Trains and railway in switzerland. Swiss Railways Swiss Railways official

Today we will talk about trains in Switzerland. I am a big fan of railways, for me train stations, aprons and locomotives from childhood add up to the romance of travel, which no air transport can reproduce. Sometimes, because of this romance, I embark on strange adventures - for example, it was the case that I was shaken all night in an old Asian carriage instead of a half-hour flight. But riding on Swiss trains is a pleasure, it's fast, beautiful and convenient.

Do you like this locomotive? At the end of the post, pictures of different trains in the country

And most importantly, it is almost always on schedule, in contrast to neighboring Germany, whose railways disappointed me.

Regular readers of my blog have no doubt noticed a constant unhealthy admiration for me. I still believe that the Japanese are ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to rail transport, however, the Swiss are not so far behind them. The whole country is carefully covered with a web of railway tracks:

On this map, yellow lines represent bus routes. And the railways are marked in red. Most of the trains in the country are owned by a state-owned railway company with a handsome name ...

1. "SBB CFF FFS", nine consonant letters that can be found throughout the country. It is an abbreviation of the name meaning "Swiss Federal Railways" in three of the main official languages: German, French and Italian. Every three letters represent an abbreviation of the same words in a different language. (The fourth official language of the country, Romansh, is not used in the official name, otherwise "VFS" would have to be added to the inscriptions.)

2. All inscriptions on the system are also duplicated in the three main languages, and also in English. So you can not be afraid to misunderstand and miss something. Popular cities are also announced, including in English.

3. If Swiss trains have any drawback, it is their high cost. A ticket between not so distant cities can cost about $ 50. Need to travel across the country? It will already be $ 100 or more.

4. Fortunately for us tourists, the country has a railway (and not only) pass, called the Swiss Travel Pass. It is sold for 3, 4, 8 and 15 days and covers travel on most vehicles throughout Switzerland. It can be bought in first or second grade. Second class adult pass costs between CHF 216 (three days) to CHF 458 (15 days). As you can see, it becomes more profitable if you take it for longer. The subscription can be bought at railway ticket offices (including the airports of Zurich and Geneva), it gives the right to free travel on trains, urban public transport systems.

5. You can even use it to ride historic ferry boats on Lake Geneva!

In short, if you are planning a trip in which you will need to move around the country a lot, I advise you to purchase this pass. It's not that cheap, but in the end it comes out cheaper than individual tickets. Plus, you will also save a lot of time, since you will not have to queue at the ticket office every time, but you can safely jump on the next train in the right direction.

All train routes are in Google Maps, so finding a train to the desired station is easy. Also, SBB CFF FFS has released separate applications for phones that also allow you to plan a route (there are versions for Android and iOS).

Exceptions to this subscription are various kinds of lifts to the top of the mountains. You need to buy tickets with them, but Swiss Travel Pass holders receive a 50% discount. The alpine tram in Zermatt and the gondolas in the wonderful Lauterbrunnen valley fall into this category of transport.

6. The main thing is, if you bought a second class Travel Pass, do not get confused and do not get into the first one by mistake. It is easy to distinguish between classes: each carriage has a white number "1" or "2" at the entrance.

7. Like its German neighbors, in Switzerland most of the intercity trains are double-decker. The red and white range is the corporate identity for the compositions belonging to SBB CFF FFS.

8. Luxury first class seating is available on the first and second floors. It looks like this:

9. I did not go in first class, and I do not advise you, without the appropriate ticket. And in general, it is better not to ride here without a ticket - in almost every trip in a week I came across a controller who carefully checked all tickets. Here they are actively fighting hares.

10. However, the second class is also very comfortable - there are comfortable soft seats, and there is an opportunity to work during long journeys.

11. The table can be folded out so that it is convenient to sit down and get up, but if you wish, you can increase its area to put the computer.

13. In general, what is very pleasing about these trains is the variety of seat configurations. The Swiss understand that different passengers have different needs. Someone wants to work quietly, someone wants to look out the window alone, and someone wants to communicate in a friendly company. There is a place for all these people on Swiss trains. For example, here is a part of the carriage suitable for large parties (this is also 2nd class):

I have seen more than once how such funny groups of teenagers occupied themselves, who, by the way, calmly travel from one city to another without adult supervision. These guys looked 13 years old.

14. For younger passengers, trains have special play areas. Parents can take their kids there so they don't get bored on long trips. This is good for everyone: the child has fun, the parents do not need to invent something to keep them busy, and the passengers in the other cars are calm.

I confess that I saw this on trains several years ago, for some reason I did not come across these flat cars on this trip. I hope they haven't been canceled - it's a really cool thing.

15. And there are also special vestibules for bicycles on trains (though not all).

16. Special mounts are made inside them, where you can attach bikes, skis, etc.

17. Some people attach strollers here.

18. Well, what self-respecting European train can do without a dining car?

19. On long-distance double-decker trains, restaurants are usually upstairs.

20. Everything is as it should be here: tablecloths, normal chairs that can be pulled up, the waiter and the menu. They even pour it. You sit, eat, and the Swiss beauties run through the window. However, more about them later.

21. There is a cafe on the lower floor for a less formal setting. Here you can have a quick bite to eat (if you go not so far).

22. Let's take a look at train stations and stations, because they also greatly affect the overall feeling of the railway system ... Here is the main station in Zurich - a huge building with high vaults, under which the work of sculptors is hung. There are several more underground levels here.

