Interlaken to Basel - SBB InterCity from the lake to the city
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- Опубликовано: 2 май 2024
- I am waking up in Interlaken, but I need to be in Basel for my afternoon flight back to Bristol in the UK. That's no problem as SBB provides a direct service with a Class Re 460 electric locomotive powering a set of IC2000 double-deck coaches.
We'll get some lovely views of the Thunersee before crossing Switzerland right up to the French and German borders at Basel. This shapes up to be a very smooth and hassle-free ride in 1st Class on SBB.
Join me!
Departure: Interlaken Ost, Switzerland
Destination: Basel SBB
Distance: 160 km / 99 miles
Duration: 2 hrs 1 min
Average speed: 80 km/h 50 mph
Example cost: Adult advance single booked from the UK on TrainLine
1st Class: €69 / £59
2nd Class: €35 / £30
Date of Travel: March 2024
Operator: Swiss Federal Railways (SBB-CFF-FFS)
Motive power: Re460 electric locomotive and a set of IC2000 double-deck coaches
Manufacturers: ABB Zürich and SLM Winterthur
Entered service: 1991-1996
Thank you to everyone that supports the channel by subscribing, liking, commenting or just watching these videos. I really appreciate it!
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Thanks, Johnny. That video brings back memories when I lived in Switzerland in the late 1980s. The trains still run on time!
Yes indeed they do. Mostly!
I had a wonderful trip. I look forward to returning again.
Thanks for watching 👍
There is actually an intresting story about the railway station clock. It was originally designed by the swiss industrial designer Hans Hilfiker. Today a few countries use this distinctive design themselves like the Netherlands or have developed similar, like Germany. The Stop in the 12 o'clock-position was actually a technical trade of, from back then. When the clock was developed technology wasn't far enough developed to consistently synchronise all the clocks with a signal for every second and the components would have suffered a lot more wear as well. So they just buildt in a consistently runnig motor which propelles the second hand continuously instead of doing it in small steps right before te 12 o'clock-position where the motor is disconnected from the gears. This is Designed to take about 58.5 seconds and does not need to be as accurate, which compensated for the technical limitations back then. The signal to reconnect the gears and switch to the next minute is given from a central clock synchronising them all over the country. None of this would today still be technically necessary anymore but it is still replicated exactly in that way because the design and function have become quite iconic.
Thanks for that. Most interesting. And thanks too for watching 👍
I really appreciate the fact of you mentioning my comment on your first video of your travel adventure in switzerland and i think i can speak on behalf of all traindrivers in switzerland that we really love our job connecting switzerland for all people 🎉
Wow! Thank you! That is so very kind. My thanks to you and all your colleagues on the railway for making my trip to Switzerland so great. 👍
Had the pleasure to use a Mika BLS EMU recently, that run on the Zweizimmen/Brig-Spiez-Bern lijn. It was a treat. In first class it was like sitting in a pleasant living room. Thank for the report Johnny!
Yes, i will have to return to try out them and many more trains and routes in Switzerland.
Thanks for watching 👍
Thank you so much for these Swiss adventures. Your informative voiceover really adds to the experience.
Thanks Tim. Best wishes to you 👍
I'll give you a shout next time I'm up your way. Let's have a beer 🍺
@@JohnnyHooverTravels sounds great!
This Switzerland series was outstanding. You are an incredible videographer and quite a storyteller. Thank you so much!
That is so lovely of you to say. I was just considering that my views have been lower since i started the Switzerland series, and so was wondering "did i do the right thing?" - your comment alone makes me think.. "hell yeah!"
Thank you so much 👍
10:42 this is quite a large project. The first construction work started towards the end of 2017 and the last stages of the project are scheduled to be finished only in 2035. They’re building a new underground station for the RBS metre gauge commuter trains because the current one no longer meets capacity needs and can’t be expanded. Apart from that, there will be additional underpasses and entrances to the station (again, to increase capacity) as well as some changes in traffic management around the station. Thankfully, the construction can hardly be noticed at all, at least for the time being.
Thanks for that extra information and thanks too for watching the video 👍
Thanks for a fabulous Swiss series Johnny. Something I've wanted to do for years and hopeful will soon.
I hope you manage to get there one day soon.
