TL;DR: A 3.5-hour audio companion for the GoldenPass Express from Montreux to Interlaken, the first direct train linking Lake Geneva to the Bernese Oberland without changing. Cross from French-speaking vineyards to German-speaking alpine meadows, ascend through the Simmental, and arrive between two lakes with the Jungfrau as a backdrop. A gauge-changing train that makes Swiss rail history.
Journey Overview
| Route | Montreux -- Zweisimmen -- Spiez -- Interlaken Ost |
| Duration | ~3 hours 15 minutes |
| Operator | MOB (Montreux Oberland Bernois) + BLS |
| Track | Montreux to Zweisimmen (MOB narrow gauge) + Zweisimmen to Interlaken (BLS standard gauge) |
| Innovation | Gauge-changing bogies allow through-service without changing trains |
| Swiss Travel Pass | Covers the journey; seat reservation mandatory (~CHF 19 supplement) |
| Best Seat | Right side from Montreux for Lake Geneva and Lavaux views; left side from Zweisimmen for Bernese Alps |
| Best Time | Clear days year-round; autumn for golden vineyard colors |
Introduction
[Duration: 3 minutes | Departing Montreux]
Welcome aboard the GoldenPass Express, and welcome to this ch.tours audio guide for a journey that makes Swiss railway history.
For over a century, the route between Montreux on Lake Geneva and Interlaken in the Bernese Oberland was one of the most scenic in Switzerland -- but it required a change of train at Zweisimmen, because the two halves of the route used different rail gauges. The MOB (Montreux Oberland Bernois) railway uses meter gauge. The BLS (Bern-Lotschberg-Simplon) railway uses standard gauge. The two could not connect.
In December 2022, that changed. The GoldenPass Express introduced gauge-changing technology -- bogies that physically adjust their wheel spacing as the train crosses a special section of track at Zweisimmen -- allowing the first-ever direct service between Montreux and Interlaken. The technology, adapted from Spanish Talgo systems, is a breakthrough for Swiss rail. You sit in your seat, and somewhere in Zweisimmen, the wheels beneath you silently widen from one meter to 1,435 millimeters. The train continues. You do not move.
The GoldenPass Express uses Prestige-class panoramic coaches designed by the Italian automotive design house Pininfarina, the same firm that designs Ferraris. The coaches feature large panoramic windows, comfortable seating, and a design aesthetic that blends Swiss precision with Italian flair.
Your journey covers approximately 115 kilometers and crosses from French-speaking Vaud to German-speaking Bern -- from the vineyards and Mediterranean atmosphere of the Lake Geneva shore to the dramatic alpine peaks of the Bernese Oberland. Along the way, you will climb over the Pays-d'Enhaut highland, descend through the Simmental, and arrive between two lakes -- Thun and Brienz -- with the Jungfrau, Monch, and Eiger as your welcome committee.
The train is leaving Montreux. Look to the right.
Segment 1: Montreux and the Riviera
[Duration: 8 minutes | 0-15 minutes into the journey]
Montreux, the starting point of your journey, sits at the sheltered eastern end of Lake Geneva. The mild microclimate, palm-lined promenade, and lakeside gardens give it a distinctly Mediterranean atmosphere -- the warmest corner of the Romandie, where subtropical plants bloom year-round.
As the train pulls out of Montreux station, look right. Lake Geneva stretches westward, and on a clear day you can see far across the water toward Lausanne and beyond. The terraced vineyards of the Lavaux, climbing the hillside between Montreux and Lausanne, may be visible in the distance -- row upon row of ancient vine terraces, UNESCO-listed and beautiful.
Below the station, the waterfront promenade is dotted with landmarks: the statue of Freddie Mercury on the lakeside, the Montreux Palace hotel, and further along, the medieval Chateau de Chillon, its towers reflected in the lake.
The train immediately begins to climb. The MOB railway was built between 1901 and 1905, and from Montreux it ascends steeply through the hillside above the lake, gaining altitude rapidly. The vineyards and gardens of the Riviera pass below, and within minutes you are above the rooftops, looking down on the lake and the town from a vantage point that few visitors experience.
At Chamby, the train passes the depot of the Blonay-Chamby heritage railway -- one of Switzerland's most charming vintage train operations, with steam and electric locomotives from the early 20th century.
The climb continues through Les Avants, a hillside village above Montreux where Noel Coward once lived, and the scenery shifts from lake views to mountain meadows with surprising speed. In spring, the slopes around Les Avants are covered with narcissus -- the Fete des Narcisses (Narcissus Festival) celebrates this annual display.
