Switzerland Model Railways – Alp Grum – For all you Model Train guys

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Editor’s Note:  Alp Grüm is a stop on the Bernina rail line about 20 or 30 minutes south of St. Moritz.  There is a small hotel in the rail station and an absolutely magnificent yet reasonable priced restaurant.  You can eat inside or outside on the deck. (hint, you want to eat on the deck).  If you are in St. Moritz, you want to make the short trip to Alp Grüm, it is memorable.  If you have a Swiss Pass, you can go there for free.

This is a picture based report below of our model of the station of Alp Grüm.
You can click on the pictures for an enlargement.

 March 2009
Overview over Alp Grüm.
Taken during the exhibition “Rail 2009″.

 March 2005
On the road to Alp Grüm. This train is just underneath the station and still needs to take the turn.

 April 2007
A house with a perfect view. With fresh mowed meadow just below Alp Grüm.

 Oct 2008
The big turn. If you were seated in the back of the train you could see the engine right next to you just like in the real world. Watch the special construction of the overhead wire.

 March 2008
Here in Alp Grüm no paved work area but just gravel. In various sizes and colors and interchanged with gras. Most of the gravel we use originates from Switzerland.

 Dec 2004
A somewhat older shot but it shows a nice overview of the characteristic turn underneath Alp Grüm.

 Sept 2005
Houses out of paper. Via a computer program we made drawings of various houses in the right scale, printed them and glued them together. So also the station building of Alp Grüm.
This way you can create a nice looking layout a lot faster then when you make the houses from plastic right away.

 Sept 2005
The rock face behind the station has been given its final color.

 March 2009
The station building has now been finished in plastic. It was a hell of a job but it looks great.

Alp Grüm dressed

April 2010
The station of Alp Grüm has now been littered with puppets and a photographer.
with the aid of a small white LED it’s just as if the photographer on the corner of the terrace regularly take a shot of the surroundings or the passing train.
As basis for the electronics we use an IC of type NE555.

April 2007
Finally a short movie of the first ride with pantograph up in the turn of Alp Grüm.

This great article and the photos comes to us via the http://www.spoorgroepzwitserland.nl website in the Netherlands.  Thanks guys.

Bill – SwissRailPasses@gmail.com

 

The country profile of Switzerland

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This is a profile of the country of Switzerland from BBC.co.uk.  As most of you already know, the  BBC has always been and continues to be one of the best, most reliable, honest and un-biased sources of information in today’s world.

Map of Switzerland

Map of Switzerland – SwissRailPasses.com

A landlocked, mountainous country, Switzerland’s geographical position in central Europe and studious neutrality have given it the access and political stability to become one of the world’s wealthiest countries, largely through its banking industry.

Formally neutral since just after the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th century and informally for about 300 years before that, Switzerland joined the United Nations only in September 2002. Surrounded by the European Union, it is gradually engaging more closely with its powerful neighbor and other international organizations.

Swiss Flag - Swiss Watch - Swiss Alps

Swiss Flag - Swiss Watch - Swiss Alps

Overview

Although it lies close to the geographical centre of Europe, and most of its trade is with its European neighbours, it is not an EU member. A referendum in 2001 went against opening talks on joining.

Membership of the European Economic Area was also rejected by referendum in 1992 and Swiss-EU relations are now based on an extensive range of bilateral agreements.

Ties became closer in 2005 when a referendum backed membership of the EU Schengen and Dublin agreements, bringing Switzerland into Europe’s passport-free zone and increasing cooperation on crime and asylum issues. A further referendum the same year opened the job market to workers from the 10 newest EU member countries.

At the same time Switzerland has been gradually acceding to international pressure to allow greater scrutiny of its famously secretive banking sector, amid growing concerns about money-laundering and the financing of terrorist groups.

The country forms a European cultural and linguistic crossroads, with about two-thirds of the population speaking German, around one-fifth French and about 7% Italian. Romansch, the fourth national language, is spoken by less than 1% of the population.

Alp Grun - The Swiss Alps

Alp Grun - The Swiss Alps

Swiss Alps: Mountains ring much of the landlocked nation

The people are given a direct say in their own affairs under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy, which has no parallel in any other country.

They are invited to the polls several times a year to vote in national or regional referendums and people’s initiatives. Constitutional proposals and major international treaties must be put to the vote, and parliamentary decisions can be subjected to a vote by collecting 50,000 signatures.

