The GoldenPass line from Interlaken to Montreux

Until December 2022, the GoldenPass route between Interlaken and Montreux was really two railways stitched together by a platform change. You rode a standard-gauge BLS train from Interlaken Ost as far as Zweisimmen, got off, walked across to a narrower metre-gauge MOB train, and carried on to Montreux. It worked, but it broke the journey exactly where the scenery gets interesting. The GoldenPass Express fixed that with a piece of engineering rather than a timetable trick: carriages fitted with variable-gauge bogies that are swapped underneath the train at Zweisimmen while passengers stay in their seats. One train, one seat, Interlaken to Montreux.

This guide covers what that train actually is, how the three original sections of the wider GoldenPass Line fit together, what Prestige Class gets you beyond a normal first-class ticket, and where the route earns its reputation — mainly the climb to Saanenmöser and the final drop down to Lake Geneva above the vineyards of Lavaux.

What changed in December 2022

The GoldenPass Line has always meant the full corridor from Lucerne to Montreux, built and still operated as three separate railways: the standard-gauge line from Lucerne to Interlaken, the standard-gauge BLS line from Interlaken to Zweisimmen, and the metre-gauge MOB line from Zweisimmen to Montreux. Track gauge is the reason it stayed in three pieces for over a century — a standard-gauge wheelset physically will not run on narrower metre-gauge rails, and vice versa.

The GoldenPass Express solves the Zweisimmen problem with bogies that can widen or narrow their wheelsets on the move. At Zweisimmen the train passes slowly through a purpose-built gauge-changing installation, the wheels reposition themselves in a couple of minutes, and the same carriages continue onto the MOB tracks toward Montreux. Passengers feel a slow crawl and a slight jolt, not a station stop.

It runs as a dedicated fleet of new panoramic carriages, separate from the older Lucerne–Interlaken and local Zweisimmen–Montreux services, which still exist and still require a change for anyone travelling the full Lucerne–Montreux corridor. For that leg, see our Luzern-Interlaken Express guide.

The three sections, at a glance

Section	Operator	Gauge	Distance	Typical time
Lucerne – Interlaken Ost	SBB / Zentralbahn	Standard	~72 km	~1 h 50
Interlaken Ost – Zweisimmen	BLS	Standard	~55 km	~55 min
Zweisimmen – Montreux	MOB	Metre	~75 km	~2 h 15

The GoldenPass Express itself only runs the middle and final sections, Interlaken Ost to Montreux, as one through service of roughly 3 hours 15 minutes for the full 130 km. Travellers coming from Lucerne still take a separate train to Interlaken Ost and change there — the through-gauge technology only bridges the Zweisimmen break, not the Lucerne one. Anyone comparing this to the Glacier Express further east should note it is a different company and a different route entirely; our Glacier Express guide covers that one. For how the wider regional network of rack railways and BLS lines fits together, see Bernese Oberland railways explained.

Prestige Class and its swivel seats

The headline feature of the GoldenPass Express is Prestige Class, a single carriage at the front of the train with panoramic side windows and individual seats mounted on a mechanism that lets them swivel to face forward, toward the driver’s cab and the windscreen ahead. It is the closest a paying passenger gets to a cab-ride view on a scheduled Swiss train. Capacity is limited to a few dozen seats per train, and it sells out on clear-weather weekends in July and August, so book it ahead rather than turning up at Interlaken Ost and hoping.

Prestige Class costs a supplement on top of the standard first-class fare — budget roughly CHF 40–50 extra each way, though the exact figure moves with demand-based pricing, so check the current price when you book rather than trusting a number printed here. Ordinary first class, without the swivel seats, is a normal panoramic carriage with large windows and costs the same as first class on any other Swiss train. Second class is a third option again, in a separate carriage, and is the one most budget-conscious travellers use for this route.

Second class on the same train

It is worth saying plainly: second class on the GoldenPass Express is not a downgrade in scenery, only in seat width and the swivel mechanism. The windows are still large, the route is identical, and the compulsory reservation guarantees an assigned seat either way. For a traveller who wants the Saanenmöser crossing and the descent into Montreux without paying a first-class or Prestige surcharge, second class does the job. It is also the class covered at no extra fare by a Swiss Half Fare Card, which halves the base ticket price on this and most other Swiss trains — only the seat reservation is paid on top.

