Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast Episode 76 Transcript

Tips for planning your excursion on the nostalgic Brienz Rothorn Bahn steam train

You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.

Announcer

Are you dreaming of visiting Switzerland? Planning a trip to Switzerland is very exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. How do you choose which of the many scenic cities, towns and villages to visit? Which mountaintop excursions should you take, and what’s the best way to get around Switzerland? And of course, how much of the country can you realistically see within your time frame? If you’ve asked yourself any of these questions, this is the podcast for you. This is the Holidays to Switzerland Travel podcast, and in each episode your host, Carolyn Schönafinger chats with Swiss travel experts to answer your most commonly asked questions, provide practical tips, and take you on a virtual visit to the most popular destinations and of course, some hidden gems to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland. And you’ll hear plenty of conversations about Swiss cheese and chocolate too. Are you ready to plan your trip to Switzerland? Well, let’s get started.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Hello Grüezi, and Welcome to episode 76 of the podcast. Thank you so much for tuning in today. Switzerland’s mountainous landscape is what attracts thousands of visitors every year, and for many of us, myself included, no visit to the country is complete without boarding a cable car, a funicular or a cogwheel train, and head heading up to the summit of a mountain for spectacular views. And anyone who has googled Swiss mountain excursions is probably familiar with names like Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn, Pilatus, Titlis, or even Gornergrat. There are plenty of other lesser known mountain excursions to enjoy too. One example is the excursion to Rothorn, the house mountain of Brienz not far from Interlaken. This excursion is steeped in history as you reach the summit of the mountain aboard a steam train that first started operating over 130 years ago. My guest today, Dominique Horne, works for Brienzer Rothorn Bahn or Brienz Rothorn Railways, and she’s going to share all the reasons why an excursion on the steam train is a must do activity, as well as telling us about the history of the railway. She’s got lots of great info to help you plan your excursion, including which is the best side of the train to sit on, why you should purchase a seat reservation, how long to allow for your visit, and lots more.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Before we hear from Dominique, I’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at Switzerland Tourism for sponsoring the podcast. Their website, myswitzerland.com is packed with tips and inspiration to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland. If you need the train ride of a lifetime, you need Switzerland. And in this case, it’s a steam train ride. So let’s welcome Dominique to learn all about the Brienz Rothorn Bahn. Hello, Dominique. It’s lovely to have you here on the podcast.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Would you like to start by introducing yourself and telling us a little bit about your role with the Brienz Rothorn Bahn?

Dominique Horne

Yes, thank you, Carolyn. And I’m happy to be here and tell you more about the Brienz Rothorn Railway. I’m Dominique Horne. I’m working in the sales department of the Brienz Rothorn Railway. And yeah, I’m responsible for the markets in Europe and also UK.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, great. So are you originally from the Berna Oberland?

Dominique Horne

Yes, I am. I grew up in Böningen. That’s actually on the other side of the Lake Brienz. And yeah, I grew up there and since then I stayed in the region.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Lovely. And so what was it about the Brienz Rothorn Railway in particular that, you know, you, that made you really want to work for them?

Dominique Horne

In my opinion, it’s a great product. It’s very nostalgic. And also the nature with the great view over the Lake Brienz, it’s awesome and I love to work for this product.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Excellent. So I’m sure you’ve got our listeners intrigued now because some people won’t know exactly what the Brienz Rothorn Bahn is. So can you please tell us all about it?

Dominique Horne

Yeah, sure. The Brienz Rothorn Railway is the only steam train in Switzerland which operates daily with steam. So we are not electrified yet. And yeah, on the way up, the steam cogwheel train chugs and steams through alpine meadows and through lush forests. And yeah, up on reaching the summit, visitors are treated to a panoramic view of 693 mountain peaks.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Wow.

Dominique Horne

As well as, yeah, that’s really awesome. And also a highlight is the turquoise blue water of the Lake Brienz. That’s also very nice seeing on the top, but also while driving up.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, so how long does it take to get? So I’m assuming, and you can tell everyone, it starts in Brienz, is that right?

