Glacier Express

I will later by staying in Interlaken for several days and, as a train
lover, would like to travel on the Glacier Express. I see that Brig,
an express stop, is onl;y one hour from Interlaken so could board
there. However I do not know which are the most scenic sectors of the
express experience and would be grateful for any comments or advice.
How far should I travel and would it be possible to return the same
day or should I overnight somewhere?.
Any commenst appreciated.
Thanks
Spencer

On Aug 19, 9:28*am, Spencer G wrote:
I will later by staying in Interlaken for several days and, as a train
lover, would like to travel on the Glacier Express. I see that Brig,
an express stop, is onl;y one hour from Interlaken so could board
there. However I do not know which are the most scenic sectors of the
express experience and would be grateful for any comments or advice.
How far should I travel and would it be possible to return the same
day or should I overnight somewhere?.
Any commenst appreciated.
Thanks
Spencer

I see that the express arrives in Chur @ 14.47 and there is a train to
Zurich airport at 1509. As I would like to
fly out of Frankfurt the next day I could fly to FRA that eveniong
and be ready for an early start.
I would therefor be on the glacier Express from Brig to Chur. Does
this cover the scenic parts?
Spencer

On Thu, 18 Aug 2011, Spencer G wrote:

I will later by staying in Interlaken for several days and, as a train
lover, would like to travel on the Glacier Express. I see that Brig,
an express stop, is onl;y one hour from Interlaken

I haven't done the trip with the Express, which should be more expensive
that doing it with separate normal trains doing the same route (and
doing intermediate stops at your pleasure). You could buy some sort of
swiss rail pass and do the same (we did something like that several
years ago, we were based at Luzern where we returned each night, and one
day we did Goschenen-Andermatt-Brig [with a bus diversion to the Rhone
Gletscher] then return via Bern, another day we did
Chur-Disentis-Andermatt, another day we did Chur-Bernina-Tirano [and
went home to Milano]),

I have never done the Brig-Zermatt stretch.

The stretch from Chur to Disentis is nice landscape but is in a valley
bottom. It gets more mountainous up to Andermatt and Oberalp, then to
Brig the Furkapass is now done in a tunnel.

I like very much the eastern stretch from Thusis to the St Moritz area
(St Moritz itself should be avoided since it causes an extra hour, nice
connections are provided in Samedan and Pontresina) then to the Bernina
Pass (stop at Morteratsch to walk to the glacier mouth) and down to
Poschiavo.

I just did this again 20 days ago (in the opposite direction, I had to
reach Thusis from Milan, and I preferred a 7 hour train trip via Bernina
than using a bus from Chiavenna which means 3 hours on the bus).
Incidentally we came back from Thusis to Isola by foot (45 km in 3 days,
the so called via Spluga http://www.viaspluga.com)

I could have taken the express, which goes direct Tirano to Thusis, but
that was not convenient for the connections from Milano (long wait at
Tirano) so I did the "usual" changes in Pontresina and Samedan.


Unfortunately Interlaken is not directly connected to the lines where
the express runs. As a train lover you can however enjoy all the Wengen,
Grindelwald and Jungfrau railways.

You are correct that the faster connection is via Brig. However a
circular route (suitable for a day trip) could involve navigation on the
Brienz lake, train to Luzern (nice landscape and some slope), main line
to Goschenen, little train up to Andermatt, "glacier" stretch to Brig
(bus from Oberwald to Rhone glacier and back), and return via main line.

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I have never done the Brig-Zermatt stretch.

I have. Even more scenic it is between Interlaken and Brig (this is
naturally a matter of taste).

As long as we are on the subject, I will be skiing in Zermatt toward
the end of February. It looks like I can make a day trip by taking
the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Chur, and then taking the regular
trains back. Going all the way to St. Moritz would require staying
there overnight. Is it worht it, and are there non-luxurious places
to stay the one night in St. Moritz and near the train station? How
about taking the GE both ways versus using the regular trains for one
direction?

On Aug 18, 2:28*pm, Spencer G wrote:
I will later by staying in Interlaken for several days and, as a train
lover, would like to travel on the Glacier Express. ...
Spencer


The section of the Glacier Express from Brig to Chur is through the
Rhone River Gorge and part of the Rhine over the divide, with some
broad vistas, a long climb on rack rail tracks and somewhat distant
mountain tops. It misses the only actual glacier on the route which is
between Brig and Zermatt on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn line. It also
misses the UNESCO heritage tunnels and viaducts which are between Chur
and St Moritz. Taking the actual Glacier Express branded train is
best when it includes these, with the panoramic windows and meal
service, etc. Otherwise you can take the regular trains along the same
route at your own schedule.

