Bradt Travel Guide: Switzerland A Guide to Exploring the Country by Public Transport

About this book

This new, thoroughly updated edition of Bradt's guide to Switzerland continues to offer a unique perspective in how to get the most out of this mountainous country travelling only by public transport – a timely release with the Gotthard Base Tunnel transforming north-south train services. Switzerland is home to the world's finest public transport network and for visitors the Swiss Travel System is a revelation. The comfort, efficiency and frequency of train, bus, boat and cable car services – all perfectly dovetailed – explain why so many Swiss don't bother to own to car.
For visitors, you cannot reach many of the finest sights in the country by road, and there are over a dozen car-free resorts for those who want to experience the peace and clean air of the mountains. For walkers and cyclists, there are superbly maintained and signed networks of paths – over 64,000 kilometres of footpaths and many surprisingly unhilly cycle paths beside lakes and rivers.

Bradt Travel Guide: Switzerland: A Guide to Exploring the Country by Public Transport is unique. No other guide book to Switzerland is organised for those using public transport, which is the easiest, most enjoyable and responsible way to travel. The guide also offers significant depth of coverage as well as a breadth which encompasses culture, architecture, landscapes, walking and cycling, not to mention railway enthusiasts! What's more, in a country that is known for being expensive, Bradt Travel Guide: Switzerland suggests a host of money-saving tips that could reduce costs. Also in this new edition, a new section on food and wine, with a listing of the most highly ranked restaurants.

Switzerland has far more than its fair share of the world's most beautiful landscapes – even commuters into the largest city, Zürich, have a journey worth travelling half way round the world to see. Though mountains and lakes cover most of the country's regions, each offers something quite different – and the four official languages add colour and variety to the country's people, architecture and cuisine.

Switzerland's cities are among the world's most beautiful – and safest. Its capital, Bern, is a World Heritage Site for its 6 kilometres of covered arcades, providing sheltered access to hundreds of independent shops to enthral the most jaded of shoppers. Luzern's lakeside setting is unrivalled, with mountains in every direction and the floodlit city walls providing a breathtaking backdrop to the historic centre. Both Lausanne and Geneva look out over Lac Léman, and Basel is enhanced by a broad sweep of the Rhine.

With Bradt Travel Guide: Switzerland: A Guide to Exploring the Country by Public Transport, you can enjoy all the qualities that help to make Switzerland and its cities constantly ranked as the most liveable in the world.

Contents

PART 1 GENERAL INFORMATION
Chapter 1 Practical Information
      When to visit, Highlights, Tourist information, Red tape, Embassies and consulates, Getting there and away, Maps, Health, Disabled travellers, Electricity, Money, Budgeting, Accommodation, Drinking, Shopping, Arts and entertainment, Language, Media and communications
Chapter 2 The Swiss Travel System
      General advice, Trains, Postbuses, Car, Tourist offices, Using this book
Chapter 3 Special Trains
      William Tell Express, Centovalli Roundtrip, Golden Pass Line, Golden Pass Panoramic, Glacier Express, Palm Express, Bernina Express, Pre-Alpine Express/Voralpen Express, Chocolate Train
Chapter 4 Walking and Cycling
      Switzerl and Mobility, Walking, Cycling, Maps and guides for walking and cycling