The tradition of a citizen army, seen as an essential part of Swiss neutrality, runs deep. During the Cold War the Swiss maintained one of Europe’s largest land-based armies. The extremely costly militia system, under which every adult male was conscripted and remained in the reserves until middle age, has been slowly streamlined.

The government expressed its regrets over the country’s behavior in World War II following a report by an independent panel of historians on Swiss relations with the Nazis. The report found that the authorities had known what lay in store for the Jewish refugees to whom they closed their borders in 1942, and had assisted the economy of Nazi Germany, although not to a degree that prolonged the war.

St. Bernard a symbol of Switzerland

St. Bernard a symbol of Switzerland

Facts

Full name: Swiss Confederation
Population: 7.7 million (UN, 2011)
Capital: Bern
Largest city: Zurich
Area: 41,284 sq km (15,940 sq miles)
Major languages: German, French, Italian, Romansch
Major religion: Christianity
Life expectancy: 80 years (men), 85 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Swiss Franc = 100 Rappen
Main exports: Machinery and electronics, chemicals, precision instruments, watches
GNI per capita: US $71,530 (World Bank, 2010)
Internet domain: .ch
International dialling code: +41

Leaders

Federal President (rotating): Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf (until 1 Jan 2013)

Switzerland is unusual in having a collective head of state, the seven-member Federal Council, which doubles up as the country’s cabinet.
Swiss president Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf
Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf

The council was set up by the constitution of 1848, which is still in force today.

Members are elected for four-year terms by a joint session of both houses of parliament, although in practice changes in membership are rare, making the Federal Council one of the world’s most stable governments.

The election of a new female minister to the Federal Council in September 2010 gave the cabinet a majority of women for the first time in the country’s history.

Each year, by tradition, a different member of the council fills the largely ceremonial post of Federal President on a rotating basis. The office does not confer the status of head of state, which is held jointly by all the Councillors. Until 1 January 2012, it was held by Micheline Calmy-Rey, a Social Democrat from the southern canton of Valais.

For decades, the Federal Council was made up by a grand coalition of all the main parties in parliament, in an effort to ensure stability and promote consensus.

From 1959, membership was apportioned in accordance to a fixed formula which gave the liberal Free Democrats (FDP) two seats, the centre-left Social Democrats (SP) two, the centre-right Christian Democrats (CVP) two and the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) one, regardless of any changes in their share of MPs.

This “magic formula” was amended in 2003, when the anti-EU Swiss People’s Party overtook the Free Democrats and Social Democrats to become the most popular party, and was given a second post, at the expense of the waning Christian Democrats.

However, in December 2007, the party ended decades of consensus politics when it suspended its two Councillors and declared itself in opposition, after parliament refused to re-elect SVP leader Christoph Blocher to the council over the party’s anti-immigration election campaign.

But the Swiss People’s Party regained a seat on the council in December 2008. One of the two Councillors expelled from the SVP in 2007, is still in office, but as a member of an SVP breakaway group, the Conservative Democratic Party (BDP).

Switzerland Radio and Television

Switzerland Radio and Television

Media

Broadcasting is dominated by the public Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG/SSR) which operates seven TV networks and 18 radio stations. Most of its funding comes from license fee revenues; a smaller proportion comes from TV advertising.
Swiss newspapers
Swiss papers reflect the country’s linguistic diversity

Private radio and TV stations operate at a regional level.

Television stations from France, Germany and Italy are widely available, thanks in part to the very high take-up of multi-channel cable and satellite TV.

Some German commercial broadcasters provide tailored versions of their channels for the Swiss market.

Switzerland’s press has full editorial freedom and mainly operates along regional lines which reflect linguistic divisions.

By March 2011 there were 6.15 million internet users (Internetworldstats).

The press

Neue Zürcher Zeitung – Zurich-based daily
Tages-Anzeiger – Zurich-based daily
Le Temps – Geneva-based daily
La Tribune de Geneve – daily
Corriere del Ticino – Lugano-based daily

Television

SF-DRS – German-language public broadcaster, operates three channels
RTSI- Italian-language public broadcaster, operates two channels
TSR – French-language public broadcaster, operates two channels

Radio

SR-DRS – German-language public broadcaster, operates five stations
RSR – French-language public broadcaster, operates four stations
RSI – Italian-language public broadcaster, operates three stations
RR – Rumansch-language public radio station

News agency/internet

swissinfo – news portal operated by public broadcaster, pages in English
Swiss News Agency (SDA/ATS)

Timeline: Switzerland, A chronology of key events:

1291 – Origin of the Swiss confederation when three cantons form an alliance to resist outside control.

