Rail Europe: Hiking and public transport combined

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Stepping out, breathing in, setting off: Hiking in Switzerland can be so simple. Thanks to train, bus, boat and mountain railway, the starting point of any given hiking trip is easy to reach – whether in the Grisons National Park or at the Matterhorn glacier paradise. Yes, that’s right. It is wonderfully simple to get to the Swiss mountain summits. Walks, family hiking trails or mountain tours are perfect in combination with public transport. Also, any hike can be paused and sections done by mountain rail-way & co. So, hiking boots on, Swiss Travel Pass packed, and off to the mountains! 

5 hikes combined with public transport:

1. Albula Railway Adventure Trail from Bergün to Preda

Grisons: On the trail of Bernina and Glacier Express (Grisons)

Hiking along the UNESCO World Heritage Site: The railway adventure trail leads along the historic Albula Line of Rhaetian Railway. On roughly seven kilometres, hikers can see this masterpiece of engineering up close. Nu-merous times, the hiking path crosses the railway tracks of the Bernina and Glacier Express trains. That way, the railway craftsmanship can be mar-velled at from different angles. Very impressive. Promise. The starting point in Bergün and the endpoint in Preda are easily reached by train.

2. Along the Swiss border

Spring hike at the High Rhine (Schaffhausen)

From one historic town to the next – in a very relaxed manner along the beautiful Rhine. Stein am Rhein as well as Diessenhofen (starting and end points) are located along the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland and are com-fortably accessible by train, bus and boat. Those who prefer to take it easy after the hike of 12.2 kilometres can always take a boat cruise into the sun-set, enjoying a cool beer and a snack. Maybe straight to Schaffhausen, where Europe’s largest waterfall, the Rhine Fall, is just around the corner.

3. Hiking with a view of France

The terraces of the Lavaux (Lake Geneva Region) 

This hike is perfect for people who appreciate the beautiful and delicious. Visitors enjoy the wonderful view of Lake Geneva and the vineyards of the Lavaux region as well as its wines. Those who have a taste for excellence wine may choose to travel on or return by train, bus or boat after three hours of hiking through the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Starting point for the hike is Lutry, which can be reached by public transport. At the end of the eleven-kilometre hike, at St. Saphorin, a train is waiting to take passengers home.

4. Hike with a view of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau

Grütschalp – Winteregg – Mürren (Bernese Oberland)

This hike takes visitors high up: From the funicular Grütschalp in the Bernese Oberland, a broad gravel road leads upwards to the edge of the forest. Right behind the impressive mountain forest, the captivating pano-ramic view onto Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau unfolds. After barely an hour, hikers reach Winteregg. From there, the trail leads more or less parallel along the railway tracks to Mürren. The 4.4 kilometres of the trail can be tackled in no more than one-and-a-quarter hours. As usual, starting and end points are perfectly connected to the public transport network.

5. Panorama hike with guaranteed Matterhorn view

360° Loop Gornergrat (Zermatt, Valais) 

The 360° loop on the Gornergrat may well be the shortest but also one of the most scenic hiking trails in Switzerland. After a spectacular ride to the Gornergrat, the circular walk starts right behind the “3100 Kulmhotel”. The 15 to 20-minute walk promises pure panoramic delight: the impressive Monte Rosa massif with the Dufourspitze and the Gorner Glacier lie at one’s feet. 29 four-thousand-metre peaks rise towards the sky – among them, of course, the famous Matterhorn.

Source: www.mystsnet.com