The route from Interlaken is a via Spiez and the Lotschberg Tunnel to
Visp and then to Brig. If you want to maximize your scenery, see part
of the Glacier Express route and get the cog train experience, an
alternative to consider. Go to Visp via Spiez, then to Zermatt on the
Gotthard line. In Zermatt, take the Gornergrat Bahn to see the
Matterhorn and the glaciers, if you leave Interlaken early you can do
this in a day, then to Zurich airport via the tunnel to overnight
before your flight. If you stay overnight in Zermatt you can take the
Glacier Express the next morning to Chur and get to Zurich that night.
Or you could stay in Chur and catch a mid-day or later flight to
Frankfurt.

http://www.bargaintraveleurope.com/S...er_Express.htm
http://www.bargaintraveleurope.com/0...hn_Zermatt.htm
http://www.bargaintraveleurope.com/t...ins_Routes.htm
http://www.bargaintraveleurope.com/0...Stern_Chur.htm

on the subject

For St Moritz. There is some less expensive accommodation than the top
tier in St Moritz, but February is the high winter season.

http://www.bargaintraveleurope.com/0...i_Celerina.htm
http://www.bargainluxurytravel.com/s...witzerland.htm

Michael J. writes:
The route from Interlaken is... via Spiez and the Lotschberg Tunnel to
Visp and then to Brig.

Actually there are two routes now for the Spiez to Brig part of the trip.

The fast route, which opened in 2007, is via the new Lötschberg Base
Tunnel and takes about 35 minutes one-way between the two points.
But if you want scenery, ride the old route via Kandersteg, which takes
runs through the old Lötschberg Tunnel and takes 72 minutes one-way.
This line does not run through Visp, but passes high above it on the
side of the Rhone valley, giving impressive views over the valley
for several minutes. (Going south, sit on the right-hand side.)

If you look in Google Maps imagery, you can see the south end of the
Lötschberg Base Tunnel near Visp at coordinates 46.3089,7.8322, with
the old line passing by at a higher level about 1,200 feet to the north
(and in that area, going in and out of short tunnels).

(The map part of Google Maps shows the old line but not the new one.)
--
Mark Brader, Toronto "No victor believes in chance."
-- Nietzsche (trans. Kaufmann)

My text in this article is in the public domain.

On Aug 19, 5:23*pm, " wrote:
As long as we are on the subject, I will be skiing in Zermatt toward
the end of February. *It looks like I can make a day trip by taking
the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Chur, and then taking the regular
trains back. *Going all the way to St. Moritz would require staying
there overnight. *Is it worht it, and are there non-luxurious places
to stay the one night in St. Moritz and near the train station? *How
about taking the GE both ways versus using the regular trains for one
direction?

St.Moritz like Gstaad is an overpriced waste of time....Chur has
nothing of interest
some of the best scenery is around the lakes at Interlaken...but it
all depends on the weather

On 21/08/11 14:41, Beer Tricks Potter wrote:
On Aug 19, 5:23 pm, wrote:
As long as we are on the subject, I will be skiing in Zermatt toward
the end of February. It looks like I can make a day trip by taking
the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Chur, and then taking the regular
trains back. Going all the way to St. Moritz would require staying
there overnight. Is it worht it, and are there non-luxurious places
to stay the one night in St. Moritz and near the train station? How
about taking the GE both ways versus using the regular trains for one
direction?

St.Moritz like Gstaad is an overpriced waste of time....Chur has
nothing of interest
some of the best scenery is around the lakes at Interlaken...but it
all depends on the weather

Only if you wish to look at the lakes.

If you wish to eat Engadin Nusstorte then tramping the shores of the
lakes is just not how to do it...


--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, buy a dog...

On 8/21/2011 9:41 AM, Beer Tricks Potter wrote:
On Aug 19, 5:23 pm, wrote:
As long as we are on the subject, I will be skiing in Zermatt toward
the end of February. It looks like I can make a day trip by taking
the Glacier Express from Zermatt to Chur, and then taking the regular
trains back. Going all the way to St. Moritz would require staying
there overnight. Is it worht it, and are there non-luxurious places
to stay the one night in St. Moritz and near the train station? How
about taking the GE both ways versus using the regular trains for one
direction?

St.Moritz like Gstaad is an overpriced waste of time....Chur has
nothing of interest
some of the best scenery is around the lakes at Interlaken...but it
all depends on the weather

What a jaundiced view! I have enjoyed visits to all of those places and,
during my family's first stay in Switzerland, we rented an apartment in
Gstaad for a week. Switzerland, after all, is a small country and even
Gstaad made a good base.

--


James Silverton, Potomac

I'm *not*