23. The station is so huge that a market is sometimes held in its building! Farmers all over Europe set up tents right at the station and bring their goods for sale.

24. For example, fruits and vegetables are sold to some granny from the newspaper, and a representative of the BioLand farming group. It all looked so delicious that I could not resist and bought fresh berries from him.

25. And this is the station in Bern (yes, in the very one where the drunken air of freedom played a cruel joke with Professor Pleischner). The gracefully curving awnings above the escalators to the platforms are made of wood. It looks really cool.

26. Monitors hang on the platforms showing when and where the next train will be, where it will stop on the platform, and where the first and second class cars will be located, and where the restaurant will be.

27. Yes, every station has a clock. Preferably on a tower. After all, after all,.

28. Even the smallest half-stations have a clock tower!

The correct time is very important here, since the entire railway system of the country is debugged, like a precise clockwork. The train schedule is designed so that most transfers last no more than ten minutes (often five!) .This takes into account the platform on which both trains arrive, in order to give passengers a chance to have time to reach a normal (but not relaxed!) Step from one train to another. In rare cases, when there are minor delays, the train you want to change to will also wait a couple of minutes.

29. But for railway platforms, the company ordered a special watch model. This movement and design was developed by the Swiss engineer Hans Hilfiker in 1944. Yes, you heard right! All over the world the war was going on, and the neutral Swiss improved the railway clock. (On the other hand, why not, if in the USSR they could think of a new letter of the alphabet in 1942!) In short, Swiss railway watches have since become a national symbol and an example of good laconic design. They are even exhibited in our New York at MoMA.

It turns out that this watch is so famous that Apple decided to steal it when it modernized the style of its iPhone firmware. In iOS 6, released in 2012, the watch icon was suspiciously similar to the Swiss design, right down to the circle at the end of the red second hand. The Swiss filed a lawsuit against the global manufacturer of gadgets, although the case did not come to court. Apple has made an agreement that allows them to use this design. The exact amount of the deal is unknown, but analysts believe the Swiss received about 20 million francs for using the famous dial.

By the way, the feature of this watch is not only in appearance. The mechanism also has an interesting and unobvious feature: at the end of each minute, the second hand is slightly delayed in order to synchronize with all other clocks on the station. Thus, all clocks at the station always show exactly the same time.

30. Yes, Swiss trains are comfortable and run on time, but this is what we expect from all normal trains (unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way). But where they exceed expectations is in the beauty of the scenery outside the window. Sitting in a carriage by the window, you can watch green hills, high mountains, blue lakes, and small towns with pointed churches sweep past you.

31. Often the railway is laid directly a couple of meters from the lake shore.

32. Then it seems that all this magnificent landscape was created especially for you - for the passenger. For example, driving along Lake Geneva is a pleasure, especially on a clear day. On the far side you can see the French coast, where the Alps rise.

33. Even if your train is not on the very edge of the water, it is still beautiful. You will be delighted by the view of green fields and vineyards.

34. And if you wrap yourself in the mountains, you can shoot snow-capped peaks right from the window of your train.

Switzerland is rich in natural beauty and railways are one of the best ways to see it all. Where else is it so beautiful outside the carriage window? In Japan, that's where. But it is difficult to choose a favorite here.

35. Let me show you a few different types of trains that I met during the week of active use of the Swiss railways. I'll start with the cutest thing - this handsome locomotive was already in the title photo, but it's not a sin to show it again!

By the way, if someone knows the model of this or other trains, write in the comments, I will add information to the post. Otherwise, I'm a full kettle in this regard.

36. I have already shown you a double-decker long-distance train, but this is a more regional one, which goes to the mountainous Zermatt.

37. There are also very small trains, more like trams. They walk along narrow-gauge tracks. It was on this one that we drove to a tiny town where my friend Alice lives in a centuries-old house.

38. By the way, not all trains in the country are owned by the federal railway agency. There are also private lines. While SBB CFF FFS cars are usually red and white, private companies choose other colors of their liveries. For example, the green BLS trains run in the Bern district.

39. But I saw such dark blue trains near Lausanne.

40. But such a blue-yellow composition lifted us up from the lakes to the valley of the elves.

41. In general, on such private narrow-gauge lines leading to the mountains, you can see very nice wagons. Moreover, it is clear that many of them are quite old designs.

42. Obviously, private companies do not throw out all the obsolete cars, but leave a few in the form of a museum on the rails. What if it works for the New York subway, why not here?

43. Look how lovely it is!

44. The most important trick on Swiss trains is to sit by the window or at the beginning or end of the train. When cornering, you will be able to photograph not only the beautiful landscape outside the window, but also the tail / head of your train, which will harmonize perfectly with the surrounding greenery.

Now, honestly, I can't imagine how you can not love trains. And if you love them, then Switzerland is the best country to ride them.

The site is available in English and German.

Switzerland railway network - one of the best in the world, and in terms of reliability and comfort, according to many travelers, it confidently takes the first place. The train interval even in small towns is only half an hour!

