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West Australian
13-07-2025
- West Australian
From Zurich to Locarno on the Treno Gottardo, an underrated trans-alpine train
It doesn't take long for the urbanity of Zurich — neoclassical streets, medieval churches, modern apartments, graffiti-scrawled tunnels, tangles of railway tracks — to dissolve. Pretty soon we have postcard-perfect lakes, villages and mountains to admire. I usually read or work when I'm on a train, but that's rarely possible in Switzerland, a country with arguably the most scenic rail trips on earth. I'm heading south on the Treno Gottardo, which is relatively unknown compared to iconic Swiss trains like the Glacier Express. But I'm not complaining. It's a midweek afternoon during the onset of northern spring. Snow still showers many of the Swiss Alps, but there's greenery in abundance, boosted by the snow melt and sunshine, and I have the carriage mostly to myself, so I can sit back and soak up the loveliness from my window seat in relative peace and quiet. 'Danke,' says the ticket inspector, scanning my Swiss Travel Pass, an all-in-one ticket that allows unlimited rides on the country's trains, trams, buses and boats (it's available for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 consecutive days of travel and gives discounted fares for special mountain railways like the Jungfraubahn and Gornergrat Bahn). I'll use the pass again several times on my travels around Ticino, the Italian-speaking canton that I'm visiting for the week. Usually blessed with Switzerland's best weather, plus an assortment of super-pretty lakes, peaks and valleys, Ticino nestles on the other side of the St Gotthard Pass, a fearsome alpine pass rising 2106m above sea level. For centuries, it could only be crossed on foot (or by mule or horse-drawn carriage), but in the late 19th century Swiss engineers conjured the first, groundbreaking Gotthard Tunnel. Coursing 15km through the St Gotthard Massif at an altitude of around 1100m, it was the longest railway tunnel in the world when it opened in 1882 and remains a key part of Switzerland's rail infrastructure (and a link between northern and southern Europe). More than 2500 men toiled in its construction and it's estimated that around 200 lost their lives in the process. Working conditions were so bad at one point that the labourers downed tools and a vigilante group of volunteers were corralled to force an end to the strike. A Gotthard road tunnel opened in 1980, then another railway portal — the 57km Gotthard Base Tunnel — was unveiled in 2016, promising a quicker, flatter and straighter route at about a 500m lower elevation than the old tunnel. But after a freight train derailed in the new one in 2023, causing widespread damage to the tracks, it was closed for repairs for 13 months and during the interim, services were diverted to the trusty old tunnel. While I plan to return to Zurich later this week on a faster train zipping through the base tunnel, for this journey I'm happy to take the longer, slower route via the old one. The Treno Gottardo is about 90 minutes longer than the rapid trains, but it's worth your time (there are snack and beverage machines in the carriages if you get peckish or thirsty). One of the best and most surreal parts of the trip is when it ramps up to the original tunnel and navigates a series of loops in the canton of Uri, on the northern side of the alpine pass. If you look out of the window, you'll see the same baroque church — that of the Uri village of Wassen — from three different angles. Another thing I enjoy about this ride is the change from German-to-Italian-speaking Switzerland. Whereas on the north side of the tunnel, you'll hear mostly German and stop at stations with names like Schwyz, Brunnen, Altdorf, Erstfeld and Goschenen, it's a very different story and vibe south of the Gotthard. Greetings and farewells — 'Ciao, bella!', 'Ciao, ciao!' — begin to flutter through the carriage after we stop at Airolo. As the upcoming stations — Ambri-Piotta, Faido, Lavorgo — flicker on the digital screens, a conductor passes through the carriage. 'Grazie,' he says, eyeing my ticket as I see yet another palm tree out of my window. Just over an hour later, the train snakes by yachts gliding along Lake Maggiore, one of the ravishing bodies of water bordering southern Switzerland and northern Italy. The Treno Gottardo terminates in Locarno, a pretty resort town by the lake. I retrieve my luggage from the rack and check my phone as I alight the train and walk on the sun-splashed platform. In typical Swiss style, we're bang on time, three hours and 22 minutes after departing Zurich Hauptbahnhof. + Steve McKenna was a guest of Ticino Tourism and Switzerland Tourism. They have not influenced this story, or read it before publication. + The Treno Gottardo runs several times daily in both directions between Zurich and Locarno, with one-way fares from around 33CHF ($62). This train also has routes to Locarno from Basel and Lucerne. If you're looking to do lots of train travel in Switzerland, it may be worth purchasing the Swiss Travel Pass. It's priced from 244CHF ($466) in second class and 389CHF ($743) in first class for three days' travel, with better value the more days you purchase. For Swiss tickets and routes, see + For more information on planning a trip in Ticino and across Switzerland, see and .