PART 2 THE GUIDE
Chapter 5 Zurich
      Getting there, Getting around, Tourist information, Where to stay, Where to eat, Other practicalities, What to see and do
Chapter 6 Around Zurich
      Zürichsee (Lake Zürich), Zürich HB-Üetliberg, Zürich HB-Sihlbrugg, Zürich HB-Zug, Zug- Arth-Goldau, Zug-Zürich HB via Affoltern, Zürich HB-Brugg, Dietikon-Wohlen, Lenzburg-Rotkreuz, Zug-Luzern, Zürich Flughafen-Zürich HB- Ziegelbrücke, Ziegelbrücke-Linthal, Zürich HB-Rapperswil, Rapperswil-Pfäffikon-Arth-Goldau & Wädenswil-Einsiedeln, Rapperswil-Winterthur, Zürich Stadelhofen-Esslingen, Zürich HB-Hinwil/Rapperswil , Wetzikon-Effretikon, Zürich HB-Winterthur, Winterthur-Bülach-Koblenz, Zürich HB-Niederweningen/Bülach-Schaffhausen, Zürich-Baden
Chapter 7 The Northeast
      Winterthur-St Gallen, St Gallen-Trogen, St Gallen-Wattwil-Rapperswil, St Gallen-Romanshorn, St Gallen-Gais-Appenzell, Gais-Altstätten Stadt, Gossau-Herisau-Appenzell-Wasserauen, Gossau-Sulgen, Wil-Nesslau-Neu St Johann, St Gallen-Rorschach, Rorschach-Romanshorn, Rorschach Heidens, Romanshorn-Schaffhausen, Schaffhausen-Erzingen, Schaffhausen-Thayngen, Schaffhausen-Winterthur, Winterthur-Etzwilen/Stein am Rhein, Winterthur-Romanshorn, Frauenfeld-Wil, Wil-Weinfelden-Kreuzlingen, Rorschach-Sargans, Rheineck-Walzenhausen
Chapter 8 Bern
      Getting there, Getting around, Tourist information, Where to stay, Where to eat, What to see and do
Chapter 9 The Eastern Bernese Mittelland
      Bern Fischermättelli-Bahnhofplatz-Worb Dorf , Bern-Worb Dorf, Bern-Solothurn, Solothurn-Moutier , Solothurn-Niederbipp-Langenthal, Solothurn-Olten, Oensingen-Balsthal, Solothurn-Burgdorf, Burgdorf-Konolfingen-Thun, Bern-Olten, Langenthal-St Urban Ziegelei, Bern-Luzern, Langnau Burgdorf, Ramsei-Affoltern-Weier, Wolhusen-Huttwil-Langenthal
Chapter 10 The Western Bernese Mittelland
      Bern-Biel/Bienne, Lyss-Büren an der Aare, Biel/Bienne-Neuchâtel, Biel/Bienne-La Chaux-de-Fonds, Sonceboz-Sombeval-Moutier, Biel/Bienne- Delémont, Biel/Bienne-Solothurn, Biel/Bienne- Ins, Lyss-Murten-Payerne-Palézieux, Bern-Neuchâtel, Ins-Murten-Courtepin-Fribourg, Bern-Lausanne, Flamatt-Laupen, Fribourg-Payerne-Yverdon, Romont-Bulle, Bern-Schwarzenburg
Chapter 11 Bernese Oberland
      Bern-Belp-Thun, Bern-Thun-Spiez-Interlaken Ost, Interlaken, Lake Thun, Interlaken-Zweilütschinen-Lauterbrunnen, Wilderswil-Schynige Platte, Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp-Mürren, Lauterbrunnen-Kleine Scheidegg, Kleine Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch, Zweilütschinen-Grindelwald, Grindelwald-Kleine Scheidegg, Spiez-Zweisimme, Spiez-Brig
Chapter 12 Luzern
      Getting there, Getting around, Tourist information, Where to stay, Where to eat, What to see
Chapter 13 Around Luzern
      Lake Luzern, The Swiss Path, Vitznau-Rigi, Arth-Rigi, Luzern-Lenzburg, Luzern- Olten, Zofingen-Lenzburg, Luzern- Stans-Engelberg (LSE), Luzern-Meiringen, Alpnachstad-Pilatus, Meiringen-Innertkirchen, Meiringen-Interlaken, Brienz-Rothorn, Luzern-Airolo
Chapter 14 Basel and the Northwest
