Swiss train travel may be the absolute best in all of Europe.
Not to knock wondrous railways through Italy, Germany, Austria, and France, but there’s just a sense of marvel on Swiss Alps train rides that is incomparable.
The country has more than 3,000 miles of railway, which includes the famed scenic train rides in Switzerland that tourists fawn over and the dozens of other routes that connect charming Swiss cities with the most picturesque Swiss towns.
Even if you desire a leisurely drive with a rental car or have packed your hiking boots and snowshoes for long alpine walks, you’ll still be tempted onto the train for a slow, scenic ride around Switzerland.
Swiss trains are impeccably clean, punctual, and very generous with the views. No matter if you’re taking a quick connection from Zurich to a ski resort or a day trip from Interlaken into another canton, you’ll forever remember your time riding the Swiss rails.
Image Credit: Getty Images, Roberto Moiola / Sysaworld. Image Location: Graubunden Canton, Switzerland.
The best train rides in Switzerland
Naming the best train rides in Switzerland is seldom a hard task. There’s a reason you’ll see similar routes on top five lists around the world: it’s because they’re absolutely amazing and never run the risk of being cliche no matter how many tourists line the train cars.
- Jungfrau Railway, it’s world-famous and the Sphinx Observatory is an out-of-this-world sight.
- Bernina Express, the best way to travel through the Swiss Alps — no offense to our hiking and mountaineering friends.
- Mont Blanc Express, short, sweet, and doesn’t skimp on the views.
- Glacier Express, the near-eight hour picturesque ride will make you a believer in the slow travel trend.
- Brienz Rothorn Railway, a traditional cogwheel railway and over a century old.
Other scenic train rides in Switzerland
Here are a few lesser-highlighted routes that deliver highly addictive views:
- Gotthard Panorama Express, the most beautiful way to reach the Italianate Ticino from central Switzerland.
- Schynige Platte Railway, a relaxed, hour-long jaunt through alpine forests and pastures.
- Gornergrat Railway, the world’s first fully electric cog railway ideal for eco-conscious travelers.
- Berner Oberland-Bahn, a cheap yet charming way to get to Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.
- Vitznau-Rigi Kulm, Europe’s first mountain railway that starts on Lake Lucerne’s serene shores.
Image Credit: Getty Images, AscentXmedia. Image Location: Bernese Oberland, Switzerland.
Movies filmed in Switzerland
Cinephiles headed to Switzerland will have plenty of pre-flight homework as a number of Hollywood hits were filmed within Swiss borders. Matt Damon popped by twice for The Bourne Identity and then Syriana. Tom Hanks hung out in Geneva for Angels and Demons while both the Pointe Break and The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo remakes featured Swiss set pieces.
Switzerland even made its impact on a galaxy far, far away with bows in Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith.
Where was James Bond filmed in Switzerland?
Which one? 007 spied, shot, and slept his way through Switzerland multiple times:
- Goldeneye, in the Contra dam of Ticino (though the movie set it in Russia)
- The Spy Who Loved Me, the slopes of St. Mortiz (though the movie set it in Austria)
- Goldfinger, driving to the Furka pass and passed Hotel Belvedere
- On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, in Blofeld’s lair atop the Schilthorn (where you can have James Bond Brunch in a 360-degree revolving restaurant)
Best Swiss train app
Winging it on the rails when you arrive? That plan could end up like Swiss cheese: full of holes (but still delicious). Day-of train tickets can be pricier than the finest fondue. Getting around Switzerland by train is remarkably easy, so it’s remarkably easy to empty your wallet for multiple spur-of-the-moment tickets daily.
Instead of buying on the day, download the Trainline app to explore train routes around Switzerland and buy your tickets in advance for the cheapest price. You can also use Trainline to purchase a Swiss travel pass that unlocks unlimited train, bus, and boat travel around Switzerland.
Header Image Credit: Getty Images, Aaron Chen PS2. Image Location: Bernese Oberland, Switzerland.