Simon Moore Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Hi all, My holiday is now fast approaching ( 6 weeks today ) & I am trying to plan my day out on the BLS. I was thinking of starting at my base Interlarken & then traveling to Spiez & spending a few hours here as it is a junction with sheds. After Spiez I am a bit lost as to where to go to finish off my day. I've been looking at videos of places like Frutigen & Kanderstegg & they look great but should I look at traveling further to Brig or should I stick to one of the above? I'm hoping I'm going to get a very busy day or trains so it'll be a memorable train watching day out. Cheers Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted July 22, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 22, 2013 I would say the trip to Brig on a slow train is well worthwhile. Magnificent scenery, especially along the Lonza (?) Gorge, although the tunnel is just a tunnel, and you need something to occupy you during that part of the trip. One of my favourite bits of railway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Depends what you want to see. If you're after action shots and moving trains in great scenery, then linesiding around Kandersteg is very popular. The station at Goppenstein is also quite good, just beyond the south portal of the Lötschberg tunnel. Spiez is the hub and sees probably the greatest variety of BLS locomotives. As you say, there is a locomotive depot here, with a good vantage point from a public road overlooking the shed yard. Brig is interesting, with the narrow gauge from the station forecourt. BLS having a stabling point here, which is beyond the platforms and not ideal for photography (and not too much action). If you're looking at combining BLS with other systems, then Thun is a busy station for train-watching. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Class 74 Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Hi Simon I'd prefer Brig, you can see trains from the north (Lötschberg) as well as from the west (via Simplon to Italy) and not to forget the narrow gauge Matterhorn-Bahn. Lot to see there. Another opportunity is Zweisimmen, terminus of the BLS and MOB. Have fun in Switzerland! Cheers (Another) Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted July 22, 2013 Share Posted July 22, 2013 Be warned that the original route via Kandersteg may not be very busy as most traffic probably goes via the base tunnel - when I travelled it last summer (on a weekday) on the stopping train, with an hour's break at Kandersteg, I only saw one freight train in addition to the hourly stopping trains. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welly Posted July 22, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 22, 2013 Another vote for Brig here. You will not fail to be impressed by the 180 degree turn over the river and the sharp climb on the other side of the valley when leaving Brig to Bern! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr roarke Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 I would go for Brig for reasons already stated. We put our motor caravan on the vehicle transporter through the Lotschberg Tunnel a couple of years ago. It was a great experience and the drive up from the valley to the loading point is not for the faint hearted. Good luck on your trip. We are off tomorrow for a steam hauled trip over the Furka pass. Also staying at the camp site in Lucerne next to the Transport Museum. George Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted July 23, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 23, 2013 Depending on ticketing there are a number of 'circular tour' opportunities you might like to think about. Interlaken - Siez - Zweisimmen on BLS, then Zweisimmen - Montreux on the MOB narrow gauge, then Montreux - Brig on SBB, and back to Spiez Brig - Spiez on BLS over the Lotschberg through the old tunnel via Goppenstein and Kandersteg That one makes a smashing day out with plenty of mixed scenery plus a variety of trains and it doesn't take too long (I did when based in Lucerne) Another one is to go the opposite way out of Interlaken on the SBB narrow gauge to Lucerne, then Northabout on the SBB to Berne, then Berne -Spiez - Zweisimmen And don't forget the lake steamers either side of Interlaken - a lovely trip on a fine day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonhall Posted July 23, 2013 Share Posted July 23, 2013 Are you going for the BLS 100 event at Brig on the first weekend of September? Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastworld Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 I assume that due to the new line opening the quadruple headed freights are a thing of the past now? Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
swisspeat Posted July 24, 2013 Share Posted July 24, 2013 There are a lot of good railway walks around Frutigen. These are all signposted and vary from 40 mins to over 2 hours. The walks enable the base tunnel surroundings to be explored. A visit to the newly renovated Mulelen station will see passage of all trains on the Lotschberg route - through the tunnel and over the top. Kerzers is an interesting junction but is outside the mountainous area. Darligen and Faulensee are just two of the good places to watch SBB and BLS trains go by on the Interlaken branch. Enjoy your trip! :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter F Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 The hike from Hohtenn station along and down to Ausserberg station on the Loetschberg south ramp footpath is memorable - both for views and for trains. You can access both stations from Brig or Frutigen/Kandersteg/Spiez, or drive up to Ausserberg and park, hop on the next train to Hohtenn and walk back. Superb views of bridges, tunnels, track and the whole Rhone valley far below. Then there's the lovely surprise of a mountain restaurant halfway along, in the middle of nowhere and right by the trackside! There's a bit of up and down in places, and I'd recommend boots, but I'd give it 3-4 hours for a relaxed pace. Enjoy! Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonhall Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Has anyone ever stayed in Kandersteg? Opinions? I'm thinking of booking a week there for next month to be able to do the Brig event. Thanks, Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Welly Posted August 15, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 15, 2013 I did stay in Kandersteg in the Hotel Victoria Ritter but it looks too expensive! I only happened to be in there 3 nights after my party's booking in a Brig hotel fell through. Be aware, the train service is hourly either way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
