Travelling on Swiss Mountain Railways: An introduction

Taking a train ride on a spectacular Swiss Tourist/Mountain Railway is one of the more accessible of those '100 Things You Must Do...' experiences.
All of the railway lines and trains in the content menu offer journeys with a wow factor and this guide to Swiss Mountain Railways shows you how to take these incredible trips.

You'll see below that many different independent/private companies operate these lines, they're mainly not managed by the Swiss national rail operator, SBB, or the other main rail company in Switzerland, BLS.

Many of these lines were constructed in order to provide access to mountain resort towns, hence the guide to travelling to Swiss ski resorts by train includes many of these railways.

However, the fact that so many different companies operate the Swiss Mountain Railways and that there are so many routes to choose from, can seem bewildering - hence the info we have provided below!

• Andermatt = MGB
• Arosa = Rhb
• Davos = Rhb
• Engelberg = ZB
• Grindelwald= BOB
• Gruyères = TPF
• Gstaad = MOB
• Klosters = Rhb
• Jungfraujoch = JB
• Mürren = BLM
• Poschiavo = Rhb
• St Moritz = Rhb
• Verbier = TMR
• Wengen = WAB
• Zermatt = MGB

Click on the links within the info below to access practical travel information including- access to the railway's websites and ticket booking links etc.
For the larger railways ShowMeTheJourney has produced guides with additional details, so click on these to discover good to know information such as, how to:

• book tickets,
• see the best of the views
• travel to these railways by train.

Where were these pictures were taken?

Clockwise from top left:
1 - From an MGB train between Andermatt and Disentis
2 - On the RhB line between St Moritz and Chur
3 - From a RB train between Rigi-Kulm at Vitznau
4 - On the Luzern-Interlaken Express between Meiringen and Luzern
5 - From a MOB train ascending from Montreux
6 - On a MGB train between Andermatt and Disentis
7 - From a WAB train between Wengen and Lauterbrunnen
8 - On the RhB line between Tirano and St Moritz

Its website = The Appenzeller Bahn

A network of lines, with services generally at 30 min intervals, centred on the resort of Appenzell, which has connections to/from the SBB main lines at Gossau and St Gallen stations.
Both Gossau and St Gallen have regular direct trains from/to Zurich, Zurich Airport and Winterthur; though the trains from these locations call at Gossau before St Gallen, so change at Gossau for the AB Trains.

Jakobsbad station on the AB network is adjacent to the Kronberg cable car also operated by AB.

Online ticket booking is not available for regular journeys solely by AB trains; though special excursion journeys can be booked online.

• Eurail & InterRail = 50% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass and Saver Day Pass = free travel

Its website = Chemin de fer Bière-Apples-Morges

There is a branch line between the main line station at Morges, (which is served by nearly all trains which travel between Geneva and Lausanne) and the village of Apples.
At Apples connections are available to another BAM line which operates to the village of L’isle-Mont-La-Ville

Tickets between SBB stations and BAM stations can be booked online on the SBB booking service - online ticket booking is not available for regular journeys solely by BAM trains.

• Eurail; InterRail = free travel
• Swiss Travel Pass; Saver Day Pass = free travel

Its website = The BLM Railway

The BLM line links Lauterbrunnen station on the BOB Railway with the popular village of Mürren which is inaccessible by road.

Adjacent to Lauterbrunnen station is a cable car operated by BLM that takes passengers up to the BLM station at Grutschalp from where BLM trains operate to Mürren.
Tickets between Lauterbrunnen and Mürren are valid on both the cable car and the train.

To travel between Interlaken Ost station and Mürren, the route is:
(1) travel by B.O.B. train from Interlaken Ost to Lauterbrunnen station
(2) travel from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp by cable car
(3) travel from Grutschalp to Mürren by BLM train.

At the opposite end of Mürren village to the BLM station, is the cable car which gives access to the Schilthorn mountain with its revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria, and the interactive James Bond exhibition 'Spy World' as Piz Gloria was used as the setting for Blofeld's HQ in the film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Hence Mürren and Schilthorn are featured in the themed holiday Following In The Footsteps of James Bond.