National Geographic
15-05-2025
- National Geographic
A practical guide to exploring the Alps' classic highlights
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Wild as they are, the Alps are brilliantly accessible in the warmer months, whether you want to devise your own multi-day, cross-country trip on the frequent, efficient trains, or hit the trail on a long-distance, hut-to-hut hike. For planning, booking and money-saving tips, try this handy guide. What should I pack? Pack for the outdoors. Bring layers: a breathable fleece, loose walking trousers, hiking boots, flat shoes for cities., a wind/waterproof jacket, sunglasses for glare at high elevations and a daypack. For high-altitude hikes, add thermals, hiking poles, a compass, water bottle, torch, first aid kit and warm hat and gloves. How easy is it to get around by public transport? Exploring the Alps by rail makes perfect sense: trains are frequent, punctual and efficient, relatively inexpensive, and eco-friendly. There are generally some non-reserved seats, but it's advisable to buy tickets in advance in peak periods. Deeper in the Alps, mountain transport takes the form of funicular and cog railways, lifts and cable cars. How can I save on tickets? Get in quick. Many Alpine countries offer cut-price rail tickets, yielding discounts of up to 85% on less-popular days, times or routes. In Austria, these are called Sparschiene; in Germany, Sparpreis; and in Switzerland, Supersaver. They're generally available between six months and one day ahead of travel. If you're travelling around, look out for rail passes like the Swiss Travel Pass and Austria's Vorteilscard. Eurail and Interrail passes are valid on many routes. For high-Alpine transport, devote time to finding the best deals for the region you're visiting. Individual tickets can be pricey, and a discount pass will save you a fortune. Are there accessible options? Yes. Many trains, especially high-speed and intercity services, have lifts, ramps and mobility aids. Some cable cars and hiking trails do, too. Visit the relevant tourist board for details; Switzerland, in particular, has a sharp eye on accessibility. What if I want to drive? Roads in the Alps are generally well maintained and signposted, but you'll need to be a confident driver to tackle inclines and hairpin bends. Some Alpine passes are open year-round, others from June to October. In Austria and Switzerland, you'll need a vignette, or digital toll pass, to drive on major roads. How safe is it to hike? A few common-sense rules go a long way: inform a responsible person of your route, watch weather patterns using the Mountain Forecast app, wear the right clothing and footwear, take enough water and ensure your phone is charged. Increase the length and elevation of hikes gradually; if possible, don't walk alone at high altitudes. Avalanches and rock falls can be a risk, so stick to marked trails. These are generally colour graded: yellow or blue (easy and flat); white-red-white or red (moderately challenging, with some steep, exposed sections); white-blue-white or black (Alpine routes for experienced mountain hikers). For tougher hikes, take a map and compass. Are there any useful hiking and cycling guides? Cicerone publishes an excellent series of hiking, trekking, cycling and bikepacking guides to the Alps, with route descriptions and maps. GPX files are available for most of their books. Tiles include Cicerone, Walking in the Alps and Cicerone, 100 Hut Walks in the Alps. Online, try Bergfex for details on routes, tours, weather and accommodation. How far in advance should I book mountain huts? Most huts are staffed from mid-June to mid-September, and can be booked online, too; on popular trails in high season, you should do so months ahead. Huts with multibed dorms range from simple shelters to smart lodges with hot showers. Bring your own silk or cotton sleeping bag, a headtorch and earplugs. Take all rubbish with you. If you're planning a long-distance hike, consider membership with an Alpine club (DAV in Germany, ÖAV in Austria, SAC in Switzerland, CAI in Italy) for discounts of up to 50%. Their websites are a great resource for trail planning, weather and 1:25,000 topographic maps. Getting there & around: British Airways, EasyJet and Ryanair are among