swisspeat Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Best value place in Kandersteg in my experience is Hotel Zur Post. 5 minutes walk from the station. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted August 16, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 16, 2013 I'm sure in 1971 my ex-schoolmate and I stayed in the Station Hotel, Kandersteg. But I bet it's changed since then! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWJ Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Hi all, My holiday is now fast approaching ( 6 weeks today ) & I am trying to plan my day out on the BLS. I was thinking of starting at my base Interlarken & then traveling to Spiez & spending a few hours here as it is a junction with sheds. After Spiez I am a bit lost as to where to go to finish off my day. I've been looking at videos of places like Frutigen & Kanderstegg & they look great but should I look at traveling further to Brig or should I stick to one of the above? I'm hoping I'm going to get a very busy day or trains so it'll be a memorable train watching day out. Cheers Simon Spiez and Brig are the best places IMO ... although I also like Visp in the Rhone Valley with its link to Zermatt. I went through Spiez with my father in February - we were planning on going through the original Lotchsberg Tunnel to Brig but due to a lack of planning jumped on the first train south that was leaving Spiez and quickly realised that we were on the 'new' line, ending up in Visp in no time at all. Of course, we went on to Brig before retracing our journey via the 'original' line!!! Train service over the old line is much reduced so it pays to check beforehand what is running and how long you will have to wait for your next train. The footpath on the southern ramp is not to be missed - local trains will drop you off at some of the halts and you can walk on to the next station. Prepare to be amazed at how much rolling stock is sitting around in places like Brig and Kandersteg (also repeated on the Gotthard main line). Have a good one! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted August 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 21, 2013 Train service over the old line is much reduced so it pays to check beforehand what is running and how long you will have to wait for your next train. I'm sure that is sound advice. However, when I looked at train services over the route a few years back, I found they were quite different from the way I last saw them ca 1971, and buses seemed to have replaced local trains. I suspect this was a result of excessive demand for through services, mainly freight, which ultimately justified the new tunnel. Now that is up and running the local services seem to have been restored, but obviously there is less traffic overall on the old route. Does that sound right to those who know rather more? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 A few years back I spent a short while on a station named Arth-Goldau. It seemed very busy at the time and I wish that I could have stayed longer. I always meant to go back there, but never managed it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastwestdivide Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I'm sure that is sound advice. However, when I looked at train services over the route a few years back, I found they were quite different from the way I last saw them ca 1971, and buses seemed to have replaced local trains. I suspect this was a result of excessive demand for through services, mainly freight, which ultimately justified the new tunnel. Now that is up and running the local services seem to have been restored, but obviously there is less traffic overall on the old route. Does that sound right to those who know rather more? Yes, sounds right, hourly local service with quite nice EMUs - see also post 5 above. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastworld Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 A few years back I spent a short while on a station named Arth-Goldau. It seemed very busy at the time and I wish that I could have stayed longer. I always meant to go back there, but never managed it. It's in different area further east. Arth-Goldau is the junction between the lines from Lucerne and Zug to Gotthard/Italy and it also has services towards Lake Zurich (not sure if that line is very busy though) plus one of the mountain lines up Rigi. I seem to recall that (4 years back) it was quite busy in the short time I was there waiting for a train. Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted August 22, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 22, 2013 It's in different area further east. Arth-Goldau is the junction between the lines from Lucerne and Zug to Gotthard/Italy and it also has services towards Lake Zurich (not sure if that line is very busy though) plus one of the mountain lines up Rigi. I seem to recall that (4 years back) it was quite busy in the short time I was there waiting for a train. Stu There are about 3 trains an hour to and from the Zurich direction. There are also the trains over the Sudostbahn running as locals from ArthGoldau and also the service from Luzern to the Bodensee area. All the traffic over the Gotthard passes through Arth Goldau. I've spent several holidays based there, but the hotel I used has now gone. David Edit - My apologies for wandering off topic to another part of the country! David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhBBob Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 Edit - My apologies for wandering off topic to another part of the country!David It's an impression I always end up with - that towns and other places of interest are not very far apart in Switzerland. I suspect it is something to do with the transport system !! Oh, it's nearly time to pack - have a great time, Simon ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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