In a city where the average daily temperature ranges from 30 °F to 66 °F across the entire year, camping and other outdoor activities are popular. From May to September, the temps are typically in the mid 60s to low 70s, so it is perfect weather for water sports. The only time it gets really cold is November to March, when it is in the 30s.
Whether you want to camp in a tent in the woods or do some glamping in a fancy cabin, Prague has all of that and more. Many of the campgrounds are along the Vltava River—the longest river in the Czech Republic—so you can fish, swim, and do some boating. Leave your bags with a Prague suitcase storage facility first for safekeeping while you have a great time outdoors.
The most popular camp in the city, Oase Praha boasts 167 sites and seven cabins. The basic sites have 328 square feet without any hookups; standards include 328 square feet with electricity. The comfort sites have 328 to 492 square feet, water, and electricity. The premium sites have 558 square feet, water, and electricity.
The cabins (luxury mobile homes) have room for up to six people, with three bedrooms, a kitchen with appliances, satellite TV, a bathroom, and a shower. Onsite you can find a restaurant, playgrounds, indoor and outdoor pools, a dog park, a horse trail and horses, and pedal go-karts, and much more. Showers, dishwashers, and washing machines are also onsite.
Centrally located in Prague, its name says it all. River Camping Prague is right on the Vltava River, so you can enjoy lots of water fun. A neighboring water sport facility rents out kayaks, rafts, and canoes. The restaurant has delicious Czech cuisine, and you can order rolls to be delivered for breakfast in the morning. Pets are welcome.
Rent a bike to get to the zoo or botanical gardens just a few minutes away. The snack shop is fully stocked, many sites have fire pits or grills, and you can get wood from the reception area. Electric hookups are also available, and you can shower or wash clothes at the wash facility.
Near the river as well as the zoo, botanical garden, and Troja Palace, Autocamp Petrokova is the perfect place for those who want to be near the major attractions. They boast large sites for tents, caravans, or motor homes, with hookups for electricity and water. Pets are welcome.
You’ll be right near a tram stop, and a bus stop where the bus can take you to the train station so you can get around to the palaces, museums, and Charles Bridge. The park provides showers, washing machines, and a kitchen for cooking. There is a private road that runs along the Vltava River where you can walk, bike, or skate.
Whether you want to pitch a tent, park your RV, or rent a bungalow, Matyas Camp has all that and more. Fall asleep to sounds of the river just feet from your site, with a view of the hills in the background. The campground boasts clean facilities, home cooking in the restaurant, and a fun-for-all-ages pool.
Electricity and water are available, and pets are welcome. Washing machines and showers are available nearby, and you can also rent a boat or bike for your enjoyment. The kids will love the playground, swings and hammocks, fishing pier, sandbox, and table tennis while you enjoy an adult beverage at the bar.
In the middle of the Vltava River on the island of Císařská louka, under the stars across from the Vyšehrad Castle, you’ll find Caravan Park Prague. Whether you want to park a trailer or pitch a tent, there is plenty of open space to enjoy. Electricity and water are available for use as well.
You have a variety of choices at Triocamp. Bungalows offer room for six with beds, AC, bathroom, and a kitchen. Cabins boast room for four with beds, a small fridge, heat, and dining set with 24-hour restrooms and showers. They also have a hotel with beds for up to three people, and private restrooms with showers.
For a really unique way to camp, try the safari tents. Up to six people will enjoy two bedrooms, a kitchen, seating area, and a deck with furniture. They also have large sites for tents and RVs with electricity, restrooms with showers, and a kitchen. In addition, they have a pool, play areas, and a bistro featuring live music nights.
Just 15 minutes from the zoo, botanical garden, and Troja Castle, Camp Dana has lots of space to park your RV, van, or pitch a tent. You will have electricity and water, as well as the use of hot showers and toilets 24 hours a day. Cook in the outdoor kitchen and shop at the camp market while the kids play on the equipment.
Enjoy the terrace and garden or watch television in the lounge area. The hotel has rooms for 2-4 people, with a seating area, shared bathrooms, and an onsite laundry. The Stromovka Park is also nearby, where they have ponds, playgrounds, and a restaurant.
Prague Camping Džbán— (For 2022, only open by reservation for groups of 30 people maximum)
Just a few minutes from downtown Prague, Camp Džbán is right on the edge of a nature reserve with hiking, swimming, and the national forest. The campsite boasts 320 spots for RVs or tents with electricity, picnic tables, and lots of green space to enjoy. The chalets have beds for four, kitchens, and outdoor seating.
There is a playground, tennis/badminton/volleyball courts, and a golf driving range right at the campground. No need to go anywhere else unless you really want to. The café serves meals and a wide range of drinks and beer. Showers, toilets, and washing machines are also available.
Camping Drusus has room for 70 RVs or tents as well as eight cabins, and a guesthouse that accommodates visitors year-round. Campsites have electricity and plenty of space as well as access to showers, restrooms, kitchen facilities, and laundry. Several rooms at the guesthouse hold up to four people, and some have private baths. You can dine at the onsite restaurant, GUSTA, with its own mini-brewery for home-brewed beer.
Be sure to check with these campgrounds to see if you need reservations in advance. Also, verify the rules about pets, because some do not allow them. And don’t miss your chance to go into the city and visit the attractions like the Řepora Museum, Koněpruské Caves, and Karlštejn Castle.
By Phyllis Schweikle Photos courtesy the Italian Government Tourist Board NA
It is said that 65% of the world’s art treasures are in Italy, and 50% of those are in Florence. Five of us wanted to stay there for a full month, so hotels were too costly, and any pensione were too “rustic” (I’m finished with group sharing of bathrooms).