Tickets for the complete journey from Interlaken to Mürren can be booked here.
Tickets between SBB stations and Mürren can be booked on the SBB booking service - though take care not to search for journeys to Murren (with an ordinary ‘u’).

Rail Pass Validity:

• Eurail = 25% discount
• InterRail = 25% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass and Saver Day Passes = free travel
• Berner Oberland Pass = free travel
• Jungfrau Summer Pass = free travel
• Jungfrau Winter, Hiking and Sledging Pass = free travel

The route is Interlaken Ost station - Wilderswill and on to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.

Taking this line is the first stage of journeys from Interlaken into the Bernese-Oberland as it connects with other lines which lead to Jungfraujoch, Mürren, Schynige Platte and Wengen.

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on BOB trains includes the links to it's official website and so much more!

Connect with SPB trains at Wilderswill and with WAB trains at Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.
Connect with mainline trains at Interlaken Ost.
At Grindelwald Terminal station connect with the Eiger Express cable car and the Mannlichen cable car route to Wengen,
At the final stop in Grindelwald connect with the Grindelwald First Gondaola cable car route,

Tickets can be booked online - click on the 'Plan & Book' link on the menu.

Rail pass validity

• Eurail; InterRail = 50% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass and Saver Day Passes = free travel.
• Berner Oberland Pass = free travel
• Jungfrau Summer Pass = free travel
• Jungfrau Winter, Hiking and Sledging Pass = free travel

Its website = Brienz Rothorn Bahn

A 7.5km long rack railway operated solely by steam engines in the summer months only, from early June to mid-October.
Brienz BRB station is adjacent to Brienz station on the ZB line between Lucerne and Interlaken.
The station at the mountain summit is named Rothorn Kulm.

Tickets including seat reservations can be booked online.
Journeys between SBB stations and Rothorn Kulm CANNOT be booked on the SBB booking service.
Rail pass validity

• Eurail and InterRail = no discount
• Swiss Travel Pass = 50% discount
• Saver Day Pass = no discount if you purchase at the full rate, 50% discount applies if you purchase with a Half-Fare card
• Berner Oberland Pass = free travel
• Tell Pass = free travel

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on GGB trains includes the links to it's official website and so much more!

A spectacular railway between Zermatt (see the MGB lines) and the highest open air station in Europe at Gornergrat.
The GGB station in Zermatt is across the street from the MGB station; which is served by trains from Brig and Visp.

As its colloquial name implies, the line offers spectacular views of the Matterhorn mountain, hence its inclusion on the list of Switzerland's most beautiful rail journeys.
The mountain railway scenes in the TV series 'The Night Manager' were filmed on the GGB.

Tickets can be booked online
GGB tickets are fairly expensive but a 30% discount can be obtained when booking through tickets to Gornergrat at SBB stations.

The Gornergrat Railway is also included in multiple Swiss rail holiday packages on which ShowMeTheJourney users can obtain a 5% discount!

• the Famous Mountain Peaks By Train themed holiday
• the Grand Tour Of Switzerland: Winter Edition

Rail pass validity

• Eurail & InterRail = no discount
• Swiss Travel Pass = 50% discount
• Saver Day Pass = no discount if you purchase at the full rate, 50% discount applies if you purchase with a Half-Fare card

The company which operates the line is the Ferrovie Autollinee Regionali Ticine, but in Italy it is known as the Vigezzina Centovalli, which in English is 'The Centovalli Railway'.
It links the two main north to south routes which link Switzerland and Italy, so can be used two transfer between the Lotschberg route via Brig and the Gotthard route via Lugano.
It's also included on the list of Switzerland's most beautiful railway journeys.

Connect with mainline trains at Locarno and at Domodossola, the latter station is in Italy, but Swiss Travel Passes and Saver Day Passes are valid on Swiss Regional and IC trains between the Swiss border (at Brig) and Domodossola.

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on F.A.R.T. trains will tell you more.