Thank you for the kind words. It was definitely a labour of love. 👍
I had a strange experience once with the stop-and-go SBB clocks once. It was 1st of August (national holiday) in the station of Olten around 1430. It was incredibly hot, nothing was moving the air felt heavy like molten lead. I was basically alone, no trains on the platforms and looking down the deserted tracks I had about 6 or 7 SBB clocks in my view. Perfectly synchronized they all stopped at the same time at the 12 and it really gave me the impression that time itself had stopped and only after some consideration it decided to keep moving again when the minute hand moved forward.
This is some years back now, but I still vividly remember this almost surreal feeling.
This phenomenon is actually quite interesting since it happens every minute at every Swiss station with every SBB clock. This is because when the first synchronised clocks were built by the SBB they were powered by a so called Synchronous motor (Synchronmotor in german) which depended on the mains voltage of the power lines. And since this voltage wasn‘t always the same they built the clocks such that the second hand only needs 58.5 seconds for one turn and then it waited till the full minute was over. Like that they made sure that all the clocks stayed synchronised at the right time.
Today we don‘t use this technique anymore but this thing that the second hand only needs 58.5 seconds was already in the mind of the people as something special so it stayed till to day. And yes, I often hear tourist asking the question why the clock now stayed still… : )
What a cool memory. I must say i was just transfixed by the two huge clocks outside Basel station that were in perfect synchronisation. 6 or 7 would be so great!
Thanks for that 👍
@@swissmathematica986 thanks for that wonderful explanation. Very much appreciated 👍
I've left my suitcase on this train! Tried to explain the situation in my best French to the nice lady in Basel station, who kindly explained to me in English that I was in the German speaking bit of Switzerland.
Lmfao
But did you get it back?
Well France is just a tramride away
@@keahnig164 I did! But had to go buy clothes and get my conference poster reprinted which all in all cost me about 200CHF
Haha! Nice to hear you eventually got it back...
Best wishes to you 👍
Another nice video Johnny. I wear my Mondaine watch every day. Every ferroequinologist should have one. I also have a Mondaine clock in my kitchen.
Yes. I think there's both a watch and a kitchen clock in my list...
... how did i live this long not knowing the word ferroequinologist? 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels I first heard it from Chris Hughes on 'Eggheads' about 18 years ago.
Lovely Area , Beautiful views, we went there years ago, would love to go back,
It was lovely indeed. I hope you get to return one day.
Thanks for watching 👍
I got myself the saver day pass for a day ticket which was £47 booking about a month in advance. Great value considering I could use it get all around the country.
That sounds like a very good deal indeed. As you say, you can get a long way in a day!
Thanks for watching and for the extra info 👍
Budget coach travel much more up my usual alley, but I would LOVE to go to Switzerland some day!
Yes. I will be back in the cheap seats next week!
Thanks for watching 👍
In many respects this video is extremely interesting, and is very well presented. However, I still cannot get over the shock that you failed to show the bus from Basel SBB to the airport. This number 50 bus route is now worked by 24-metre double-articulated BATTERY ELECTRIC (single-deck) buses, Surely most of your viewers would have been absolutely stunned to see these vehicles! (Basel has a large tramway system, but unlike the other main Swiss cities does not have trolleybuses.) (Incidentally the SwissTravel Pass is valid on route 50, which is regarded as an ordinary Basel bus route.)
There's only so much i can get in one video. 🤷♂️
Best wishes to you, and thank you again for watching me discover the little parts of Switzerland i could uncover in just a few days...
... I'm sure we will both be back again! 👍
You're giving me Swiss travel withdrawal symptoms .. I mean, it's been a whole month already 🤣. Actually, this Interlaken lakeside run looks even nicer than the Geneva-Lausanne one. Anyway, super enjoyable watch as always. Cheers!
You are very welcome. Let's just pretend that Switzerland will be very busy with tourists now the spring is fully here and we wouldn't enjoy it (we would, but let's just pretend...)
Best wishes to you 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Yeah, all those bluebells, green pastures and noisy clanking cows ... not my cup of tea, thank you very much!
Thank you for the swiss vids, i want to do a lot of the routes next summer
I hope you do. They, and many others too, are great!
Thanks for watching the series 👍
I have just got back from a twelve-day holiday in Switzerland traveling around using a First Class Swiss Travel Pass. I have been doing that most years since 1972, the year the STP was introduced. Two points need stressing. The STP extends to all forms of public transport INCLUDING TRAMS (which you did not mention). (The only Metro in Switzerland is in Lausanne.) First Class is desirable not only for comfort on trains. It also gives you access to the UPPER DECKS OF SHIPS. On May 1st I was on a Lake Lucerne boat and a lot of passengers were being turfed out of the Upper Deck as they only had 2nd class tickets.