I made a list of our basic needs: old Florence neighborhood, quiet, four bedrooms, three baths, a well-stocked kitchen for my chef husband, air conditioning and a washing machine.
Then I entered “apartment rentals Florence Italy” in my computer search engine. Pages appeared with links to user-friendly websites for every size apartment, location and price, often with neighborhood maps. Historic Florence is not large, but if your interests lie near San Marco, then San Spirito may not be the neighborhood for you, unless you really like to walk a lot.
That year we found a wonderful apartment on via del Corno, behind the Palazzo Vecchio. While affordability motivated us to rent, we came away with so much more from our experience that today renting is our favorite option wherever we plan a stay of six days or more. Rent and you become what the Italians call famigliari — “familiars,” recognized and greeted by the fruit and vegetable guy, the baker, the butcher. You become absorbed into the fabric of your temporary neighborhood. Today at Ristorante Buzzino, where we often regrouped that first year, we embrace and are embraced, welcomed home on annual visits.
In major tourist areas, most Italians speak English, so if language is not your gift, you will be fine (always carry a light weight dictionary). But think about it… you are moving into a neighborhood, so why not learn some basic pronunciation rules and a few simple phrases? You will be amazed at the response to your effort. Check out the website “CyberItalian” and see if this interactive language learning tool appeals to you (for a $25/year membership you have so much to gain and comparatively nothing to lose).
We have learned a few things from renting six different apartments (five in Florence, ranging in size from studio to four bedrooms, and a two bedroom in Rome). Here are a few thoughts to consider:
1) Rates depend on a number of factors, but Italians are pragmatic, so don’t be afraid to negotiate respectfully if you plan to rent for three weeks or more. Owners are willing to reduce rates rather than leave a unit vacant.
2) Study the photos of every room. In my experience searching for six different apartments, online photos are reliable. So that ‘fish-eye‘ picture you see really does reveal the struggle to showcase a small space (which may be fine for you). If you find an interesting description with a photo of the terrace, request photos of all the rooms. There may be nothing wrong, but I’m just saying…
3) Italians are used to living in much less space per person than Americans. An apartment listing for 3 to 4 persons may have one bedroom for two, and a full size sofa bed in the living room, and/or a daybed in your bedroom to accommodate someone. If that’s okay with you, then go for it.
4) “T” stands for “Terra” which means Ground Floor. In Italy, the 1st Floor (Primo Piano) is one flight up, so unless you are young or athletic, you may want to eliminate any apartment without an elevator which is above the 2nd floor . Remember you will be carrying suitcases filled with necessities on arrival, and treasures when you leave, daily groceries, that famous bottled effervescent water, and your tired self up those steps at least once a day.
Our second apartment was a penthouse with a terrace and wonderful views. It belonged to an artist whose lovely artworks and subtle personal touches made us feel instantly at home. I was entranced by the interior photos, and though the description said ‘4th floor walk-up’, we were in very good shape. After all, I had walked all 60 miles of the Breast Cancer 3-Day that year. A few steps weren’t going to be a deal-breaker! Unfortunately, Tony and I both caught the flu at a language school we were attending. Every day for three weeks, two in health and one in illness, at least once a day, I’d find myself sitting on that 65th stair, surrounded by books, or groceries, and that water, staring exhaustedly up at the final 70th step with its terrace gate like a pilgrim outside the pearly gates.
5) Arrival can be a bit overwhelming, but ask how to use the washing machine and the oven (your dictionary should have a conversion table for weights and temperatures). Most important: be sure to ask where your electric box is. In one apartment we lost power repeatedly until the owner explained we needed to turn off the water heater in the bathroom before heating the oven. Italian electric flow is not like ours. Your daughter cannot dry her hair while you wash clothes, and your husband watches the news in air conditioning. In Italy, the circuits will blow. Ask where the switchbox is located. Then, when it happens, you can turn the power back on and choose where to reduce your draw. Trust me.
7) I assume there are clothes driers at the lavanderia (laundromat), but I have never seen one in an apartment or home. An Italian drier is the sun and breeze, and rain is an extra rinse cycle. In city apartments without terraces, you will find a drying rack in a closet along with clothespins, but be sure to check outside your windows…another clothes line could be there. You will also find an ironing board and iron. Italians iron everything. Washers do not hold a large number of articles, and take a long time to cycle. I would not recommend washing jeans within 48 hours of departure unless you plan to wear them damp.
Anais Nin wrote “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” May your adventures be joyous, your courage rewarded, your view expanded.
I expect other countries feel it’s just not fair…Switzerland has all the luck: snow-covered mountains, hundreds of deep blue lakes, small, quaint mountain towns with intriguing steepled churches, chalet-type houses decorated with cow bells and colorful hanging baskets of flowers, tempting chocolates and cheeses, and of course a variety of delicious wines and beers.
Another important Swiss fact: over the years, the Swiss have poured billions of dollars into their train and transportation systems. Today, there are 3,100 miles of track including 620 miles of mountain railway lines operated by 43 companies. A total of 98% of the Swiss people have access to public transportation within less than about half a mile of their home.
“The Swiss transportation system is concise and precise — there is no guessing when or where the next train or bus will show up. It’s well thought out, and usually with great accommodation to everyone. And it works — efficiently.” Don Heimburger
So should you take a vacation–or even a business trip–to Switzerland, you will likely find a virtually seamless ribbon of buses, trains, trams, gondolas or ships to get you where you’re going. Even at the very tops of mountains, the Swiss have built funiculars or gondolas to scale the heights, and have then built restaurants and/or hotels at the top so you can enjoy the views longer while you’re sipping a glass of wine.