Tickets for journeys on the Centovalli can be booked online

Rail pass validity

• Eurail; InterRail = free travel
• Swiss Travel Pass; Saver Day Pass = free travel

The railway to Europe's highest railway station.

Its website = The Jungfrau Railway

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on the JB trains

Connect with WAB trains at Kleine Scheidegg.

Tickets can be booked online - click on the 'Plan & Book' link on the menu.

The Jungfrau Railway is also included in multiple Swiss rail holiday packages on which ShowMeTheJourney users can obtain a 5% discount!

• The Best Of Switzerland themed holiday
• the Famous Mountain Peaks By Train themed holiday
• the Classic Grand Tour Plus Jungfraujoch
• the Golden Pass Holiday - Panoramic Round Trip

Rail pass validity

• Eurail and InterRail = 25% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass = 25% discount
• Saver Day Pass = no discount if you purchase at the full rate, 25% discount applies if you purchase with a Half-Fare card
• Jungfrau Summer Pass = free travel between Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher*
• Berner Oberland Pass = free travel between Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher*
• Jungfrau Winter, Hiking and Sledging Pass = free travel between Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher*
  *= tickets available at a special rate for travel between Eigergletscher and Jungfraujoch,

This railway offers unbeatable views over Lake Lugano thanks to its ascent of the mountain summit.

Official Website = The Monte Generoso Railway

Connect with mainline trains at Capolago served by local trains travelling between Lugano and Chiasso

Rail pass validity

• Eurail & InterRail = no discount
• Swiss Travel Pass = 50% discount
• Saver Day Pass = no discount if you purchase at the full rate, 50% discount applies if you purchase with a Half-Fare card

(Online ticket booking is not available for journeys solely by MG trains).

The Matterhorn-Gotthard Railway summer service and winter service operates two routes:

(1) Andermat - Göschenen; which is on the Zurich - Zug/Basel - Luzern - Arth-Goldau - Göschenen - Faido - Biasca - Bellinzona - Locarno route.
(2) Zermatt - Täsch - Visp - Brig - Andermatt - Disentis/Muster though connections are usually required in Brig and Andermatt.
This route provides a useful cross-country service between south-west Switzerland, the Valais and eastern Switzerland, Grisons; and it's so wonderful that it's been included on the list of Switzerland's Switzerland's most beautiful rail journeys.

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on the MGB trains

Connect with GGB trains at Zermatt and with RhB trains at Disentis/Muster with onward connections possible to Chur, Davos, Klosters and St Moritz.
Connect with mainline trains at Brig, Goschenen and Visp

Tickets can be booked online

Rail pass validity

• Eurail; InterRail = free travel
• Swiss Travel Pass/Saver Day Pass = free travel

MGB trains give access to the following skiing/winter sports areas - Aletsch Arena and Andermatt - Gemsstock - Nätschen and Disentis and Saas Fee and Saas Grund.

Its website = The Montreux Oberland Bernois Railway
It operates two main routes:
(1) Montreux <> Zweisimmen via Gstaad - Its 'Golden Pass' route, which is included on the list of Switzerland's most beautiful rail journeys.

(2) Lenk <> Zweisimmen

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on the MOB trains includes details of its three very different types of train.

Connect with mainline trains at Montreux and Zweisimmen; take trains from there to Interlaken via Spiez, in order to travel the full length of the classic Golden Pass' route on to Luzern.
MOB operates numerous special train services including 'The Chocolate Train' and the new Golden Pass Express service which is direct between Montreux and Interlaken, plus it offers access to the Lenk-Simmental winter sports area.

Tickets can be booked online

The Golden Pass route is also included in multiple Swiss rail holiday packages on which ShowMeTheJourney users can obtain a 5% discount!

