Travelling by train might be on the to-do list of many travellers, I know it was on our radar for many years. In December 2025, we made it a reality for a second time, the first being a journey around Italy. Joined by 2 friends, we flew out full of excitement and also some trepidation. Visions of blustering snow, ice-laden lakes with freshly fallen snow wrapping the edges before setting into a mirror that reflected the amazingly beautiful landscape, filled my mind. The indicative temperatures in Zurich were sitting at around 2 degrees with sunny skies and little cloud. Oh yes, did I mention our start point is Switzerland?
As a result of where we reside, the flights are long. I remember when we first began travelling, Singapore seemed like an endless flight. Now it is a relaxing short hop before the arduous 14 hours that lie in wait, but do it we must to experience the magnificence of Europe.
I digress, the purpose of this blog is to chat about the rail journey, the clickety clack of the carriages, even though much softer than in the past. Now it is more of a whirl and certainly a much smoother ride in the beautifully upholstered sofa-style seating.
Our journey begins in Zurich, and while the day that greets us is one of muted swirling soft grey clouds, there is an atmosphere of holiday spirit unfolding at every turn. We locate our hotel for the next 2 nights with relative ease, and given that it is across the road from the river Limmat as it runs into Lake Zurich, the spot could not have been more ideal and picturesque. The best way to discover a city like Zurich is on foot, and given that the Christmas theme was all around us, there was much to discover. Having found an easier route than that of good old Google, we make our way back to meet our travel companions who were travelling from France after 2 amazing weeks on the road to discover dinosaur footprints and old ruins.
There is no shortage of Christmas Markets in the centre of town, including the railway station which is also adorned with magically lit baubles. No journey to Switzerland would be complete without a display by the famous Lindt Chocolatier. As we watch the train go around the base of the large tree growing from a hilltop, it seems to stir the inner child in many, judging from the smiles on everyone’s faces. The preferred beverage of Gluwein was doing a roaring trade with the locals, with the temperature sitting around 1 degree in the late afternoon. The challenge for us is the pricing, having to more or less double the Euro to equate to the Australian dollar. We soon realise that this will be a rather expensive holiday.
Our colleagues arrived amid the festivities, and it is not long before we are retracing our steps back to our accommodation. Suitcases in, we set out to explore the beautiful surrounds in what seems like the early evening but is in fact 4.30 pm. So what is Zurich famous for apart from a chocolate shop on every street corner? To start with, it is called the ‘bank city’ and the global centre for International Finance, Insurance and banking. I am sure though, that this alone would not make you desire to start your journey here. Zurich is however historic with the old town of Altstadt (which is also the name of our hotel) perched on the banks of Lake Zurich with a never ending view of the snow capped Swiss Alps. There is no substitute for being there as opposed to pictures. The misty scenes and ice-covered edges take your breath away. I believe that even in springtime or summer, the scenery would please even the harshest critic.
The main shopping district known as the Bahnhofstrasse, is upmarket as one would expect. This is where famous European designers can be found along with others you may not have heard of. Shopping is not our favourite pastime, however photography is and there is no shortage of jaw-dropping buildings and river reflections. There are spectacular churches in this part of the world, one of which is the Fraumunster Church built in 853 by Louis the German for his daughter Hildegard and other aristocratic women of the day. Formerly an abbey, it stands with Grossmunster, St Peters and Prediger. They are all amazing introductions to Swiss history. The Fraumunster has a long and interesting tale to tell.
The days are cold and overcast but nothing can dampen our enthusiasm as we navigate to our next destination Chur, pronounced Ker or Kur. Arriving anywhere during a holiday season has many pluses but a few minuses for good measure. On the plus side is the Mercure City West, home for the next 3 nights. Everything about this hotel is brilliant, from the location next door to a shopping mall, the well appointed rooms and the wonderful staff. Of course all the best plans can have flaws. Of course today is a designated holiday, sad face. Fortunately the Co Op supermarket had everything we needed including wine, a great relief on that score. The foyer of the hotel caters well for late night travellers and holiday makers with a high food bar, a microwave oven, wine glasses, plates and cutlery. With our meals sorted for the next few nights, we lived the high life more or less. The convenience to the rail station is an added bonus.