RAILFANS APPRECIATE SWISS RAILS
The average American railfan would appreciate to be treated this royally, riding the Swiss Railway system trains to nearly any worthwhile destination, then jump on a boat or whatever to take you the rest of the distance. In fact, often there is an alternative transportation system, as we’ll see.
Before you go, however, you’ll want to obtain the correct tickets in the United States for traveling by train abroad, and that means either the Eurail Pass or the Swiss Pass.
The Eurail pass is available through www.raileurope.com or call 888-382-7245 in the US or 800-361-7245 in Canada. If you’re traveling to Switzerland and planning to spend several days or longer there, and plan to visit several bigger cities, you’ll probably want to obtain a Swiss Pass from Eurail. It gives you free admission to more than 400 museums and exhibits in Switzerland and gives double the discount (50%) on rail and cable car rides to places like the Schilthorn, Jungfrau, Pilatus and Rigi. With the Swiss Pass, you receive access to rail, city transport systems, buses, lake steamers and mountaintop excursion rides.
While many people in Switzerland and northern Italy speak English, it would be a good idea to know a few words and phrases in German, one of the four official languages of Switzerland. Two publishers have easy-to-use books and audio CD’s that I recommend. Bilingual Books, 1719 West Nickerson St., Seattle, WA 98119 publishes a 132-page 8 1/2 x 11″ softbound book titled German in 10 Minutes a Day that helps you learn the language faster, and there’s a 60-minute CD German language lab and 64-page phrase book from Penton Overseas, 1958 Kellogg Ave., Carlsbad, CA 92008 that is great. In tandem, these tools were beneficial.
On a spring tour of Switzerland and northern Italy, there are numerous places to see and things to do by rail and by not-too-stenuous walking.
BERN, SWISS CAPITAL
Bern, the capital of Switzerland, with a population of only 130,000, was founded in 1911 for strategic reasons, the old historic part surrounded by the River Aare. The city, noted for its red-tiled roofs (appreciated more when overlooking the city from the Rosengarten {Rose Gardens} high on an adjunct hill), and perhaps even more while dining at the lovely Restaurant Rosengarten, became a university town in 1834 and then in 1848, the Federal capital. Bern is Europe’s most flower-decorated city and features one of the the longest covered shopping promenades (nearly four miles) in Europe. Another interesting thing to note about Bern is one-third of its area consists of public parks and woods.
In the Old Town of Bern, Switzerland, this famous old clock tower chimes on a regular basis.
Bern museums: a good part of your free time in the city might be devoted to visiting the many museums, such as the Zentrum Paul Klee which features Paul Klee’s designs (4,000 works alone), but other exhibitions, music, theatre and dance as well. The Museum of Fine Arts, the Historical Museum of Bern with its unique Albert Einstein exhibit (until October 15–Einstein was an employee of the Swiss Patent Office in Bern in 1905), the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Communications which held an exhibit of the 100 Years of Yellow Postbuses in Switzerland in 2006, are also very worthwhile.
Other Bern attractions include the colorful trams that run throughout the city, the Munster Cathedral, the beautiful Zygloggeturm Clock Tower, the Bear Pits and free guided tours of Parliament. Multilingual city guides are recommended at the local tourism office at Laupenstrasse 20 (berninfo.com). The bahnhof is conveniently located at the Bahnhof Platz, and within easy walking distance of the Old Town. More Bern info is at www.berninfo.com.
The main market square in spring is filled with fruit and vegetable stands and concessionaires offering numerous handmade and commercial products, as well as food, pastries and drinks. If your hotel is near the center of the Bundes Platz where this market takes place, be aware that the surrounding noise can be disturbing as it bounces off the buildings.
(left to right) Passenger trains on the Brienz steam route.; Brienz steam loads water.
Eating tips: try Schwellenmatteli Restaurant at Dalmaziquai 11 near the Aare River falls, adjunct to the Kirchenfeld Bridge. The restaurant features great rigitoni and delicious red wine. A quick Apfelstrudel presented with style at Schmiedstube (address: am Schmiedenplatz 5) near the Kornhaus will perk you up on a hot afternoon.
From Bern, hop a Swiss train on the Loetschberg Line to Bologna to discover what northern Italy has to offer. Trains run like clockwork in Switzerland (excuse the pun), and you hardly need to check a train schedule ahead of time–something is always coming to take you where you want to go, usually no more than an hour between trains.
BRIENZ BAHN
For a completely different aspect of travel, the Brienz Rothorn Bahn in the small town of Brienz, Switzerland on Lake Lucerne is a choice spot. In 1892 the Brienz Bahn (railway) was opened to ascend the top of 7,710-foot-high Brienzer Rothorn.
From mid-May to the end of October, this oil-fired steam train travels 4.72 miles to the top where visitors can enjoy refreshments and meals or an overnight stay at Hotel Rothorn Kulm.
A 360 degree view is possible from the top, as you watch steamers ascend. The line owns and operates three generations of steam locomotives as well as several diesels. The first steamers are from 1891-1892, while the second set were constructed in 1933-1936, and the last set in 1991-1996.
Large glass windows offer wide views of the ascent and descent, and the 70-member staff is friendly; you can even purchase stock in the company!
It looks like a toy, but it’s just far away.
LOETSCHBERG LINE
The Loetschberg line train usually pulls out exactly on time from Bern, and firtst class car windows are big — 4 x 3 1/2 feet. A stop comes at Spiez on the Thunersee, and the line breaks there to head towards Brig and the Simplon Pass, then into Italy at Domodossola and onto Milano, where a change of trains is required.
As you travel by train, you’ll notice the concrete ties, the banked curves, the mile-after-mile of concrete infrastructure, and the steel girder overhead wire system. America could never afford this outpouring of funds.
