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All Aboard For A winter Train Journey Through Switzerland

LUCERNE (dpa) – There’s no need to strap on skis or grab a snowboard in order to have a good time in winter Switzerland, a train journey can be just as enjoyable.

Swiss trains trundle from station to station past lakes and awesome peaks. They don’t seem to be in a particular hurry and the slow pace leaves plenty of time for relaxation and sightseeing.

Nights can be spent in historical surroundings and at many of Switzerland’s traditional hotels the dark evenings are an invitation to gather for a glass of wine around a crackling log fire.

An excellent starting place for such a tour is the pretty town of Lucerne. The clatter of horses’ hooves accompanies visitors who take a carriage along the cobbled quay to the Lucerne Lake, the “Vierwaldstaettersee” in German, to see the wooden bridges across the lake, the town’s best-known sights.

The longer of the two is the Chapel Bridge which was devastated by a fire in 1993 but swiftly rebuilt.

From here there is an excellent view of the cosy old town with its towers, former fortification walls, bridges and historical houses.

At dusk when the lights of the city come on, Lucerne really lives up to its name. Lucerne means more or less “city of light.” A stroll through the old quarter reveals Patrician townhouses, adorned with frescoes and illuminated facades. Cosy taverns invite the visitor to try a Swiss speciality, cheese fondue.

A visit to Chateau Guetsch in the mountains above the town or a trip on the cablecar to Mount Pilatus is a good way to round off a trip to Lucerne. With its impressive towers Guetsch castle soars like a Swiss version of King Ludwig of Bavaria’s Neuschwanstein.

Near the expanse of Lake Brienz is Meiringen, the next stop on the rail tour. The man who created Sherlock Holmes, British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, stayed many times at the old Parkhotel du Sauvage. He used the residence as the backdrop for his book “The Final Problem”. The fictitious death of Sherlock Holmes’ arch enemy Moriarty takes place at the Reichenbach Waterfalls. “Mystery weekends” are staged at hotels nearby with guests adopting the identity of sleuth, villain or witness for the duration of their stay.

Not far from Brienz is Lake Thun. Both lakes are part of the Bernese Oberland and between them lies Interlaken at the foot of a triumvirate of mighty 4,000-metre peaks, the Eiger, Moench and Jungfrau. Interlaken is a good starting place for a trip to the glacial landscape of the high mountains – and what’s more using a historical train. The restored “Eiger Ambassador Express” from 1912 winds its way up the 2,887 metres to the famed Jungfraujoch, the top of Europe.

Interlaken is a resort with tradition. Most of the old hotels were built between 1880 and 1910 when the railway came to town. One of the oldest is the Victoria-Jungfrau. In the 19th century its guests included writer Mark Twain and such notables as the Emperor of Brazil. Gala evenings were held in the magnificent ballroom with its huge chandeliers and neo-Baroque fresco panels. The “Versailles Room” is now a protected monument.

Back in the 19th Century there was no Panorama Express. These days it links Interlaken with glamorous Gstaad, the next stop on a Swiss mountain rail tour. The journey takes visitors along the banks of Lake Thun as the train overcomes nearly 500 metres to reach 1,050 metres above sea level.

With its wooden-clad chalets Gstaad has a peaceful air. The serene atmosphere here goes down well with members of the aristocracy and film celebrities like Roger Moore who are frequently spotted in these parts. A few years ago the main street in Gstaad was turned into a pedestrian zone.

A fine way to explore the snowfields around this little town is by taking a sleigh ride. The ponies trot almost silently through the powdered snow past a frozen backdrop straight out of a film. Before long the frozen “Lauensee” comes into sight.

A typical winter trip is nearly over at the this point although the last section represents yet another step back in time. The Belle Epoque train halts at Gstaad station and the journey in lovingly restored carriages from the Bernese Alps to the banks of Lake Geneva takes 90 minutes. Travellers may well be reminded of the era of detective writer Agatha Christie and the Orient Express.

Elegant Montreux is the last stop. The famous jazz festival draws the summer crowds to the “pearl of the Swiss Riviera” but in winter a Christmas Market is a magnet for visitors or simply the peace of the post-holiday “white weeks”. That’s the name given by hoteliers to the early January season when alpine snow is guaranteed and the hostelries are pleasantly uncrowded.

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