Train Travel from Lucerne, Switezerland to Zermatt, Switzerland 15 June 2013 / Family Travelogue

continued from Trip to Mt Pilatus

Before we left the beautiful City of Lucerne, Switzerland, we had our luggage shipped to Zermatt, Switzerland.  We had a few train transfers, it could had been troublesome carrying our big stuff.

32 Swiss Railway Stations have the Luggage Express Service within Switzerland.  CHF12 per item not more than 25 kilos each.  Drop before 9am and collect at the next destination from 6pm.

Below were the details of our travel from Luzern to Zermatt.  Transfer from Bern to Visp,  Followed by transfer from Visp to Zermatt.  We departed at 9am and an estimate to arrive Zermatt at 12:13pm. We only had 7 mins and 8 mins allowance to transfer to another train,  Imagine if we were bringing our big luggage and trying to find the platforms to transfer to.  There were lifts though, but carrying big stuff could had slowed us and we could had missed the train.  The next schedule with the same route was after an hour

The train we boarded in Luzern was bound to Geneva Airport.  We alighted after 4 stops at Bern to transfer to another train.  We could had stayed in Bern for few hours but the kids were still exhausted from the trip to Mt. Pilatus  the previous day.

We boarded the train at Platform 6 bound to Briggs.  The train came from Zurich Station.  We were supposed to alight at Visp but we decided to alight at Brig.  There were frequent trains from Brig to Zermatt.  We were thinking had we alighted at Visp, the train could had been packed.  We let go of the few minutes lost on our schedule for an hour comfort travel to Zermatt from Brig.  We were able to choose seats with good views.

We did not download the new route information, the train had terminated at Zermatt.  We enjoyed the views and  took photos while on the train.  Had we alighted at Visp and transfer to the train bound to Zermatt at Platform 3, below would had been the route information.

tation	Arrival	Prognosis	Departure	Prognosis	Train	Platf./Edge	Occupancy
	Brig Bahnhofplatz			11:27		R 231	14
	Eyholz	11:34		11:34
	Visp	11:38		11:41			3
	Stalden-Saas	11:50		11:51
	Kalpetran	12:00		12:00
	St. Niklaus	12:12		12:13
	Herbriggen	12:21		12:21
	Randa	12:29		12:30
	Täsch	12:35		12:36
	Zermatt	12:50

Above was our route timing instead.  Apparently, over half an hour difference.  Choose whichever you prefer.

We had 8 day Swiss Travel Pass, we did not pay a single cent in any of our train travels.

More of  travel to Zermatt, you could opt to take the  Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn either at Brig or Visp for more scenic views.  Click the link for further details.

Embd is a municipality in the district of Visp in the canton of Valais.

Travel from Visp to Zermatt is a classic scenic train ride.

Narrow cogway railways
Views of Waterfalls
Views of the Villages in the canton of Valais
Views of the Swiss Alps and the highest mountains in Switzerland left and right.
We only took the ordinary train.  Better views if you take the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn

Travel from Visp to Zermatt is a classic scenic train ride.

This blog continues to Trip to Zermatt 15~17 June 2013 

See also: 

Family World Travels

Lucerne, Switzerland 13 June 2013/ Family Travelogue

Lucerne, Switzerland attracts many tourists from all over the world because of its location. The city is in the shore of Lake Lucerne and within the sight of Mount Pilatus and Rigi in the Swiss Alps







I had mentioned on my earlier post, we purchased Swiss Travel Pass, good for 8 days.
All our transportation in Switzerland were covered by the Swiss Pass.  All our mountain trips were discounted by 50%.  Had we visited the museums, we did not have to pay.  The big kids were getting bored of too much activities.  They preferred to go around and explore the beauty of the place.

We arrived Lucerne, Switzerland on 12 June 2013 from  Zurich, Switzerland.  As early as 8am on 12 June 2013, we had travelled from Salzburg, Austria to Zurich by train.  Please check out the link for our earlier activities on 12 June 2013.



Our 3 nights stay at Lucerne, Switzerland, we had stayed at Pension Villa Maria.  The place is owned by a very nice and accommodating family.  We booked as early as October 2012, we were able to reserve the family room with private bathroom.  Most were shared bathroom.  We had availed the laundry service at a very reasonable price.

The best of this villa, it is very close to the lake.  Walking along the very beautiful Lake Lucerne, you could reach the Luzerne Railway Station  plus few more meters walk, to the Chapel Bridge.  Crossing the Chapel Bridge, you could reach the Old town.





Above photos were taken after a long exhausting day on 13 June 2013.

We had spent the morning of 13 June 2013 at the Swiss Transport Museum.  Check out the link for all the transport equipment of different kinds we had taken in the Museum.

After we had our lunch at the food gallery in the Museum, we had spent the rest of the day walking around Lucerne City, Switzerland

Access to the Underground level of the Lucerne Railway Station.  There was a Coop Supermarket at the sub floor, that was where we bought bottled water, milk and some snacks.

The Monument Arc used to be the entry of the Lucerne Railway Station  from 1869...before it burnt down in 1971.  It is now in the center of the bus station and between the Lucerne Railway Station and Ship landing

Ship Landing near the Lucerne Railway Station

KKL Luzern is known for its classical concert

KKL means Kultur-und Kongresszentrum Luzern

In English, Cultural and Congress Centre in Lucerne

KKL Luzern is close proximity to the Lucerne Railway Station

View of the Water Tower of the Kappelbrücke (Chapel Bridge).  The Chapel bridge and its Water tower are one of the landmarks of Lucerne City, Switzerland.  It is a wooden bridge first erected in the 14th century.  Crossing the Chapel Bridge, you would reach the Old Town.

View from the Lucerne Railway Station over the Lucerne Lake going to the Old Town, Canton of Lucerne, Switzerland




Switzerland's local chocolate, Laderach,  handcrafted made of best ingredients.  We bought 20 kinds (one or two each) and we could say the very best chocolate we had tried, expensive though.

Lion Monument or Lion of Lucerne is a rock relief in Lucerne, Switzerland.  It commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution.  The Revolutionaries stormed  the Tuileries Palace in  Paris, France.

PHOTOS TAKEN WHILE WALKING ALONG THE LAKE

Walking around the city.  For those who would like to go to the Old Town, cross the Chapel Bridge and it would lead you to the Old Town.

Heini Luzern is a local Cafe & Restaurant with branches only in Lucerne, Switzerland.  Indeed a Cake Paradise.

 

 

The next day, 14 June 2013, we went up the summit of  Mount Pilatus by aerial cable car and funicular. We descended through the steepest railway by the so old cogwheel train followed by the Lucerne Lake cruisin to the city proper.  The trip was sooooooo amazing!  Click the link and check it out!

Europe Tour June 2013