Experience The GoldenPass Express

The GoldenPass Express is a brand new train running along a much loved route in Switzerland. Connecting Interlaken in the heart of the Bernese Oberland with Montreux on the shore of Lake Geneva, the journey is an absolute delight. En route you’ll see sparkling lakes and sprawling vineyards and pass through mountain villages and idyllic meadows. Make it a day to remember with a glass of bubbly - sit back, relax and enjoy the views. 

Start your holiday with a few days in Interlaken, perhaps one of the most well known resorts in Switzerland. Interlaken is perfectly placed for exploring the glorious Bernese Oberland, being located at the centre of a well-oiled transport hub. You can walk to two boat stations, one for Lake Thun and the other for Lake Brienz, and take a fabulous cruise in the beautiful landscape. Time it right, and your journey will be aboard a restored paddle steamer! In the centre of town is a funicular railway which will transport you to the summit of the Harder mountain, where you can enjoy a magnificent view over the area. The main railway station has trains which depart regularly for the Jungfrau villages – it is a joy to travel up to the mountains for an afternoon. From the villages you can then travel even higher for alpine walking trails, mountain restaurants with sun terraces. and wide sweeping views over the breath-taking Alps.

Arriving at bustling Interlaken Ost station, you’ll spy the sleek dark blue carriages of the GoldenPass Express. Excitement rises ahead of your scenic journey as you step on board and find your seat. Settle yourself down and take a look through those vast panoramic windows – what picturesque treats are waiting for you on the journey! As the train eases out of the station, you will wave goodbye to Interlaken and travel along the edge of glistening Lake Thun. Enjoy your last view of the water as you reach Spiez and start to travel eastwards into the lower lying mountains of the Bernese Oberland countryside. Look out for Wimmis Castle and the 10th century Church of St Martin in its elevated position. The train skirts the edge of the Diemtigtal Nature Park, a favourite with hikers. A few miles further on and you are now in the lush Simmen Valley, home of the famous Simmental cows and the wonderful cheeses produced here. Idyllic farmhouses dot the landscape. After the village of Oberwil the train starts to head south, towards the higher mountains and the midpoint of the journey at Zweisimmen.

Zweisimmen station holds the key to this remarkable journey. Previously, passengers had to leave the train here and board a new train to take them to Montreux. As of December 2022, this is no longer necessary: you can stay on board, perhaps enjoying a drink or a snack and wait while a minor miracle of engineering takes place. The problems have hitherto been that the two tracks use a different voltage, that the gauges are different sizes, and that the platforms are of different heights. These issues still exist, but the new GoldenPass Express can overcome them! The train slowly passes over a gauge adapting ramp. With the weight of the carriage relieved from the bogies, the wheel width can reduce from 1435mm standard gauge to 1000mm metric gauge. At the same time, the body is lowered from 550mm to 350mm to suit the platforms. All this takes seconds, but to deal with the voltage issue, the locomotive needs to be changed which is why the process takes 8 minutes. Variable gauge bogies do exist elsewhere in the world. However, the GoldenPass Express is pioneering in its scope and ambition – the only one in the world to overcome a change of 45% for the gauge and 55% for the coach elevation.    

Your journey resumes and from Zweisimmen, the train climbs to its highest point at Saanenmöser and on towards the chic mountain resort of Gstaad. You'll cross an impressive iron viaduct which offers a good view and as you reach the resort's station, you'll enjoy views of beautifully adorned wooden chalets. Gstaad is one of the most famous ski resorts in Switzerland but the landscape is something to behold all year round. Through the countryside and a view of Saanen and its pretty church before the train departs the German speaking Bernese Oberland region and enters the French speaking Vaud region. The first town here is Rougemont, quicky followed by the 118m long Pont de Flendruz, stretching over a vast ravine and flowing river.  Enjoy the views as you head towards Chateau-d’Oex which has gained a reputation as an international centre for hot air ballooning. You may even see some colourful balloons gliding past as you travel through the area. As you travel past Rossinière you can see Le Grand Chalet (built in the 1750s for a local dignitary and the largest habitable wooden house in Switzerland) and scenic Vernex Lake. The train emerges from the long Jaman Tunnel just before Les Avants, with scenic woodlands and meadows filled with white narcissi during the spring. Get ready for one of the highlights of your journey – a steep, winding descent towards Montreux which offers spectacular views of Lake Geneva. 

How will you spend your time in Montreux? A lake cruise is a must, with a choose of routes around the lake and over to the French side. The mountain backdrop is just splendid. Another highlight is a trip to the Lavaux vineyards – UNESCO protected terraces spread for miles along the shore of the lake. You can visit one of the villages and sample the local wine, which has been produced here for centuries. For an unparalleled view over the lake and the region, take the scenic trip up to Les Rochers-De-Naye headland. Here you can embark on a walking trail, or visit the alpine garden and try to spot marmots popping in and out of their burrows in the mountainside. Chillon Castle is close by for a step back into medieval times; for a 20th century experience we can recommend the Queen Studio Experience and the Chaplin's World Museum, set in the actor's nearby home.

The passenger experience has been carefully considered along with the technology, and the train has a sleek, modern feel. The nose of the engine was designed by Italian designer Pininfarina, while the interior was created by Innova Design. There are three classes on board, all of which can be recommended, have comfortable seating, table space and large panoramic windows for enjoying the view. In First Class, the seats are bigger and there are fewer of them in the carriage than Second Class. For a real treat, try Prestige Class, which is located in an exclusive section of the train, where the floor is raised higher, meaning that you are seated in line with the bottom of the window – and feel as if you are fully immersed in the passing scenery. There are just 18 Prestige seats on the train and they offer state of the art in comfort and practicality, with foot rest, padded cushioning which can be heated to your personal preference and a stowaway table. Best of all, they have a special mechanism allowing them to swivel – so that you are always facing the direction of travel for the best views. 

You may like to order snacks and drinks during your journey. The menu has been chosen with care, to ensure that as many of the products as possible have been sourced from local suppliers. The wine is supplied by les Vins Testuz in Lavaux (the historic wine growing region on the shore of Lake Geneva), the beer from Rugenbräu in Interlaken and the charcuterie from Buure Metzg butchers in Gstaad. The bread and pastries are also baked by local businesses. You may wish to pre-order one of the catering deals. Choices include a breakfast box, a mountain platter with local cheeses and meats and – if you are travelling in 1st or Prestige Class - a very special caviar and Champagne package!

The GoldenPass Express operates every day, all year round.

• The journey takes around 3 hours, so be sure to plan enough days before and after to give yourself enough time to explore each resort and the surrounding lakes and mountains.  
• The GoldenPass Express runs once a day in each direction, but from 11 June there are 4 departures every day.
• Included in your holiday is the Swiss Travel Pass which gives you free travel on additional boat, rail and bus for days out, plus discounts for mountain transport. The Interlaken Guest Card and the Montreux Riviera Card will be provided by your hotel, with local discounts for excursions and entry to attractions.
• The example given above shows a stay in Interlaken first, followed by Montreux - however if you prefer to switch the direction of travel, it is no problem for us to organise your holiday the other way round.
• If you are staying solely in Montreux, you can enjoy a day trip on the GoldenPass Express, with a return journey to Chateaux-d’Oex or Gstaad.
• The Luzern-Interlaken Express has a timetable which works in harmony with the GoldenPass Express. You can therefore easily add a stay in Lucerne, either as a 3 centre holiday with Lucerne, Interlaken & Montreux stay OR by swapping Interlaken for Lucerne.