Switzerland’s GoldenPass trainline is one of Europe’s most spectacular rail routes. Taking passengers from the glittering shores of Lake Geneva through the Alps and into mountainous Bernese Oberland, the GoldenPass boasts some of the continent’s most mind-melting views.
However, as anyone who’s taken the GoldenPass will already know, the route from Montreux to Interlaken isn’t exactly faff-free. Due to different track gauges, passengers have long had to change train – and lug all their luggage across platforms – mid-journey at Zweisimmen, a tiny village at the gateway to Switzerland’s famed Gstaad region.
But now, excitingly, all that faff is in the past. A new train called the GoldenPass Express has launched that offers a non-stop service between Montreux and Interlaken. Using cutting-edge variable gauge technology, the new direct train requires no changes and takes about three hours and 15 minutes to span the two destinations.
And fancy new track tech isn’t the only difference between the old and new GoldenPass. The new carriages also sit a little higher on top of the rails – making them all the better for taking in those fantastic views. Here are a few more pics of the brand-new GoldenPass Express trains.
One-way tickets in second class on the GoldenPass Express start from 53 Swiss francs (£46, $57). If you’d like to find out more and book tickets, you can do so on the official website here. Scenic train enthusiasts, Christmas has come early!
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