The train travels fast through this land, and the Swiss Alps loom large off the left side of the train. If you check out the passenger car toilets, you’ll see hand dryers instead of towels. You’ll also notice how the lst class seats are wide, high and have two positions. At Brig you’ll notice the Glacier Express yard facilities that service trains going to Zermatt. At Brig an announcement will tell you a customs search is coming, so have your passports ready.
At Domodossola, Swiss and Italian flags alternately wave in the breeze on the station platform. At Stresa, with enchanting Lake Maggiore in the background, you spot island villas that appear Hollywood-like in size and stateliness, and you wonder who lives in these red-tiled-roof mansions.
The Milano station is a favorite. It’s busy, bustling and big. The large signboard in the terminal area next to the tracks is where passengers await arrival track information, and it’s a fun place to sit on your luggage and watch the world go by. Little shops lining the station walls sell Italian lattes or cappuccinos if you need an adrenalin boost.
The green and white Italian Eurostar is a high quality, high speed train that connects main cities in Italy. A seat reservation is required, and the trains are roomy and comfortable with large windows so you can view the many vineyards and monasteries. In Italy, it’s helpful to know that binario means track and biglietto means ticket.
WELL PRESERVED BOLOGNA
Bologna, judged the most beautiful Italian city as a whole, was a seat of great learning. After Venice, it has the best preserved historic center in Europe. The central part of the city consists of a complex of streets, towers, buildings and monasteries all linked by arcades (nearly 20 miles of them).
Walking through the city center, you will find a number of the city’s ring towers still standing (but perhaps leaning), ancient aqueducts still intact, centuries-old red brick floors, historic bridges and statues. The clay, selenite and sandstone are local materials from which many structures were built.
You’ll also note that streets fan out from the center of the city, the easiest route to the surrounding farmlands where citizens returned after selling their produce in the city market.
Bologna’s main piazza attraction — since 1200 — is the Piazza Maggiore, which features a Neptune Fountain built during the years of the Counter-Reformation, the work of a Palermitan architect and a Flemish sculptor. The inside of the St. Petronic Basilica in Maggiore Square, commissioned in 1390, is the church of the local patron saint, and exceptionally large. It was hoped it would be built bigger than St. Peter’s in Rome, but that idea was blocked.
The local university (Archiginnasio) has taken up space in many of the central buildings around the piazza. During the 9th through 12th centuries, Bologna and Paris were the first cities to offer examples of intellectual pursuits; in fact, by the mid-12th century, Bologna was seen as a law center throughout Europe.
If you enjoy modern hotels, the UNA Hotel at Via Pietramellara 41 in Bologna is a thoroughly new hotel representing the latest in style and design. It is comfortable and features many amenities, and it’s located directly across from the train station.
Retracing your steps northbound on the Italian Eurostar to Milano, if you want to leave in the morning, you can take the 8:52 a.m. train. The Eurostar features low lighting and individual seat lamps like on airplanes. The seats, wider than on a plane, are covered in light and dark gray fabric, and offer more legroom than on a plane. You’ll change trains again in Milano and head for Lugano.
Our beautiful wooden boat on Lake Lugano
LUGANO BY THE LAKE Back in Switzerland, Lugano is a picturesque village surrounded by tree-covered mountains and Lake Lugano (The Lake That Steals Your Heart). Lugano is situated in Ticino, the southernmost corner of Switzerland where the climate is exceptionally mild, and where palm trees and cactus thrive.
The Lugano waterfront is one long tree-lined promenade, with plenty of hotels set back from the shore, and mountains that rise precipitously from the lake. It’s a relaxing spot to recover from train-riding in Switzerland, and a couple of days here will set your mind straight for weeks to come. Its beautiful serenity, combined with quiet tradition, contrasts with the hustle-bustle of everyday life in America.
For a scenic boat tour, contact Societa’ Navigazione Del Lago Di Lugano that can take you to a number of locations on the lake, from cogwheel railways to funiculars to the Swiss Customs Museum (has been open since 1949 and offers attractive exhibits in a former customs officers barracks).
Lugano is blessed with many museums, both large and small, to keep you occupied including the Cantonal Art Museum, Municipal Fine Art Museum, the Modern Art Museum and the Galleria Gottardo (owned by the Bank of Gottardo). The Gottardo exhibit highlights the archaeological findings from Poggio Civitate (near Siena, Italy) which was controlled by Etruscan aristocrats, who wore zany pointed, broad-brimmed hats. Other museums include the Villa Saroli, the Cantonal Natural History Museum and the Wilhelm Schmid Museum. Many more museums are also in surrounding towns.
The Swiss Miniatur in Lugano is a permanent “little village” that opened in 1959 that “synthesizes, symbolizes and summarizes Switzerland “– in 1:25 scale. The exhibit consists of 120 models of houses, castles and cathedrals, mountains, lakes and towns, and 11,480 feet of scale track that can accommodate 18 trains, funiculars, rack railways and cable cars! A modeler would have to put this display on his agenda; kids and spouses would enjoy it as well.
To cap off a day of exploration in Lugano, take the funicular up to the top of 3,000-foot-high Monte San Salvatore (the last downhill train leaves at 11 p.m. in the summer) for a mediterranean supper at Le Ristorante Vetta. Overlooking Lugano, this outpost high above the city can be a memorable experience. While you’re there, look for the Daphne Odorosa, a rare plant with delicate pink flowers, found only on the mountain’s slopes.
Good local guides can be tricky to find, but Romeo Bozzini, Ra Cara 16, CH-6926 Montagnola, Switzerland (Fax 41 91 994 36 40) should not only give you excellent history details of the Lugano area, he is saavy about local foods, customs and people. He has a good sense of humor, as well.