      Basel, Basel-Rodersdorf, Basel-Delémont, Delémont-Porrentruy-Boncourt, Porrentruy-Bonfol, Basel-Olten, Liestal-Waldenburg, Sissach- Olten, Olten-Brugg, Aarau-Schöftland, Aarau-Menziken, Basel-Brugg-Zürich
Chapter 15 Neuchâtel and Jura
      Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel-Boudry, Neuchâtel- La Chaux-de-Fonds, La Chaux-de-Fonds- Le Locle, Le Locle-Les Brenets, La Chaux-de-Fonds-Glovelier, Le Noirmont-Tavannes, La Chaux-de-Fonds- Les Ponts-de-Martel, Neuchâtel-Travers- Buttes/Pontarlier, Neuchâtel-Yverdon-Les-Bains, Yverdon Les-Bains-Ste-Croix, Yverdon-Les-Bains- Lausanne, Chavornay-Orbe, Lausanne-Cossonay-Vallorbe, Vallorbe-Le Day-Le Brassus
Chapter 16 Geneva and Lausanne
      Geneva, Lac Léman, Coppet-Geneva-Annemasse-Evian, Geneva-La Plaine- Bellegarde, Geneva-Lausanne, Nyon-La Cure, Morges-Bière/ L'Isle-Mont-la-Ville, Lausanne, Ouchy- Les Croisettes, Lausanne Flon-Echallens- Bercher, Lausanne-Vevey
Chapter 17 Vevey and Montreux
      Vevey, Vevey-Mont Pèlerin, Vevey-Puidoux-Chexbres, Vevey-Les Pléiades, Blonay- Chamby, Vevey-Montreux, Montreux, Montreux (Territet)-Glion, Montreux-Rochers-de-Naye, Montreux-Zweisimmen-Lenk, Montbovon-Gruyères-Bulle-Palézieux, Bulle- Broc, Montreux-Aigle
Chapter 18 Southeast Vaud and the Valais
      Aigle, Aigle-Leysin, Aigle- Les Diablerets Aigle-Champéry, Aigle- Martigny, Bex-Bévieux-Villars, Villars-Col-de-Bretaye, St Maurice-St Gingolph, Martigny-Vallorcine, Martigny-Orsières/Le Châble, The Great St Bernard, Martigny-Brig, Brig-Domodóssola, Brig-Domodóssola, Brig- Zermatt, Zermatt-Gornergrat, Brig- Andermatt, Realp-Gletsch-Oberwald, Andermatt-Göschenen, Oberwald- Meiringen, Oberwald-Airolo, Airolo- Andermatt, Andermatt-Furka-Oberwald
Chapter 19 Ticino
      Airolo-Lugano, Lugano, Lake Lugano, Around Lugano, Lugano-Ponte Tresa, Lugano-St Moritz, Luino-Cadenazzo, Bellinzona- Locarno, Locarno, Lake Maggiore, Around Locarno, Locarno-Domodóssola, Lugano-Chiasso, Capolago-Generoso
Chapter 20 Graubünden
      Andermatt-Chur, Disentis-Biasca, Chur-Bellinzona, Chur-Arosa, Chur-St Moritz, St Moritz-Scuol-Tarasp, The Swiss National Park, St Moritz/Samedan-Tirano, Filisur-Davos-Chur, Chur-Ziegelbrücke

Appendices
1 Language
2 Useful addresses
3 Railway and Postbus Routes by Timetable Number
4 Further info

Customer Reviews

Biography

Anthony Lambert has been visiting Switzerland since childhood and has a deep affection for the country. He has written or contributed to half a dozen guide books and written 15 books about railways and travel. He has written about travel and railway journeys for such newspapers and magazines as The Daily Telegraph, Orient-Express Magazine, New York Times, The Sunday Times and Wanderlust. He was consultant editor for the nine-volume part work, The World of Trains, and has travelled on the railways of over 55 countries. Anthony's part-time work for the National Trust reflects an interest in architecture and cultural history, and he is also a keen cyclist and walker. He has given talks on railways and travel to a wide range of audiences, including the Royal Geographical Society, of which he is a Fellow.