St. Bernard a symbol of Switzerland

St. Bernard a symbol of Switzerland

1815 – In the wake of the Napoleonic wars, the borders of Switzerland – and the territory’s neutrality – are established at the Congress of Vienna.

1848 – Federal constitution defines the political system, providing for a centralised government.

1874 – Revised constitution allows for the exercise of direct democracy by referendum.

1914-18 – Switzerland organises Red Cross units during World War I.

1919-20 - Treaty of Versailles reaffirms Swiss neutrality.

1920 - Joins League of Nations. League’s headquarters established in Geneva.

1923 – Customs union with Liechtenstein.

1939-45 – Federal Council issues a declaration of neutrality at start of World War II. Refuses to join United Nations.

Magic formula

SWISS ARMY

Swiss defence is based on compulsory military service

Men are liable for duty between ages of 20 and 42
They keep their arms and ammunition at home
Force of 210,000 can be mobilized within hours

1959 – Founder-member of European Free Trade Association (Efta).

Four party government system comes into being in a political agreement know as the “magic formula” which lasts for decades and brings a large measure of political stability.

1963 - Joins Council of Europe.

1967 – Right-wing groups campaign to restrict entry of foreign workers.

1971 – Women granted right to vote in federal elections.

1979 - After referendum, French-speaking part of Bern becomes separate canton of Jura.

1985 - Referendum guarantees women legal equality with men within marriage.

1986 – Referendum opposes UN membership by three to one. Immigrant numbers restricted.

Plume of the Jet d'Eau soars 140 metres above Lake Geneva

Geneva – once known as the “Protestant Rome”

Geneva population: 177,000
Red Cross founded in Geneva in 1864
Home to second largest UN office after New York
HQ of World Trade Organization, World Health Organization

1992 – Switzerland joins World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) but December referendum rejects membership of European Economic Area – a free-trade zone.

1994 – Referendum approves law making racial discrimination and denial of Nazi Holocaust illegal. Laws tightened against drugs traffickers and illegal immigrants.

1995 – Swiss Banking Association announces – after pressure from Jewish groups – it has uncovered dormant pre-1945 bank accounts containing millions of dollars.

1998 August – Swiss banks agree $1.25bn compensation deal with Holocaust survivors and families.

Right-wing gains

1999 October – General election strengthens right-wing vote. The People’s Party (SVP), led by Christoph Blocher, becomes second strongest political force in the country with nearly a quarter of the vote.

2001 March – Voters reject moves to open talks on joining the European Union.

2001 June – Swiss vote narrowly in favour of allowing their soldiers to carry weapons during peacekeeping missions abroad.

2001 September – Parliament votes overwhelmingly in favour of United Nations membership, paving the way for a referendum on the issue.

2001 October – Eleven die as huge fire breaks out after crash in Gotthard tunnel.

2001 December – Voters reject proposal to scrap the army.

2002 January – Bankrupt national carrier Swissair relaunched as Swiss.

Swiss International Airlines - Swiss Air

Swiss International Airlines - Swiss Air

2002 March – A narrow majority of Swiss vote in favour of joining the United Nations in a referendum.

Bergier report by independent panel of historians finds that Swiss authorities knew what lay in store for Jewish refugees to whom Swiss borders were closed in 1942. The report also concluded that Switzerland had bolstered the economy of Nazi Germany but not to a degree that prolonged the war.

2002 June – Swiss people vote in referendum to decriminalise abortion which will be allowed in first 12 weeks of pregnancy. A proposal which would have tightened the already strict abortion law is rejected in a separate referendum.

UN membership

2002 September – Switzerland formally becomes a member of the UN.

2002 November – By narrowest of margins, referendum rejects drastic tightening of asylum laws.

2003 May – Nine different issues put to referendum. Swiss vote against abolition of nuclear power, new proposals on rights for the disabled and the introduction of car-free Sundays but in favor of army cuts and changes to civil defense.

2003 October – The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) becomes the biggest force in parliament after winning almost 28% of the vote in general elections.