One of the experiences you’ll want to try in Lugano is eating at a grotto. Grotto means cave, but today dining at a grotto means dining outside with twinkly white lights strung in the trees. Grotto Figini, located up the side of a steep slope in Gentilino, will fill your plate with delicious local Ticino foods such as hot minestrone, risotto with fresh mushrooms and onions, sliced local meats, small round cheeses and good, dry red wines (the area is home to elegant Merlots) poured from an earthenware pitcher known as a boccalino.
More Lugano information can be obtained from www.ticino.ch.
(left to right) Eating next to the water on Lake Lugano; A quiet restaurant reached by boat on Lake Lugano serves these specials.
CENTOVALLI RAILWAY From Lugano station, you can catch an SBB train to a fascinating, unspoiled region that begins at Locarno, Switzerland and ends in Domodossola, Italy. The Centovalli Railway is a 32-mile electric line that passes through numerous valleys as it snakes its way over high trestles and through tunnels (there are 83 bridges and viaducts on the line), over streams, past chesnut forests, vineyards and villages clinging to the sides of mountains. After Camedo the train crosses into Italy, and border guards may board the train at that point.
The countryside offers a lot to be explored, and you’d want to plan in advance if you want to stay overnight at any of the charming towns located on line. There are monuments, churches, paintings, embroidery, old streets, stucco work, old frescos, engraved glass, grottos, 500-year-old stoned roof houses and more to see tucked back into the hills and villages here. Go to www.lagomaggioreexpress.com and www.centovalli.ch for more information on these trains and the area.
This remote, beautiful region is accessible via numerous modern two-car wide-window Centovalli trains that leave from a tunnel station at Locarno. Soon the train encounters steep grades, as much as 6%, as it heads for Santa Maria Maggiore, the highest point on the line at 2,624 feet and approximately two-thirds of the way to Domodossola.
Three trainsets were built in 1959 and one in 1993, with scattered vestiges of older equipment on various sidings and yards. In all, the railway is very modern, well-kept, and it employs 95 people. It’s a railfan’s delight because of its scenery and because it’s a bit hard to “discover” unless you know it runs there.
There are special Lago Maggiore Express packages with both rail and boat transportation available, with featured locations such as the Borromeo Islands, Cannero castles and the resorts of Stresa and Ascona.
A tiny but richly-adorned church near LuganoView from the top of Mt. Salvatore at Lugano
WILLIAM TELL EXPRESS Leaving Lugano, you can board the popular northbound William Tell Express that combines rail and ship travel over the famous Gotthard Pass, the watershed between the Mediterranean and the North Sea. Be sure to ask for the small all-color 6 x 8″ William Tell Express guidebook when you make your reservations with Rail Europe back home. It gives a map and pictures of what you’ll be seeing on the route.
You’ll board a first-class Panoramic Car, which means you’ll be riding high with huge six-feet-wide windows (with sunshades) for excellent views. The seats are comfy and large, with two-abreast seating on one side of the car and one seat on the other side with wide aisles. Be forwarned, however, to board the train quickly when it arrives at the station. To maintain its schedule, it waits for no one!
Besides the mountains and waterfalls en route, you’ll see granite quarries, vineyards, small villages, churches and meadowlands. The Gotthard route sees 270 trains on peak days, with 50 international expresses and 100 merchandise freights on average. The Gotthard Tunnel itself is nine miles long, and it opened in 1881.
At Gurtnellen the first of three loop tunnels appears. At Wassen, look out the window at the quaint little church below you — you will pass it three times! Then at Wattinger spiral tunnel you are at the same height as the church, and at the Leggistein tunnel, you are lower than the church. Don’t miss this three spiral tunnel show — it’s worth noting.
Morning view from our room in the magnificent Palace Hotel, Lucerne
At Fluelen, the train station is a few steps from the paddle steamer boat ramp, and your luggage can be off-loaded to the boat using the Swiss railway’s Fast Baggage service which takes care of your luggage so you don’t have to load and unload it yourself.Check in your luggage at the station from which you depart.
On a clear day, the view from Fluelen towards Lake Lucerne as you await the Vier Waldstattersee steam paddle boat is as good as it gets: snow-covered Alps loom in the distance, contrasted by lush green hillsides filled with sheep, cows and farms.
A lake cruise between Fluelen and Lucerne is something one should experience at least once in a lifetime: it’s relaxing and dignified. Definitely a stress reliever.
The Lake Lucerne Navigation Company is Switzerland’s largest steam and motor ship operator with five paddle steamers and 15 motorized ships, transporting 2.3 million passengers each year. Since 1835 the ships have been plying the beautiful blue waters of Lake Lucerne, and recently the firm took over its food services on board the boats. The firm even owns its own shipyards.
In 2006 the steamboat Schiller, considered to be the most well designed steamer in the country, celebrated its 100th birthday. A portion of the ship is considered a national monument!
Watch for the Burgenstock Bahnen as you pass or stop at Burgenstock. It’s a funicular that takes visitors to the Burgenstock Resort high on the top of Hammetschwand.
LUCERNE ON THE RIVER REUSS Lucerne, located on the shores of Lake Lucerne and only 36 miles from Zurich, is a captivating medieval city steeped in history and surrounded by the Swiss Alps. As they say, you can arrive as a stranger and leave as a friend. Lucerne has a population of only 60,000 people, and the boat dock and Bahnhof are located across from one another to make transfers very easy.
The Old Town, straddling narrow waters of the River Reuss, is a particularly beckoning section, with quaint shops and restaurants that draw you up the cobblestone streets. Be sure to visit the Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge), the oldest wooden bridge in Europe built in the early 14th century. But there are many other treasures to investigate as well.
The late-Renaissance style Altes Rathaus was built between 1599 and 1606, and the Hofkirche, with an 80-rank organ and one of Switzerland’s finest, was built in 750.