Examples of major route lines:

• Geneva - Lausanne - Zurich - St. Gallen;
• Geneva - Lausanne - Bern - Zurich;
• Zurich - Lucerne;
• Basel - Zurich - Chur;
• Basel - Bern - Interlaken;

Train types:

• "S" - electric trains on suburban routes;
• "R" (Regio / Regionalzug) - regional trains that stop at every station and connect small towns;
• "RE" (RegioExpress) - local high-speed trains stop only at large stations;
• "IR" (InterRegio) - "workhorses" of Swiss railways, intercity trains;
• "IC" (InterCity)- express trains run between the largest cities in Switzerland;
• ICN (InterCityNeigezug) - diesel express trains;

Ticket prices for some destinations

• Zurich - Geneva, one-way ticket price - 41 francs, travel time - 2 hours 43 minutes;
• Geneva - Bern, one-way ticket price - 23 francs, travel time - 1 hour 40 minutes;
• Zurich - Lucerne, one-way ticket price - 12 francs, travel time - 50 minutes;

Travel card "Swiss Pass" allows unlimited travel in Switzerland on all types of public transport (trains, buses, trams, trolleybuses, some mountain railways) for 4, 8, 15, 22 days or 1 month. The fare for travel in 2nd class is 266, 384, 465, 536 and 590 Swiss francs, respectively.

For persons under 26 years old is available Swiss Youth Pass, which is no different from the "Swiss Pass", but 25% cheaper. The cost of the Swiss Youth Pass for travel in 2nd class is 200 (4 days), 288 (8 days), 349 (15 days), 402 (22 days) and 443 (1 month) Swiss francs.

You can also buy a card Half-Fare Travelcard, with which you can buy tickets for the 1st and 2nd class of all trains with a 50% discount for 1, 2 or 3 years. Its cost is 165, 300 and 400 francs.

True fans of the railroad can ride along one of the panoramic routes and admire the stunning mountain scenery.

List of some routes:

Bernina Express (Davos - Bernina Pass - Tirano, fare - 12 francs in 2nd class);

"Wilhelm Tell Express" (Lucerne - Bellinzona - Lugano / Locarno, cost - 176 francs, 39 francs with a Swiss Pass);

"Golden Pass" (Lucerne - Brunig Pass - Interlaken - Zweisimmen - Montreux, cost - 70 francs, with a "Swiss Pass" - 35 francs);

Predalpier Express (St. Gallen - Rapperswil - Art Goldau - Lucerne, the cost of a full trip is 45 francs);

"You're so beautiful!" - that's what guys say to their girls. They smile shyly. Or they laugh loudly, like me, for example. So, I want to say that the Swiss railway is beautiful! Perhaps you will decide that this is not a very suitable epithet for describing trains and rails. Oh, if you watched the beautiful panoramas of mountains, meadows and waterfalls opening from the train window, you would agree that such a trip is not just a movement from point A to point B. It is a portion of real aesthetic pleasure.

Swiss Railway - general information

The bulk of the transportation is carried out by the state-owned company SBB-CFF-FFS. Switzerland, compared to its European neighbors, is a rather diminutive country. But passengers are transported by about 4,000 wagons, and the length of the railway lines is 13,000 kilometers. As I said, SBB is a monopoly, but there are several others, both private and international, transporting companies. And this variety of trains and companies can sometimes confuse a tourist at the station. You don't immediately understand which train you need to take.

The Swiss Railway is known for its panoramic routes. I can sing odes to them for a long time, but it will be a little later. First, I'll tell you about the main types of trains in Switzerland.

Swiss trains

As I said above, there are many different categories of trains in Switzerland. All, without exception, are very comfortable. There is no reason to warn against traveling on any type of train. But first, I will tell you the basic information about the compositions, it will help you form your first opinion about them.

Just as a theater begins with a coat rack, a Swiss train begins with a carriage entrance. To get there, you need to press the button located on the door. When exiting, proceed in the same way.

Trains in Switzerland are single-deck and double-deck. Most often, it is assumed that the first floor should be quiet (without loud conversations of passengers), there are even special signs on the doors, but this rule is not strict. By the way! In a double-decker train, the transition between the cars takes place on the second floor. The food cart is transported there. However, on the first floor, special sensors light up and passengers can go upstairs to buy themselves snacks and drinks.

The cars are divided into first and second classes. In the first, tickets are much more expensive. However, in my opinion, there is no point in overpaying for the class. The main difference between the second class is that there can be one more seat in the row. The seating arrangement will be "2 + 2" across the aisle. There may be tables between some seats.

In the first class, the arrangement of passenger seats is carried out according to the "2 + 1" scheme. Well, they are a little more comfortable. One tourist once joked that the difference between the classes lies in the colored patch on the seats in the first class.

Some trains have dining cars. You can always find out about their availability in the schedule. A visit to such a restaurant is a very tempting idea, I can tell you. Drinking wine and dreamingly peer into the landscapes flashing outside the window is just great!

If you don't want to stomp into the dining car, then a train employee will come to your rescue, delivering drinks and snacks on a cart.

Oh, I can't help but tell you the story of why I love European trains so much and am still afraid to wander in search of a dining car, a buffet or a working outlet on domestic ones. It was 15 years ago. The scene of action is a long-distance train, which has seen even the best years of Khrushchev. For my important childish affairs, for some reason I needed to go to the next car. Taking time off from my mother, I set off on such a long journey with my head held high. I went into the vestibule without incident. Then, with grief in half, she opened the doors to go to another car. She took a step, shutting her eyes and trying not to look at the gap between the cars, through which the rails were visible. And then the doors behind me treacherously slammed, and the next ones do not open. And I find myself blocked in this "accordion". Pulling the handles of one or the other of the doors did nothing. I already imagined how one carriage would detach from another and ... At this moment, a man opens the doors to the vestibule of my carriage. Saved!

