trip to Switzerland will be one of the most colorful moments of your life! And the railway, as you already understand, only contributes to a wonderful vacation.

Railways Switzerland lies through picturesque places, so many guidebooks recommend using such a convenient mode of transport for travel. Road rails were built along lakes and streams, beautiful mountains with snow-capped peaks. Trains pass through the mountains through tunnels, and canyons and gorges are crossed over beautiful bridges.

In the article we will look at which Swiss railways are public and which are private. What are the trains with gears, thanks to which you can even climb to the top of Mount Pilate? We will also give travelers tips on how to reduce travel costs on trains, because everyone knows the high cost of transport in this region. rich country. Let's look at photographs of train cars belonging to different Swiss railways.

State trains

Most of the trains and existing railway tracks are owned by a state-owned company. Its name is very long, so they usually use 9-letter abbreviations - SBB-CFF-FFS, which are written on all trains that have white, red and gray colors. They are easy to recognize at train stations in Switzerland by their colors.

All trains are comfortable and modern. They differ in their number of floors. Although Switzerland is a small country, the company has more than 4,000 carriages, and the length of municipal tracks is 13,000 km. We carry out transportation of both passengers over short and long distances, as well as cargo.

Passenger amenities

To enter a train carriage, you need to press the button on the door, and the same action should be performed when exiting. The seats on Swiss trains are comfortable, soft, and the aisles are wide. There are spacious shelves for storage above each seat. The carriages have clean toilets with the necessary amenities.

While sitting on the train, you can not only admire the gorgeous views from the window, but also charge your phone or camera, use Wi-Fi or have lunch in a restaurant. For travelers with bicycles, strollers, skis and other bulky items, a special carriage with fastenings is provided. The conductor will take your bike with a smile and place it in the rack. After exiting the carriage, he will take him back to the platform and wish him a successful excursion.

The trains have corners for small children with toys, equipment, and slides. Children cannot sit for a long time without moving, so the company's managers took care of the little passengers.

On the second floor, the seats are located slightly differently: closer to each other, one behind the other or opposite. Between them there are convenient sliding tables, so you can have a snack or put a water bottle, laptop or tablet. Dining cars are located only on the second floor; food is served in carts on international trains they also deliver there, but passengers below are notified about this using a sign.

Combining schedules

Sometimes, to get to your destination, you need to change from one train to another. The precision of the Swiss is known to everyone; electric trains also move with scrupulous timing. If a transfer is required, then when you exit the platform you will have to quickly walk to another platform and immediately board the next carriage. The schedule is made in such a way that you won’t have to wait long, nor will you have to look for the next train at the station.

Since the railways of Switzerland (there is a photo in the article) are considered a popular and environmentally friendly mode of transport, in addition to the state company, there are several more private railways, mainly located in the mountains. Next, let's look at a few popular and beautiful routes, where you can climb on special gear overpasses.

Cog railways

There are more than 20 railways in Switzerland equipped with special gears. The mechanism is located between the rails and helps lift the cars on a mountain slope.

The steepest climb in the world, which the train climbs, is also located in mountainous Switzerland. The train, using a gear train, climbs a 48% incline and takes tourists to the top of Mount Pilatus, which is located near the city of Lucerne. In winter, boxcars lift skiers to the popular mountainous areas.

Monument from the UNESCO list

The Rhaetian Railway in Switzerland is considered a real monument, a miracle of technology and human labor. The most scenic train route is built in late XIX century. Nowadays, the Albulskaya and Berninskaya lines are especially popular, they amaze with the height of the rails, passing over the deepest abysses, beautiful views to the mountains from the windows. This delights and frightens passengers at the same time.

Narrow gauge railway connects small town Thusis with resort place St. Moritz. It is only 67 km, however, construction lasted 14 years. The railway passes through 42 tunnels cut into the rocks and over 144 bridges over precipices with viaducts. The unique bridge, 136 meters high, consists of 6 arches and is a symbol of the Albuli road.

This passage for trains was built back in 1902 using technologies unusual for those times. This is the most amazing railway in Switzerland. Every year, millions of tourists from all over the world admire the beauty of the mountainous country while traveling by train. The routes are thought out to the smallest detail, because the Swiss love their trains very much. By rail you can reach anywhere in the country, to all resorts and mountain hotels, to lakes and glaciers in the Alps.

Part of the Rhaetian Road of the RhB line runs through the largest tourist area of ​​the canton of Grisons and reaches the Italian borders at Davos and Tirano. The entire route with bridges and tunnels is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now part of the railway in the Swiss mountains on this route is closed for the reconstruction of tunnels.

Slowest train

Switzerland's slowest and yet most famous train route in the world departs daily from St. Moritz to Zermatt. Travel duration is 7.5 hours. During this time, the express passes through the mountains through 91 tunnels and crosses 291 bridges over gorges. This Glacier Express route is a must on any tour of Swiss Alps.

Guests of the country will remember this legendary journey for a lifetime, as the trip combines technological wonders and impressive landscapes.

The steep climb

The steepest climb is carried out by narrow-gauge trains to Mount Pilatus. The uphill speed is 12 km/h, and the return speed is even slower - 9 km/h. The track was built back in 1967, the cars used are old ones, but the braking system has been improved.

The brakes used are parking, resistor, and electric. They are independent of each other, which increases traffic safety.

High mountain narrow gauge railway

The highest railway in Switzerland is also considered the highest in Europe. This is "Jungfrau" or Jungfraubahn. It belongs to the jagged lines, following the Bernese Alps and the canton of Bern. The length of the railway tracks is 9 km, with a height difference of 1,400 meters.

Most of the route along this route passes through tunnels (7 km) through the massif of the Eiger and Mönch mountains and rises to the very top of the Jungfrau. This place is a favorite among tourists, as at every stop along the train you can get off and admire the views. So at the Eigergletscher station you can look at the waterfalls.

At the Eigerwand station you have a magnificent view of the valley and the walls of the Eiger. The Icemeer stop is famous for its views of glaciers and magnificent cliffs.

The terminus station offers views in all directions of the Aletsch Glacier, the peaks of the nearby Jungfrau and Eiger mountains, and the magnificent Grindelwald valley.

• Even in summer time when climbing Mountain peaks You need to wear warm clothes and be sure to take sunglasses.
• On trains, it is recommended to take a seat near the window in the first or last car of the train, as you can take not only photos of the area, but also of the train itself at numerous turns.
• Since train tickets in Switzerland can reach 50 euros, it is recommended to take a special pass for a week or 15 days. The Swiss Travel System allows you not only to easily transfer from train to train without purchasing separate tickets, but also to ride buses, boats and even go to museums. It is very convenient and economical.