For our next immersive activity, we make our way to the gondola which will take us to the top of Brambruesch Mountain at 1600 metres, a snow clad haven high above this lovely city. Check out my gallery for some spectacular images. This mountain is popular with cross country cyclists and the terrain is not for the feint hearted. Hovering over the tracks on the gondola reveals just how daring they would have to be to negotiate the steep and narrow trails.
Putting our Swiss Rail Pass to good use, after rising rather early, we board the train to Tirano just over the border in Italy. We made stops at Pontresina and Samedan both popular ski towns with the locals, including Italians who drive over the border for the day. Once in Tirano, one of our colleagues pointed out that the atmosphere changed as we walked through the town, the prices are lower is a good start. We order a true Italian hot chocolate – one that is literally made of melted chocolate. I remember our first time ordering one of these, it was so thick that the spoon almost stood up on its own. Tirano is the starting point for the famous Bernina Express as it crosses the border into Switzerland and through some of the most magnificent countryside. We have seen pictures of the awe-inspiring via ducts that we are about to cross, but do you think from the train they are easy to photograph? Of course not.
To board the Bernina Express, bookings and reservations must be made ahead of time as seating is on an allocation basis. The bright red train reminded me of the little engine that could, even though the original story book featured a blue engine to be replaced by red years later. The Bernina Express is a UNESCO listed scenic rail journey and takes 4 hours, beginning in either Tirano or Chur. It passes through 55 tunnels and over 196 bridges. The Bernina Pass stands at 2,253 metres and traverses Alpine Glaciers, mountain lakes and the famous Brusio Spiral viaduct, constructed to slow the train as it enters the lower Alps. It is considered to be an engineering marvel for the way in which it negotiates steep gradients. The biggest crossing of them all, the Landwasser Viaduct, reveals the famous Morteratsch Glacier on this remarkable journey. To view our images, don’t forget to check out the gallery and our Facebook page.
One could be forgiven for thinking that the Bernina Express is hard to beat, but we still have the Glacier Express awaiting our arrival in 2 days time.
As we say farewell to Chur, our next stop is Interlaken for 2 nights. The train trip to Interlaken is via St Moritz, Brig and Spiez, a full day to take in the magnificent Alps as the snow covered valleys littered with small farms and glistening lakes, allow us to pass through in a flash.
Our accommodation is centrally located, something that is always welcome when you have luggage in tow. Interlaken is a surprise with the city quite spread out.
The main feature is the lake, which is very picturesque as one would expect. We accidentally jumped on a bus that was circling the city before it reached our stop, seeing the city by default. The central part of Interlaken is what I would call delightful, with many chocolate shops – of course -and the last of the Christmas Markets spreading out from the main square. There is an endless supply of restaurants, so tonight we are treating ourselves to a great meal with local beer, and it is warm. Interlaken is the gateway to the UNESCO JUNGFRAUJOCH, also referred to as ‘The top of Europe’, with the highest Alpine glacier saddle at 3,454 metres. Today we are on a journey on the Eiger Express to the highest rail station in Switzerland. Travelling via Grindelwald, another spectacular ski region, the beautiful views just keep coming, but the one that will stay with us is that of the Aletsch Glacier. Also UNESCO listed, it measures over 23 kilometres and contains around 11 billion tons of ice. You may remember the Clint Eastwood film the Eiger Sanction that was filmed primarily here in the Bernese Alps.