• 'The Classic' Grand Tour
• the Classic Grand Tour Plus Jungfraujoch
• the Grand Tour: Winter Edition
• the Golden Pass Holidays - Panoramic Round Trip and The Golden Pass Tour

Rail pass validity

• Eurail; InterRail = free travel
• Swiss Travel Pass; Saver Day Pass = free travel
• Berner Oberland Pass = 100% between Gstaad and Zweisimmen; 50% between Gstaad and Montreux
• Léman - Alpes Pass = 100%

Montreux <> to the mountain summit at Rochers-De-Naye
Vevey <> Les Pleiades

Its website = The Montreux Vevey Riviera Railway

Connect with mainline trains at Montreux.

• Eurail = free travel
• InterRail = free travel
• Swiss Travel Pass and Saver Day Pass = 50%

Online ticket booking is not available for journeys solely by MVR trains

Nyon <> to the popular winter sports resort at St-Cerque

Its website = The Nyon St Cerque Morez Railway

Connect with mainline trains at Nyon, served by trains travelling between Geneve and Lausanne.

Tickets between SBB stations and NStCM stations can be booked on the SBB booking service.
Using SBB’s booking service is recommended, as tickets can’t be purchased on the NStCM website, and its ticket machines aren’t the easiest to understand.

• Eurail = free travel
• InterRail = free travel
• Swiss Travel Pass and Saver Day Pass = free travel

Take a ride on Europe's steepest railway journey, which is so spectacular that it merits an inclusion on the list of Switzerland's most beautiful rail journeys

Its website = The Pilatus Bahn

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on the Pilatus Bahn

Connects with ZB trains at Alpnachstad.

Online ticket booking is not available for journeys solely by the Pilatus Bahn.

Rail pass validity

• Eurail & InterRail = 50% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass = 50% discount
• Saver Day Pass = no discount if you purchase at the full rate, 50% discount applies if you purchase with a Half-Fare card
• Tell Pass = free travel

Not one, but two beautiful routes to the summit of Mt Rigi.
The blue line connects with trains to/from Basel, Bellinzona, Locarno, Luzern, Zug and Zurich at Arth-Goldau station.

The red line connects with boats from Luzern in Vitznau.

Both routes are so wonderful that they're included on the list of Switzerland's most beautiful rail journeys

Its website = The Rigi Bahn

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on the Rigi Bahn

Tickets can be booked online

Rail pass validity

• Eurail & InterRail = 50% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass and Saver Day Pass = free travel
• Tell Pass - free travel

The Rhätische Bahn operates trains on multiple routes in south east Switzerland connecting Chur, Davos, Disentis/Muster, Arosa, Klosters, Landquart, St Moritz and Tirano; most of which are so spectacular that they're included on the list of Switzerland's most beautiful rail journeys
The Glacier Express travels between St Moritz and Disentis at the eastern end of its route.
The Bernina Express travels between both Chur / St Moritza and Tirano.
Tickets for regular and special trains can be booked online

The SMTJ guide to travelling to travelling on the Rhaetian Railway

Connect with MGB trains at Disentis/Muster
Connect with mainline trains at Chur and Landquart

Access to the following winter sports areas - Corviglia and Disentis and Flims Laax Falera and Obersaxen-Mundau and Parsenn and
Scuol Motta Naluns.

The Rhaetian Railways routes are also included in multiple Swiss rail holiday packages on which ShowMeTheJourney users can obtain a 5% discount, including all of the Alpine Tours and most of the Grand Tours.

Rail pass validity
Eurail; InterRail; Swiss Travel Pass; Saver Day Pass= free travel

Official website =Die SudOstBahn
A network of lines that comprises routes mainly used by commuters in the St Gallen area, but the route between St Gallen and Watwill also includes Switzerland’s highest railway bridge – the Sitter viaduct.

The Voralpen Express operates over SOB lines between St Gallen and Watwill.

• Eurail; InterRail = free travel
• Swiss Travel Pass; Saver Day Pass = free travel

its website = The Schynige Platte Railway

Connect with BOB trains at Wilderswill.