the airlines operating frequent flights from UK airports to Alpine gateways including Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck, Zurich, Geneva and Milan. Average flight time: possible to reach the Alps by train. For example, London to Munich via Paris takes around 10h; fast trains to Geneva with one stop take as little as extensive and efficient network of trains, buses and mountain railways link up even the smallest towns and villages. Taxis are widely available in cities and towns but can be pricey. When to go: Alpine seasons go with the snow, with most high-altitude resorts closing in low season (mid-April to mid-June and October to early December). Conversely, this is a great time to score deals on flights and rooms in towns and cities. June, July and August are ideal for outdoor activities like hut-to-hut hikes, biking and rafting, with longer days and highs of up to 25C (77F). Winters are crisp and cold, with snow and temperatures often dipping below 0C (32F). The shoulder months of May and September are often mild and perfect for exploring, with temperatures hovering between 12C and 18C, and seasonal colour in wildflowers and foliage respectively. More info Walking in the Alps. Cicerone, £25 100 Hut Walks in the Alps. Cicerone, £14.95 How to do it: Nordic Visitor offers a 12-day Highlights of the Alps holiday from £4,800 per person. Ticking off Alpine regions in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, this small group tour zooms in on the classics — from Neuschwanstein Castle to the Glacier Express, Salzburg and Matterhorn. The price includes hotels on a B&B basis, four dinners, guides, transport and admission to attractions. Flights not included. Published in the May 2025 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK). To subscribe to National Geographic Traveller (UK) magazine click here. (Available in select countries only).
Epoch Times
29-04-2025
- Epoch Times
Hiking the Swiss Alps Comes With High Altitude Thrills
A highlight of one of my European summers was a day I spent hiking in the Berner Oberland region of the Swiss Alps. I was with a wonderful group of traveling friends, all eager for a ramble in the high country. Fortunately, you don't have to be a mountain climber to see the Alps up close. The Swiss transportation system is as remarkable as its majestic landscape. Cog railways and cable cars whisk you up into the type of scenery that's usually only accessible with ropes and crampons. My group started the day with breakfast at the revolving restaurant that caps the Schilthorn peak (nearly 10,000 feet), looking down at the high meadows where Swiss cows spend their summers, Heidi-style. We'd gotten up there effortlessly (in four stages) by riding the Schilthornbahn cable car. Whether filled with skiers in winter or hikers in summer, that glass-and-steel bubble is filled with mountain joy, especially when the Alps are out in all their glory. From a value point of view, tickets for early lifts are often discounted, and discounts are given all over the Alps to Eurail Global Pass and Swiss Travel Pass holders. Because things can cloud up by late morning, early birds enjoy the crispest views. The lesson: Pay less and see more by ascending early. It's not inexpensive, but when you're surrounded by cut-glass peaks and breathing fresh mountain air, this is one of Europe's great deals and most memorable experiences. For our hike that day, we chose the super-scenic North Face trail (4 miles, 2.5 hours), starting our walk high above the tree line and cruising through meadows carpeted with alpine flowers. I love being way above the villages, but not too high for the cows or goats so my hike comes with an evocative, if random, symphony of bells. The milk from those cows grazing in the high meadows is destined to become treasured Alp cheese (Alpkäse). People say that the character of the cheese is shaped by the wild herbs and flowers that the cows munch. Cheese loving locals claim they can tell which valley the cows grazed in just by the taste. Related Stories 4/23/2015 3/5/2024 Farmers here often hire a team of cheese makers—mostly hippies, students, and city slickers eager to spend the summer in mountainous solitude. Up each morning at 5 a.m., hired hands milk the cows, take them to pasture, and