A GoldenPass train runs through green meadows and autumn trees near Gstaad, under a clear blue sky and rocky mountain peaks.

TrainWinterSummer

Montreux to Interlaken on the GoldenPass Express

From the palms of Lake Geneva to Lake Thun under the Eiger, in one train that changes its own gauge on the way

The short answer

The GoldenPass Express, run jointly by the MOB and BLS, takes 3 hours 16 minutes from Montreux to Interlaken Ost without a change, four times a day each way: from Montreux at 07:32, 09:32, 12:32 and 14:32, and from Interlaken Ost at 09:07, 11:07, 14:07 and 16:07 in the timetable from 12 December 2026; until then the train turns at Interlaken West, with a bus to Interlaken Ost. A one-way ticket costs CHF 56 in 2nd class and CHF 96 in 1st at full fare (MOB fares read 19 October 2026), and an optional seat reservation adds CHF 20. Prestige class is a CHF 49 supplement, reservation included, on top of a 1st class ticket. The Swiss Travel Pass, the GA, Eurail and Interrail cover the fare but not the reservation.

The train leaves Montreux at the level of the lake and the vines, and within 25 minutes it is nearly 600 metres higher, looking down on the water it has just left. Then come the cheese country of the Pays-d'Enhaut, the chalets of Gstaad and a ridge at about 1,270 m, before the Simmental runs down to the deep blue of Lake Thun. Since December 2022 you can do all of it without changing trains: at Zweisimmen the GoldenPass Express widens its wheels and lifts its coaches with the passengers still in their seats.

From

Montreux

Interlaken

Switzerland

Journey time: 3 h 16 min direct
Distance: 115 km, on two track gauges
Highest point: 1,269 m at Saanenmöser
Direct trains: 4 a day each way, all year
Fare from: CHF 56 one way, 2nd class
Seat reservation: CHF 20; Prestige CHF 49

A hundred years waiting for a train to change its shoes

The idea of linking the Riviera to the lakes of Thun and Brienz is first written down in 1873, before there was a railway to do it. When the lines came, they came in two widths. The Montreux Oberland Bernois was built to metre gauge, better suited to its many bends, and in 1905 its 62.4 km from Montreux to Zweisimmen became the first line in Switzerland to run entirely on electricity. From Zweisimmen to Interlaken the track was standard gauge. From 1916 the GoldenPass Line could take you from Montreux to Lucerne, but only with two changes of train.

A third rail was studied in the 1920s, again in 1986, and finally given up in 2006, when it proved impossible to take mixed-gauge track through Spiez station without building a tunnel. So in 2008 the MOB turned the problem round: if the tracks could not change, the coaches would. Its own workshops built a prototype bogie, Alstom developed it into the series version, Stadler built 23 panoramic coaches, and Pininfarina drew the nose. The bill came to about CHF 89 million.

At Zweisimmen the train rolls over a ramp at 15 km/h. The weight comes off the wheels, the wheelsets slide out from 1,000 mm to 1,435 mm, and the body rises from 350 mm to 550 mm to meet the higher platforms. The MOB locomotive, which runs on 900 V direct current, hands over to a BLS one on 15 kV. The whole change takes eight minutes. The first passengers rode it on 11 December 2022, and the journey that always meant a change at Zweisimmen now needs none.