Years passed, but some fear remained. I was also afraid when leaving the train to fall into the gap between it and the platform. But the European teams do not conceal such dangers in themselves. The transition between the cars, which is called the sweet word "soufflé", is completely safe and does not cause any negative emotions. And there are convenient steps to get off the train. Everything for people!

A strategically important facility like a toilet is located in every carriage. There are special buttons on the floor, on the tap or on the wall, by pressing which you can turn on flush, water and soap. And he even works at stations. Oh, I immediately recall the moments from my train travels in my homeland, where toilets could be closed for an hour before and after stops. And for tea and coffee lovers, this is almost a tragedy.

There are sockets near the seats. Wi-Fi too, but not on all trains. It is necessary to clarify this point in the timetable. If you are the same bike lovers like me, then some trains have special cars for them. But again, you need to look at the schedule. There, such trains are marked with a special badge.

Swiss carriages are also adapted for people with disabilities - platforms are located on the same level with the carriage, there are retractable steps, more spacious toilets. To sum up, I want to say that Swiss trains are one of the most comfortable in the world.

Train categories

Now let's move on to the main categories of compositions. In order not to repeat ten times what each category of train looks like (and they can be very similar), I will attach photographs. However, I would like to note that the “inner world” of a carriage may differ from route to route, and also depend on the date of the train's release and the manufacturer.

In Russia, the railway is used exclusively as a means of transportation. Switzerland is another matter entirely. Sometimes the train ride turns into a real adventure! The main thing is not to die of delight! :) Just kidding, of course. I would like to tell you about some of the most popular panoramic routes.

Panoramic routes

What is this anyway? You will ride in a comfortable train with huge windows. And behind the glass you will see mountains, valleys, bridges, passes ... Headphones and a brochure are attached to each seat in the carriage, so that you will not only enjoy the views, but also learn a lot of interesting things. And, of course, it will not do without food and drinks.

Eh, hold me three, I want to jump on the train, but that's not all ...

Well, okay, thoughts materialize. Go!

Glacier express

He Glacier express... Drive nearly 300 bridges and nearly 100 tunnels in 8 hours? Yes Easy! This route connects express St. Moritz and. You can, of course, go out somewhere earlier, but better not. Really. Miss a lot of beautiful things. During the trip, you can see the Grand Swiss Canyon, the Oberalp Pass, the Matterhorn Mountain, the nature reserves of the Graubünden canton, and alpine meadows.

By the way:

Golden pass

Known as Golden Pass... Such a small life. Why is that? Yes, because during the trip you can see a lot, so many different pictures will flash before your eyes. A train travels from Lucerne through the Brunig Pass, passes Interlaken and Zweisimen and ends its journey in Montreux (). The road will take five and a half hours. There will be a stop in Rociniere during which you can explore the magnificent Grand Chalet. Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, wooden houses - a dream trip, in a word.

Advice:

Bernina express

Such a journey from winter to summer. You can travel from Switzerland to Italy and back. The route connects the towns of Chur and Tirano. This trip is not for the faint of heart, because the train will make some ascents at an incline of 70 degrees! It's almost like a right angle! Scary? But during the entire existence of the express, not a single accident happened, passengers arrive at the final point alive, healthy and without nervous shocks, which is the most important thing. :) During such a trip you will pass almost 200 bridges and cross more than 50 tunnels. The train covers the distance one way in 2 hours and 30 minutes. During summer, you can get from Tirano to Lugano by bus.

Life hacks:

• All strategically important information about the trip can be found. There is also an opportunity to book places for travel, and this must be done without fail.

Voralpen Express

From Lucerne, the train leaves for Romanshorn, passing along the way Lake Lucerne, the Pilatus mountains, the Sattel swamps, Lake Zurich, Rapperswil Castle. And this is not all that you can see on the road! Travel time is about three hours, and trains run every hour.

Important:

Chocolate train

This route was created especially for those with a sweet tooth. There are two options here: ride in a first-class Pullman carriage, or choose a modern panoramic carriage for the trip. Personally, I am more attracted to the first option. I am a connoisseur of everything antique. There is a train from Montreux to Broc, and then to Gruyeres and back. Trip to Swiss Chocolate Train - far from being a passive pastime. You will visit the Gruyères castle and cheese dairy, the Nestle factory and taste delicious chocolate there. The duration of such a trip will be nine hours.

Note:

These are not all panoramic routes in Switzerland! If you list them, it will take forever. Lavaux Line, Jungfrau Railway, Wilhelm Tell Express, Palm Express… Dreams, dreams!

I have told you the basic information about panoramic routes. I did not dwell on the cost of tickets, since you can find the most relevant information on the pages of the sites, the links to which I gave you.

Swiss Travel System - travel pass system

You know, the standard cost of a train ticket in Switzerland is quite high. I drove to one city, rolled to the second, drove to the third to eat chocolate, and that's it - the budget is over! “Today I live on alms,” as the headman of my group at the university used to say. :) So, in order to eat fully during the trip and travel the whole country far and wide, you need to take advantage of the Swiss travel system.

What kind of "beast" is this Swiss Travel System? This is the name of the special preferential travel system for tourists. Not just a system, a system, I would say! This is as much as 29 thousand kilometers of tracks (and not only railways). Tourists can take advantage of STS when traveling by bus and water transport.