The Swiss Transport Museum, at Lidostrasse 5, is the most comprehensive of its kind in Europe, and a railfan could easily spend the entire day there. A very extensive HO gauge Marklin train layout shows in miniature the Gotthard Tunnel track arrangements. There is a large selection of prototype locomotives and cars contained in 26,000 square feet of space, including 3,200 feet of track on which the cars and locos sit.
Swiss Transport Museum’s “Crocodile”
Special exhibits include the Limmat, a replica of the first Swiss steam locomotive; the Rigi No.7, the first European rack railway engine: the C 5/6 (the largest Swiss locomotive); and the legendary Be 6/8 Crocodile. There are numerous electric locos, SBB’s Red and Blue Arrows, and the Landi-Loco which was the most powerful Swiss locomotive. There’s even a cutaway view of an 0-6-0 to show how a steam locomotive operates.
An overhead walkway traverses the entire railway exhibit, making it easier to find the main attractions. There are also glassed-in exhibits of scale models to view. and special smaller exhibits such as one showing how the Langweis railway viaduct was constructed.
Other historical attractions of Lucerne include the Spreuerbrucke, an all-wood covered bridge dating from 1408, the Weinmarket, now a popular fountain square where passion plays were once conducted in the 15th to 17th centuries, and the Lion Monument (Lowendenkmal) called by Mark Twain “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.”
You’ll want time to visit the local chocolate shops, and perhaps purchase a watch or Swiss Army knife in one of the stores. You’ll not have a problem locating this merchandise in town! Also take time to sit at an outside café for coffee and pastry (kuchen). It’s something Americans just don’t do enough.
For model railroad fans, stop in at Modellbahn Boutique at Frankenstrasse 5, next to the railway station.
A visit to the city landmark Palace Hotel (Haldenstrasse10), which celebrated its 100th birthday in 2006, is like visiting, well, a palace. The original owner of the hotel also built the Burgenstock funicular, as well as the Stanserhorn and San Salvatore funiculars, and the tramway system in Genoa, Italy. Franz-Josef Bucher wanted to build the most beautiful hotel in Switzerland, and spent 3.3 million francs to accomplish his dream in 1906. The current hotel has retained its old world charm but is respectful of what the 21st century traveler wants: attention to detail, more room — the hotel has reduced its rooms from 168 to 136 — and a good bit of pampering.
Two close-by Lucerne attractions that are easy to get to and worth your time are Mt. Pilatus and Mt. Rigi.
MT. PILATUS Mt. Pilatus (Mountain of Dragons), near Lucerne, is home to the world’s steepest cogwheel railway. At a maximum gradient of 48% over its nearly three miles of 31.5″ trackage, the line ends at 7,000-foot-high Pilatus Kulm, where two hotels, seven restaurants and hiking trails await the traveler. Opened in 1889 using steam, the line was electrified in 1937. Two of the former Pilatus steam locomotives are now in museums: #9 is at the Museum of Transport in Lucerne and #10 is at the Deutsches Museum in Munich.
Today, bright red 40-person cars travel the route from May to November at 6-8 miles an hour ascending in 30 minutes to the top through several climate zones. On the way up or down, you’re likely to witness trains passing at one of the unique “passing turnouts” on the line.
You can spend an entire day on Pilatus and its surroundings. Once on top, you can hike down, or take an aerial cable and panorama gondola down the back side. If you stop off part way down (at 4,640 feet), your kids can enjoy Switzerland’s largest rope park where they can swing and sway on all manner of ropes and bridges. The Pilatus Railway is adding more fun-related activities to the mountain rail experience, and last year 268,000 visitors rode to the top.
For a refreshing toboggan run, stop at Frakigaudi (www.rodelbahn.ch), the longest toboggan run in Switzerland at 4,428 feet. It’s located at Frakmuntegg, a cable car station stop between the top of Pilatus and the town of Kriens.
MT. RIGI Mt. Rigi (Queen of the Mountains), also located on Lake Lucerne but in the opposite direction from Mt. Pilatus, is 6,000 feet high, and the Vitznau-Rigi Railway ascends to the top. As the oldest cogwheel railway in Europe (1871), the line has enjoyed 135 years of service. In 2005, it carried 562,320 passengers to the top. The line was electrified in 1937, but today steam still operates on the line on special occasions.
The Rigi operates two steam engines built in 1923 and 1925, two 1873 carriages and a 1899 carriage, and the oldest self-propelled cogwheel train in the world from 1911. Much of this older equipment is reserved for special occasions.
Trains leave frequently for the mountaintop from the Vitznau station. As the line angles up the side of the Rigi slope, Lake Lucerne quickly falls away in the distance as the train continuously gains height. At the top, you can hike on the marked paths, take advantage of the restaurants and hotels, or just watch the clouds drift by.
Luzia Weber is a hostess on the luxurious Belle Epoque, an 1873 salon car.
From the top on a clear day, you can see 13 lakes and Germany and France. A total of 400 Swiss inhabit the mountain, but I bet there are more cows on the Rigi hillsides than that. To vary your route back to Lucerne, you can catch a cable car at Rigi Kaltbad that descends to Weggis where you can board a boat for Lucerne.
HOMEWARD BOUND Leaving Lucerne, you can take SBB trains that go directly to the Zurich airport located 7 miles north of downtown Zurich. That way you can skip having to change trains at the main train station in Zurich.
This Swiss-Italian journey would appeal to both railfans and their spouses. There are enough train adventures to more than satisfy the fan, and enough of life’s other historical attractions, dining and shopping experiences to please everyone. If you go, enjoy the trip, and be prepared to become a bit emotional when it’s time to leave. If you do, it means you had a great time!