Apologies for not mentioning trams. Also a great point wrt the boats that it isn't just the trains where the 1 st class ticket comes in dead handy.
I really could not explain all the differences without just going on about it too long in the video. I'm sure you noticed i only showed a small selection of both Interrail options and the STP options.
I strongly stick to my assertion that all the various tickets reflect options for people based on what they want from their trip and what they can afford to pay.
When i return again, it will again be with Interrail because there's lots that i haven't done that that ticket will provide. HOWEVER... with each return, the STP becomes the most likely option. If, like you, I keep coming back then wide variety of journeys I would wish to make would make the STP the definite choice.
Thanks so much for watching along as i discovered just a tiny bit of this wonderful country that you have been enjoying since 1972. I hope we will both stay fit and healthy for many more years to keep going back to discover more 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Many thanks for your kind responses to my comments! And I too hope that we both stay fit and healthy for many more years so that we can pursue our travel interests, and discover yet more interesting places,
Sorry to have been neglectful of the comments, but I have watched all the videos and liked them. The scenery has been stunning and the efficiency of the trains scary. I think SBB must have been on a GWR training course!
The videos were visually excellent and very enjoyable. Thanks.
Cheers Colin! The Swiss trains were scarily efficient as you say. So lovely to experience it for myself.
Best wishes to you 👍
Good morning and thank you for another Friday adventure. Always makes my day
You are very welcome. Back to the UK for next Friday's video... 👍
Thanks for sharing. Switzerland is so beautiful
Yes indeed it is very beautiful!
Thanks for watching another and best wishes for your travels 👍
Great Video Johnny
Thanks Paul 👍
Gwatt is a great town name
Tru dat 👍
Another great video. Interestingly, I've recently watched a video from Steve Marsh who was in the same area, so had some very informative videos from you both
Ah yes, Steve is a great lad and a master of the art. I have taken On some things from watching how he makes and edits his videos.
Thanks for watching this one 👍
Nice to hear the ticket breakdown!
Thanks, Johnny 🙂
No problem. It is a very incomplete breakdown, so sadly you would have to do your own research. Both the Interrail and the STP have more options for different periods. There's just too much to put in one video!
Thanks for watching and for the kind comment 👍
Olten is an interesting little town. I spent the summer of 1985 living one train stop away (Aarburg/Oftringen) and working at a supermarket in the nearby town of Zofingen. Olten is a major junction, perhaps the major junction in Switzerland. It doesn't take long to see it. It has a nice covered bridge and a very small old town across the Aare from the train station. I would spend my Sundays touring through Switzerland and would take the last train of the evening from Olten to Aarburg/Oftringen, on the line that goes to Luzern. The station was always filled with soldiers saying goodbye to their girlfriends. They weren't going to be away for long, but you know how young love is. The last train would always leave a little late, I'm pretty sure it was late on purpose to account for stragglers. I enjoy your videos.
Oh what lovely memories! Thanks so much for sharing them. And too for watching 👍
I loved the train ride from Interlaken to Thun and Spiez, having visited all three places. Found good prices as well and if you sit left facing the lake it is simply amazing.
As for the Euroairport, with bus 50 from Basel it is a handy ride and, even if the airport is in France, the bus runs on a road that has been recognised as extraterritorial to Switzerland
Yes, bus 50 was an easy transfer and i loved the ride around the lake too.
Thanks so much for watching 👍
2:46 I don’t know another country where you can find clocks that give departing time so precisely to the second…
5:11 Until some years ago the ICE was running this line every two hours but SBB stopped them at Basel because they couldn’t relay on the German punctuality ,that broke the schedule !
17:50 Basel is the only city I know with 3 different National Railways and their own stations.
SBB as seen here, adjacent is the SNCF station (the first train line in Switzerland) and the DB station across the city center, connected by a line crossing the Rhine River.
It also has the ONLY true “International Airport” worldwide -Euroairport Basel-Mulhouse (-Freiburg) BSL & MLH…with a Swiss and a French side in the Terminal…!
Geneva airport also has a French side...
@@mayomayhem
Does it have two IATA-CODES too ?
Basel has even 3 !
BSL / MLH & EAP .
EAP is the least used.
If not - it doesn’t count…
Thanks for all that extra information! Most interesting. And thanks too for watching 👍
I believe that since Switzerland joined Schengen the Basel SNCF portion is not as obvious.
@@erik_griswold
At least since the removal of the border control facilities in the hall 3 years ago.
