During this past month, my wife and I have probably taken around 40 trains and close to 80 different trips by public transport. If you have been to Europe, you know the experience can be anywhere between crowded and smelly to calm, peaceful and enjoyable. We purchased the General Pass for Switzerland for the month of July, as we knew we would be moving around a lot to visit our friends and family. The General Pass allows you to take any type of public transport in the country. That means : trains, buses, boats, gondolas, metros – you name it, you can take it. It’s costly when you look at the price, but we made up for the price in just two trips within the first 4 days of having the pass. The easiest way to make this work is by using Trainline, you can really track all the types of transportation to get you where you need to be in the quickest and easiest way.
Our magical badge expires in four days and we will unfortunately be back to avoiding public transport and calculating the costs of our trips. That being said, we decided to make the absolute most of our time and took the long way back to French speaking Switzerland today. I have been dreaming of taking one specific train in Switzerland, where from the first class you can melt into the luxurious chairs and take in the views of the Swiss mountains and countryside. I have avoided this train until now due to the prices, but I still dream of getting to experience this ride through the snowy fields around Christmas time.

La Belle Époque is a train that provides comfort, elegance and romance. Close to the aesthetic of the Orient Express, it allows you to discover dreamy Switzerland in a vintage carriage. During your travel, you can view the sites of jazzy Montreux, the cheese capital Gruyere, and the world famous Gstaad and Zweisimmen. Through the trip, you take in the landscape of different rivers, lakes, mountains and fields, seeing anything between paragliders, cows, goats and fellow hikers. 
The attention to detail is what I found most astonishing. There is embroidered tissue behind your head on the seat, little gold accents on the corners of the benches and intricate woodwork on the rounded ceiling. You really do feel as if you have travelled through time and found yourself whisked away through the Swiss countryside. Not to worry though, the train carriage is modern enough, with plugs to charge your phone and restrooms aboard.

I found it difficult in the moment to really enjoy the views, as it was so exciting in the first place. Thanks to our General Pass, this one way ticket only cost us 12 francs each. We started our journey around 5pm and were completely alone in the train car. The train does however stop in little villages about every ten minutes or so, but the breaks are quick and allow for more time to gaze out and enjoy the stunning views of the countryside. If I could give advice to anyone, it would be to pack a little bottle of wine or champagne before taking the train. It is very common in Switzerland for people to drink on the train, and you can even occasionally see someone cutting cured meat to put together a charcuterie board to pair with their beer or beverage. The train is already romantic in itself, but if you like a little razzle dazzle… have yourself a picnic. Some of the trips include onboard meals and service, but you can ask and check with the information desk before leaving and they will give you the information. 

Now that I have gotten around to taking the Belle Époque, I can say with confidence that this is a must-do on your list of things to see in Switzerland. If you can, make it an entire day trip. Start in Interlaken to visit the beautiful city center before making your way onto the train and through the mountains. Stop where you please along the way for a drink or a hike, or even take a gondola up a mountain for an even more insane view. Finish off your day in the Belle Époque with your loved one(s) and take in the ever-green (or white, if you go in winter) scenery. 
If you’re traveling alone, put together a romantic playlist to enjoy as you ride. Personally, I thought of the song ‘Un homme et une femme’ by Nicole Croisille and Pierre Barouh. And even if you’re travelling alone, please be sure to date yourself and still bring along that bottle of champagne and charcuterie. You’re in Switzerland, they sell mini bottles and mini charcuteries in every grocery store (except Migros, they don’t sell alcohol). Most of all, Enjoy. 🙂 

All my love.