2003 December – Parliament agrees to grant right-wing Swiss People’s Party second post in seven-seat government at the expense of the Christian Democrats, altering the “magic formula” which had brought stability to Swiss politics since 1959.

2004 May – Agreement signed with EU on taxing accounts held in Swiss banks by EU taxpayers.

2004 September – Voters in a referendum reject moves to relax strict naturalization laws. The result is seen as a victory for the right-wing.

2004 November – Referendum votes in favor of allowing scientific research using stem cells taken from human embryos.

Immigration debate

2005 June – Voters in referendum support joining EU Schengen and Dublin agreements and extending rights for same-sex couples.

In the most serious breakdown in Swiss railway history, power failure brings trains to a standstill for several hours.

2005 November – Referendum backs five-year ban on use of genetically modified crops.

2006 September – Voters in a national referendum back plans to make their asylum laws among the toughest in the West.

2007 January-May – Ex-directors of Swissair, which collapsed in 2001, are in the dock in Switzerland’s biggest corporate trial. They are all cleared.

2007 September – Row over Swiss People’s Party’s ”kick out the black sheep” poster aimed at deporting foreigners who commit crimes.

2007 October – Elections. Swiss People’s Party (SVP) boosts its standing as the biggest group in parliament, scooping nearly 29% of the vote.

2007 December – Swiss People’s Party (SVP) quits the governing coalition after one of its leaders, Christoph Blocher, is forced from his cabinet seat.

2008 June – Voters reject referendum initiative to limit naturalization of foreigners by allowing Swiss communes to vote on individual cases.

2008 October – Libya cancels all oil deliveries to Switzerland and withdraws assets worth billions of dollars from Swiss banks in response to the arrest of leader Muammar Gaddafi’s son, Hannibal. Mr Gaddafi and his wife were detained for assault but the charges were later dropped.

Switzerland unveils a $5.3bn rescue plan for its largest bank, UBS, which was badly hit by the global credit crisis.

2008 December – Swiss People’s Party (SVP) rejoins the governing coalition with the election of party member Ueli Maurer to the Federal Council.

Switzerland scraps routine passport controls at all its borders after joining the EU’s Schengen Agreement.

Recession

2009 January – Swiss economy officially goes into recession.

2009 March – Switzerland’s government announces it will relax its rules on banking secrecy to allow Swiss financial institutions to co-operate with international investigations into tax evasion.

2009 September – Swiss economy returns to growth. Switzerland overtakes the United States as the world’s most competitive economy.

2009 November – Swiss voters approve referendum initiative banning the construction of minarets.

2010 September – Election of fourth female minister to seven-member Federal Council gives Swiss cabinet majority of women for first time ever.

2010 November – Swiss voters approve referendum initiative on automatically deporting foreigners who have committed serious crimes.

2011 January – A former Swiss banker who said he gave Wikileaks details of rich tax evaders is found guilty of breaching Switzerland’s strict bank secrecy.

2011 February – Voters in a referendum reject plans for tighter gun controls.

2011 May – In the wake of the crisis at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant, Switzerland becomes the first country in Europe to announce plans to phase out nuclear power.

2011 September – The government announces that the Swiss franc is to be pegged to the euro, after Swiss manufacturers warn that the currency’s strength is making Swiss exports uncompetitive and risks tipping the country back into recession.

2011 October – Right-wing Swiss People’s Party loses ground in parliamentary elections, but remains the largest party.

 

Text: BBC

Editor: Erfurth

Photos: AFP, Swiss-Image, Erfurth

Bill – SwissRailPasses@gmail.com

Lucerne, Switzerland. Perfect for a day trip

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This is a truly great article written by By Izzy Noel for http://matadornetwork.com on January 25, 2012. ·

I had some time off work and finally took the chance to make the train trip from my German hometown of Freiburg to Lucerne. The journey takes around two and a half hours. Thankfully, it happened to be a clear day when the Swiss Alps and Mt Pilatus were visible. I’ve always been a mountain lover as opposed to a beach lover.

As time didn’t allow, I only saw the touristy places in Lucerne. Also the weather was cold out on the lake and I have an aversion to boats, ships, ferries for no good reason.

There are only 50,000 or so inhabitants of Lucerne which is quite small for a city. Obviously the majority are wealthy with their own houses and gardens, most having views of the Alps and lake. I got lost in the inner suburbs while walking up steep hills looking for the Lion monument. It was worth the arduous walk as the monument is bigger then I imagined it would be.

