The GoldenPass line is one of the most touristic panorama railways in Switzerland. Not only does it have refurbished panorama carriages, it also offers a Belle Epoque option with a classic Oriental Express style wooden carriage for the first leg from Montreux to Zweisimmen. Being a fan of Switzerland’s countless mountains and numerous lakes I opted to take the air-conditioned panorama train in the Summer heat.
If you’re really keen on taking the perfect photos, you can actually opt to pay a little more to sit in the front for a 180-degree panorama view. I can’t believe the engineers placed the driver’s cabin in a bulge on the roof just to make space for this! Opt for first class and there’ll be so much space in the train it wouldn’t matter if you sat on the left or the right because there are so many empty seats.
In the second segment from Zweisimmen to Interlaken, you’ll find a silver train waiting for you on the platform. Since it is part of the same journey the train will wait if the first segment is delayed, but even if you do miss it the train passes through once an hour. Unfortunately, this segment doesn’t offer panorama windows or front-row seats. You’ll have to make do with comfortable reclining seats and a quiet cabin.
Again, I got the whole carriage to myself in first class so I enjoyed my beer and had a nap for this leg of the trip, there’s not much to see on this section anyways. When you do get to Interlaken, the Luzern-Interlaken Express connects seamlessly with the GoldenPass Line, leaving just minutes after you change trains.
The innovative train allows passengers to order food from the dining car with an app and have the train attendant deliver the food to your seat. Simply connect the the train’s unique identifying bluetooth connection and input your seat number. Fancy an ice-cold beer while snaking through some of Switzerlands most beautiful views? Easy!
If you still fancy a fourth famous train trip in the same day then hop on the the Voralpen Express from Luzern to St. Gallen.