The route, stage by stage

Interlaken Ost to Spiez. The train leaves Interlaken Ost, the eastern of the town’s two stations, and runs along the northern shore approach to Spiez, with views back over Lake Thun and its castle on the promontory. This stretch is shared with regular BLS trains to Bern and the Lötschberg line.

Spiez to Zweisimmen. South of Spiez the line turns up the Simmental, climbing gently past Boltigen and through a landscape of hay meadows and dark timber farmhouses. Zweisimmen itself is unremarkable as a town but is where the gauge-changing happens; from the platform you can sometimes watch the process on other services if your own train is running the swap.

Zweisimmen to Saanenmöser. This is the steepest section of the whole route, climbing to Saanenmöser at 1,279 m, the highest point on the MOB line and the watershed between the Aare and Rhone drainage basins — rain falling on one side eventually reaches the North Sea, on the other the Mediterranean. There is no dramatic gorge or glacier here, just a steady alpine climb through forest and pasture, but it is the geographic hinge of the journey.

Saanenmöser to Gstaad and the Pays-d’Enhaut. The train descends into Saanenland and stops at Gstaad, then continues through Saanen, Rougemont and Château-d’Oex, a valley of wooden chalets, cheese dairies and paragliding launch sites that feels noticeably different in character from the Bernese Oberland behind it — this is French-speaking Vaud, and station announcements switch language accordingly.

Montbovon to Montreux. At Montbovon a branch line splits off toward Bulle and Gruyères; the GoldenPass Express itself continues southwest through the Jaman tunnel and down past Les Avants, dropping fast toward the lake. The final few kilometres into Montreux are the payoff: the train descends through the vineyard terraces of Lavaux, with Lake Geneva opening up ahead and the French Alps visible across the water on a clear day.

Fares, reservations and passes

Item	Approximate cost	Notes
Second class, one way	CHF 60–70	Half Fare Card and most passes reduce or cover this
First class, one way	CHF 100–120	Standard panoramic carriage, no swivel seats
Prestige Class supplement	CHF 40–50 extra	On top of first-class fare, limited seats
Seat reservation	Compulsory, separate fee	Charged even with a Swiss Travel Pass

A Swiss Travel Pass covers the underlying second-class or first-class fare but not the seat reservation, which every passenger pays regardless of pass or ticket type. A Eurail or Interrail pass works the same way. If you are travelling on the wider Jungfrau and Berner Oberland regional passes, check the small print, because those typically only cover the Interlaken–Zweisimmen half and not the MOB section beyond it. For a broader comparison of which pass suits a Bernese Oberland trip, see our Swiss Travel Pass guide.

Book the reservation as early as timetables open, particularly for Prestige Class or for travel in July and August. Reservations can be made online, at any Swiss station counter, or through the ticket machines at Interlaken Ost.

Is it worth the extra cost?

Honestly, the base fare is not extra at all — second class on the GoldenPass Express costs the same per kilometre as any other Swiss train, and the reservation fee is modest. The real decision is whether Prestige Class is worth CHF 40–50 more than ordinary first class for swivel seats and a front-of-train view. On a clear day, over the Saanenmöser climb, most people who have tried it say yes.

In fog or heavy rain, which does happen in the Simmental even in summer, the view disappears and the supplement buys you nothing but a more comfortable seat — so check the forecast before paying for Prestige rather than committing weeks ahead. A useful rule from our wider look at mountain excursions applies here too: see best mountain excursions from Interlaken for how weather windows affect every scenic ride in the region, and Interlaken in bad weather for what to do instead when the line is socked in.

Stopping off along the way

A single GoldenPass ticket permits a stopover, and it is worth using. Gstaad rewards an hour or two of wandering even for visitors with no interest in its reputation for expensive watches and hotels; Château-d’Oex is quieter and cheaper, with a Saturday cheese market and paragliding overhead most fine mornings. Travellers heading toward Gruyères should note it sits on the Montbovon branch, not directly on the GoldenPass line itself, reachable by changing at Montbovon — a guided version of that detour is covered by a Gruyères region day tour from Montreux or Bern that handles the connections for you.

