Principal among the positive reasons is the pleasure of
travelling by train in Switzerland. For those accustomed to public transport
systems starved of investment, it will be something of a revelation: every
aspect of the system seems to be designed and operated to a standard rather
than a cut price. Most trains are modern, clean, and punctual. Stations of any
size are staffed and offer facilities that smooth the traveller's path, such
as luggage forwarding, cycle hire, money changing, and a restaurant or buffet
that is often used by locals because of its quality.
But what probably impresses visitors most is the way that
Swiss public transport is planned to offer a seamless, integrated service.
Trains connect with each other, buses meet and feed trains, and both are timed
to complement a boat or funicular service. At each station, tiimetables give
clear information about all local transport, walks are signed from most
stations, and many offer cycling routes.
Then there is the view from the window. Some suburban lines
apart, is is quite hard to find a train journey that does not offer attractive
scenery, and Switzerland has more than its fair share of the world's most
spectacular train journeys. Although the best-known are deservedly popular,
there are some little-known journeys through equally fine landscapes to
provide that sense of surprise which is part of the joy of travel.
Photo: Rail Europe.