The Chapel Bridge, originally built the 1300′s, was partially burnt down in 1993. While walking across I ponder over what was and staring into the crystal clear water below and take photos of the reconstruction. Neighbouring the bridge is the water tower which was once a prison and torture chamber. Stretching across the Reuss River, it was named after the nearby St Peters Chapel.

There is another less famous wooden bridge still standing since the 1408 with the boast of being the first undercover bridge in Europe. Medieval artworks representing the “Dance of Death” are displayed along the roof of the Spreuer Bridge.

The city walls are still intact and looking stronger than any other I’ve seen in Europe. As I walked around the edge, school kids were heading home for the day, released out of impressive school buildings which looked more like palaces.

I saw quite a few signs advertising horse meat delicacies at restaurants so I steered clear from them and went to the large department store for a “banquet selection”.

The seating inside, because of the cold weather, was full of diners so I went outside on to the terrace, which as totally vacant and all mine along with the view.

Lucerne is a walkable, compact town and looks very liveable, like all of Switzerland. There seem to be a lot of old retired folk around spending their last days in spectacular surroundings. Good luck to them as I’m jealous.

Text and photos by Izzy Noel

 

 

Glacier Express – The slowest express train in the world!

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Glacier Express - Switzerland

Glacier Express - Switzerland

Ride the rails up into the clouds, through untouched Alpine countryside, over roaring mountain streams, past towering walls of rock. Your panoramic trip through the Swiss Alps on the Glacier Express really is a journey to remember, with high-points at both ends of the route. St. Moritz, a favorite with the world’s rich and famous, along with Davos, and its health-giving Alpine air and Zermatt, home to the world’s most photographed mountain: Matterhorn.

These points are connected by the Glacier Express on its route through Switzerland’s canton of Graubünden, which also includes the country’s own «Grand Canyon»: the Rhine Gorge. You can listen via your personal earphones to a commentary telling you all that’s worth knowing about this spectacular trans-Alpine route, with soundtrack available in English, German, French, Italian, Japanese and Chinese.

A feast for the eyes that also appeals to the gourmet in you
Your starter, main course and dessert are all freshly prepared in our on-board kitchen and served to you in the comfort of your seat on the train. Or order our «Farmer’s Special», which naturally includes local cured-meat delicacies from our Canton. Line clear for full enjoyment: with fine dining for the body and panoramic views to feed the soul. Let us indulge your senses.

Lunch on the Glacier Express - SwissRailPasses.com

Lunch on the Glacier Express - SwissRailPasses.com

Sightseeing attractions: St. Moritz and the UNESCO World Heritage railway, plus the Landwasser Viaduct, the Rheinschlucht Gorge, the Oberalp Pass, the Furka Tunnel, Zermatt and Matterhorn.

EDITOR’S NOTE:  The UNESCO World Heritage railway, which is basically from Chur to St. Moritz, which is part of the Glacier Express route, is the most spectacular section or railway track in the world.  If you are going from St. Moritz to Zermatt, I would suggest sitting on the left side of the train.  If you are traveling from Zermatt to St. Moritz, I would suggest sitting on the right side of the train.

VERY IMPORTANT:  If you have a Swiss Pass or a Swiss Flexi-Pass, travel on the Glacier Express is included.  All you need to do is get a seat reservation and make a lunch reservation.

Glacier Express in Winter - SwissRailPasses.com

Glacier Express in Winter - SwissRailPasses.com

The trip from Zermatt to St. Maritz or the return takes about seven hours.  The one thing I can guarantee you is that you will not be board.  The portion of the Swiss Alps that the Glacier Express travels through, has some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.

Below is the winter timetable for the Glacier Express which is in effect from 11 December 2011 throough 11 May 2012.

