Golden Pass Line - A Railway Journey With Some of Switzerland's Best Lake and Mountain Scenery

The Golden Pass Line is not one single train journey.possibilities; cruises on the Thun and Brienz lakes, train
You have to change trains at least twice betweenup to Jungfraujoch (the highest train station in Europe),
Lucerne and Montreux. The reason for the traincable car up to Schilthorn (there the James Bond film
changes is that the track between Lucerne and"On Her Majesty's Secret Service" was filmed) and
Interlaken is narrow gauge. But the middle stretch,the Brienz-Rothorn steam train up to Rothorn.
between Interlaken and Zweisimmen, is normal gauge.The track between Interlaken and Zweisimmen is the
While the track between Zweisimmen and Montreux isleast spectacular part of the Golden Pass Line. The
narrow gauge.views of the Thun Lake are nice but that's pretty
Lucerne in central Switzerland is easy to reach by trainmuch it. Zweisimmen is a small town and most people
from both Berne and Zurich. It is also possible to arrivejust change trains and continue with the narrow gauge
by the Wilhelm Tell Express, another scenic traintrain towards Montreux.
journey, from Lugano and Locarno. The first leg of theThis part of the Golden Pass Line has the best railway
Golden Pass, between Lucerne and Interlaken, takescoaches in Switzerland, so you may want to book in
two hours and includes some beautiful mountain andadvance to make sure you get a seat in one of the
lake scenery.panorama coaches. Some of the trains on this part
After leaving Lucerne the train climbs up to the Brunighave the locomotive in the middle of the train. This
Pass. The mountain views are beautiful, despite thatmeans that the front coach has eight seats at the
the train does not climb higher than 1000 metres abovefront, there the train driver normally sits. These seats
sea level on this part of the Golden Pass Line. Then itcost extra and must be booked in advance.
is downhill to Meiringen. Meiringen has a SherlockThe last leg of the Golden Pass Line also crosses the
Holmes Museum, the fatal fight between Professorlanguage barrier, from the German speaking part of
Moriarty and Sherlock Holmes took place at theSwitzerland into the French speaking part. After
nearby Reichenbach Falls.Zweisimmen the train climbs up to Saanenmöser,
Interlaken is beautifully located between the Brienz andat 1269 metres above sea level, the highest station on
Thun Lakes. The narrow gauge line ends at Interlakenthe whole Golden Pass Line. The 62 kilometre journey
Ost and from here the line continues to Zweisimmen.between Zweisimmen and Montreux takes almost
Interlaken has a lot to offer, just to mention a fewtwo hours and the scenery is very beautiful.