Along the way

Montreux
the first 25 minutes, from Montreux to Les Avants
The climb above Montreux
Montreux station stands at about 392 m. The line climbs in a series of switchbacks above the town, doubling back on itself between Fontanivent, Chernex and Sonzier, so Lake Geneva swings from one side of the train to the other. On the hourly Panoramic trains Les Avants, at about 970 m, comes 25 minutes after leaving. To the west the view runs along the shore towards the terraced vineyards of Lavaux, a UNESCO World Heritage site. From May to early June the meadows on these slopes turn white with wild narcissi, close enough to the line to see from the window.
after Les Cases, down to Montbovon
Over the top into Gruyère
Les Cases, at about 1,115 m, is the first high point. Beyond it the line drops into the canton of Fribourg and the Gruyère district, down to Montbovon at about 800 m, where the rivers and the cheese country take over from the lake. Montbovon is also the stop for Maison Cailler, the chocolate house at Broc, for anyone with time to break the journey.
Rossinière and Château-d'Oex
The Pays-d'Enhaut
This high valley was long cut off in the mountains, and the train follows it east. At Rossinière stands the Grand Chalet, built between 1752 and 1756 for a farmer and notary who wanted a house for cheese: five floors, 113 windows and a painted dedication of 2,800 letters. The painter Balthus bought it in 1977. Château-d'Oex, at about 968 m, is the valley's ballooning capital: Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones took off from here in 1999 on their flight round the world by balloon.
near Flendruz, between Château-d'Oex and Rougemont
The Flendruz bridge
At 118 m, the Pont de Flendruz is the longest of the 62 bridges on the MOB line. Its two steel spans of 41.6 m each rest on a central pier 26 m high above the Flendruz ravine, and it was finished before the railway opened through the valley in 1904.
Rougemont, Saanen and Gstaad
From French to German, and Gstaad
Between Rougemont and Saanen the train crosses from the canton of Vaud into Bern, and from French-speaking Switzerland into German-speaking. Saanen's church, with its murals and organ, still holds concerts. Five minutes on comes Gstaad, at about 1,050 m, with its chalets, its winter crowd and the way to the Glacier 3000 cable car at Col du Pillon.
Saanenmöser after about 1 h 40 min, Zweisimmen about 2 hours from Montreux
Saanenmöser and the gauge change at Zweisimmen
The line climbs out of the Saanenland to Saanenmöser, at 1,269 m the highest station on the route, then runs down through meadow and forest to Zweisimmen at about 940 m. Here the GoldenPass Express crosses the gauge-changing ramp on track 6 or 7, swaps its MOB locomotive for a BLS one and adds an interface coach, eight minutes in all. Passengers stay aboard throughout.
Erlenbach to Interlaken, the last hour
Down the Simmental to Lake Thun
The standard-gauge line follows the Simme past Erlenbach, where a cable car climbs the Stockhorn to over 2,190 m, and Oey-Diemtigen, the stop for Diemtigen, whose care for its old chalets won it the Wakker Prize. After Wimmis the train comes down to Spiez, with its castle and medieval keep, then runs along the south side of Lake Thun, the largest lake in the Bernese Oberland, with the Eiger, the Mönch and the Jungfrau ahead before it reaches Interlaken West and Ost.
Interlaken

Which side to sit

From Montreux to Interlaken, sit on the left. The last stretch, from Spiez to Interlaken, runs along the south shore of Lake Thun, so the water and the far shore are on the left side going east. On the climb out of Montreux the line zigzags, so Lake Geneva appears on both sides in turn and no seat misses it. From Interlaken to Montreux the same logic puts you on the right. Every coach on the GoldenPass Express is panoramic, and in Prestige the seats can be turned on request to face the direction of travel, which matters more than the side.

Ways to do it

GoldenPass Express, 2nd or 1st class
FromCHF 56 one way in 2nd class, CHF 96 in 1st, plus CHF 20 for a reservation (fares read 19 October 2026)
The direct train, no change at Zweisimmen, 3 h 16 min. Four departures a day each way. All coaches are panoramic, with luggage space and ski racks, and food and drink served at your seat. A seat reservation is optional but recommended, and it is the only way to be sure of a seat.
GoldenPass Express, Prestige class
FromCHF 96 1st class ticket plus CHF 49 supplement, CHF 145 one way at full fare (October 2026)
Two compartments, 18 seats in all, raised 40 cm above the rest of the train, with heated seats that can be turned to face the way you are going. You need a 1st class ticket or 1st class pass, plus the Prestige supplement, which includes the reservation. Caviar from Frutigen with a glass of champagne is sold only in 1st class and Prestige.
GoldenPass Panoramic or Belle Époque, changing at Zweisimmen and Spiez
FromCHF 56 one way in 2nd class, plus an optional CHF 10 reservation on the MOB train
The same line on the hourly MOB trains: panoramic coaches, or the Belle Époque carriages rebuilt in period style in the MOB's own workshops at Chernex, from Montreux to Zweisimmen, then a BLS regional train to Spiez and another to Interlaken Ost. The ticket is the same price, because Swiss fares follow the route, not the train, and the reservation is cheaper. In the timetable from 12 December 2026 it takes 3 h 43 min to 3 h 47 min with two changes and leaves Montreux every hour from 07:43 to 17:43, which makes it the best tip when the four direct trains are full or the times do not suit.
The fast way, via Visp or Bern
FromCHF 77 one way in 2nd class via Visp at full fare (SBB, 19 October 2026)
If you only need to get there, the main-line trains through the Lötschberg base tunnel, changing at Visp and Spiez, take 2 h 16 min to 2 h 22 min, and the route via Lausanne and Bern 2 h 39 min, in the timetable from 12 December 2026. You see the Rhône valley, not the Pays-d'Enhaut. A good plan is the GoldenPass one way and the fast line back.

