Episode 104: Why the Luzern Interlaken Express is Switzerland’s must-ride scenic train (and how to book it)
For many folks, no visit to Switzerland is complete without enjoying a scenic train ride. And there are certainly plenty of those to choose from.
Today we’re chatting about the Luzern Interlaken Express one of the shorter but absolutely spectacular routes that are classified as premium panoramic journeys.
As the name suggests, this train line connects the popular destinations of Lucerne and Interlaken making it the perfect way to travel between the two.
And because it’s a relatively short journey, it can be experienced even if you only have a short amount of time to spend in Switzerland.
The Luzern Interlaken Express can be enjoyed as a one off train trip. Or it can form part of a multi day train itinerary such as the Grand train tour of Switzerland. The choice is totally yours.
Even better, the journey is fully covered by a number of Swiss rail passes, all of which you can buy from our web shop at holidaystoswitzerland.com/shop.
My guest today is Chris Rigert, who was born and raised in Lucerne, and has a passion for promoting this beautiful region.
Chris shares with us everything we need to know about this scenic journey, including the trip highlights, which side of the train to sit on, details about taking luggage on board, and much more.
I hope you enjoy the episode.
Click the green button below to listen:
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Show Notes
In this episode you’ll learn about:
- The highlights of the Luzern-Interlaken Express panoramic train journey
- What services are available onboard the train
- The frequency of services
- Which Swiss rail passes fully include the Luzern-Interlaken Express ride
- Which side of the train to sit on for the best lake views
- Information about the Luzern-Engelberg Express
Our Guest
Chris Rigert was born and raised in Lucerne and he studied Tourism in the city. He has worked in a number of tourism roles including as a hotel events manager and as a sales manager for Pilatus Railways.
In February 2024 he commenced his current role as Sales Manager for Zentralbahn, the company that operates the Luzern-Interlaken Express and the Luzern-Engelberg Express.
Places mentioned in this episode
The Luzern-Interlaken Express route travels between Lucerne and Interlaken via Meiringen and Brienz.
Along the way the train crosses the Brunig Pass (1,008m above sea level) and passes numerous waterfalls and five lakes – Lake Lucerne, Lake Alpnach, Lake Sarnen, Lake Lungern and Lake Brienz.
Useful resources
- The journey on the Luzern-Interlaken Express is fully covered with the Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail Global Pass, Berner Oberland Pass and Tell Pass. You can buy all of these passes from our web shop.
- Seat reservations for the Luzern-Interlaken Express are not compulsory. Should you wish to reserve your seat in advance for a small fee, you can do so on the Zentralbahn website.
- Find out more about the Luzern-Engelberg Express here.
In our detailed guide to the Luzern-Interlaken Express we cover everything you need to know to plan for your journey. The guide includes ticket prices, timetable information, details about the route, and much more. Read the Luzern-Interlaken Express guide here.
You can read our comparison of the different Swiss rail passes in this article.
> You can read a full transcript of this episode here.
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