St. Moritz / Davos / Chur – Zermatt

Train 903

Train 9011)

St. Moritz dep

09.02

Davos Platz dep

09.312)

Filisur dep

10.01

Tiefencastel dep

10.15

Thusis dep

10.33

Chur dep

11.15

10.15

Andermatt arr

13.50

12.50

Andermatt dep

13.54

12.54

Brig arr

15.40

14.40

Visp arr

15.53

Zermatt arr

17.00

Zermatt – Chur / Davos / St. Moritz

Train 910

Train 9001)

Zermatt dep

09.52

Visp dep

11.07

Brig dep

11.18

10.18

Andermatt arr

12.48

11.48

Andermatt dep

12.54

11.54

Chur arr

15.35

14.35

Thusis arr

16.28

Tiefencastel arr

16.47

Filisur arr

17.01

Davos Platz arr

17.292)

St. Moritz arr

17.58

1) Runs from 25.12.2011 to 02.01.2012 and from 28.04. to 11.05.2011
2) change in Filisur

Glacier Express in Summer - SwissRailPasses.com

Glacier Express in Summer - SwissRailPasses.com

This is the summer timetable  which is in effect from 12 May 2012 through 28 October 2012.

St. Moritz / Davos / Chur – Brig – Visp – Zermatt

Train 905

Train 9072)

Train 9091)

Train 9111)

St. Moritz

dep

09.15

09.15

10.02

Davos Platz

dep

10.41

Celerina

dep

10.05*

Samedan

dep

09.27*

09.27*

10.17*

Bergün

dep

10.47*

Filisur

dep

11.01*

Tiefencastel

dep

10.32*

10.32*

11.31*

Thusis

dep

10.50*

10.50*

Chur

dep

11.27*

11.27*

12.27*

12.27

Disentis/Mustér

arr

12.27

12.27

13.28

13.28

Disentis/Mustér

dep

12.40

12.59

13.40

14.00

Andermatt

arr

13.44

14.04

14.54

15.12

Andermatt

dep

13.54

14.18

15.04

15.18

Oberwald

arr

15.46**

Fiesch

arr

16.27**

Brig

arr

15.40**

15.59**

16.40**

16.59

Visp

arr

15.53**

16.19**

16.53**

17.19

St. Niklaus

arr

17.53**

Zermatt

arr

17.00

17.31

18.00

18.32

Zermatt – Visp – Brig – Chur / Davos / St. Moritz

 Train 9021)

Train 9041)

Train 9062)

Train 908

Zermatt

dep

08.52

09.13

09.52

09.59

St. Niklaus

dep

09.33*

Visp

dep

11.03*

11.14*

Brig

dep

10.18*

10.37*

11.18*

11.37*

Fiesch

dep

10.48*

Oberwald

dep

11.22*

Andermatt

arr

11.48

12.13

12.47

13.13

Andermatt

dep

11.54

12.20

12.54

13.20

Disentis/Mustér

arr

12.53

13.17

13.58

14.15

Disentis/Mustér

dep

13.36

13.36

14.37

14.37

Chur

arr

14.47**

14.47**

15.45**

15.45**

Thusis

arr

15.28**

16.32**

16.32**

Tiefencastel

arr

15.50**

15.47**

16.49**

16.49**

Filisur

arr

16.11**

16.01**

Bergün

arr

16.14**

17.29****

17.29**

Samedan

arr

16.46**

17.59**

17.59**

Celerina

arr

16.53**

18.04**

18.04**

Davos Platz

arr

16.48

St. Moritz

arr

16.58

18.10

18.10

1) from 26th May to 23th September 2012
2) from 12th June to 14th October 2012
* Stop to board
** Stop to deboarding
We reserve the right to amend timetables.

Train details

Train 905, 907, 909: St. Moritz – Chur – Brig – Zermatt

  • First- and second-class class observation cars

  • Dining service at passengers’ own seats

  • Drinks service at passengers’ own seats

  • Panorama Bar in service car

Train 911: Davos Platz – Chur – Brig – Zermatt

  • First- and second-class class observation cars

  • Dining car, Davos – Zermatt

  • Railbar Chur – Brig

  • Drinks service at passengers’ own seats

  • Dining service at passengers’ own seats for groups

Train 902: Zermatt – Brig – Chur – Davos Platz

  • First- and second-class class observation cars

  • Dining car, Zermatt – Davos Platz

  • Railbar, Brig – Chur

  • Drinks service at passengers’ own seats

  • Dining service at passengers’ own seats for groups

Train 904, 906, 908: Zermatt – Brig – Chur- St. Moritz

  • First- and second-class class observation cars

  • Dining service at passengers’ own seats

  • Drinks service at passengers’ own seats

  • Panorama Bar in service car

For more information to go: GlacierExpress.ch

Bill  SwissRailPasses@gmail.com

 

 

Great Photos of Giorgio Armani Home In The Swiss Alps.

