ST. GALLEN, Switzerland — You ride the Gotthard Panorama Express for the big attractions: the fantastic scenery, the panoramic cars — almost dome-like — that help you take in that scenery — and the honest-to-goodness sliding-window coach that lets you take pictures without a glass reflection.
But SBB, the Swiss Federal Railways, has made sure to attend to the details, as well.
Start with the onboard crew. Jacqueline — I hope I’ve spelled that correctly; I neglected to ask — attended to my coach and one other, and she was a multilingual gem, pointing out locations of interest, tipping me at one point to be ready for a photo location that flashed by in an instant and I otherwise would have missed, and just generally being as pleasant and informative as you could possible ask.
Beyond that, there were the things that you wouldn’t miss if they weren’t there, but you remember because they are: a brief but useful pamphlet with a route map and a brief listing of highlights (a booklet at each set of seats provides more detailed information); a Panorama Express pen, and a postcard already stamped for mailing anywhere in the world, as long as you send it from Switzerland. I don’t know when you last sent a postcard, but when it’s free and Jacqueline offers to collect and mail them, you’ll find the time to fill one out. And when you’re in the Gotthard Tunnel itself, the train slows down and they project a short film on the tunnel wall. Truthfully, it’s not much of a film, but it’s a clever idea.
Really, though, all you need is that scenery — and, for a railfan, that open-window coach. Here are a couple of pictures to make the point.
Today’s trip from Bellinzona to Arth-Goldau was actually the first of two rides for me on the Panorama Express this trip; I’ll be back on it with our tour group, traveling in the other direction on Sept. 15. I may have more to say then, and I’ll certainly be writing more about it in a future issue of Trains.
For now, though, let’s say that if a Swiss rail trip is on your bucket list, this should be a part of it. You can learn more about it here.
Funicular fun
To backtrack a bit, my Wednesday in Locarno was fairly low-key, and not one of my more rail-focused destinations. But I did take a ride on the city’s funicular — hardly one of the more famous incline railways in a country that believes no grade is too steep to be conquered with a pair of rails, but still a fun little ride. And, like the Panorama Express, it pays off with a great view.
The Locarno-Madonna del Sasso Funicular dates to 1906. According to Wikipedia — when you’re traveling, you take what you can get — it is just 2,661 feet long, rises 568 feet in that distance, and has a maximum grade of 30%. Power is from an overhead wire. It exists primarily to serve a Catholic Church, the Santuary of the Madonna del Sasso, and the surrounding hilltop community of Orselina.
In that fraction more than half a mile, it manages to pack two intermediate stations, at least a couple of impressive viaducts, a tunnel, and a passing track. A round trip costs 7.40 Swiss francs (currently about $8.29) — but only 5.40 francs if you have a Swiss Travel Pass, a visitor essential I’ll discuss at some future date. And I wasn’t sure whether to be amused or frightened that one of those relatively tiny cars — which has a grand total of 12 seats — has a listed capacity of 70 people, plus the operator. I don’t think we had more than about 20 on either of my rides, and that was plenty. I can’t fathom 40, let alone 70.
Here are a couple more photos from the funicular.
I’ll wrap up by saying I’m in St. Gallen after riding the Voralpen Express — a train you probably have never heard of, because I certainly hadn’t. The Swiss Tourism website describes it as “the gentle side of Switzerland … undulating hills, picturesque villages, and lovely orchards.” Martin Oester of the Swiss Travel System, who helped me with trip planning, said he loves it because it’s a nice ride and there’s almost no one on it (or words to that effect). Both are correct. The mountains are still there — it IS still Switzerland, after all — but they’re mostly a backdrop, not the focus. More about that trip later.
The 70 passengers in the funicular does mean sardine can mode, but it is a short ride. The number is of some importance for the load the funicular may transport safely.
About the Voralpen-Express. This brand has been marketed (at least within Switzerland) for some time. However, as opposed to a Glacier Express, it is not a specific train, but a service, originally running bi-hourly, nowadays hourly between St. Gallen and Luzern. The term “Voralpen” has the meaning of “alpine foothills”, and that is pretty much where it runs.
Actually, the Voralpen Express is a segment of a complete alpine foothills route through Switzerland, which goes St. Gallen – Voralpen Express – Luzern – Zentralbahn (formerly known as Brünig route) – Interlaken – Zweisimmen – Golden Pass Route – Montreux. (I guess your further trip will get you on the new Golden Pass Express, the gauge-changing train running direct between Interlaken and Montreux…)
In any case, enjoy your trip; the weather should be sunny and warm until about Tuesday…