Last but certainly not least, the main reason to explore Switzerland by public transport is the breathtaking view unfolding beyond the window. And, because you’re not at the wheel, it’s a view you can get totally lost in; all you need to concentrate on is gazing in awe.
Every mile brings a new perspective – of glittering lakes, cow-nibbled pastures, flower-strewn meadows, rippling foothills and gargantuan mountains. Travelling this way, you see one landscape segue into another, the country transitioning, rolling and rearing before your eyes, providing a more complete picture of how Switzerland ticks.
All Swiss journeys have their pleasures, but some really wow. The GoldenPass line is one such route – a spectacular ride between Montreux and Lucerne that encompasses three mountain passes, eight lakes and an array of 4,000m-high peaks. Or, for the ultimate high, try the journey from lake-straddling Interlaken to the Jungfraujoch, the continent’s highest station: first make the pretty trundle down the Lauterbrunnen valley, then board the historic Wengernalp rack railway to Kleine Scheidegg before hopping on the Jungfrau Railway. In just two hours you can be standing on the top of Europe.