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The Road Ahead : August 2016
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NEWS FEATURE QUEENSLAND’S LARGEST CLUB 35 AUG/SEP 2016 THE ROAD AHEAD WILLIAM TELL EXPRESS For something a little different, the William Tell Express experience combines both boat and rail. Linking Lucerne with Locarno as it crosses the Swiss Alps, the line takes its name from the Swiss folk hero (an archer with a unique approach to childhood nutrition). If you’re travelling from Lucerne, you’ll travel the length of its namesake lake, a stunning patch of water wreathed on both sides by towering peaks, on a beautifully- preserved paddle steamer, which will stop at quaint waterside villages before arriving at Flüelen after just three hours. From there it’s on to a panoramic SBB train, which takes the acclaimed Gotthard line, with its many spirals and tunnels, up the Reuss Valley and through the famed Gotthard Tunnel, emerging in the canton of Ticino. GOLDENPASS PANORAMIC EXPRESS If heights aren’t your thing, travel on the ultra-modern GoldenPass Panoramic Express through the iconic Swiss landscapes of Interlaken and Zweisimmen between Lucerne and Montreux. In addition to some of the best alpine and lake landscapes in Europe, this is especially good for travellers bound for Geneva or Zurich’s international airports. In addition to the cities of Bern and Lausanne, both great for day excursions, the GoldenPass Panoramic Express meanders through the Brünig Pass, around the Giessbach waterfalls, and among the ancient villages of Interlaken. While you’ll need to change trains along the way, this is a route that has a little something for everyone and shouldn’t be rushed. For a real perk, book one of the coveted seats in GoldenPass Super Panoramic Express, a glass bubble above the driver’s compartment. Interlaken town view. Montreux on Lake Geneva. BERNINA EXPRESS Another crowd pleaser for lovers of mountain passes and Heidi-esque landscapes is the Bernina Express, which climbs the peaks between St Moritz and Tirano (with a bus extension to Lugano). Built between 1906 and 1910, this unique Unesco-listed rail route passes through different climate zones and cantons where three different languages are spoken. Over four hours you’ll enjoy the best of Switzerland’s mountainous heart, from rushing alpine rivers and sheer rock faces to lush forests and man-made marvels such as the majestic Brusio circle viaduct over the Poschiavo Valley. On one of the steepest adhesion railways in the world, travellers will pass through 55 tunnels and across 196 bridges as they climb to the Bernina Hospiz at 2253 meters. Operated with modern carriages, this is a truly memorable day trip but true train buffs might like to book ahead for the historic Poschiavo Pulhman train, pulled by the endearing Crocodile locomotive. VORALPEN-EXPRESS Last but not least, the Voralpen-Express connects Lucerne and St Gallen, famed for its Unesco-listed abbey precinct. The route skirts Lake Zurich, cruises among the soaring peaks of the Schwyzer Mythen, makes its way through the deep valleys of the Pilatus Mountains, and across the high Rothenthurm moor, before chugging across the Sitter Viaduct, the highest in Switzerland. Travellers pass through the rose town of Rapperswil, steam around the lakes of Zug and Lauerz and over the dam that separates the Obersee from Lake Zurich. The beauty of this route, which takes three hours, is the hourly train schedule. It means travellers can get on and off as they please, making this one of the most flexible routes in the country. n Join Travelmarvel for epic journeys on the Glacier Express, the Gornergrat Mountain Railway and World Heritage-listed Bernina Express. Twelve days from $7020 pp, twin share. Call RACQ Travel for more details and ask about saving $1000 per couple. OFFERRACQTRAVEL TRAVEL INTERNATIONAL THE LAND OF CUCKOO CLOCKS AND CHOCOLATE. Th e C a th e d ral o f Not re D ame, L a u sa nn e. 34_35_42_43_AUG_SEPT_2016_TRAVEL copy.indd 35 13/07/2016 08:31
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