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Genève / Geneva to Brig / Brigue by train
How to take the wonderful journey by Lake Geneva and through beautiful Valais
The regular service of trains on this route is by Swiss IR services (express trains with no restaurant cars), but the international EC trains between Geneve and Milano or Venezia also come this way.
They're faster and have restaurants, but are less frequent and that speed tends to be available at a higher price.
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Routes
Option 1: taking the IR services
Journey Summary
2hr 20 min - 2hr 32min
Daily
Travel Information
Final Destination: Brig
Connect at Brig for MGB trains to Morel, Betten, Andermatt, Oberwald and Disentis/Muster.
All trains also call at: Sion
The first train to leave in each hour is usually faster because it makes fewer station calls, but on Monday-Friday between 16:00 and 18:15, all the departures make these fewer station calls.
Unlike the faster, but much less frequent EC trains, these trains on IR route 90 commence their journeys at Geneve-Aeroport station.
It takes the trains around 5 mins to travel from there to the main station in Geneve before they then head off to Brig.
So these trains usually depart from the main station in Geneve 10 mins after they have departed from Geneve-Aeroport.
2 x trains per hour
Tickets
Online bookings open: up to 60 days ahead of the travel date
Book early and save: Yes, if you book Supersaver tickets.
You may need to search through the departures to find these 'Supersaver' tickets using the ‘earlier’ and ‘later’ buttons.
Though the Supersaver tickets are much more likely to be available on these IR trains, than the alternative service of EC trains.
Seat reservations are not available on these IR trains, but if the departure times suit, they can be booked on those EC trains.
If you will be making a day trip to Brig from Geneva, be open to the possibility that Saver Day Passes may be a cheaper option than booking return tickets
Travelling with a rail pass:
Rail pass users can jump on any train, without having to make reservations, but they also applies to those faster EC trains on this route.
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| SBB | * | |
| Trainline | * | |
| Omio | * | |
| Happy rail | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
Good to Know
Double-deck trains now operate many of the departures on this route.
Journey description:
This north to south route through Switzerland tends to be eclipsed by other routes through the Alps, but the scenery is very pleasant for virtually the entire trip!
After Lausanne there are some great views over Lake Geneva; from the right hand side of the train, when facing the direction of travel.
So if they're available, a forward facing window seat on the right will provide the optimum views on this journey.
Then between Sion and Visp, the train threads through valleys lined with vineyards...
...the video was filmed from a train travelling in the opposite direction, but it gives a great idea of what to expect on this journey.
Option 2: taking the EC trains
Journey Summary
2hr 1 min (EC train)
Daily
Travel Information
When taking the train from Geneva to Brig, depending on the hour of your departure, you can choose between travelling by these faster EC trains, or the more regular service of IR trains.
Also those IR trains commence their journeys in the station at Geneve-Aeroport, but these EC trains don't use that station.
Though unlike those IR services, seats can be reserved on these EC trains and they also have restaurant cars.
Final Destination: Milano or Venezia
Connect at Brig for MGB trains to Oberwald; Andermatt and Disentis/Muster
All trains also call at: Sion
4 x trains per day
Tickets
Online bookings open: up to 60 days ahead of the travel date
Book early and save: Yes, if you book Supersaver tickets.
You may need to search through the departures to find these 'Supersaver' tickets using the ‘earlier’ and ‘later’ buttons.
In four hours during the day these EC trains provide an additional option to the regular service of IR train, though the Supersaver tickets are much more likely to be available on the alternative IR trains.
Though if you want the peace of mind of a reserved seat, you can make reservations for these EC trains, but not on the IR trains; though seats will almost certainly be available on those IR trains.
Rail Pass Users:
If you will be travelling this route with a rail pass you don't have pay a reservation fee/supplement for these journeys within Switzerland by EC train.
So if the departure times suit it can be worth targeting these faster trains, though they tend to be busier than the IR trains
Where to book
| Ticket Provider | Approximate Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| SBB | * | |
| Trainline | * | |
| Omio | * | |
| Happy rail | * |
On this journey
Travelling On
Journey Features
These EC trains take the same route as the IR trains.
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