In terms of speed, comfort, travel connections and schedules, frequency and rail facilities, the countries served by Rail Europe offer travelers the best land transportation by almost any standards.
With Rail Europe’s newly-designed website now up and running, we interviewed both Frederick Buhr, vice president of eBusiness for Rail Europe and Samina Sabir, public relations manager for Rail Europe.
The European trains of today already seem miles ahead of what the U.S.– or most other countries — offer in terms of speed, comfort and on-time reliability. Would you agree with that assessment, and expound on the differences you see between European rails and those of other countries. The Swiss Federal Railways and French National Railroads are investing a great amount of public and private funds into a new hi-speed rail infrastructure which has resulted in a faster and more efficient form of train travel in Europe. Due to a high volume of travelers who use the European train network, there is a high frequency of train service that results in greater efficiency and punctuality. Train travel in Europe also allows people to seamlessly travel on multiple rail networks as European countries work together on public transportation. Rail Europe allows travelers to purchase train passes without restrictions that allows them to travel throughout the European continent.
If you could ride any European train for fun, which one would it be and why? The Chocolate Train in Switzerland. This involves a roundtrip panoramic train journey from Montreux in the Swiss Riviera to Gruyères, home of the Gruyères cheeses, and then onto the Nestle chocolate factory where chocolate sampling is included. The Chocolate Train is included in the price of a Swiss pass.
Name some important upcoming routes where you expect dramatic changes in terms of service, speed or new equipment. The TGV East in France now allows travelers to ride from Paris to the eastern regions of France faster and more conveniently than ever before. A route growing in popularity is the Paris/Reims journey–in just 45 minutes travelers are transported from the heart of Paris to the heart of the Champagne region.
The Spanish AVE train travels at speeds of 300 km/hour (186 mph) and covers the distance of 550 km (342 miles) between Madrid and Barcelona in less than 3 hours (travel time was previously 4 hours). New high-speed lines have also reduced travel times between Madrid and Valladolid; the journey, which previously took 2 hours, 30 minutes, now takes only 55 minutes. And what was a four-hour journey from Madrid to Málaga, now takes only 2 hours, 30 minutes. The city of Zaragoza is on the Madrid/Barcelona AVE line (1 hour, 18 minutes from Madrid, 1 hour, 29 minutes from Barcelona) and this is expected to be an emerging destination in Spain.
The Thalys train takes just 1 hour, 22 minutes to go from downtown Paris to Brussels, most of the journey made at 186 mph. By 2009, all Thalys tracks will be high-speed, and travel times Paris-Amsterdam (currently 4 hrs 11 min.) and Paris-Cologne (presently 3 hrs 50 min) will be cut to 3 hrs 9 min and 2 hrs 50 min, respectively. Up to 27 trains travel between Paris and Brussels in each direction daily, making the service convenient as well as fast.
In 10-15 years, how will the European rail travel scene have changed? At Rail Europe we believe that the developments in high-speed rail and the investments being made to continue to develop the rail networks of Europe will make Europe more easily and quickly accessible to all travelers. Day trips from the major cities to smaller towns and villages connected by train will become more popular.
European train travel also offers the time-saving benefit of bringing travelers right into the city center, eliminating the need for airport/city transfers. It is expected that this convenience, along with a growing awareness that trains are an eco-friendly way to travel, will continue to influence a shift from air traffic to rail.
What is the fastest train right now on Rail Europe tracks? The TGV in France runs at speeds of up to 200 mph and currently holds the world record for the fastest train.
For a first-time rail traveler in Europe, what can they expect when traveling on, say, an ICE train, the Eurostar and a regional train? All German Inter City Express (ICE) trains connect all the major German cities such as Frankfurt, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Munich, Cologne and Berlin. All trains feature comfortable amenities and cutting-edge services, including reclining seats with built-in tables and video screens, an integral audio system, notebook and laptop connections, as well as cellular-friendly zones that allow for undisturbed service.
Eurostar takes you seamlessly from city center to city center within Belgium, France and the UK, as well as provides connecting services to more than 100 destinations. Business Premier class, which is the highest level of service, offers reclining seats and power outlets at each seat giving business passengers the freedom to work in comfortable surroundings. It also offers a choice of full service “at-seat” dining with champagne and wine and an “Express Breakfast” option. All 1st class cars for Leisure passengers offer comfortable seating, complimentary magazines/newspapers and the “at-seat” dining includes wine and hot and cold refreshments.
Regional trains are not high-speed trains and make more stops at more stations along the journey. At least one regional train journey is advisable, especially for the first time leisure traveler; it is a very real experience and has a certain air of romance to it. Buffet cars are available on most regional trains and offer sandwiches or hot and cold snacks.
Let’s say I wanted to fly to Frankfort and then travel by train to Passau and on to Vienna. What kind of travel times and service for this route would I find on your new website? You can choose a train which connects in Wein (Vienna) or choose the fastest train which is direct from Passau to Vienna – see example below:
TRAIN 21Fastest
10:33AM Passau Hbf, Germany
1:22PM Wien Westbahnhof, Austria
2 hr 49 min
I’ve heard there are a number of “Scenic Trains” available for shorter, fun excursions. Which ones are most popular and why? One very popular scenic train is The Glacier Express that connects the world-famous resorts of St. Moritz and Zermatt. Rail Europe offers a Glacier Express Tour which includes a Swiss Card with three transfers of rail travel, two nights accommodation in 3-star hotels (w/breakfast) and one night each in Zermatt and St. Moritz.
RAILTEAM AFFORDS ‘SEAMLESS’ TRAVEL
According to Buhr, Railteam (www.railteam.eu), a new venture, will make traveling on the European rail network easier and more seamless. Buhr says it will help “shrink Europe.”