Tickets can be booked online - click on the 'Plan & Book' link on the menu

Rail pass validity

• Eurail and InterRail = 25% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass = 25% discount
• Saver Day Pass = no discount if you purchase at the full rate, 25% discount applies if you purchase with a Half-Fare card
• Jungfrau Summer Pass = free travel
• Berner Oberland Pass = free travel

Its website = Transports de Martigny et Regions Railway

The routes of The Mont Blanc Express and The St Bernard Express.
The SMTJ guide to travelling on The Mont Blanc Express route and this route is also included on the list of Switzerland's most beautiful railway journeys.

Connect with mainline trains at Martigny.

Access to the Verbier/4 Vallées winter sports area.

Eurail; InterRail; Swiss Travel Pass; Saver Day Pass = free travel

Its website = Transport Publics du Chablais

The SMTJ guide to travelling on the TPC trains
Connections from Aigle and Bex station with access to the ski resorts at Champery, Les Diablerets and Leysin.

Tickets between SBB stations and stations served by the TPC trains can be booked on the SBB booking service.
Online ticket booking is not available for journeys solely by TPC trains.

• Eurail & InterRail = 50% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass and Saver Day Pass = free travel (except Villars-sur-Ollon <> Bretaye, which has a discount of 50%)

Gruyères/La Gruyère has a station served by trains operated by tpf.
Two trains per hour typically operate between Palézieux station and Gruyères, there are two or local trains per hour between Lausanne and Palézieux, the end-to end journey between Lausanne and Gruyères typically takes between 1hr 20mins and 1hr 30mins.
Palézieux is also a station call on the Geneve - Nyon - Morges - Lausanne - Fribourg - Bern - Luzern route taken by hourly IR trains.

These trains between Palézieux and Gruyères call at Bulle where connections are available with other hourly trains, also operated by tpc which take a Bern - Fribourg - Bulle - Broc route (RE 2).

Gruyères also has hourly trains which travel to and from Montbovon, which is also served by hourly trains, operated by MOB, on its Montreux - Gstaad - Zweisimmen (connect for Spiez, Thun and Bern) route.

Gruyères old town is on top of a hill, a 15 to 30 min walk up a fairly steep path from the station, but bus route/line 260 links the station with the car park towards the top of the hill, at least hourly.

• Eurail; InterRail = free travel
• Swiss Travel Pass; Saver Day Pass = free travel

Europe's longest rack railway is so fabulous that it has been included on the guide to Switzerland's most beautiful rail journeys

Its website = Wengeralpbahn
The trains on the Lauterbrunnen <> Kleine Scheidegg route call at Wengen.

The SMTJ guide to travelling on the Wengeralpbahn

Connect with BOB trains at Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen and with JB trains at Kleine Scheidegg

Tickets can be booked online - click on the 'Plan & Book' link on the menu.

The WAB Railway is also included in multiple Swiss rail holiday packages on which ShowMeTheJourney users can obtain a 5% discount!

• The Best Of Switzerland themed holiday
• the Famous Mountain Peaks By Train themed holiday
• the Classic Grand Tour Plus Jungfraujoch
• the Golden Pass Holiday - Panoramic Round Trip

Rail pass validity

• Jungfrau Winter, Hiking and Sledging Pass = free travel
• Eurail and InterRail = 25% discount
• Swiss Travel Pass = 25% discount
• Saver Day Pass = no discount if you purchase at the full rate, 25% discount applies if you purchase with a Half-Fare card
• Jungfrau Summer Pass = free travel
• Berner Oberland Pass = free travel

This line is an important cross-country route as Luzern has trains from St Gallen, Zug and Zurich and in Interlaken connections are available on to a swathe of destinations including Grindelwald, Gstaad, Jungfraujoch, Montreux, Thun and Wengen.
It is also included on the list of Switzerland's most beautiful railway journeys.

Its website = Zentralbahn

The SMTJ guide to travelling on the Zentralbahn and the Luzern - Interlaken Express

Connect with mainline trains at Interlaken Ost and Luzern.
Connect with BRB trains at Brienz and with PB trains at Alpnachstad; the Luzern - Interlaken Express trains do not call at Alpnachstad, but the Zentralbahn also operates local trains from/to Luzern.

