{"id":7063864,"date":"2026-09-22T09:48:08","date_gmt":"2026-09-22T09:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/som2nypost.com\/uncategorized\/take-the-scenic-route-from-montreux-to-interlaken-on-this-panoramic-train-in-switzerland\/"},"modified":"2026-09-22T09:48:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-22T09:48:08","slug":"take-the-scenic-route-from-montreux-to-interlaken-on-this-panoramic-train-in-switzerland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/som2nypost.com\/?p=7063864","title":{"rendered":"Take the Scenic Route From Montreux To Interlaken on this Panoramic Train in Switzerland"},"content":{"rendered":"


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After extensively traveling around Switzerland with the Swiss Travel System, an excellent network of trains, boats, buses, trams and cable cars, I can safely say that no trip to Switzerland is complete without a journey on a Swiss panoramic train (or two).\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The country really does have a stellar network of public transportation thanks to the Swiss Travel Pass<\/a> and with cities such as Geneva and Montreux offering overnight guests free travel using city cards. Switzerland not only makes it easy to travel by public transportation but also encourages you to do so by making it budget-friendly. It\u2019s better for the environment and suits my style of independent travel, so I\u2019m a big fan of their proactive approach to making tourism more sustainable or \u2018swisstainable\u2019 as they like to call it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Swiss panoramic trains take you through some of the country\u2019s most scenic routes, with your eyes feasting on breathtaking landscapes of shimmering blue lakes, charming hilltop towns, <\/span>lush vineyards<\/span><\/a>, and the mighty Swiss Alps, all through large panoramic windows in luxurious and comfortable coaches. I\u2019ve recently had the opportunity to experience two of these \u2013 the GoldenPass Express between Montreux and Interlaken, and the Gotthard Panorama Express between Lugano and Lucerne, and it only makes me determined to experience other routes when I visit next.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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You\u2019ll see some of the prettiest views on the GoldenPass Express<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The best part of course is that <\/span>Swiss Panorama trains <\/span><\/a>such as these, along with the famous Bernina Express and Glacier Express, are included in the <\/span>Swiss Travel Pass<\/span><\/a> (here\u2019s my <\/span>review<\/span><\/a>). Most tourists and first-time travelers to Switzerland are likely to have this pass (and rightly should <\/span>buy one<\/span><\/a>) to get around the country on their holiday. All panorama trains are included in the <\/span>Swiss Travel Pass<\/span><\/a> though you might need to pay extra for a seat reservation on busy routes during the peak travel months.<\/span><\/p>\n

In this post, I\u2019ll tell you everything you need to know about the GoldenPass Express Panoramic Train (also referred to as GPX) that travels from Montreux to Interlaken (and vice-versa) in 3 hours and 15 minutes. Before you plan this trip, it\u2019s worth knowing the history of this incredible engineering marvel. I\u2019ll also share my own experience of traveling from Montreux to Interlaken in a First Class coach using my <\/span>Swiss Travel Pass Flex<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the GoldenPass Express?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The GoldenPass Express is a luxurious panoramic train that starts in Montreux on Lake Geneva and ends in Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland, effectively connecting the Montreux Riviera with the mountainous region of the Bernese Oberland via a direct train and no changes in between. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Feast your eyes on pretty Swiss countrysides<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The entire journey takes 3 hours and 15 minutes and you can also travel in the opposite direction from Interlaken to Montreux on the GoldenPass Express. GoldenPass Express is included in the <\/span>Swiss Travel Pass<\/span><\/a>, but you\u2019ll need to pay extra for seat reservation during busy times. At the time of writing, there are no other direct trains between Montreux and Interlaken.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The GoldenPass Express is also known as GPX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After spending 3 nights in Montreux this summer, we decided to take the GoldenPass Express from Montreux to Interlaken to reach our next base of Brienz, for a few days in the Bernese Oberland. I was thrilled to be taking a Swiss panoramic train after having traveled on the Gotthard Panorama Express the previous year, and I was glad that this train was included in the <\/span>Swiss Travel Pass<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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All coaches and classes (including 1st, 2nd, and the ultra-luxurious Prestige Class) offer panoramic windows through which you can enjoy the fantastic scenery of the Swiss countryside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thanks to its innovative technology, a first in the world, the GoldenPass Express is more than just any panoramic train.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Large panoramic windows to enjoy the views<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