make the cheese, milking the cows again when they come home in the evening. Alpine farms often welcome hikers to peek at the cheese-making action, so we dropped in at a farm hut to watch. We met Veronika—a licensed cheese maker. Each morning she and her crew milk the cows and heat a copper vat of milk over a wood fire. As it slowly curdles, it's stirred at just the right temperature until the consistency is exactly how Veronika likes it. Then, at just the right moment, she swings the vat off the fire, quickly dredges it with her cheesecloth, and packs the fresh cheese into frames. This process is repeated every day for 100 days here in the high country—a cow's udder knows no weekend. As we went on our way, we descended steeply through thick forest. We had no trouble navigating, thanks to great signage. The dedication to order and organization that distinguishes Swiss culture also distinguishes Swiss nature. Helpful signposts pointed us in the right direction, gauged the degree of each trail's difficulty, and gave us an estimated hiking time. Humbling, because these times are clocked by local seniors. You'll know what I mean after your first hike. Also, bicyclists can pump up their adrenaline here on rented mountain bikes. Besides dedicated bike trails, there are smoothly paved service roads, designed for the little hay wagons of farmers. These scenic lanes are off-limits to cars but are wide open for—and a hit with—bikers. Finally, our hike reached its happy ending, popping out in a flowery meadow at the tip-top of my favorite Swiss village, Gimmelwald. As he had for over three decades of my visits, Walter Mittler was waiting there at his Hotel Mittaghorn. We shared a frosty beer—it hit the spot after my exhilarating day. Way back in my student days, I stayed at the rustic youth hostel in town. Walter invited me to upgrade and stay at his place, and I did. We remained dear friends up until New Year's Day 2020, when Walter passed away peacefully in his mid-90s—at the hotel that was his home, surrounded by the wonders of the Swiss Alps. Walter symbolized to me how important personality-driven establishments are to genuine 'Back Door' travel. Sharing this most beautiful spot with friends old and new is enough to make me raise my hands and holler hallelujah. Dear Readers: We would love to hear from you. What topics would you like to read about? Please send your feedback and tips to
The Guardian
16-03-2025
- The Guardian
Swiss roll: a scenic tour of Switzerland by train
Switzerland isn't expensive, it's just very exclusive,' joked our tour guide as we walked along the paved path by the shore of Lake Lucerne. The Grand Train Tour of Switzerland – or GTToS for aficionados – certainly has the feel of an epic journey, complete with trains and boats offering panoramic views of its mountains, valleys and lakes. The GTToS takes in 1,280km of sights, many of them Unesco world heritage sites, such as the Swiss Alps of Jungfrau-Aletsch, the Matterhorn and the crystal clear waters of Lake Thun. The route is very flexible – you can hop on and off as you go. Armed with our Swiss Travel Pass, four different train lines took us from Montreux and on to Spiez, Lucerne, Locarno and Sion. The pass is a dream ticket, offering unlimited trains, boats and buses for up to 15 days, entry to 500 museums for no extra charge and half-price for some mountain excursions. We set off on a rainy Tuesday morning, taking the Eurostar from London to Paris and then on to Montreux via Geneva. Our first excursion was a visit to the Château de Chillon, which sits on Lake Geneva. Built in the 11th century, it is the biggest castle fortress in Europe and also, with good reason, the most visited monument in Switzerland. The pin-up medieval castle blends the Gothic and Romanesque, its vaults and windows of particular note. We did a whistle-stop tour of the four courtyards, bedrooms and watchtower with its 16th-century bell, before taking a short bus ride back into Montreux. There, I made straight for the Freddie Mercury tour, which starts in the covered market. Needing to keep a low profile and his head down at the height of his fame, Queen's frontman lived in Montreux on and off from 1978 until his death in 1991. The tour started at his bronze statue overlooking Lake