From the outside the different architecture still shows the difference…
The Boats on the Brienzersee are only in Service from Spring to Autumn, because the Aare River isn't deep enough in Wintertime and there's no Demand either. The Ships on both Lakes are purely Touristroutes today, they don't serve real public Transportduties anymore since the Railways connected trough from Thun to Interlaken in 1893 and Interlaken to Brienz in 1916. They were however, albeit very rarely, up until the 60's used for Freight and Cattle, as well as they for most People were way cheaper than the Trains back then.
If you wish to go on the Lake in Wintertime, you can do so on the Thuersee, there are 2 Boats from Thun and 1 from Interlaken daily.
Funny, but historically true Story: The Railway between Interlakens Ost and West Stations crosses the Aare River twice, because it was debated back in the Days to connect the Shipping Routes trough from Thun to Brienz via a Lock in Interlaken, since the Brienzersee is 4-5 m higher than the Thunersee and also deepening of the Aare River. The Railways back then were their own Company and way more expensive to ride. They obviously didn't want to lose paying Customers, so the buildt those 2 Rivercrossings to make Shipping on the Aare between West and Ost impossible.
Before 1893 the BLS-Trains stopped in Thun-Dürrenast, where People and also Freightwaggons then were loaded onto Ships. Shipped to Därligen to unload to the Bödelibahn Train trough Interlaken to Bönigen at the Brienzersee, where People had to change over to the Ships again to go to Brienz...
Greetings from a Local :)
P.S.: The Name "Interlaken" comes from the latin Inter Laccus - between the Lakes. It was adopted in 1891 because many well known Travellers called it so, and it's original Name "Aarmühle" wasn't even really used locally anymore for quite some Time, since it split away from the Neighbouring Matten in 1810.
Thank you so much for all that local information. I did read also that the boats on the Thunersee were limited whilst i was there due to a "once in every four years" lowering of the lake level. But none of the signs by the lake jetties said that, so I'm not sure it was true!
And thank you too for watching my videos 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels The Lakelevels get lowered every Year, to take all the Water from the melting Snow in Spring. That is done to avoid flooding further down the Rivers and in the Neighbouring Countries (the Aare eventually merges into the Rhine)
But every 4 Years (or if neccessary) it gets lowered extra low to be able to do Works along the Shoreline, such as this Year where there are several bigger Constructionsites at Walls and Roads along the Shore.
Due to lowering all our Lakes Levels every Winther, flooding is very seldom in Switzerland and takes very extreme Circumstances to happen, like the 2005 "Summer"
Glad to Help! greetings, Samuel.
It's also worth considering the Swiss Half Price card, ca £100 and gives 50% reduction on rail, bus and boat including some of the mountain railways as well. Valid for a month. It can easily pay for itself in just a few trips. (The Gornergrat railway up to the Matterhorm from Zermatt was more than 100CHF without discount for example.)
Indeed so. I realised that i probably needed a 1 hour video to list all the choices and permutations, so in the end my description only really scratched the surface. Hence why everybody has to do the research themselves 🤷♂️
Thanks for watching 👍
Re ticket prices : depending on your plans, the early bird SBB Saver Day passes are also good value. Let's say if you have a mix of staying longer in a couple of places with specific travel days. They start at about CHF 50 in second class.
Thanks! Yes, there's so many deals that what i put in the video really just scratched the surface.
Best wishes and thanks for watching 👍
Waldenburgerbahn 📷👍😉.
Indeed! 👍
The reason for the "lounge seating" is because of the Doordrive that sits just there under the seats. Therefore a regular seating is impossible there. Bern station gets a new underground station for the RBS light rail (Metre gauge suburban)
Ah that all makes a lot of sense now thanks for that! And for the news about Bern too 👍
Basel for my partner and I in Germany
is often the gateway station
having travelled down the Rhine
and ending at Basel SBB station
There are some through trains to
Swiss destinations but we have often
taken an early start and had lunch at Basel SBB.
As you eluded to - there are so many options for
travelling around Switzerland and so many scenic routes
that are on the system.
We did a circle of
Brienz, Spiez, Montreux, Fribourg, Bern and then back to Brienz
which is a good day out.
Thanks for that information. That circuit route sounds excellent.
And thanks too for watching 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels
We enjoy watching them
especially as we are not able to travel
There are a lot of fascinating railways in Switzerland.
