Eurail: Inspiring Car-free villages in Switzerland

For this tour we pick Lucerne as starting point. When you do have time, Lucerne is really worth a visit! The SGV operates every hour a service towards Vitznau to change for Rigi Kulm.

Mount Rigi offers a wide variety of activities, ranging from well-signposted hiking and walking trails to bike routes and launch sites for paragliders and a minigolf course. Of course there is also a number of cafés and restaurants if you just want to relax and enjoy the day.

The small town of Stoos near Schwys lays in the heart of Central Switzerland, high above Lake Lucerne. This car-free winter and summer resort is an attractive place for all kinds of sporting activities or just relaxing away from the noise of traffic.The village of Stoos is set in a delightful alpine landscape at the foot of the Fronalpstock mountain, on a sunny alpine plateau of the same name at about 1300 m. Stoos is reached by funicular railway or cable-car. Take bus 1 from Schwyz Bahnhof towards Muotathal and change towards the Stoosbahn funicular. Or take at Brunnen Bahnhof bus 4 towards Morschach Luftseilbahn and the cable-car over the mountain.

Coming down from Rigi change on the VorAlpenExpress towards St. Gallen. Change in Pfäffikon to the S25 towards Linthal coming trough Glarus. The holiday resort can be reached by funicular railway from the valley town of Linthal. Braunwald holiday attractions include delightful themed trails, climbing or rose gardens.

Travel through Chur to make your trip complete. Option is to take the Glacier Express from Chur towards Brig. Watch out! The Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn MBG from Disentis/Munster towards Brig isn't included in Interrail!

The small villages Riederalp and Bettmeralp are only reachable by cableway departing along the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (NOT INCLUDED WITH INTERRAIL but is with the Swisspass). Stations Betten Talstation or Mörel. The car-free village of Bettmeralp which is only accessible by a large cableway departing from the train station Betten Talstation is located in the near the impressive Aletsch Glacier, the first Unesco World Heritage Site of the Alps. Riederalp, only 3 km further, is as well car-free summer and winter holiday resort in the Upper Valais. Located on a sunny high plateau, surrounded by park-like countryside at an altitude of almost 2000 metres above sea level. Definitely recommend it!

Saas Fee is only reachable by PostAuto, departing from Stalden on the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn or in Visp and Brig. The car free town Saas Fee calls itself "The Pearl of the Alps"; 13 four thousand meter peaks surround the glacier village, which is located at an altitude of 1800 meters above sea level. The Pearl of the Alps lies on a high plateau of the Saas Valley, above the other three Saas communities. Saas-Grund in the center of the valley is an ideal starting point for everything in the region. Saas Almagell's main attraction is Mattmark, a natural dam. Saas Balen is home to the Late Baroque circular church, a building of national significance.

Zermatt is reachable with the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn (NOT INCLUDED IN INTERRAIL but is with the Swisspass). Zermatt lies at the foot of the Matterhorn. The vacation destination is a car-free zone, has preserved its original character. The cog railway operates between Zermatt and the 3089-metre-high Gornergrat. The summit offers up spectacular views of the Matterhorn, the glaciers and the Monte-Rosa massif. For more information read the Blog! At 3883 metres in altitude, Europe’s highest point able to be reached by cableway also offers a fascinating panoramic vista of the Matterhorn (4478 metres) and summits of the Swiss, Italian and French Alps.

Brig and Visp are both big interchange points. Visp for the direct and fast IC Spiez Bern and Zermatt; Brig for Italy and the BLS Lötschberger. If you have the extra hour available; please take the Lötschberger via Kandersteg. For more information about the reason and route check the Blog!