A panoramic express train service now links three of Switzerland‘s most popular tourist hubs. The Golden Pass Express (GPX) was launched in December 2022, three years after its original launch date and a whole 150 years after the project was first tabled.
The new line connects the cities of Montreaux, Gstaad and Interlaken thanks to a new set of trains capable of changing the height of their coach bodies and their gauge – the distance between their wheels – to better adapt to the track.
Passengers can immerse themselves in the stunning views of the Swiss mountains for the three-and-a-quarter hour journey thanks to the panoramic windows installed in every carriage.
The railway cuts through most of central Switzerland, allowing travellers to take in some of the country’s pretties lakes and secluded valleys. The GPX track was modelled on an ancient trade route in use since the Middle Ages.
The 23 carriages cost an estimated 89 million Swiss Francs (£80m) and were the result of a collaboration between Swiss train builder Stadler, transport giant Alstom and Italian designer Pininfarina.
The Golden Pass Express offers passengers the choice of three classes – second class, First Class or Prestige Class, which comes with 28 reclining leather seats.
The train departs Montreux four times a day and runs along the shores of Lake Geneva. The popular resort has been home to generations of artists and musicians and is a perfect gateway to explore western and central Switzerland.
The GPX then quickly climbs up the mountainside, offering passengers gorgeous views of the lakes and the mountains while battling a series of 180-degree turns through vineyards.
Once the 2.5km Jaman Tunnel is passed, the luxury train service enters the Hongrin Valley in the Gruyere region with its lush green valleys that turn into a snow-covered fairytale landscape over the winter months.
The train then stops at Chateau d’Oex where passengers can reach the resort of Gstaad, a long-established retreat for the rich and famous.
The railway then moves on to a more sparsely populated highland in the Swiss-German Canton Bern as it approaches the municipality of Zweisimmen and then on to the shores of Lake Thun at Spiez.
Here the GPX starts its descent towards the water’s edge for the final part of the journey to Interlaken. The town stands at the junction between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz and has become a destination of its own thanks to the beautiful area around it.
Interlaken also serves as the starting point of the three-stage journey between Eiger and Jungfraujoch – Europe’s highest railway station.
From here, visitors can also continue their exploration of Switzerland with the panoramic train to Luzern, which will take them to Meiringen and through the Bruning Pass.
Source: express.co.uk