The main advantages of the Swiss Travel System:

• All-in-one passes. As I said, one pass is suitable for travel by train, bus and ship.
• You can use public transport free of charge in 75 cities.
• And visit hundreds of museums for free.
• And also get a 50% discount on many mountain routes.
• Bonuses. Who doesn't love bonuses? You can get good discounts on excursions, hotel accommodation, city tours.

The benefits are clear. Now I turn to the main types of STS passes.

Swiss Travel Pass

Get yourself this pass and enjoy life! After all, having it in your pocket, you can travel for free on the train, bus, and also enjoy invigorating boat trips.

Features of Swiss Travel Pass:

Swiss Travel Pass Flex

It also includes free travel across the country on three modes of transport, visits to museums, and so on. But it has several features:

Swiss Transfer Ticket

This type of tickets is suitable for those who want to experience all the delights of a ski holiday or a holiday in a resort. This pass allows you to get from the border railway station or airport to the desired resort and back.

There are several features of this pass:

Swiss Half Fare Card

If you are visiting Switzerland for more than a few days, then you need this type of travel card. With it, you will receive a 50% discount on all types of transport for a month. Features:

• 50% discount on public transport trips to 75 cities.
• The ticket price is only 112 EUR for a first class carriage.

Swiss Family Card

If you are traveling to Switzerland with your family, be sure to remember to get this card. It is provided free of charge to all four categories of travel cards that I have listed above.

Features of the ticket:

• Children under 16 travel free of charge when traveling with at least one of the parents of Swiss Family Card holders.
• If children travel by public transport on their own, then they are given a 50% discount.
• This card is absolutely free. It can be obtained along with other ticket categories.

Important information regarding STS passes

Tickets

Having dealt with the world of Swiss Pass travel, I suggest moving on to tickets that are available to both locals and tourists. And with which you will surely come across. To begin with, I will tell you how the ticket looks like and decipher all the designations on it. At the time of my trip, the tickets were in the form of pink and blue cards.

Ticket features:

• At the top of the ticket is the expiration date. The ticket can only be used for one specific day.
• Further, the route, departure and arrival stations are indicated in large letters.
• Also, the ticket may indicate which city your train is traveling through. And you need to go through this city. For example: you are traveling from Zurich to Interlaken, and the ticket states that the train goes through Lucerne. But you looked at the timetable and saw that there is a train to Interlaken via which will cover this distance faster. You might think that there is no difference in which cities the train passes through. The main thing is that the points of departure and arrival coincide. But no. Lucerne is indicated on the ticket, which means you need to get through Lucerne. If you go through, you will be considered a free rider and get a hefty fine.
• The arrows on the ticket indicate whether it works in one or two directions.
• A large number 1 or 2 indicates the class of the car.
• The ticket price is indicated in the lower right corner.

Ticket prices depend on the number of kilometers that you travel by train. In order to save money, you can buy tickets at special rates.

Click & Rail

This type of tickets can be purchased much cheaper, but they start to be sold two days before the trip, and their number is limited.

Click & Rail has the following features:

The ticket is not available on all routes. The trains operated by Click & Rail are indicated on the ticket.

Sparbillette

These discounted tickets start selling two weeks before the train leaves. And they also apply only to some routes and trains. You can search for Sparbillette here.

I have told you the basic information regarding tickets. I have not described all their types, because if you do this, you can write a whole book. And this book will also need constant updating, because information tends to become out of date. So, go to the official website of the Swiss railway and find out the latest information there.

Travel features

Tickets are tickets, but there is also a carriage and a small cart, information that you need to assimilate before traveling. In this section, I will tell you about timetables, late arrivals, fines, left-luggage offices and baggage transportation.

timetable

The schedule is built in such a way that you can leave in any direction every 30-60 minutes. It is best to plan your trip using the SBB website. There, the schedule is current, and the prices are indicated for tickets.

If there is no network access, then, for example, several computers are installed at the Zurich train station, with the help of which you can find out the necessary information and print it. There are also timetable brochures near the ticket offices. The station board shows the train schedule for about 30 minutes ahead.

Lateness

Train delays are a rare occurrence in Switzerland. But possible. Serious delays are only possible due to accidents or emergencies. Closer to 6 pm there may be slight errors in the arrival of trains (literally by 5 minutes). If the direction is tourist (for example, in the mountains), then the next regional train can also be delayed so that tourists can catch it.

By the way, I approve of this practice. Once my train was 10 minutes late, and the connection time was negligible. You should have seen my satisfied face when I saw that the next train was waiting for its passengers. “Oh, yes, these trains are constantly late, you can get off ten minutes later,” - if in the CIS countries passengers often say something like that, then in Switzerland forget even thinking about stopping somewhere on the way to the station. Otherwise, you will remain a white handkerchief after the train.

Penalties

This is a nightmare, comrades! The Swiss Railways are unmerciful to all free riders. Even too much, and now I'll tell you why. "And it was better before!" - I never liked this phrase. I thought it was whiners to say that. And I still think so, except for the moment with the purchase of a train ticket. A few years ago, tickets could be bought on the train, but now this is no longer possible. All tickets must be purchased before the door is slammed behind the passenger. Now imagine the situation: the ticket offices are closed (or not), the ticket machine is not working, and the desired train is about to leave. And you need to leave! you jump on the train, and the controller comes up. You are trying to explain the situation, but he is unshakable, because there are no exceptions in the rules for reasons due to which the ticket was not purchased.

