The Glacier Express

One of the best ways to enjoy Switzerland's travel network is by taking one of many scenic routes throughout the country. The popular Glacier Express train (linking Zermatt and St. Moritz), William Tell Express (a lake cruise and train ride starting on Lake Lucerne and ending in Locarno or Lugano), Bernina Express (a train and bus journey from Chur to Tirano), and Golden Pass train (from Lucerne to Montreux) are just four of the possibilities. Seat reservations are required in advance for these scenic journeys.

Of course, the rest of the trains in Switzerland are equally remarkable. Trains run frequently on a regular schedule. In addition to the trains running from the Geneva and Zurich airports into the cities, there are direct trains to other Swiss cities leaving from the airport stations. With Switzerland's Fly/Rail Baggage Service you can check your luggage at your home airport and have it delivered by train to your end destination. To make things even more convenient this can also be done in reverse, from a train station to the Swiss airport where it will be put on your flight home (U.S. carriers excluded).

Trains are modern, with air-conditioned cars, either dining cars or traveling snack food carts, and many are equipped to provide passengers with enhanced cell phone reception. Many trains feature special compartments to transport bikes - which can be rented from many of the stations if you don't happen to have your own. The rental bikes are transported for free, while others are stashed for a minimal charge.

Biking is another great way to transport yourself in Switzerland - at a much more leisurely pace. There are over 9 national bike routes comprising 2000 miles of groomed and well-marked trails. In addition to train stations, there are other locations to rent bikes, and if you rent a bike at one train station, you can drop it off at another during working hours. There are also 50,000 kilometers of walking paths in Switzerland.

With 700 scenic Postbus routes, 170 vessels serving 20 Swiss lakes and rivers, countless mountain railways, aerial cableways, funiculars and ski lifts, there really is no end to the ways you can travel through and explore Switzerland. Where else but in this tiny country, known for its transportation, would you find the highest railway station in Europe, the oldest mountain railway in Europe, the world's first revolving aerial cableway, and the steepest cogwheel railway in the world?

Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne

If getting there and back isn't enough to impress you, pay a visit to the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne, presenting transportation and communication in the past, present and future. Swiss Travel System ticket holders receive a 35 percent discount on admission, making it even easier to love transportation Swiss style.
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