Has access to these winter sports areas - Meiringen - Hasliberg and Engelberg Titlis.

Tickets can be booked online for journeys on the Luzern - Interlaken Express.

The ZB Railway is also included in multiple Swiss rail holiday packages on which ShowMeTheJourney users can obtain a 5% discount!

• The Best Of Switzerland themed holiday
• the Magical Moments themed holiday
• the Classic Grand Tour
• the Classic Grand Tour Plus Jungfraujoch
• the Hidden Treasures tour
• the Grand Tour: Winter Edition
• the Golden Pass Holidays

Rail pass validity
Eurail; InterRail; Swiss Travel Pass; Saver Day Pass = free travel

In summary these FOUR things are particularly worth knowing about the ticketing on the privately operated Swiss mountain railways:

(1) The companies which operate these railways typically don't offer discounted tickets if you book in advance - but the exception are
**the MGB ** and the RhB - when using the SBB, Swiss national railways, booking service.

(2) Seat reservations also aren't typically available on the standard trains - though they can be booked when travelling on the Brienz-Rothurn-Bahn, on the MOB trains on its Montreux - Zwiesimmen route and on the Luzern-Interlaken Express.
Other notable notable exceptions, on which seat reservations are available include journeys by these specific train services The Bernina Express and The Glacier Express and The Gotthard Panorama Express

(3) As will be seen above not all of these railways offer online booking, but despite the lack of discounted tickets, there are two factors which make an online booking worthwhile when it is an option:

• You'll save the time of having to book tickets at the station - the timetables are usually arranged to allow less than 5 minutes between the arrival of a mainline train and the departure of the mountain train.
• Many of the stations on this network of Swiss independent railways only have ticket machines - and in our experience these ticket machines can be particularly awkward to use.

(4) If you will be commencing a journey at station on the national rail network in Switzerland, the SBB online ticket booking service will usually sell tickets for end-to-end journeys which involve taking a mainline SBB or BLS train AND a train operated by an independent railway
More info is available on the guide below.

A big plus for using a rail pass in Switzerland is the access they provide to the trains operated by these independent railway companies.
Whether you will be travelling with an InterRail, Eurail, Swiss Travel Pass or a Saver Day Pass you can hop on many of these independently managed trains; in addition to the national SBB and BLS trains.

On the the independent railway summaries above, you'll see whether you can travel on them for free with a rail pass, or whether a rail pass enables you to travel at a discounted rate.
When the rail pass does enable travel at a discount, you will usually need to visit a ticket office at the station in order to obtain your discounted ticket, before you board the trains.

You will also be able to notice that the conditions of using each type of pass can vary; there are more routes/trains on which Swiss Travel Passes can travel for free, in comparison to using Eurail and InterRail passes within Switzerland, or if you've purchased a Saver Day Pass and don't have a Half-Fare card

On the Swiss Rail map the ‘Grand Tour of Switzerland' railway routes are marked.
However, our suggested itineraries includes the 'Grand Tour' rail routes, plus a few extra lines, which we think should also be on the 'must-do' list.

The itineraries are all for eight days, because there is a Swiss Travel Pass valid for 8 Days that can be made the most of if you follow the suggested routes; or you can use 3 or 4 Day Passes to travel on your pick of the suggestions.
Or use Saver Day Passes to travel on one or two routes.
An InterRail or Eurail pass valid in Switzerland, can be also be used on all of these suggested itineraries, so you don't have to use a Swiss Travel Pass.

A big plus of exploring Switzerland with a rail pass (Eurail, InterRail, Swiss Travel Pass or Saver Day Pass) is the easy connections between trains; all of the suggested routes can be completed in a day.
You shouldn't ever have to wait more than 30 mins for the next train to depart from any of the stations.

To make your explorations as simple as possible, it can make sense to base yourself in one location, so that you can loop back to your accommodation at the end of each day.
Do that and you also won't have to cart your luggage around Switzerland.
Hence the itineraries have been designed so that you can spend each night of your holiday in the same location, and choose between staying in Basel, Zurich or Olten

Journeys marked with an * are those on which Eurail, InterRail and Swiss Travel Pass users have to pay a discounted ticket price.
Journeys marked with an ** are those on which only Eurail and InterRail users have to pay a discounted ticket price.