Have you heard the horror story about a British tourist boarding a Swiss train and not returning home? Just kidding, he returned home, but in a very bad mood. And it was like this. The passenger bought a ticket through the SBB mobile app a few minutes before the train departure. Payment confirmation came to the mobile application a few minutes after the train departed. And the obstinate inspector refused to accept such a ticket, and also issued a fine, since the ticket, in his opinion, was purchased after the passenger entered the carriage.

To be more convincing, I will give you a table with the amounts of fines:

And, of course, you also need to pay the cost of the ticket.

In general, my advice to you is not to get on the train without tickets. However, it would be unfair to say that such harsh measures are always applied to tourists. It is not uncommon for controllers to be more lenient towards foreign travelers. Well, it is understandable: it is difficult to delve into all these railway intricacies. But it is better to travel with a ticket in your pocket on the right train than to count on a pardon from the controller.

Composting tickets

During my trips on the train carriage, inspectors passed and did it themselves. If there is no exact travel time on the ticket, it is still better to validate it in special machines.

I look at the ticket, and if I see that it is possible to drive on it again (for example, on the same route during the day), then for me it is always a signal for composting. Otherwise, the conductors will think that I am going to ride five times on one ticket.

Luggage storage

They are available at all train stations in major cities. In villages, of course, this can be a problem. Cameras vary in size: the smaller it is, the cheaper luggage storage will cost. The cells are arranged in several rows. You need:

• come up;
• choose the appropriate size of the box;
• throw a coin, the denomination of which is displayed near the lock in the receiver;
• put your luggage;
• close the door and turn the key.

The chamber will be closed for 24 hours.

Baggage

If you do not want to walk skewed by the weight of your suitcases, you can send them to the desired train station or airport using the Schnelles Reisegepaeck service. If you send your luggage before 9 am, then after 6 pm it will be delivered to its destination. By the way, bicycles cannot be transported using this service. The cost of transportation is 21 EUR.

If you want to transport your bike in a train carriage, you need to buy the Velo-Tageskarte pass, which costs about 18 EUR. For short distances, such a ticket is cheaper and must be purchased together with the passenger ticket. Also, the bike can be sent as unaccompanied baggage.

Booking tickets

Mandatory reservations are not required on most routes. However, when traveling on panoramic, international, as well as some domestic flights, you still need to make a ticket reservation.

Buying tickets

We figured out all the nuances regarding trains, fares, travel features. And now my story comes to an end. And in parting, I will tell you about several options for buying tickets.

At the register

Since I "do not speak languages", I always write notes to cashiers with directions, date of travel, tariff. In Switzerland it is quite possible to do without it. Cashiers speak several languages, including English. And even if you do not shine with knowledge, cashiers will still understand you. Here they are so smart! They look at something on their computers, select flights, give a timetable, draw diagrams so that tourists understand where to go. In general, you will not be left without a ticket. They will select the most favorable travel option for you and provide you with all the necessary information.

In the machine

Personally, I don't like buying tickets through various machines. Childhood trauma, so to speak. More than ten years ago, they opened a junior card to me in a bank, and on the same day it was swallowed by an ATM. I decided to pour grief and buy hot chocolate from the vending machine. This miracle of robotics took money from me, but somehow it did not work out with the dispensing of a drink. Since then, I have a prejudiced attitude towards all such machines. But if necessary, I can quite get along with them. I'll tell you how you can buy tickets from SBB machines.

The first step is to choose the most comfortable language. Welcome and let's move on!

A screen with the most popular stations and ticket types appears. If the desired station is in the list, click on the corresponding button.

If it is not there, you need to click on Alternstive connections. A keyboard will appear, and on it you need to start entering the required name. After the name of the required station appears, the available route is displayed. As you can see, in my example this is Bern-Zurich.

Possible transplant options appear on the right.

When you have chosen a convenient transfer option, you still need to decide whether you need a one-way ticket or a round-trip ticket.

And decide with the choice of the class of the car. Well, there's nothing to think about, let's take the second one. We save.

Now you need to choose a discount and the number of seats. The options on the left and labeled 1/2 are for half the price. They are suitable for children, dogs and holders of various discount cards. On the right are the non-discounted options for adult passengers.

And your last step is to check the data you entered and pay for the ticket.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated. But you are now sitting at home, comfortably seated on an armchair, you see, you are drinking tea. And there, at the station, the conditions are far from so comfortable, and from surprise or even fright, you can forget everything that I told you here. To prevent this from happening, knowledge must be consolidated in practice. Here is a simulator that will help you practice buying a ticket so that you will be fully armed at the station and get it in 60 seconds!

Through the SBB website

Well, I don't like their site. And, by the way, there are no objective reasons for that. Probably I was so captivated by the cashiers that I absolutely do not want to bother shopping on the Internet. But some ticket options are not available at the box office, so you will still have to master the site of the Swiss railway.

On the main page, enter information about the route and time of departure. Next, you need to click Searh connection.

Now we see a list of flights. No, not just a flight list! And all the information about them, down to which platform the train departs from. This is really convenient, respect to the railway workers, there is no need to spend time thinking about whether to make sandwiches with cheese on the road or whether it will be possible to go to dinner in the restaurant car. To get more information, you need to click on the plus sign, which I marked with an arrow. When pressed, the icon turns into a minus, and all the necessary information appears in front of the buyer. Having decided on the flight, you need to click on Fare / Buy.