Segment 2: The Jaman Tunnel and the Pays-d'Enhaut
[Duration: 10 minutes | 15-40 minutes into the journey]
The train enters the Jaman Tunnel, 2.4 kilometers long, and when it emerges, the landscape has changed completely. You have crossed from the Lake Geneva basin into the Pays-d'Enhaut -- the "highland" -- a broad, pastoral valley at approximately 1,000 meters altitude that marks the transition between French-speaking Vaud and the Bernese Oberland.
The change is immediate. Gone are the vineyards and Mediterranean vegetation of the Riviera. In their place: rolling green meadows, scattered chalets, conifer forests, and the kind of pastoral alpine scenery that appears on Swiss chocolate packaging. The Pays-d'Enhaut is quintessential Swiss countryside -- orderly, beautiful, and quietly prosperous.
The main town of the region is Chateau-d'Oex (pronounced sha-TOE-day), visible on the right side. Chateau-d'Oex has a population of about 3,500 and is famous as the hot-air ballooning capital of Switzerland. Every January, the International Hot Air Balloon Festival attracts over 80 balloons from around the world, and the sight of dozens of colorful balloons floating above the snow-covered valley is extraordinary. Chateau-d'Oex is also where the Swiss aeronaut Bertrand Piccard and the Englishman Brian Jones launched their historic round-the-world balloon flight on 1 March 1999, completing the first non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by balloon.
The region is also known for its cheese. The Pays-d'Enhaut is the production area for L'Etivaz AOP -- a hand-crafted alpine cheese made in copper cauldrons over wood fires in mountain chalets during the summer months. L'Etivaz is considered one of the finest cheeses in Switzerland, and it is produced by fewer than 70 families following strict traditional methods. If you see L'Etivaz on a cheese menu, order it.
The architecture in the Pays-d'Enhaut is distinctive -- large wooden chalets with low-pitched roofs, carved balconies, and decorative inscriptions. These are not the dark, compact chalets of the Valais but broader, more generous buildings designed for the relatively mild climate of the highland valley.
Segment 3: Gstaad and the Saanen Valley
[Duration: 8 minutes | 40-60 minutes into the journey]
The train continues through the Saanen valley, and the village that appears on the right side is Gstaad -- one of the most exclusive resort destinations in Switzerland and perhaps the world.
Gstaad has a permanent population of just 7,000 but attracts an international elite that includes royalty, billionaires, and celebrities. The village maintains a strict building code that preserves its traditional chalet architecture -- no building may be taller than the church steeple, and all structures must conform to the regional chalet style. The result is a village that looks deceptively modest from the outside, despite the extraordinary wealth behind its facades.
The Gstaad Palace, a grand turreted hotel perched on a hill above the village, has been the social hub of Gstaad's high society since it opened in 1913. The Menuhin Festival, founded by the violinist Yehudi Menuhin in 1957, brings world-class classical music to the village every summer. And the Swiss Open tennis tournament, held in Gstaad since 1915, is one of the oldest clay-court tournaments in the world.
Beyond the glamour, the Saanen valley is a working agricultural landscape. The farms here produce milk, cheese, and meat, and the Saanen goat breed -- a white, docile dairy goat -- originated in this valley and is now raised worldwide.
After Gstaad, the train arrives at Saanen, the last station in the French-speaking part of the journey. Saanen has its own airport -- a small grass airstrip used primarily by private jets bringing visitors to Gstaad. The sight of a Gulfstream parked next to a meadow of dairy cows is quintessentially Gstaad.
The Saanen church, visible on the right, dates to the 15th century and contains notable medieval wall paintings. The church tower is a landmark of the valley and has been a point of orientation for travelers and residents for over 500 years.
Somewhere between Saanen and Zweisimmen, you will cross the linguistic border -- the Rostigraben -- from French-speaking to German-speaking Switzerland. The Rostigraben is not a hard line but a gradual transition, and in the border zone you will hear both French and Swiss-German spoken, sometimes in the same sentence. The Rostigraben takes its humorous name from Rosti -- the shredded potato dish that is a staple of German-speaking Swiss cuisine. The French-speaking Swiss, who favor different potato preparations, stand symbolically on the other side of the "ditch."
Segment 4: Zweisimmen -- The Gauge Change
[Duration: 6 minutes | 60-75 minutes into the journey]
Zweisimmen is a small Bernese Oberland town of about 3,000 at the head of the Simmental -- the Simmen Valley. The town itself is pleasant but unremarkable. What makes Zweisimmen significant is what happens beneath your feet.