Dominique Horne

Yes, the train ride starts in Brienz. And from Interlaken it takes about 30 minutes by train and also by boat. It’s a very nice boat trip. Coming from Interlaken to Brienz by boat it takes a little bit longer. It’s about one hour and 15 minutes. But you pass the gorgeous waterfalls of the Giessbach and then we are directly on the opposite of the train station or the boat station. And from there it takes one hour going up to the Rothorn mountain.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay. And how many services are there every day?

Dominique Horne

We drive up eight times a day in the high season and four times a day in the preseason. So the pre season is from the 6th of May until 2nd of June and the high season starts on June 3rd.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, excellent. Okay, so I’ll ask you a bit more in a moment about some of the things that people can see and do when they get up to the summit. But can you tell us a bit about the history of the railway?

Dominique Horne

Yeah, sure. The history is it was built in 18 or opened actually in 1892, and it was built within 16 months. So it’s actually quite fast for this time. And since then, yeah, we are steaming our way up to the summit and. Yeah, then when a lot of railways were electrified, we didn’t have the money. So then it wasn’t that good for the railway. But now actually, yeah, it’s very good for us as we are still a steam locomotive. Very nostalgic. And yeah, if you enter, you get the feeling of 1892.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Yeah. So I guess because I mentioned to you before we started recording that it’s a very, very long time since I did the Brienz Rothorn trip, but I’m assuming that it’s always been like for tourists, has it? I don’t imagine anyone ever used to actually live up there and it was a means of transport for them to get down to the lake and so forth.

Dominique Horne

Yeah, no, people are not living up there. But on the middle station, Planalp, it’s half an hour by train and there are, there are farmers living in summer and so they usually use our train going up sometimes, but they are only living there in summer when our train is going. So they can use the train for going up to their farm.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Yeah. Okay, great. And you mentioned that when you’re on the train, you get the real nostalgia. It’s just like you back in 1892. So the sides of the carriages, are they actually open?

Dominique Horne

Yes, they are. So they are open, but if it’s windy or rainy, you can also close it. But then you still can see the beautiful lake and the mountains.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, yeah, wonderful. All right, so someone’s decided that they’re going to do an excursion on the Brienz Rothorn bahn. What is there to do when they get to the, to the summit and also at Planalp that you just mentioned, Is there something worth them stopping off there to do?

Dominique Horne

Yeah, on the Middle Station Planalp, it’s very beautiful to take a walk and there’s also a waterfall near the middle station. And there’s also a mountain restaurant where you can just sit on the terrace and enjoy the view.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Wonderful. Okay, and so what about when they get right to the summit at Brienzer Rothorn?

Dominique Horne

Yeah, there you can hike up to the top. So it takes about 15 to 20 walking minutes going to the mountain top, and from there you have a very good view on the lakes and everything. So it’s very nice up there as well. And we also have a restaurant that’s about five walking minutes away from the station, Brienz Rothorn. And it’s newly renovated, so it will open on 3rd, 3rd June. And yeah, it will be very nice with panoramic windows. And you can also enjoy the view from inside, not only from outside.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, great. So it sounds like that it’s more about the nature up there and appreciating the views rather than being more commercialised like some of the other mountains in the region.

Dominique Horne

Yes, correct. Correct. Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, good. All right, so when we’re going up from Brienz to the summit, is there a best side of the train that people should sit on to get the best views?

Dominique Horne

Yeah, in my opinion, I like both sides. So you have a very good view from both sides because the train is also like turning. So you see the lake from the left side and also from the right side. I know that people like to sit on the left side because there you also see the village and then the lake and the mountains in the background. So. Yeah, but in my opinion, both sides are very nice.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, all right, so what about buying tickets? Do people need to book them in advance?