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The exterior of the house is covered with traditional scratch-work decoration called sgraffito.


Armani used his own design team for the project. This part of the house is a converted barn. 

The house was nicknamed the “Polar Bear House” by its previous owner and coincidentially, Armani was gifted that stuffed bear. The walls are called marmorino veneziano, which is a plaster treatment that mimics limestone.

The kitchen is different from anything Ive ever seen before. 

Japanese inspired staircase. Magnificent. 

The Master bedroom… There is something I love about that bed and the drapery in that window’s alcove. 

The Spa

Forget about every type of excess and concentrate on elegance achieved through simple lines. Beauty must be consistently linked to functionality, because wherever one is living, it should be a place where you feel totally at ease.” – Giorgi Armani

For more information on Giorgi Armani go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giorgio_Armani

Thanks to Nicole Cohen of http://sketch42blog.com for this post

All photos via Architectural Digest. Photography  by Roger Davies. 

Bill SwissRailPasses@gmail.com

Flipping “The Bird” in St. Moritz, Switzerland

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What are you saying? (Nikolai Winter)

 

“The Finger” Sculpture Salutes Jet-Set Skiers

Nikolai Winter can be sure his latest sculpture will get some attention: located on a mountain top at one of the jet set’s favorite ski resorts, his “elegant” female hand is flipping the bird to all the rich and famous who whiz by.

Visitors to the exclusive ski resort of St. Moritz, in Switzerland, are in for a surprise: the sight of a large sculpture of a woman’s hand – giving the finger!

The artwork by Basel-based Swiss artist Nikolai Winter sits atop Berg Muottas Muragl in Samedan (St. Moritz). The anthracite-colored sculpture, which is 2.3 meters (7.55 feet) high, was flown in by helicopter.

On his website, Winter states: “Hands especially fascinate me. They can be shown in various postures and sometimes even have a symbolic character. Therefore I use their communicative impact to give my sculptures aura and expression.”

Sure, but in this case, the nail-polished hand leaves little doubt to what it “symbolizes,” though one might wonder whether the finger is being given by or to those skiing past.

Winter is quoted in German as saying: “In a sexy, provocative but elegant way that sort of embodies the Jet Set a ‘doigt d’honneur’ now sits perched above the über-chic resort of St. Moritz.” Winter used the somewhat more sonorous French term “doigt d’honneur” to denote the digit rather than the inelegant-sounding German term “Stinkefinger.”

Winter’s striking sculpture is now the fourth artwork on the 2,400-meter (7,874-foot) Muottas Muragl — but by far the most “expressive.”

Read the full story in German by Anna Warnholtz (worldcrunch.com)

Photo – Nikolai Winter (http://www.nikolaiwinter.com/)

Bill  SwissRailPasses@gmail.com

The Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland

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The Magnificent Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich, Switzerland

Dolder Grand Hotel - Zurich

The luxurious Dolder Grand Hotel in Zurich Switzerland has a long tradition of excellence, going back to 1899.

The Dolder Grand Hotel re-opened its doors earlier this year, to its élite clientèle after an extensive renovation period that lasted four years. After touring the hotel, it became quite evident why it has taken them so long to re-open.

The elegant Dolder had been truly transformed into an oasis of well-being. The famous architects, Foster & Partners, have turned this very traditional and monumental Zurich landmark into a luxury city resort.

Sitting on the hills of Zurich, overlooking the lake’s beautiful shoreline as well as the Swiss Alps, the hotel offers a serene environment of forest walkways whilst, at the same time, it is just minutes from the city center where you’ll find everything from the best shops to metropolitan entertainment.

The rooms at the Dolder Grand Hotel are spacious, decorated with the finest materials and opulent furniture in a contemporary design, featuring the highest standard of modern day technology (for example every room offers free wireless internet access, as well as a state-of-the-art Bang & Olufsen entertainment units which allow you to control almost all of the room’s luxuries with the touch of a universal remote).

Dolder Grand Hotel - Zurich

After soaking up the view from your private terrace, the hotel has an award winning Spa which stretches on forever. The spa includes countless pampering extravagances which will rejuvenate you from head to toe.

The Spa was designed by the internationally renowned wellness specialist Sylvia Sepielli and is open for your indulgence 7 days a week from 7am to 10pm. In September 2008, it received the  prestigious Tatler Award for “the smartest escape”. A temple of relaxation, where only the best is good enough, with all the amenities and delights that anyone, even the most demanding client, could desire.