As the train enters the Zweisimmen station area, it passes over the gauge-changing installation -- a specially designed section of track where the bogies of the GoldenPass Express coaches physically adjust their wheel spacing from meter gauge (1,000 mm) to standard gauge (1,435 mm). The process takes a few minutes. You may feel a slight vibration or hear a mechanical sound, but the change is remarkably smooth. When the train resumes its journey, the wheels are 43.5 centimeters wider apart, and you are now running on BLS standard-gauge tracks.
This technology solves a problem that plagued Swiss rail for over a century. Switzerland's mountain railways were often built to meter gauge because the tighter curves required in mountain terrain are easier to engineer with a narrower gauge. But the main-line network uses standard gauge. The result was a patchwork of gauges that required passengers to change trains at junction stations. The GoldenPass Express is a proof of concept that gauge-changing can work in Switzerland, and it may open the door to similar through-services on other routes.
From Zweisimmen, the train enters the Simmental proper, heading north and then east toward Lake Thun.
Segment 5: The Simmental to Spiez
[Duration: 10 minutes | 75-110 minutes into the journey]
The Simmental is one of the classic valleys of the Bernese Oberland -- a broad, green corridor running northeast from Zweisimmen toward Lake Thun. The valley gives its name to the Simmental cattle breed -- the red-and-white dairy and beef cattle that are one of Switzerland's most successful agricultural exports. The breed originated here and is now among the most widely distributed cattle breeds in the world.
On both sides, the Simmental displays typical Oberland scenery: lush meadows, scattered farmsteads, forests of spruce and beech, and the Alps rising in the background. The traditional Simmental farmhouses are large and impressive -- combined house-and-barn structures with wide, overhanging roofs, carved wooden facades, and decorative inscriptions recording the builder's name and date.
The train passes through Erlenbach and Diemtigen, small valley communities with ancient churches and traditional village centers. The Stockhorn (2,190 m) is visible on the left -- the northernmost significant peak of the Bernese Alps on this side, accessible by cable car.
At Spiez, the valley opens and the first views of Lake Thun appear. Spiez is one of the most beautifully situated towns in Switzerland -- its castle, vineyard, and lakeside setting create a postcard-perfect scene. The train passes the famous Spiez Castle on its promontory, and Lake Thun stretches before you, with the Niesen pyramid visible to the south and the Bernese Alps forming the backdrop.
Segment 6: Lake Thun to Interlaken
[Duration: 8 minutes | 110-140 minutes into the journey]
From Spiez, the railway follows the northern shore of Lake Thun toward Interlaken. On the left side, the lake is visible through the trees -- 17.5 kilometers of deep blue water reflecting the mountains. On the right, the hillside rises toward the Sigriswil ridge.
The northern shore of Lake Thun is the castle shore -- Schloss Oberhofen, Schloss Hunegg, and other manor houses line the lakeshore. You may catch glimpses of their towers and gardens between the trees.
As the train approaches the eastern end of the lake, the mountain panorama ahead opens up spectacularly. The Jungfrau (4,158 m), Monch (4,107 m), and Eiger (3,967 m) dominate the southern horizon, their snow-covered summits visible above the valley. This triumvirate of peaks is the signature of the Bernese Oberland and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The flat plain between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz -- the "inter lacus" that gives Interlaken its name -- appears, and the train enters Interlaken Ost station. Your journey from the shores of Lake Geneva to the heart of the Bernese Oberland is complete.
Closing
[Duration: 3 minutes]
Over the past three and a quarter hours, you have crossed one of the most culturally and geographically rich corridors in Switzerland. You left Montreux speaking French, passed through the pastoral Pays-d'Enhaut, watched the wheels change gauge beneath you, descended the Simmental, and arrived in Interlaken speaking German, with the greatest peaks in the Bernese Alps as your welcome.
The GoldenPass Express is more than a scenic train ride. It is a journey through the cultural fault line of Switzerland -- the Rostigraben -- where French-speaking Romandie gives way to German-speaking Bern. The landscape changes, the architecture changes, the language changes, but the quality of the scenery never drops. Switzerland is a small country, but it packs an extraordinary amount of diversity into its valleys and passes.
From Interlaken, the possibilities are endless. ch.tours offers audio guides for Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, the Luzern-Interlaken Express, and the Jungfrau region. Interlaken is also the gateway to Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen, and Murren -- some of the most famous mountain destinations in the world.
Thank you for riding the GoldenPass Express with us. Merci and danke -- the two words that define this route.
Source: ch.tours | Audio Guide Script | Last updated: March 2026 | Data from MOB (goldenpass.ch), BLS (bls.ch), MySwitzerland.com, SBB (sbb.ch), Swisstopo