When to go

WinterAt its best
The whole route runs all winter on the same timetable, and snow does the most for it: white pastures in the Pays-d'Enhaut, Gstaad in season, ski racks in every GoldenPass Express coach. Château-d'Oex holds its International Hot Air Balloon Festival from 23 to 31 January 2027, when the valley sky fills with balloons. Days are short: in December and January the 14:32 from Montreux reaches Lake Thun after dark, so take a morning train for the full view.
Spring
From May to early June the pastures above Montreux and Vevey are white with wild narcissi, known locally as May snow, along the first half hour of the line.
SummerAt its best
Long days mean all four direct trains run in daylight from end to end, and the meadows of the Saanenland and the Simmental are at their greenest. Lake Thun is the place to break the journey, with boats from Spiez and Thun. Reserve your seat when you buy the ticket.

Tickets, reservations and passes

Do you need to book the GoldenPass Express, and is it covered by the Swiss Travel Pass?

You need two things: a ticket for the journey and, ideally, a seat reservation. The ticket is an ordinary Swiss rail ticket priced on the national tariff: CHF 56 one way in 2nd class and CHF 96 in 1st from Montreux to Interlaken, half that with a Half Fare Travelcard. Children under 6 travel free, and from 6 to 16 they pay half fare; the Junior Card is valid. The Swiss Travel Pass, the GA travelcard, Eurail and Interrail all cover the ticket, with no supplement for the train itself.

The reservation is separate. In 1st and 2nd class it is not compulsory but it is the only guarantee of a seat, and it costs CHF 20 per person per journey, whatever the distance. Prestige can only be booked with a reservation: the CHF 49 supplement includes it, on top of a 1st class ticket or pass. Book online with the ticket, or at a station counter at least two hours before the train leaves. The GoldenPass Express is a staffed train, so if you board without a ticket you can buy one from the crew before departure, at the normal price plus a CHF 10 fee. Meals and platters must be ordered with the reservation, by the day before travel.

Full fare, one way: CHF 56 in 2nd class, CHF 96 in 1st
With Half Fare Travelcard: CHF 28 in 2nd class, CHF 48 in 1st
Seat reservation: CHF 20 per journey, optional but recommended
Prestige: CHF 49 supplement with reservation, plus a 1st class ticket
Passes: Swiss Travel Pass, GA, Eurail and Interrail valid; reservation extra
On-board catering: breakfast box CHF 15; platters with a drink CHF 29.90 to CHF 31.90; caviar with champagne CHF 94

Stations, luggage and the train itself

Where does the GoldenPass Express stop, and what about luggage?

The train stops at Montreux, Montbovon, Château-d'Oex, Gstaad, Schönried, Saanenmöser, Zweisimmen, Boltigen, Erlenbach, Oey-Diemtigen, Wimmis, Spiez, Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost. Between Montreux and Zweisimmen it runs as five coaches behind an MOB locomotive, 184 seats in all; from Zweisimmen to Interlaken a sixth coach is added and a BLS locomotive pushes, for 238 seats.

Every coach has luggage space and ski racks. The low-floor coaches have room for passengers with reduced mobility, toilets and baby-changing tables. If you would rather travel light, the staffed stations at Gstaad and Zweisimmen offer the Swiss luggage service and lockers.

Capacity: 184 seats on metre gauge, 238 on standard gauge; 18 in Prestige
Gauge change: Zweisimmen, tracks 6 and 7, eight minutes
Luggage: racks and ski racks in every coach; luggage service and lockers at Gstaad and Zweisimmen
Accessibility: low-floor coaches with a wheelchair area and toilets

Getting to Montreux, and going on from Interlaken

How do you connect to Lucerne, Geneva or Lausanne?

Montreux is on the main line along Lake Geneva, 23 minutes from Lausanne on the InterRegio trains, so the GoldenPass Express is easy to reach from Lausanne and Geneva. At the other end, Interlaken Ost is where the GoldenPass Line continues to Lucerne on the Zentralbahn's Luzern-Interlaken Express; one ticket covers the whole way, but seats on that train are reserved with the Zentralbahn, not the MOB. Interlaken is also where the way up to the Jungfraujoch begins. Spiez is the stop for the Lake Thun boats and the castle, and Erlenbach for the Stockhorn cable car.

Montreux to Lucerne, whole GoldenPass Line: CHF 92 one way in 2nd class, CHF 157 in 1st
Interlaken Ost to Lucerne: CHF 34 one way in 2nd class, CHF 58 in 1st
Montreux to Gstaad: CHF 28 one way in 2nd class, about 1 h 25 min on the GoldenPass Express
Interlaken Ost to Gstaad: CHF 37 one way in 2nd class