@@johncrwarner I'm honoured that through my work you can continue to explore a little of the world. Best wishes to you both ❤️
@@JohnnyHooverTravels
Your videos are for my partner,
who suffers from Alzheimer's,
it helps with recall and memory work
We often end up talking about this trip or that trip
we made and that is so important.
Great video, little surprised to follow you in Switzerland - I strongly suspect next time we see you in Liskeard switching train to Looe or am I wrong?
Still haven't been down to Looe. But hopefully in the next couple of months i can manage a ride out walk back down there! 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels As I remember it was it a very interesting route
Johnny, would you consider doing a video on the different types of ticket you buy please? I find the variations and options bewildering and I think your experience would beneficial.
I think variation is so great and also things change so often, that a video would be difficult and soon wrong... I would suggest just keeping up with The Man in Seat 61. He puts in all the work to keep up with things!
Best wishes to you 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels ooh, thanks for the tip, I'll check it out.
We have twice tried to comment on this excellent vid, but no show :( Is that because we included a link ? It was only to a Guardian newspaper article about walking & hiking from/between UK railway stations...!
Ah yes. I did see that posted in a Facebook group. I think they owe me some ride out walk back royalties! But... a useful resource for us all 😄
Thanks for trying to post the link 👍
@@JohnnyHooverTravels Many apologies, Mr. Hoover. We weren`t aware the site had pinched your work, and would not have included the link in our original post had we spotted it :(
@@ampersand. haha.. I was only kidding 😃
Gosh, what a lot you managed to cram into only 6 days. Did you plan it all out in detail in advance? And what did you do for hotels (which I seem to remember can be a bit expensive)?
It was all mostly planned. Certainly the hotels had to be booked ahead. Luzern was about £70 a night. The bargain was a private en suite room in Interlaken at a lovely hostel. That was only £62 a night and cos it was a hostel i could make my own meals too so saved lots of money.
The supermarkets were fairly reasonable and the restaurants i ate at were no more expensive than you would find in the UK... but if you want to spend a lot, then the Swiss can definitely make that happen!
Thanks for watching and for the question 👍
02:56
Lmao I think they had to paint this sign on the floor, because tourists kept on driving into the underpass...
Hahaha! I can imagine people think it leads to the underground carpark!
Thanks for watching 👍
Hopefully constructive feedback.
I thankyou for your time, effort,journeys and actual content.
I hate the introduction music, volume right off for the duration.
Too many :
And errr, yeahs.
Yeah and err yes 's "
Otherwise thankyou.
Very constructive feedback. I'm definitely considering that the opening tune/style has had its day. So when it stops you will know you had a little bit of input on that one!
Also the ums and ers annoy me too. I know if I wrote a script it would seem too stilted, but i do need to prepare better and think about my words before i start to talk into the camera!
Best wishes to you. Hopefully you will detect an improvement in future videos as i begin to get better. Do comment back in a couple of months... a lot of the next videos have already been shot, so i cannot improve those voice to camera bits now...
For the feedback 👍
Thankyou for your kind and detailed reply. I hope I wasn't rude or ungrateful. I really do respect the days of travel,effort plus huge expense and skills that go into making free content for others to enjoy. It must be exhausting.
The opening music is a bit of a frenetic migraine moment .
However it won't stop me from watching every video and being a subscriber.
Thankyou once again for all the time and effort creating great content. S. North Wales.@JohnnyHooverTravels
@@user-eg8pv2om7j no worries. As i said, I take the feedback in the spirit it was given. I appreciate your thoughts 👍
Also I wonder if the highlights in the 1st 30 seconds of the intro are a good or bad thing ?
To some :
Don't like it, won't watch //
Seen it already, so won't watch.
Or for me , it spoils the surprise of discovering the content.
Are you a Denver broncos fan ?
@@user-eg8pv2om7j no intro in the next video. Let's see how it goes eh!
Broncos? Nah. I play for Exeter Falcons flag American football team, that's what's on my hat. For NFL I'm allegedly a Jags fan, but i have a lot of love for Dan Campbell at the Detroit Lions 🏈
Bi the way i live in liestal and i wanted to trainspott but i didint have time
Best wishes to you and thanks for watching 👍
That train appeared to have a Kids Carriage. At least there was a bear stencil on one of the doors.
I expect that is similar to the Finnish Train's kids-area - ruclips.net/video/F4q6FqYu4AQ/видео.html
Depends, only the double-decker train have a dedicated playing area. Other trains with a family area have printed board games on the small tables.
Yes, the Swiss do a good job with family orientated coaches.
Thanks for watching 👍