Switzerland Without a Car

Book excerpt: Switzerland is home to the world's finest public transport system. You can't reach much of the country by car, but travellers can hop from steamer to cycle to scenic rail route with ease, allowing them to explore this alpine landscape and picturesque towns at a more relaxed pace. It is home to some of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in the world with peaks such as the Matterhorn, Eiger and Jungfrau. As a result much of its cultural attractions are largely overlooked. Switzerland has thousands of fine museums, castles, mansions and outstanding churches together with vernacular buildings. The collections of its major art galleries collections would hold their own with most capital cities. This guide, fully updated with the latest route information, explores the length and breadth of the country by public transport. There is a detailed section on understanding the Swiss Travel System to help travellers get the most from their visit. Author Anthony Lambert outlines special train routes such as the Glacier Express and the Pre-Alpine Express and describes every railway line and what there is to see from each station as well as connecting journeys by steamer, postbus, furnicular, cableway, bicycle and foot. Swizerland without a car showcases the unique features of each station such as luggage forwarding, cycle hire, walking routes and even the station café which is used by locals because of its quality. He helps travellers rediscover the environmentally friendly way to travel.