Next, a page appears where you need to select the preferred class of carriage and the type of ticket - one way or both at once. It is also necessary to indicate the name and surname, date of birth. You can add more passengers at this step. Pay attention to the Reduction column. If you have a travel discount or are traveling with a child, you can select the desired discount option from the drop-down list. Click on Next.

On this page, you are offered to buy additional tickets, for example, to move around the city. If necessary, add to cart. Go ahead.

Here you need to register, login or continue without registering. Select the most recent option and click Next.

Now they offer to enter the number of the discount voucher. I wish he still was ... If he is not, then just skip this block and click on Continue shopping.

You choose the most convenient option for making a payment transaction and transfer the required amount. You will receive your ticket by email and you need to print it out. By the way, you can also make a purchase through the mobile application. But just what will you show the controller on the train if your smartphone runs out of power? Do not forget to consider this point.

***

Enjoy! What else can I tell you? Traveling to Switzerland will be one of the most colorful moments of your life! And the railway, as you already understood, only contributes to a wonderful rest.

But in fact, this is my most interesting experience of moving around the country on ordinary passenger trains, where almost every electric train is a panoramic cinema, which shows green meadows, snow-capped peaks, dazzling glaciers and dense forests. Streams and lakes, roads and paths, suspension bridges and multi-level highway overpasses sweep by. And most importantly, you have absolutely no time to get tired! The country is quite small and it takes only a few hours to travel by train, but emotions remain in memory for many years.

Let's take a look with you at a small piece of what can be seen from the train window in Switzerland. I did not travel on tourist panoramic express trains, I just moved around the country on trains and electric trains, but what I saw so much exceeded my expectations that I can say for sure - Switzerland is not a country where you need to rent a car, you only need a railroad pass. pass!

Swiss Federal Railways, SBB-CFF-FFS is a state-owned railway company.
These are more than 1600 locomotives, more than 4000 passenger cars, more than 13000 freight cars!
And all this in such a small Switzerland, a country that does not even have an outlet to the sea.

Legendary Swiss Railways watch. This design could not be surpassed even by Apple, which released iOS7, in the interface of which there was a copy of this watch. This ended in a lawsuit in which Apple lost to the railroad company!

Only 30-40 minutes from Zurich towards St. Moritz. It is impossible to look at it calmly! This is just a picture from the train window:

A cool advertisement for the 100th anniversary of the national park.
By the way, an interesting fact that surprised me a lot - there is only one (!) National park in Switzerland, which is called Swiss National Prak. There are two more in the status of candidates for the national park, the procedure for their transformation into national parks stretches for 5-10 years, everything is very democratic and with a voting procedure in several stages. Against - local fishermen and hunters :)

I am always amazed at how convenient all modes of transport are interconnected and combined into one transport system.

In civilized countries, I can no longer live without a mobile Internet, I even started using buses in a new and completely unfamiliar city, thanks to google maps and walking routes to the bus stop that the application builds. Previously, I used only the metro, as delving into a paper map of bus routes is boring and long.

A very handy iPhone application near Swiss Railways, it is convenient to draw up a route and automatically export it to the calendar:

All passengers should have a good view of the mountains!

On the table (which is the lid of the urn) is the route map:

I was traveling by train, part of the route is also included in the Bernina Express route. Along its entire length (67 km) there are 42 tunnels and covered galleries, 144 viaducts and bridges.
And all these 67 km are a UNESCO site!

Of course, it is better to photograph a red photogenic composition against a background of green foliage in summer or white snow in winter from the side, but it is very cool inside!

This is a Glacier Express car, unfortunately no windows open here. I rode it in the evening, when the train was ferried and it was built into the schedule like a regular train.

This is a high-speed intercity train:

Toilet in a two-story train:

In general, words are superfluous here ... It is worth seeing and must be tried! And there is no need for haste. Take the rail pass and just ride along the most interesting parts of the country.

Practical information:

If you love railways, then Seat61 should be the number one information site for you. For all countries, the most detailed information, very practically applicable, with all "logins and passwords" and all on one page for each country.

Switzerland's railways run through scenic spots, so many travel guides recommend using this convenient mode of transport when traveling. The rails of the roads are built along the lakes and rivers, beautiful mountains with snow-capped peaks. Trains pass through the mountains through tunnels, and canyons and gorges are crossed over beautiful bridges.

In the article, we will consider which Swiss railways are public and which are private. What are the gear trains that can even climb Mount Pilate? We'll also give travelers advice on how to cut down on train travel costs, as everyone knows the high cost of transportation in this wealthy country. Consider photographs of train cars belonging to various Swiss railways.

State trains

Most of the trains and paved railway lines are owned by a state-owned company. Its name is very long, therefore abbreviations of 9 letters are usually used - SBB-CFF-FFS, which are written on all trains that are white with red and gray. They are easy to recognize at Swiss train stations by their color.

All trains are comfortable and modern. They differ in their number of storeys. Although Switzerland is a small country, the company has more than 4,000 wagons available, and the length of municipal tracks is 13,000 km. Both short and long distance passengers and cargo are transported.

Conveniences for passengers

To enter the train car, you need to press the button on the door, the same action should be performed when leaving. The seats on the trains of the Swiss railways are comfortable, soft, and the aisles are wide. Above each seat are spacious shelves for things. The carriages have the cleanest toilets with the necessary accessories.