Culinary excitement is provided by the German cook Heiko Nieder who will serve you up some miraculous treats for your taste buds in “The Restaurant”, which has been awarded a Michelin star, as well as 17 Gault Millau points.

The quality service and attention to detail in this newly re-opened resort is nothing short of excellent and it makes for the perfect weekend getaway, to clear your head and to soak up the finest, luxurious pleasures. In April, the Dolder Grand was on the 2009 hotel list of Condé Nast Travelor (UK) as one of the world’s best new hotels.

Each of the Dolder Grand’s four luxury Top Suites is an expression of individual extravagance. Harmonious interior designs, each different from the other, create an exclusive ambiance in all four suites.

For more information: please visit The Dolder Grand Hotel

From an article by luxe living on February 2, 2012

Swiss weekend snow, ski and winter sports report, 3-5 February

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Baby, It’s Cold Outside…

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – We’re heading for the slopes shortly, so this will be short and sweet: a great weekend of skiing and snowboarding is out that for those who are ready to brave the cold.

Weather forecast, avalanche conditions, snow depth

Snow whipped off rooftops and swirled around village streets near Lake Geneva, Friday morning

From now until Tuesday: sunny skies with icy temperatures. Everywhere. Wild winds that are already whipping up Lake Geneva are likely to continue through the weekend, “adding to the impression of fierce cold”, says the national weather service, MeteoSwiss.

Temperatures of -10C (+14F) with a high of -8 (+18F) in Geneva Friday will keep falling, to -12 (+11F) with a high of -6 (+21F) by Sunday, and only -7 (+19F)

Tuesday.

Southern Alps areas and the Jura will be some of the cold spots, with La Chaux-de-fonds and Zermatt having overnight lows of -21C (-6F) Saturday.

Strong winds, up to 55 and 65 kph (34 to 40 mph) over the weekend will build in strength, reaching 75kph (46mph) in many areas and 95kph (59mph) in Eastern Switzerland at the start of next week.

Snow depth

Small amounts of new snow have fallen in most mountain areas in the past three days. The depth at 2,000 metres (6562 feet) throughout the Alps remains more than 200cm (79 inches) and will remain that way given the cold spell. The depth in the Jura is 20-50cm (8-20 inches) even at 1,200metres (3937 feet).

Avalanche risks are relatively low, 2/5 in most areas except northern Ticino, where it is 3/5.

 

Jura report

by Shirley Curran

Although the snow conditions are superb, it is extremely cold up on our local hills and the temperatures are due to drop every day until Sunday when we might expect a very slight rise, from the predicted -20C to -17C! (-4F to +1F) The bise wind is due to strengthen.

If you enjoy feathery light snow and extremely cold weather, this is the time to head for the Jura – but wrap up well and plan lots of stops for hot wine or hot chocolate. The cold is fearsome! As always, I recommend that you check the webcams and the website at Monts-Jura.com before you load up the car.

Alps report: sun and cold weather should provide some perfect skiing, but check resorts for wind closings before you head out, given that the wind is likely to pick up as the weekend goes on. Check our previous winter weekend snow and winter sports reports for links to a number of resorts.

 

This report is from Ellen Wallace at genevalunch.com

Weather update for the Swiss Alps – - very cold, sun is out

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SION, SWITZERLAND – The sun struggled to come out early Saturday morning in the Swiss Alps, and instead left a show of frosted trees and mountainsides while temperatures fell to -20c (-4f) and lower above 2,000 metres (6,562 feet). By 11:00 a light snow was still falling and the sun was out, creating spectacular scenery.

Swiss Alps, canton Valais, 4 February 2011

The path less taken, in this case through Valais pastures, is the one off-piste skiers love

Webcam from Crans-Montana at 11:35 Saturday: clearing skies, spectacular scenery and great snow.

This was written by Ellen Wallace for genevalunch.com

PHOTO of the DAY – - Old Zermatt – Matterhorn photo

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swissrailpasses.com Zermatt & the Matterhorn, circa 1880s

Zermatt & the Matterhorn, circa 1880s

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This a very rare and unique hand colored photo of Zermatt and the Matterhorn. The vintage is 1880s to 1890s.

The remarkable thing about this photo is how little things changed since this photo was taken. Of course, the town is much larger, but the surroundings are almost identical to what you see there today.