Gotthard Base Tunnel

[simonmelb]

Well I was changing my 2 year old nappy on the train on holidays in Switzerland today and thought hmmm feels like we've picked up speed a bit? Came back to my seat and looked up at the snazzy overhead screen and saw we were travelling at 198 km/h through the new Gotthard Base Tunnel

http://legendary-gotthard.ch/

Amazing train technology here - even the metro trains are so fast confitable and smooth and you always get a first class like seat with a view of lakes and mountains of course.

Sorry no pics but the tunnel is not lit!

[gavinwibrow]

Cheers. I suspect you meant "my 2 year old's nappy". Otherwise might be bit smelly by now!

[simonmelb]

No pic of the Gotthard Base Tunnel so I'll post a few other Swiss railway snaps. Here's the cute 2 of 2 Dolderbahn rack railway trains that took us up to the ice skating rink above Zurich.

[simonmelb]

And to get a sense of how big the tunnel boring machine for the Gotthard tunnel was, here is the drilling head next to a toddler at the Lucern transport museum we visited.

[simonmelb]

The best train trips in Switzerland are of course the smaller regional trains that twist and turn their way through many towns and valleys. Here's the one we caught from Rappersville to Luzern. Apologies for the dirt on the windows obscuring the view of the Alps! The route map is the drinks tray in each seating booth.

[simonmelb]

Ok, today's train trip is apparently one of the best in Switzerland - the Gotthard Matterhorn express. We travelled to Niederwald for a stay before we head on to Saas-Fee for some skiing. The train winds its way through the Valais region picking and dropping off cross country skiers along the way - pity the snow has not dumped yet, but the views of snow capped peaks out every window were amazing.

But I did manage to find a rare D2 upon arrival !











The last photo is of Niederwald where we are staying in a hotel built in 1642. We hopped off the train at the station at the bottom of the photo. There's no raised platform - just a step that lowers when the door opens and you step down onto the tracks running in the opposite direction. It's nice to see things can be still a bit old school and non nanny state! Switzerland is like that in a lot of ways actually. Primary school kids are NOT ALLOWED to be driven to school at all and can take pocket knives on school camps. It's a really well functioning society.

[Xtreme]

Thanks for the info on Switzland and it"s train journeys.
We're planning on a visit there next June and already have our Europass but haven't planned detailed itinerary yet.
If you have any suggestions of other things to see or places to stay, they would be much appreciated.

[simonmelb]

Hi Roger,

Yes happy to give you some tips - I'll get some top tips from my brother and family who've lived in Switzerland for 8 years and post here.

Happy New Year!

[simonmelb]

A couple of shots firm the second half of our trip, today on the Gotthard Matterhorn Express from Niederwald into Visp.







It really is a great train trip. We saw the Glacier Express going in the opposite direction. This is the same route but you get panorama glass windows, white table cloths and table service all at a very high price. We saw a couple of patrons asleep though!!

[Xtreme]

Our three month European trip is almost at an end - fly out of Doha for Sydney in three hours.
We did the Glacier Express trip from Zermatt to Chur & onto Tirano - 1st class but not the white tablecloth & champagne version.
We then hired a car in Milan & drove through the Alps via numerous passes, including the original cobblestone road over Gotthard Pass. A most interesting drive made more so as we encountered a 112 team group each riding/driving various forms of electric vehicles including push bikes, motor bikes, trikes, miniture & compact cars. See here WAVE TROPHY join the world's largest EV rally

One section of Gotthard Pass, which BTW was built almost 200 years ago, has 24 bends in 4 kms for an elevation change of 300m.

We also met a group of 50 - 65 year old cyclists who were riding over the pass (no electric assistance for these guys!) To attend a mate's 60th birthday party in Germany. We gave them a resounding Aussis Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi cheer when they reached the top. 😀

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PS - Needless to say, the 8 day drive through the Alps was far more enjoyable (& less expensive) than the train trips through the area.