The Complex Guide to Riding the Rails in Switzerland

Here are five good reasons to visit.

Not Available Lead
Image via Complex Original
Not Available Lead

Thanks to Rail Europe, the first stamp on my new passport that comes equipped with a RFID (radio-frequency identification) so the government can always track my movements was from Switzerland. They flew a group of journalists out to attend a press conference for the upcoming 100-year anniversary in 2012 of the Jungfrau Railway, which is Europe's highest-altitude railway station at 3,454 metres (11,333 ft.) above sea level.

In addition to the press conference, over the course of the trip, we had an opportunity to visit cities like Vevey, Gruyeres, and Interlaken. The one constant wherever we went was how beautiful and scenic the country was, with snow-capped mountains, sprawling hills, and picturesque lakes. Given that the activities for the trip were very hiking-focused, much of my time was spent outdoors. These are some of the highlights of my visit to Switzerland.

by @ToshitakaKondo 

Vineyards in Lavaux

Not Available Interstitial
After flying into Zurich, we took a train to Vevey (which happens to have a statue of Charlie Chaplin in town to commemorate the time he spent living there). Although the first day was more for relaxing and getting settled in, on the second day we took a boat across Lake Geneva to see the Vineyards in Lavaux. This day was definitely the most walking we did the entire trip. There were seemingly acres upon acres of fields with grape vines used by the region's winemakers. After enjoying amazing views of Lavaux, Lake Geneva, and the mountains, we ended off the day with a tasting at the Jomini Vins winery, which harvested and made their wine from the grapes we had been munching on while hiking there.

H.R. Giger Museum

Not Available Interstitial

Journey to the Jungfraujoch a.k.a. "Top of Europe"

Not Available Interstitial

Gliding and Scooter Biking Down the First Mountain in Grindelwald

Not Available Interstitial

Canyoning in the Alpine Gorge of the Saxeten River

Not Available Interstitial

Latest in Pop Culture