Worth knowing before you go

Four direct trains a day, and only 18 Prestige seats
The through train runs four times a day in each direction, and each carries 184 seats on the Montreux side, only 18 of them in Prestige. With so few seats, a given train, and Prestige above all, can be fully reserved before the day.
What to do. Reserve when you buy your ticket. If your train is full, take the hourly GoldenPass Panoramic to Zweisimmen and change there and at Spiez: the same line, the same fare, about half an hour longer.
A bus between Interlaken West and Ost until mid-December 2026
From 19 October to 12 December 2026 the GoldenPass Express does not run between Interlaken West and Interlaken Ost, and a replacement bus covers the short hop. Trains from Montreux end at Interlaken West at 10:43, 12:43, 15:43 and 17:43, and trains for Montreux leave Interlaken West at 09:12, 11:12, 14:12 and 16:12; on a few days the morning train starts at Spiez instead. From 12 December 2026 the timetable shows the train running through to Interlaken Ost again.
What to do. Until then, if you are staying in the centre of Interlaken, use Interlaken West; if you are connecting to the Jungfrau trains or to Lucerne at Interlaken Ost, allow about 15 minutes for the bus, and check your date in the SBB timetable.

The journey in pictures

An MOB train crosses the steel bridge over the turquoise Sarine river at Rossinière in the Pays-d'Enhaut.

An MOB train crosses the meadows at Saanenmöser, the highest point of the line, with chalets on the slope behind.

An MOB train of panoramic coaches runs through the green meadows below Schönried, between Gstaad and Saanenmöser.

The dark blue GoldenPass Express waits at Zweisimmen station, where it changes gauge.

Questions people ask

Good questions about The GoldenPass line

How long is the train from Montreux to Interlaken?

The direct GoldenPass Express takes 3 hours 16 minutes from Montreux to Interlaken Ost, and 3 hours 18 minutes the other way. It covers 115 km, 62 km on the metre-gauge MOB line to Zweisimmen and 53 km on the standard-gauge BLS line to Interlaken. Until 12 December 2026 a bus links Interlaken West and Ost, which adds about 10 minutes. The hourly Panoramic trains, with changes at Zweisimmen and Spiez, take 3 h 43 min to 3 h 47 min. The fastest route, via Visp and the Lötschberg base tunnel, takes about 2 h 20 min but misses the Pays-d'Enhaut.

Do you need a reservation for the GoldenPass Express?

Not in 1st or 2nd class: any valid ticket or pass lets you board. But a reservation is the only guarantee of a seat on a train with four departures a day, and it costs CHF 20 per person per journey. Prestige class cannot be used without one; there the CHF 49 supplement includes the reservation. You can book online with your ticket, or at a station counter at least two hours before departure.

Is the GoldenPass Express included in the Swiss Travel Pass?

Yes. The Swiss Travel Pass, the Swiss Travel Pass Flex and the GA travelcard cover the journey from Montreux to Interlaken with no supplement for the train. Eurail and Interrail passes are valid too. What a pass does not cover is the seat reservation, CHF 20, or the Prestige supplement, CHF 49. For Prestige you also need a 1st class pass or ticket.

Is Prestige class on the GoldenPass Express worth it?

Prestige is two small compartments at the ends of the train, 18 seats in all, raised 40 cm above the other seats so that you sit higher in the landscape, with heated seats that the crew can turn to face the direction of travel. It costs CHF 49 on top of a 1st class ticket of CHF 96, CHF 145 one way. It is worth it for a special occasion or for the forward-facing view on the zigzags above Montreux. For the scenery alone, 1st and 2nd class have the same panoramic windows.

What is the difference between the GoldenPass Express and the GoldenPass Panoramic?

The GoldenPass Express runs all the way from Montreux to Interlaken Ost, changing gauge at Zweisimmen with you on board, four times a day. The GoldenPass Panoramic and Belle Époque trains run only between Montreux and Zweisimmen, every hour, on the same metre-gauge line, so to reach Interlaken you change at Zweisimmen and again at Spiez. The fare is the same, the Panoramic reservation is cheaper, and the Express saves about half an hour and two changes.

Which side should I sit on the GoldenPass line?

Going from Montreux to Interlaken, take the left side: the last stretch from Spiez runs along the south shore of Lake Thun, with the lake on the left. Leaving Montreux the line zigzags up the hill, so Lake Geneva is seen from both sides in turn. Coming from Interlaken, sit on the right. All coaches on the GoldenPass Express are panoramic, so every seat gets a wide view.

Can you stop off in Gstaad on the way?

Yes. The GoldenPass Express stops at Gstaad about 1 h 25 min out of Montreux, and the line serves Château-d'Oex, Saanenmöser and Spiez too. A seat reservation is for one train only, so if you break the journey, reserve each leg separately. With a Swiss Travel Pass you can get off and on as you please; otherwise buy tickets for each part, CHF 28 from Montreux to Gstaad and CHF 37 from Gstaad to Interlaken Ost in 2nd class.

The GoldenPass line

From the palms of Lake Geneva to Lake Thun under the Eiger, in one train that changes its own gauge on the way

Montreux → Interlaken

Check times and prices

We may earn a commission when you book through Omio. It never changes what we write.