The very top of Jungfrau is covered in misty clouds with the temperature sitting at a balmy minus 12 degrees. There is a sign as we walk through the revolving doors suggesting that we spend no longer than 15 minutes outside. I doubt there will be an argument from us. There is no time to worry about altitude as we pose for the obligatory snaps then dart inside as quickly as possible. It is amazing how being in the sub zero temperature tires you out. After returning to base at Eiger Station and waiting 20 minutes for the connecting train, the only thing to do was marvel at how close the glacier is to the tracks. You may think all glaciers are the same but do yourself a favour and check out my images in the gallery and you will see just how spectacular Aletsch really is and why it is UNESCO listed.
I would like to say returning to Interlaken is underwhelming, but that would be a lie. As we traverse through many tunnels, cross viaducts seemingly suspended from the hills and dart through clouds still consuming the valley and villages below, the landscape changes are noticeable. The glacial rivers that twist their way along the valley are clearly chilly, and yes, that would be an understatement given the warmth of our comfortable train carriage as it glides effortlessly around bend after bend. It will take something quite spectacular to surpass the experience that we have had today. One more night in the Weisses Kreuz Hotel before our next instalment, journeying to Montreux and our hotel Eden Palace au Lac, located waterfront on Lake Geneva.
How exciting it is to arrive in Montreux on Christmas Eve. Switzerland and many other European countries celebrate Christmas on the Eve as opposed to the day after. The esplanade is crowded as thousands of people gather to witness Santa flying through the sky. Apart from stopping at one of the many Christmas stalls for food, Glühwein and a souvenir or two, it appears that vying for the best vantage point is paramount. The lake front is wall to wall Christmas market stalls, each offering much the same thing, but there seems to be more food on offer, with the handcrafted items dotted here and there. In the main square, there is a statue of Freddie Mercury showing that famous pose, hand in the air and microphone in the other.
Christmas Day is cold and bleak, with neither rain nor snow appearing as we join a cruise on Lake Geneva. Sadly, the Château de Chillon on the edge of the lake is closed for repairs. The Chateau dates back to 1150 and was owned by the counts of Savoy. There is a long history attached to the castle, including having a prison. If you are interested in knowing more, you can find all you need to know here – https://www.chillon.ch/en/castle
The boat ride calls into smaller towns located along the banks of the lake, and we even cross into France for a minute or two. There is so much to see and do in Montreux, being Christmas Day means many of the places are closed. This does not restrict us from strolling along the esplanade once again, peering into shops – even closed ones, which no doubt is safer – to visiting some of the pleasant parks with statues of famous musicians like Carlos Santana.
We love to people watch with the perfect place being the Montreux Palace as expensive cars are brought around to the portico for their drivers. Definitely the place to maybe catch someone famous, just not today. This is definitely one city where you can easily while away the time.
Once again, darkness descends rather quickly, normal for this time of year.
We do know that the Casino is open, and everyone loves the liveliness that accompanies one. Here is a tip for those wanting to play a little, you must have full identity with you, such as a passport.
This brings me to the QUEEN MUSEUM. Located on the top floor of the Casino Barrière, Queen recorded 7 albums here between 1978 and 1995 at Mountain Studios. A brass record has been set into the floor at the exact place Freddie Mercury stood to record his final album. If you visit Montreux, this is one museum you should not miss.
Our next challenge is to find a restaurant that is open and not too expensive. To our delight, the perfect spot for Christmas dinner is right around the corner from our hotel, and even though it is not traditional, the Chinese family welcomed us without fuss. Obviously a favourite with locals as well, and judging by our meals, it is easy to see why.
It is hard to believe that we are nearing the end of our time in Switzerland. After a filling breakfast in the beautifully appointed room overlooking the lake, we say farewell to Montreux and once again board the train as we travel to Geneva. Our hotel is across the road from the station, we are getting really good at choosing our locations. The WARWICK is a fantastic way to spend the last day, an easy walk to the city sites and the lake, which surprisingly is still Lake Geneva. The weather has turned chill, even more so at -2 degrees. I have to say that I honestly thought that 4 layers, including thermals would be warm enough. Alas, even brisk walking could not soothe the chattering teeth.
Tomorrow begins our journey to Belgium, watch out for our photos and my next blog on Brugge and Ghent.