Dominique Horne

Yes, we usually recommend to book the tickets in advance so they can either book it, so they can book it in our ticket shop and there the rate for the seat guarantee is 8 francs. And like that, they have a guaranteed seat on the requested train.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, all right, so what’s the ticket price if they’re not, you know, choosing a particular time and guaranteeing a seat? What’s the normal return ticket price?

Dominique Horne

The standard fare for a return journey, Brienz Rothorn, is 96 francs. And visitors holding a Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card are eligible for a 50% discount. So the reduced fare is 48 francs.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, excellent. And what about with the Berner Oberland Pass? Because I know that’s a very popular pass for people to buy too.

Dominique Horne

Yes. With the Berner Oberland Pass, our railway is complimentary. So if someone is travelling with Berner Oberland Pass, we recommend booking 8 franc seat guarantee in our ticket shop. And then they can show the Berner Oberland Pass and also the the seat guarantee at the desk. And then they will get a return ticket for going up to the Rothorn and back down.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, fantastic. And when you mentioned there in the ticket shop, can they do that online?

Dominique Horne

Yes, our ticket shop is online. And the best way to find it is on our website. And then tickets, and then you get to our ticket shop where you can really buy the requested ticket.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, great. Well, we’ll link to the, to the website in the show notes and I’ll get you to mention it again before we finish up. So. Okay, it’s 96 return Swiss francs normally for adults for the regular ticket. What about for children?

Dominique Horne

For children we have a special rate of 10 francs per child for the return ticket, Brienz Rothorn. So yeah, families are very welcome here.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Absolutely. And I’m sure the children would absolutely love it with the steam and the wind in their hair. Would be a great experience.

Dominique Horne

Yes, they do. And what they also like is the themed sausage train. That’s a special arrangement we have. And the themed sausage train, it starts in Brienz. You travel up to Planalp and meanwhile the sausages are cooked in the kettle of the locomotive. And then at Planalp. Yes, and at Planalp the driver, he serves the sausages by himself. And after 45 minutes they head up to the summit.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Wow. Okay. Yeah, children would definitely enjoy that. And adults too, I’m sure.

Dominique Horne

Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Now I think you touched on this before, but does the train run all year round?

Dominique Horne

No, the train is not going on all year round. Our pre season began on May 6th and we’ve been heading up to the middle station Planalp four times a day. And our main season starts on June 3rd. And then we will be running full steam ahead to the mountaintop at Rothorn Kulm.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, and when does it finish up for the year?

Dominique Horne

It finished on the 22nd of October.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, right. So people need to get there and visit before the 22nd of October if they want to ride on the train this year.

Dominique Horne

Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger

So how long do you think people should allow for their visit to Brienzer Rothorn. Let’s say if they’re staying in Interlaken or somewhere in the Jungfrau region, do they need to allow a whole day or can they do it in less than that?

Dominique Horne

It depends what they would like to do. If they’re going up to the Rothorn, which takes one hour one way, and then they’re coming back down. So it’s let’s say two and a half to three hours. I would say a half day trip is enough. But if people would like to stay on the mountain and enjoy the view and just sit there and. Yeah, on the terrace, then maybe a little bit more than a half day trip.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay. And I guess, you mentioned before that you can get to Brienz by the boat, so people could combine that as well and do like make it a full day and have a bit of everything. Perhaps go on the boat to Brienz, then the steam train up to the mountain and then perhaps the regular train back to Interlaken. So a real round trip.

Dominique Horne

Yeah, yeah, that’s a very nice round trip. You can also take the steam boat from Interlaken to Brienz and then the steam train from Brienz to Rothorn Kulm.

Carolyn Schönafinger

And I think you mentioned this earlier too, that the station for the Brienz Rothorn is right across the street from the main train station and the boat pier. So everything is just so convenient. Everything’s right there at the same place pretty much.

Dominique Horne

Yes. Yes. So you really only have to pass the street and then you’re at our station. Yeah.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Excellent. So do you have any tips that you’d like to give our listeners who might be planning a trip on the Brienz Rothorn? Anything that would make their excursion more enjoyable?

