The Belle Époque Train in Switzerland: From Zweisimmen to Montreux

The Belle Époque Train in Switzerland: A romantic journey back in time to the Belle Époque era

Fancy a little time travel? On the occasion of our first wedding anniversary, we wanted to treat ourselves to something special and decided to take a ride on the legendary Belle Époque Bahn. We have long been fascinated by romantic train journeys that take us back to the fascinating era of the Belle Époque for a moment. The historic-looking train is a replica of the legendary Golden Mountain Pullman Express. At that time, this luxury train ran between Montreux and Zweisimmen and experienced a fitting renaissance with the Belle Epoque train.

The Golden Pass Line – Belle Époque Train & more

The trains of the Golden Pass Line operate along a 210 km route from Lucerne to Lake Geneva in Montreux. The route runs from Lucerne along Lake Lucerne and passes the stations of Interlaken, Zweisimmen, Gstaad and Chateau d'Oex before finally ending in Montreux.

Where exactly does the Belle Époque train depart from?

The most impressive section of the route is between Zweisimmen and Montreux. And from Zweisimmen, the Belle Époque train and the gold-colored panorama train also run. Only the regular trains of the Swiss railway network run to Zweisimmen. So if you want to ride the Belle Époque Bahn, make sure you are on the right section of the route. The journey from Zweisimmen to Montreux takes just under two hours (1h45). If you have several days, you can visit picturesque places like Gstaad or the Lac du Vernex in Rossinière before Montreux.

When does the Belle Époque train run?

The trains on the Golden Pass line run at relatively short, regular intervals, so that you can usually continue every one to one and a half hours. The best thing about it: With the regular train ticket you can travel on all trains on the route. Despite the normal train ticket, you can also travel on the Belle Époque Bahn and enjoy a touch of the extravagant Orient Express feeling. Even the arrival of the Belle Époque Bahn is a small sensation and attracts numerous spectators who don't miss the opportunity to take a few photos.

Belle Époque Train: Seats, Reservation & Booking

Booking the Belle Époque train took some initial research, as there are several websites where you can book tickets. However, some sites don't specify which train is being offered in the departure times. If you're planning a trip on the Belle Époque train at a specific time, we recommend booking directly on the MOB website . There, you can see which trains depart at what time and plan your journey accordingly. This website also allows you to reserve seats directly.

From a practical point of view, however, the site is unfortunately only semi-optimal, it constantly hangs or error messages appear. So patience was required, but we still managed to do it. Unfortunately, on our outward journey from Zweisimmen to Montreux, all the seats in first class were already booked, so we reserved seats in second class for CHF 9 each. In retrospect, however, we would not have needed the reservation at all, because there were enough free seats without a reservation.

Ride on the Belle Époque Bahn: prices & costs

The route from Zweisimmen to Montreux costs CHF 42 per person in second class including a reservation, or CHF 33 per person without a reservation. If you are from Switzerland and have a general subscription or the half-fare card, tickets start at just CHF 9. On the return trip we had the train almost entirely to ourselves and of course we didn't miss the opportunity to take a few photos of the first-class train compartment. As soon as you are there, you can also conveniently buy the train tickets from the machines.

How does it feel to travel on the Belle Époque train?

We felt a bit like the main characters of a historical novel before embarking on a great adventure. Already the arrival of the train is an experience. The route leads through picturesque landscapes that look exactly how you imagine Switzerland to be. We were amazed to see how quickly the landscape changed as we drove.

As Montreux drew nearer, the picturesque, partially snow-capped mountain ranges gave way to palm trees and an almost Mediterranean atmosphere towards the end of the journey. Nestled on the idyllic shores of Lake Geneva, surrounded by mountains and lush vegetation, lies the charming spa and jazz town of Montreux. Ah, if only train travel could always be this pleasant! Generally speaking, train travel in Switzerland is very comfortable and relaxing. The trains are clean, cozy, and comfortable. You can find travel tips for the Montreux Riviera in our article " Time Out on Lake Geneva: 6 Things You Absolutely Shouldn't Miss on the Swiss Riviera ."

Train romance in Switzerland: Which seat guarantees the best view on the Belle Époque train?

Let's come to another exciting question: Which side of the seat offers the best view? To be honest, there is no "wrong" side of the seat. The landscape changes and so it is sometimes interesting to look out on one side and sometimes on the other side. But in summary, the left side in the direction of travel (from Zweisimmen to Montreux) is particularly scenic.

Train Specials: Chocolate Train GoldenPass MOB & Cheese Train GoldenPass Montreux – Château-d'Œx

In addition to the regular daily train services, there are also special excursions such as the Chocolate Train, which includes a fine chocolate tasting followed by a visit to the Maison du Gruyère cheese dairy and the Maisons Cailler-Nestlé chocolate factory. You can find more information and details here . If you're more in the mood for a fondue, the Cheese Train (the name says it all) might be of interest. The Panorama Train or the Belle Époque Train travels from Montreux or Zweisimmen to Château-d'Oex. At "Le Chalet," you'll have the opportunity to watch the cheesemaker at work, observing the traditional cheese-making process, and then enjoy a delicious fondue.

Belle Époque Bahn for special occasions: marriage proposals, bachelor parties & birthday parties

We think that a ride on the Belle Époque Bahn is ideal for special occasions. Be it an extraordinary bachelor party, an unforgettable birthday party or even a romantic marriage proposal: the ambience is made for it! For us it was the perfect trip for our wedding anniversary.

You can find more romantic trips and travel ideas for special occasions in our Romantic Trips section.