2013 - TRAINS AROUND SWITZERLAND - LUCERNE TO ST. MORITZ

Tue 4 Jun 2013
View 2013 TRAIN - SWITZERALND on hasbeen's travel map.

TODAY I HEAD SOUTH ON THE WILLIAM TELL PANORAMIC EXPRESS, WHICH STARTS AS A BOAT RIDE DOWN THE LENGTH OF THE VERY PICTURESQUE LAKE LUCERNE, TO LUGANO FOR THREE NIGHTS

AT THE TICKET OFFICE I AM GIVEN A SOUVENIR OF THE WILLIAM TELL EXPRESS - A SWISS ARMY KNIFE.

WHOOPS...

MAN, THOSE THINGS ARE SHARP.

GONNA HAVE TO REMEMBER NOT TO TAKE IT ON THE PLANE.

THIS IS THE ENGINE ON THE BOAT....

PICTURE PERFECT SWISS VILLAGES...

LEAVING THE BOAT I SWITCH TO A TRAIN TO LUGANO, WHICH IS ON A LAKE, AS ONE WOULD EXPECT & IT IS QUITE HOT.

I DO A BIT OF WALKING AROUND THE LAKE BUT THE TOWN IS QUITE HILLY WITH THE HOTEL UP HIGH SO I SPEND A COUPLE OF DAYS RELAXING ON THE ROOF TERRACE, TAKING A LITTLE BREATHER & SOME SUN.

I FINISH A BOOK I WAS RECOMMENDED AT OTTAWA AIRPORT. BY SOME SWEDISH GUY - A HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN WALKS THROUGH A WINDOW & DISAPPEARS.

QUITE FUNNY & WORTH A READ.

THEN ITS A QUICK FLIT INTO ITALY ON A BUS TO TIRANO .

& ANOTHER PANORAMIC TRAIN BACK INTO SWITZERLAND ON THE WAY TO ST. MORITZ..

THIS TRAIN IS THE BERNINA EXPRESS. LESS WELL KNOWN MAYBE THAN THE GLACIER EXPRESS, BUT A MUCH NICER RIDE IN MY VIEW. LESS CROWDED & BETTER SCENERY.

THROUGH A QUIRK IN MY ITINERARY, IN A COUPLE OF DAYS I AM GOING TO HAVE TO BACK-TRACK TO TIRANO FROM ST MORITZ AND THEN TIRANO PAST ST. MORITZ AGAIN.

IT'S A TOUGH LIFE.

NO CUSTOMS OR PASSPORT CONTROL IN OR OUT OF ITALY, EVEN THOUGH SWITZERLAND IS NOT PART OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY.

THIS GUY WAS ON THE FRONT OF THE SNACK TROLLEY ON THE TRAIN...

THE TRAIN GOES ALONG STREETS FOR A LITTLE WHILE.. HOPE WE DON'T SCARE THE HORSES...

THE TRAIN IS GETTING VERY HIGH AGAIN AS WE GO UP INTO THE MOUNTAINS

PEOPLE GETTING IN THE WAY AGAIN. WHY DO THEY KEEP DOING THAT?...

WE HOP OFF FOR A 50 SECOND PHOTO STOP...

THE DUTCH GUY WHO TOOK THIS PHOTO OF ME IS WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND & THEY ARE SITTING OPPOSITE ME IN THE TRAIN. I HAD NOTICED THEM ON THE BOAT ACROSS LAKE LUCERNE THREE DAYS AGO & THEY WILL BE ON MY HOTEL IN ST MORITZ.

SMALL WORLD.