Dominique Horne

Yeah, so as I’ve already told you before, I would really book the tickets in advance. So maybe one or two days before and then the people, they have a guaranteed seat on the train and then they don’t have to wait in front of the station until they get a seat. And also early in the morning, I usually recommend to go early in the morning because then ibexes sometimes are still there and then you can make a great picture of them. And we also offer like evening journeys to the Rothorn and also then ibexes usually are there and then you can make pictures and yeah, it’s a very special atmosphere.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, so those evening services, are they very regular or are they just on special occasions?

Dominique Horne

They are only on special occasions and they also have to be pre booked on our website in the ticket shop and like that you have a guaranteed seat on the train and also a reservation in our restaurant because it’s including a three course meal.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Okay, yeah, sounds wonderful. So with all the mountain excursions that are available for people to do in the Berner Oberland, why should they choose to visit Brienzer Rothorn?

Dominique Horne

Because it’s a different experience. It’s very unique and yeah, you feel like you’re in 1892 again with the steam train and it’s a very slow train, so you just feel that. Yeah, that it’s, you have to relax.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Excellent. All right, so I’m sure everyone listening is very keen to find out more and perhaps look at your website and see some pictures of this amazing nostalgic steam train. Where can they find out more information?

Dominique Horne

On our website we have all information, but also if you would like to see pictures or videos, you can visit our Instagram account or TikTok account. And we also have more information on Facebook as well.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Great. All right, well I’ll get all those links from you and I’ll include them in the show notes so people can look those up and get dreaming about their ride on the Brienz Rothorn Bahn. Thank you for joining us today, Dominique. It’s been lovely to chat to you and to learn more about Switzerland’s only daily steam train.

Dominique Horne

Thank you for inviting me. It was a pleasure being here.

Carolyn Schönafinger

Wonderful. Thanks again. Bye. Bye.

Dominique Horne

Thank you. Bye.

Carolyn Schönafinger

The variety of mountain excursions available in Switzerland really is staggering, isn’t it? And it’s fantastic that it’s still possible to step back in time and enjoy a ride on an historic steam train up to 2,350 metres above sea level. The owners of the railway may have been disappointed back in the day when they couldn’t afford to upgrade their engines to electricity, but in hindsight I think they did us all a huge favour. There’s something magical about travelling on a train with open windows and smelling the steam in the air as the train chugs along. And of course, on the Brienz Rothorn Bahn, you’ve got fantastic views to admire too. This is one mountain excursion you should definitely consider if you are spending some time in the Berner Oberland. I highly recommend it. If you’d like to see some photos of the train, I’ll include the links to the railways website and their social media pages in the show notes. You’ll also find a link to the ticket shop section of their website so that you can purchase your seat guarantee, just as Dominique suggested.

Carolyn Schönafinger

There’s also a detailed guide to the Brienz Rothorn Bahn excursion on our website holidaystoswitzerland.com so I’ll include a link to that too, as well as guides to the various rail passes that Dominique mentioned that offer discounts off the ticket price. You’ll find all those links in the show notes  at holidaystoswitzerland.com/episode76. Thanks again for joining me today. Until next time, tschüss.

Announcer

If you’d like more great resources to help you plan your dream trip to Switzerland, There are lots of ways to connect with us. Visit our website, holidaystoswitzerland.com, sign up for our monthly newsletter, or join our friendly, helpful community of past and future travellers in our Switzerland Travel Planning Group. You’ll also find the links to connect with us in the Show Notes for this episode show notes and a list of all previous episodes are available at. Holidays to Switzerland. Don’t miss out on your fortnightly dose of Swiss travel inspo. Hit the subscribe button on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode. And if you enjoyed the show, please leave a rating. That’s all for this edition of the Holidays to Switzerland Travel Podcast. Thanks for joining us and happy travel planning.

You can see the full show notes and listen to this episode > here.