FROM BASEL:

1: The Golden Pass route: Basel → Visp → Montreux → Zweisimmen → Spiez → Interlaken Ost → Luzern → Basel

2: The Glacier Express route #1: Basel → Visp → Andermatt → Disentis/Muster → Chur → Zurich → Basel

3: The Glacier Express route #2: Basel (depart 09:33) → Chur → St Moritz (depart 15:37) → Landquart (via Klosters) → Zurich → Basel

4: The Centovali Express and The Gotthard Express route: Basel (depart 10:28) → Domodossola → Locarno → Basel

5: The Mount Rigi route: Basel → Luzern →** boat to Vitznau →** Rigi-Kulm →** Arth-Goldau → Fluelen → boat to Luzern** → Basel

6: The Bernese Oberland Railway: Basel → Interlaken Ost →* Grindelwald →* Kleine Scheidegg →* Jungfaujoch →* Kleine Scheidegg →* Lauterbrunnen →* Interlaken Ost → Basel (users of Saver Day Passes don't qualify for the discount unless they also have the Half Fare Card)

7: The Voralpen Express and Schaffhausen Falls: Basel → Zurich → Schaffhausen → St Galllen → Luzern → Basel

8: The Mont Blanc Express route and The Lotschberger route: Basel → Biel → Lausanne → Martigny → Vallorcine → Chamonix-Mont Blanc → Vallorcine → Martigny → Brig → Thun or Bern via Kandersteg → Basel

FROM ZURICH:

1: The Golden Pass route: Zurich → Visp → Montreux → Zweisimmen → Spiez → Interlaken Ost → Luzern → Zurich

2: The Bernina Express route #1: Zurich → Chur → Samedan → Pontresina → Tirano → Pontresina → Samedan → Chur → Zurich

3: The Glacier Express route #2: Zurich → Visp → Zermatt → Visp → Andermatt → Disentis/Muster → Chur → Zurich

4: The Centovali Express and The Gotthard Express route: Zurich → Brig → Domodossola → Locarno → Zurich

5: The Mount Rigi route: Zurich → Luzern → boat to Vitznau → Rigi-Kulm → Arth-Goldau → Fluelen → boat to Luzern → Zurich

6: The Bernese Oberland Railways: Zurich → Spiez → Interlaken Ost →* Grindelwald →* Kleine Scheidegg →* Jungfaujoch →* Kleine Scheidegg →* Lauterbrunnen →* Interlaken Ost → Zurich (users of Saver Day Passes don't qualify for the discount unless they also have the Half Fare Card)

7: The Voralpen Express and Schaffhausen Falls: Zurich → Schaffhausen → St Galllen → Luzern → Interlaken Ost → (Bern) → Zurich

8: The Mont Blanc Express route and The Lotschberger: Zurich → Lausanne → Martigny → Vallorcine → Chamonix-Mont Blanc → Vallorcine → Martigny → Brig → Thun or Bern via Kandersteg → Zurich

FROM OLTEN:

1: The Golden Pass route: Olten → Visp → Montreux → Zweisimmen → Spiez → Interlaken Ost → Luzern →Olten

2: The Glacier Express route #1: Olten → Visp → Andermatt → Disentis/Muster → Chur → Olten

3: The Glacier Express route #2: Olten (depart 09:30) → Chur → St Moritz (depart 15:37) → Landquart (via Klosters) → Zurich → Olten

4: The Centovali Express and The Gotthard Express route: Olten (depart 10:55) → Domodossola → Locarno → Olten

5: The Mount Rigi and Gotthard Express route: Olten → Luzern →** boat to Vitznau →** Rigi-Kulm →** Arth-Goldau → Bellinzona → Olten