It is a collaboration between Europe’s leading high-speed rail operators, currently DB (Germany), SNCF (France), Eurostar UK LTD (UK), NS Hispeed (Netherlands), ÖBB (Austria), SBB (Switzerland) and SNCB (Belgium), as well as their high-speed subsidiaries Thalys, Lyria and the DB/SNCF cooperation between France and Germany, with more train operators possibly joining in the future.
Access to the Railteam network is easy with interconnections at city center stations and Ffst local transfer services to and from departure points.
Unlike airports, when you travel with Railteam there are no lengthy boarding procedures, which means no lines. Swiftly on-board and settled in your reserved seat, travelers are able to work on their laptops, read, eat or relax.
Buhr also says that the European Union supplies large amounts of money to help the high-speed rail infrastructure budget for Europe, which allows more construction of new trackage and rail facilities throughout the continent.
Buhr is interested in hearing from passengers about how the new Rail Europe website works for them.
Fred Buhr, Vice President eBusiness, Rail Europe
Fred Buhr began his career with Rail Europe in 2000 to start up EuroVacations.com, the online one-stop shop for European vacation packages. In 2003 he became Rail Europe’s Director of Online Marketing, where he initiated the SEM and SEO strategies to grow market share. He currently holds the position of Vice President eBusiness and is in charge of eCommerce and online marketing. Fred was involved in leading a project dedicated to creating the newest version of the company’s website, RailEurope.com. He has extensive experience in the online travel industry and was responsible along with a business partner for creating one of the first full-service online agencies in Europe. Educated in Strasbourg, France, Fred also attended the Paris Business School where he earned a degree in International Business Relations.
Samina Sabir was educated in Ireland, and began her career in the retail/fashion industry. She joined Rail Europe in 1993, working in the Sales Department dealing specifically with Rail Europe National Accounts. In 2008 she became public relations manager for Rail Europ
The capital of the kingdom, yes kingdom, of Belgium–Brussels–is located pretty much in the center of Belgium, south of Antwerp. Brussels is a cosmopolitan city of more than 2 million people (total area) that loves food.
Known for its Grand-Place/Grote Markt with its filigree stonework, the city is fashionable, upscale and village-like all at the same time. Did I mention beer? It’s said Brussels offers 2,000 kinds of beer. Then there’s the food, and the chocolates.
Let’s take a tour through Brussels, using some of the internet sites available:
Both public and private transport are highly developed in the Brussels area, with a network of high-quality roads, airline routes and inland waterways. • Your arrival in Brussels–ways of entering the Brussels-Capital Region • Moving around Brussels–means of traveling, using public transport, on foot, by bicycle, by car, by motorbike, by air, etc. • Finding your way around Brussels–which are the best maps of the city available on the Net.
Brussels is served by Brussels Airport, located in the nearby Flemish municipality of Zaventem, and by the much smaller so-called Brussels South Charleroi Airport, located near Charleroi (Wallonia), some 50 km (30 mi) from Brussels. Brussels is also served by direct high-speed rail links to London by the Eurostar train via the Channel Tunnel (1hr 51 min); to Amsterdam; Paris and Cologne by the Thalys; and to Cologne and Frankfurt by the German ICE (Inter-City Express trains).
The Brussels metro dates back to 1976, but underground lines known as premetro have been serviced by tramways since 1968. A comprehensive bus and tram network also covers the city. Brussels also has its own port on the Willebroek Canal located in the northwest of the city.
An interticketing system means that a STIB/MIVB ticket holder can use the train or long-distance buses inside the city. The commuter services operated by De Lijn, TEC and SNCB/NMBS in the next few years will be augmented by a metropolitan RER rail network around Brussels.
Since 2003 Brussels has had a car-sharing service operated by the Bremen Company Cambio in partnership with STIB/MIVB and local ridesharing company taxi stop. In 2006 shared bicycles were also introduced.
Brussels contains more than 80 museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. The museum has an extensive collection of various painters such as the Flemish painters such as Brueghel, Rogier van der Weyden, Robert Campin, Anthony van Dyck and Jacob Jordaens. Brussel’s museums cover areas such as art, technology, industry, science, folklore, literature, history and many other subjects, each presenting a different face of Brussels. They are astounding in the wealth of their collections and the new perspective they offer of cultures from all over the world.
FOODS Brussels is known for its local waffles, its chocolate, its French fries and its numerous types of beers. The Brussels sprout was first cultivated in Brussels, hence the name.
Brussel’s gastronomic offerings include approximately 1,800 restaurants with very good food and atmosphere. Connoisseurs consider Belgian cuisine among the best in Europe. In addition to traditional restaurants, there is an overwhelming number of cafes and bistros and the usual range of international fast food chains. The cafes are similar to bars that offer beers and small dishes. Also widespread are so-called brasseries that offer a large number of beers and typical national foods.
Belgian cuisine is characterized by the combination of French cuisine with more hearty Flemish recipes. Culinary specialties include Brussel’s waffles (Gaufres) and mussels (usually served with “Moules frites”–French fries). The city is a stronghold of chocolate and praline manufacturers, with traditional companies like Godiva, Neuhaus and Leonidas. In addition, the Belgian beer enjoys a good reputation—Hoegaarden, Leffe, Duvel, Jupiler, Stella Artois and Kriek (cherry beer) are all examples.
Brussels has become a significant center for international institutions, notably those of the European Union. The city also plays host to the headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) which is based in the city, along with 1,000 other international organizations and 2,000 international corporations. Brussels is third in the number of international conferences it hosts and is one of the largest convention centers in the world. The presence of the EU and other international bodies means there are more ambassadors and journalists in Brussels than Washington D.C. International schools have also been established to serve this presence.
European Traveler 