Jonathan Ray

How to see Switzerland by train

Expect glorious food, wine and views – whatever time of year you go

  • From Spectator Life
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As we all know, the Swiss love their clocks, their cheese and their chocolate. They also adore their railway. The trains are clean, comfortable, convenient and you can set your (Swiss) watch by them. 

The system is 175 years old this year, a fact recently celebrated by the running of the world’s longest train through the Swiss Alps. It was quite a feat and took years to plan. The 1.2 mile-long train comprised 100 carriages and passed over 48 bridges and through 22 tunnels during its 15-mile journey, setting a new Guinness World Record as it did so.

If you’re exasperated by British trains with the constant strikes, delays, cancellations, melted rails, frozen points, leaves on the line or the ‘wrong type of sunlight’ (do you remember that one?), then do consider giving Swiss trains a try, if only to see how the world’s finest public transport system works. It is a complete and utter joy – whatever time of year you go – with cancellations or delays unheard of.

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