6: The Bernese Oberland Railways: Olten → Interlaken Ost →* Grindelwald →* Kleine Scheidegg →* Jungfaujoch →* Kleine Scheidegg →* Lauterbrunnen →* Interlaken Ost → Olten (users of Saver Day Passes don't qualify for the discount unless they also have the Half Fare Card)

7: The Voralpen Express and Schaffhausen Falls: Olten → Zurich → Schaffhausen → St Galllen → Luzern → Olten

8: The Mont Blanc Express route and The Lotschberger: Olten - Visp → Martigny → Vallorcine → Chamonix-Mont Blanc → Vallorcine → Martigny → Brig → Thun or Bern via Kandersteg → Olten

Olten is the central hub of the Swiss rail system so it makes a great base for exploring Switzerland by train and its room rates tend to much lower than staying in Basel or Zurich
It also has a charming old town in which to have a meal/drink after your day of travels.

Or if you don't want to stay in the same location every night, National Geographic has published this great guide to following the 'Grand Tour of Switzerland' route

Booking the passes:

If you want to take one or two, or three of these itineraries, a Saver Day Pass for each day of travels will be a money saver,

If you want to follow three or four of these routes it can be worth looking up the costs of purchasing 3 or 4 day passes against the cost of a 3 or 4 day Swiss Travel Pass.

Though keep in mind:

• The prices of the Day Passes increase between the day they are placed on sale (60 days) ahead and the day they are taken off sale - they must be booked in at least 24 hrs in advance.
• The prices of the two types of Travel pass; Consecutive days and Flex.
• Particularly factor in that by booking Day Passes you'll be committing to your travel dates before you arrive in Switzerland, but with the Travel Pass, you can choose your travel dates once you are in Switzerland.
• You don't have to buy a Travel Pass until you are in Switzerland.
• And if you'll want to make the most of the other inclusions on the Swiss Travel passes the galleries and museums etc, the Swiss Travel Pass can also be good value for money if you follow just three of the suggested routes.

The Concierge Service can help with planning a tailor made itinerary for exploring these mountain railways with a Swiss Travel Pass or an InterRail pass.

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We have singled out these five trains listed below because the Swiss tourist information services also highlights these services.
You don't have to travel by these trains to explore these routes, some of which are taken by mainline trains, but they offer either convenience, or a special on-board experience, or both.

What can make these trains special is:

• They can have particularly large windows to maximise the views.
• They can provide direct services on routes on which taking regular trains, would require multiple connections.
• They can still provide a local service on spectacular routes which have now been abandoned by express trains.

1: The Bernina Express (large windows and a direct service)

2: The Glacier Express (large windows and a direct service)

3: The Gotthard Panorama Express (large windows in 1st class and a direct service)

4: The Lötschberger (local service, the only trains which take the spectacular route via Kandersteg)

5: The Voralpen Express (direct service)

If you will be travelling with a rail pass, the full 'Golden Pass route' between Luzern and Montreux via Interlaken, is a fabulously scenic and useful connection between central Switzerland and Lake Geneva; a great alternative to the direct IR trains between Luzern and Geneva.
And rail pass users don't have to pay any additional fees to travel on any of the regular trains along the route.

The Golden Pass Express now provides a direct service between Interlaken and Montreux, but the higher price to travel by it, can be easily avoided with connections in Spiez and Zweissimen which couldn't be more straightforward.

East to west the full route by regular trains is:
(1) The Luzern - Interlaken Express from Luzern to Interlaken Ost (sit on the right)
(2) Any train on from Interlaken Ost on the short but lovely journey from Interlaken Ost to Spiez (sit on the right)
(3) A BLS local train from Spiez to Zweissimen (sit on the left)
(4) MOB trains from Zweissimen to Montreux; board any train, the departures at 12:02 and 17:02 will be 'Belle-Epoque' trains.

So reverse the combination when travelling west to east.

When travelling from Luzern to Montreux the end-to-end journey will typically take around 6hr 5mins.
In the other direction when travelling from Montreux to Luzern the end-to-end journey will typically take around 7hr 5mins; because the waiting times between trains are longer.