Sitting on the train, you can not only admire the gorgeous views from the window, but also charge your phone or camera, use Wi-Fi or dine in a restaurant. For travelers with bicycles, strollers, skis and other bulky items, a special carriage with fastenings is provided. The guide will take your bike with a smile and put it on the rack. After exiting the car, he will take him back to the platform and wish him a successful excursion.

The trains have corners for small children with toys, shells, slides. Children cannot sit still for a long time, so the company executives took care of the little passengers.

On the second floor, the seats are located somewhat differently: closer to each other, one after the other or opposite. Between them there are comfortable sliding tables, so you can have a snack or put a bottle of water, put a laptop or tablet. Restaurant cars are located only on the second floor, food in carts on international trains is also delivered there, but at the same time, passengers from below are notified of this using a board.

Combining a schedule

Sometimes, to get to your destination, you need to change trains from one train to another. The accuracy of the Swiss is known to all, electric trains also move with a scrupulous timing. If a change is required, then upon exiting the platform you will have to move quickly to another platform and immediately board the next car. The schedule is made so that you don't have to wait long, as well as look for the next train at the station.

Since the Swiss railways (photo is in the article) are considered a popular and environmentally friendly mode of transport, in addition to the state company, there are several other private railways, mainly located in the mountains. Next, we will consider several popular and beautiful routes where you can climb on special cogged overpasses.

Cogwheel railways

In Switzerland, there are more than 20 railways equipped with a special gear transmission. The mechanism is located between the rails and helps to lift the cars on the slope of the mountain.

The steepest climb in the world, which the train climbs, is also located in mountainous Switzerland. The gear train climbs a 48% incline and takes tourists to the top of Mount Pilat, which is located near the city of Lucerne. In winter, closed carriages lift skiers for skiing to popular mountain areas.

Monument from the UNESCO list

The Rhaetian railway in Switzerland is considered a real monument, a miracle of technology and human labor. The most picturesque train track was built at the end of the 19th century. Nowadays, the Albul and Berninskaya branches are especially popular, which amaze with the height of the rails, the passage over the deepest abysses, and the most beautiful views of the mountains from the windows. It delights and frightens passengers at the same time.

A narrow-gauge railway connects the small town of Tuzis with the resort town of St. Moritz. It is only 67 km long, however, construction took 14 years. The railway passes through 42 tunnels cut in the rocks and over 144 bridges over precipices with viaducts. The unique 136 meter high bridge consists of 6 arches and is the symbol of the Albulio road.

This passage for trains was built in the distant 1902 using technologies unusual for those times. This is the most amazing railway in Switzerland. Every year, millions of tourists from all over the world admire the beauty of the mountainous country, traveling by train. The routes are thought out to the smallest detail, because the Swiss love their trains very much. On rails you can get to anywhere in the country, to all resorts and mountain hotels, to lakes and glaciers in the Alps.

Part of the Rhaetian road of the RhB line runs through the largest tourist area of \u200b\u200bthe canton of Graubünden and reaches the Italian border at Davos and up to Tirano. The entire path with bridges and tunnels is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Now part of the railway in the Swiss mountains on this route is closed for the reconstruction of tunnels.

Slowest train

The world's slowest and yet most famous train route in Switzerland leaves St. Moritz to Zermatt every day. The duration of the trip is 7.5 hours. During this time, the express passes through the mountains through 91 tunnels, crosses 291 bridges over gorges. This Glacier Express route is a must on any tour of the Swiss Alps.

This legendary journey will be remembered by the guests of the country for a lifetime, as the trip combines the wonders of technology and impressive landscapes.

steep climb

The sharpest rise is carried out by trains along the narrow-gauge railway to Mount Pilat. The ascent speed uphill is 12 km / h, and back even more slowly - 9 km / h. The track was built back in 1967, the cars are old, but the braking system has been improved.

The brakes are used parking, resistor, electric. They are independent from each other, which increases traffic safety.

Alpine narrow-gauge railway

The highest railway in Switzerland is also considered the highest in Europe. This is "Jungfrau" or Jungfraubahn. It belongs to the jagged lines, follows the Bernese Alps and the canton of Bern. The length of the railway tracks is 9 km, with the height difference being equal to 1,400 meters.

Most of the route along this route passes through tunnels (7 km) through the massif of the Eiger and Mönch mountains and rises to the very top of the Jungfrau. This place was chosen by tourists, since at each stop along the train you can get off and admire the views. So at the station "Eigergletcher" you can see the waterfalls.

The Aigervand station offers a magnificent view of the valley and the walls of the Eiger. The Eismeer stop is famous for its views of glaciers and magnificent cliffs.

The terminal station offers an all-round view of the Aletsch Glacier, the peaks of the nearby Jungfrau and Eiger mountains, and the magnificent Grindelwald Valley.

• Even in summer, when climbing the mountain peaks, you need to wear warm clothes and be sure to take sunglasses.
• It is recommended that on trains take seats near the window in the first or last carriage of the train, since you can take not only a photo of the area, but also of the train itself at numerous turns.
• Since train tickets in Switzerland can run up to 50 euros, it is recommended to take a special travel card for a week or 15 days. Swiss Travel System allows you not only to safely change from train to train without buying separate tickets, but also to ride buses, boats and even go to museums. It is very convenient and economical.