History of the GoldenPass Express: A Long-Held Dream Realized<\/span><\/h2>\n

The roots of the Golden Pass Express lie in the late 19th century, originating from the desire to connect the Riviera, i.e. towns around Lake Geneva, and Gstaad with the lakes of Thun and Brienz in 1873, with the aim of linking Switzerland\u2019s economic centres with the mountainous Bernese Oberland region.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Up close views of a town on the journey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But there was one problem: the railway network was developed with differing gauge widths: a metric gauge (1 m) between Montreux and Zweisimmen and a standard gauge (1.435 m) between Zweisimmen and Interlaken. After nearly a century of challenges from disparate gauge widths, and technological and financial impediments, the project came to fruition in December 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what changed? In 2008, MOB (the <\/span>Montreux Oberland Bernois Railway)<\/span> resurrected the project, opting to modify the coaches when the railway tracks could not be changed. Through the use of variable gauge bogies, a world first, and a gauge-adjusting ramp, the train seamlessly switches from metric to standard gauge, helping achieve this long-envisioned dream.<\/span><\/p>\n

Key milestones include the development of the EV09 variable gauge bogie in 2010 and the subsequent creation of a more intricate and weightier bogie, the EV18, by Alstom in 2018. Successful preliminary tests on the gauge-adjusting ramp in Zweisimmen took place in 2019. The inaugural commercial journey on the GoldenPass Express occurred on December 11, 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Makes The GoldenPass Express Special?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The GoldenPass Express is historic, a feat of technology over a decade in the making: It\u2019s the first train in the world that shifts from metric gauge to standard gauge while moving, thanks to the bogies seamlessly adjusting gauge width within seconds while passengers are on board.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The trains technological innovation allows a direct connection between Montreux and Interlaken<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The transition also involves a shift in voltage, transitioning from 900 V direct current to 15 kV (16.7 Hz). The 62.43-kilometer metric gauge section extends from Montreux to Zweisimmen, while the remaining 52.91 kilometers adopt the standard gauge of 1,435 mm between Zweisimmen and Interlaken. MOB\u2019s design, developed by Alstom, is unique in its extensive gauge adjustment and coach elevation from 350 mm to 550 mm\u2014the only system of its kind.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Upon arrival at Zweisimmen station from the metric gauge tracks, the train traverses a gauge-adapting ramp at 15 km\/h. Flaps are raised to facilitate the coach\u2019s positioning, relieving the bogies\u2019 weight and allowing their wheel width to expand from 1000 mm to 1435 mm. Simultaneously, the coach\u2019s body is elevated from 350 mm to 550 mm to match the platform height.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Due to the voltage difference, a locomotive change is necessary. The entire gauge width transition takes eight minutes \u2013 seconds for the ramp crossing, and the rest of it for locomotive changes and associated checks. Then, the train continues towards Interlaken on the standard gauge track.<\/span><\/p>\n

This technological innovation means that the GoldenPass Express trains are the only direct trains between Montreux and Interlaken.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Plan Your Trip on the GoldenPass Express<\/span><\/h2>\n

From Montreux to Interlaken\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The GoldenPass Express is an excellent way to travel the scenic route between Montreux to Interlaken or vice-versa. It offers a convenient and absolutely beautiful 3 hour 15 minute direct connection between the Lake Geneva region\/Montreux Riviera and the Bernese Oberland in central Switzerland where you\u2019ll find the stunning mountain landscapes of the Bernese Alps. These famous locations lie within reach of Interlaken (such as Jungrafuoch, and the villages of Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald). The GoldenPass Express eliminates the need for a change of trains between Montreux and Interlaken.<\/span><\/p>\n

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And it\u2019s full of stunning views<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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GoldenPass Express Train Timetable\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Currently, the train schedule of the GoldenPass Express offers four trains daily from Montreux to Interlaken Ost, at 7.35, 9.35, 12.35, and 14.35. From Interlaken Ost to Montreux there are daily trains at 9.08, 11.08, 14.08, and 16.08. You can double-check<\/span> the current GoldenPass Express timetable on the official website. These are denoted by PE (for Panorama Express) on the SBB Mobile app, which is a great public transportation app to have on your smartphone for your Swiss holiday.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Scenic landscapes abound on this journey<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

GoldenPass Express Classes Explained\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The GoldenPass Express trains offer 1st Class, 2nd Class, and Prestige Class coaches, with all coaches of all travel classes having large panoramic windows that lend a feeling of being immersed in the surrounding landscape that you\u2019ll travel through.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both 1st and 2nd class coaches on the GoldenPass Express are just as comfortable, the main difference between them is in the seat layout. In 1st class, you\u2019ve got a layout of a pair of seats on one side and a single seat on the other side of the central aisle. In 2nd class, you\u2019ve got pairs of seats on both sides of the aisle. In both classes, there are seats in both the direction of and against travel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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1st class seats on the GoldenPass Express<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If you\u2019re after a splurge, then consider the Prestige class which offers exceptionally cozy, heated leather seats, that are oriented in the direction of travel. These can be rotated 180 degrees on request. The elevated Prestige zone in this new travel class is lifted by 40 centimeters and really makes you feel like you\u2019re sitting or rather gliding through the landscape itself. A perfect place to enjoy a glass of champagne and caviar!<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Buy GoldenPass Express Tickets and Seat Reservations\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n