Leman, Mercury's fist punching up into the air, and ended at the Montreux Casino where Queen recorded six of their albums. Their Mountain Studio now houses an exhibition dedicated to the band, showcasing outfits worn onstage by Freddie, including that yellow jacket with the straps. Seeing slot machines and roulette wheels below such an iconic place in music history felt almost surreal. That afternoon it was time for the first leg of the GTToS, the Goldenpass Express: a two-hour journey from Montreux to Spiez. With its navy blue exterior and golden interior, it all felt rather luxurious, even in second class. The train's enormous windows afforded panoramic views of stunning landscapes, brown Simmental cows with bells around their necks and trees turning into spring's fresh green foliage. Spiez is a small town beside tranquil Lake Thun. After a walk around the lake, I climbed approximately 75 steps up to Spiez Castle, with more fabulous views, this time of the Bernese Alps and the lake below. An early morning ferry on Lake Thun took us past Beatenberg, Europe's longest village, which stretches more than 12km before arriving at Interlaken. Walking through the city took us to the Jungfrau mountain range to the right and the Grand Hotel, which looks like something from a Wes Anderson film, given its grandeur and nostalgic feel. It had a tourist resort vibe about it, with souvenir shops on every turn but, overhead, paragliders dotted the brilliant blue sky, the Jungfrau mountains still snow-capped. After that, we jumped on the Interlaken-to-Lucerne Express, a route famous for its stunning views of the region's five lakes. The onboard bistro was a hit, too: I enjoyed a vegan tartare and a dish called 'Ghackets mit Hornli' – a typical Swiss meal of minced beef, macaroni and Sbrinz cheese served with a side of apple sauce. Picturesque Lucerne, once the playground of aristocracy, is divided into two parts by the Reuss river and boasts seven bridges. I crossed the famous 14th-century covered Chapel Bridge, with the landmark water tower standing beside it, and went for an early evening stroll into the car-free Old Town. I spent an afternoon at the impressive Swiss Transport Museum, which is especially fun for kids, with interactive exhibitions and simulation rides. Our next train was the Gotthard Panorama Express, via a boat ride across Lake Lucerne. Adding dramatic effect, it was a misty day, so the clouds covered much of the mountains. But on a clear day, you can see glaciers at the peaks with a height of 3,000m above sea level. For the train leg of the journey, the carriage could only be described as a cylinder spaceship. It included going through the Gotthard Tunnel, which at one time was the longest in the world at 15km. Locarno's old town is dotted with different coloured houses, each shade denoting the status of its fishers. My hotel, the three-star Hotel Garni Muralto, had spectacular views of Lake Maggiore. The next morning we took a ferry ride to Isola Grande, one of the Brissago Islands, home to Switzerland's only botanical gardens and 2,000 types of subtropical species. If you'd told me that I'd find bamboo, curry plants and orange trees in Switzerland, I wouldn't have believed you in a month of Sundays. We hopped back on the ferry and walked around the neighbouring Ascona, a quaint village full of designer stores and boutique outlets. Our final panoramic train journey was aboard the Centovalli Express to Sion, crossing through Italy and into the village of Domodossola. The train itself wasn't as glamorous as the previous ones, but it didn't matter. This scenic route passed by waterfalls, streams and vast forestry, going no faster than 40km on the almost two-hour journey. Arriving in Sion towards the evening, I hiked up to Sion Cathedral, where I viewed the city from the hilltop. I got there just in time to see a private jet land on the runway to my left as the sun set. Train travel offered a slower-paced alternative that allowed for me to see and sense all Switzerland's unrivalled beauty had to offer. It didn't disappoint one bit. A Swiss Travel Pass starts from 244 CHF (£215) for three days, go to for more details; Villa Toscane, Montreux, has double rooms from £142 per night ( Seegarten Marina Spiez has double rooms from £168 per night (