For a full day built around the train itself, a Gruyères day trip that rides the GoldenPass train from Montreux combines the Saanenmöser crossing with cheese-and-chocolate stops in one booking, useful if you would rather not manage reservations and connections separately. Our own Gruyères and Broc day trip guide and Gstaad and Glacier 3000 day trip guide cover the same ground independently, for anyone booking their own tickets.

Arriving in Montreux

At the Montreux end, the line delivers passengers a short walk from the lakefront promenade and the Château de Chillon a couple of kilometres along the shore. Our Montreux and Chillon day trip guide covers what to do once you arrive, and Lavaux and Vevey for the vineyard terraces the train passes through on its final descent. Travellers building a longer rail loop around western Switzerland from Interlaken can find the full sequence in our Grand Tour of Switzerland from Interlaken, seven days itinerary, which uses the GoldenPass line as one leg among several.

For those extending west of Montreux rather than returning to Interlaken, a combined Montreux and Col du Pillon excursion up to Glacier 3000 is a reasonable way to add a second alpine viewpoint on the same trip without backtracking to Interlaken first.

Practical notes before you book

Luggage space on the GoldenPass Express is limited to overhead racks and a small area near the doors — large suitcases are workable but a full set of ski bags or hiking packs for a group will be tight, so check the current allowance if travelling with bulky gear. The train runs year-round, but the mountain scenery either side of Saanenmöser is at its clearest in late spring and autumn; midsummer haze and winter low cloud both cut into the view without cancelling the train itself.

Departures from Interlaken Ost run at a fixed daily frequency rather than hourly, so build the timetable into your day rather than assuming you can simply turn up — check departure times when you reserve, and note that the earliest morning departure from Interlaken Ost gives the best chance of clear light over the Simmental before afternoon cloud builds on hot days.

Frequently asked questions about the GoldenPass line

Do you still have to change trains at Zweisimmen?

No, not since December 2022. Before that, the standard-gauge BLS train from Interlaken and the metre-gauge MOB train to Montreux used different track widths, so everyone changed at Zweisimmen. The GoldenPass Express now runs through on bogies that are swapped underneath the carriages while passengers stay seated, a stop that takes a few minutes and is barely noticeable.

Is a seat reservation compulsory on the GoldenPass Express?

Yes. Every seat on the through Interlaken–Montreux service must be reserved in advance, in both second class and Prestige Class, for a small fee on top of the train fare. This applies even if you hold a Swiss Travel Pass, Eurail Pass or Half Fare Card, none of which cover the reservation itself.

What is Prestige Class on the GoldenPass line?

Prestige Class is the panoramic first-class section at the front of the train, with individual seats that swivel to face forward so passengers get a driver’s-eye view through the windscreen. It costs a supplement over the standard first-class fare and has limited capacity, so it sells out on midsummer weekends.

How long does Interlaken to Montreux take by train?

The direct GoldenPass Express takes roughly 3 hours 15 minutes to cover about 130 km. That is slower than the fastest route via Bern and Lausanne, which takes around 2 hours 15 minutes with a change, but the GoldenPass route is chosen for the scenery, not the speed.

Can I stop off along the GoldenPass line?

Yes, a single ticket allows a stopover, and the reservation can be split across two trains on the same day if you book it that way. Gstaad and Château-d’Oex are the two most popular breaks, both reachable again later the same day or the next.

Is the GoldenPass Express worth it compared to a normal train?

For the Saanenmöser summit, the Simmental and Pays-d’Enhaut valleys and the final descent to Lake Geneva, yes, it is a genuinely scenic ride rather than a marketing label. The extra cost is the compulsory reservation and, if you choose it, the Prestige Class supplement — the base second-class fare is the same as any other Swiss train.

Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover the GoldenPass Express?

The Swiss Travel Pass covers the underlying second-class or first-class fare, so pass holders only pay the compulsory seat reservation, not the full ticket price. The Prestige Class supplement is charged separately and is not reduced by any pass.