Around Lake Geneva by Train: From Geneva to Montreux

December 26, 2023September 20, 2024 Koen 0 Comments

This review shows you how a train journey along the northern shore of Lake Geneva from Geneva to Montreux is like.

From Geneva to Montreux by train

Having spent a short time in the greater Geneva area (in which I actually stayed in a hotel in Annemasse across the border with France, as it was way cheaper than Swiss hotel prices!) it was time to continue my train trip across Switzerland.

Today’s schedule on the Swiss railway tracks was quite intense: I would be travelling the entire length of the famous Golden Pass rail route from Montreux to Interlaken and Lucerne.

I therefore first needed to reach the starting point of Montreux, which fortunately is only a short train ride away from Geneva.

lake geneva water fountain — *The famous Lake Geneva water fountain. ©Paliparan*

oskar hotel annemasse cheap geneva — *My room at Oskar Hotel in Annemasse. ©Paliparan*

Geneva station

The journey started at the station of Geneva, which has all the facilities which you may need as a traveller such as supermarkets, coffee shops and left-luggage lockers.

If you haven’t bought your train ticket yet, you can do so here at the ticket office or ticket machines.

While there’s no issue purchasing tickets on the spot since Swiss trains don’t have compulsory seat reservations and can thus never sell out, booking in advance will often get you a better deal.

A full-price train ticket between Geneva and Montreux costs 32 CHF (€34) in second class and 55 CHF (€58) in first class.

However, discounts are available for early bookers and for holders of discount cards like the Swiss half-fare travel card (“halbtax”).

Just remember that the cheaper advance-booked tickets are generally tied to a specific train departure, whereas full-fare tickets offer flexibility, allowing you to board any train at your convenience.

If you are using an Interrail or Eurail pass, you can use any train you want between Geneva and Montreux.

*The main hall of Geneva Cornavin station. ©Paliparan*

Geneva to Montreux by IR train
Train IR 1809 – Departure: 7.11am – Arrival: 8.10am
Duration: 0h59m – Distance: 85 kilometres

geneva montreux railway map — *It takes an hour to travel from Geneva to Montreux by train. ©OpenStreetMap/Paliparan*

The train arrives

For the journey between Geneva and Montreux, you can opt for either the faster InterRegio (IR) trains or slightly slower Regional (RE) train services.

The IR trains from Geneva to Montreux only stops in Lausanne and Vevey, while the RE trains also stop at intermediate stations such as Nyon and Morges.

I took the 7.11am Geneva to Montreux InterRegio train, which actually has Brig as its final destination.

geneva montreux train — *The train to Montreux arrives at the station of Geneva. ©Paliparan*

swiss interregio train geneva brig — *The Swiss InterRegio (IR) train from Geneva to Lausanne, Montreux, Sion and Brig. ©Paliparan*

On board the Swiss IR train

My Swiss InterRegio train to Montreux consisted out of both first and second class wagons.

In second class seats are two abreast at either side of the aisle, while in first class the seat configuration is two abreast at one side at the aisle with solo seats at the other side, therefore giving your more comfort and personal space.

The seats in first class are especially comfortable – and I found myself dozing off soon after departure.

Although these train wagons aren’t the newest ones you will find on the Swiss railway tracks, I do really love them and actually think the first class seats are amongst the most comfortable you’ll find in Europe.

As there is no dining car, make sure you bring your own food and drinks supplies with you, although for the relatively short ride between Geneva and Montreux this isn’t a necessity.

geneva montreux train first class wagon switzerland — *The first class wagon on the InterRegio (IR) train to Montreux. ©Paliparan*

first class seats swiss train — *First class seats on the train. ©Paliparan*

switzerland first class seat train — *Although these trains aren’t the newest ones you will encounter in Switzerland, the seats are some of the comfiest in all of Europe. ©Paliparan*

The journey

The railway line between Geneva and Montreux hugs the northern shore of Lake Geneva and when the weather is good you can enjoy some beautiful views from the train.

Indeed, on a clear day you can see as far as the French southern shore of Lake Geneva and the Alps.

Make sure you sit on the right-hand side of the train (when travelling from Geneva to Montreux) in order to have the best views.

Unfortunately, the weather on the morning in June when I travelled was absolutely dreadful.

When we departed in Geneva the weather was already cloudy and cold, and after some ten minutes the rain started to pour down from the sky.

Despite the lousy weather, I still enjoyed the views of vineyards and lakeside towns along the railway line.

Views of the mountains across Lake Geneva on the train from Geneva to Montreux; the train runs along the bank of the lake. pic.twitter.com/Vyf6H84OBP

— Brian T Scott InterRail & Other EUR Trains (@BTS_Interrail18) June 22, 2018

vineyards lake geneva — *View from the train over some lakeside vineyards. ©Paliparan*

lake geneva railway train — *View over Lake Geneva, with the contours of the mountains on the southern coastline just being visible. ©Paliparan*

rainy weather railway — *The views were rather limited this morning because of the rainy weather. ©Paliparan*

vevey train station switzerland — *Intermediate stop at the train station of Vevey. ©Paliparan*

lake geneva train view — *View from the train over Lake Geneva. ©Paliparan*

Arrival in Montreux

An hour after departure from Geneva, my InterRegio train arrived bang on time in Montreux.

At the opposite side of the platform where my train arrived were the narrow-gauge railway tracks used by the Montreux Oberland Bernois (MOB) Railway.

It would have been an easy cross-platform change if I would have directly hopped on an onward train.

However, my connecting train wasn’t due for another two hours, which gave me the perfect opportunity to have a walk around the centre of Montreux.

montreux station interregio train geneva brig — *The Geneva-Brig InterRegio (IR) train has arrived at the station of Montreux. ©Paliparan*

montreux station MOB — *At Montreux, there is an easy cross-platform change to the narrow-gauge trains of the Montreux Oberland Bernois Railway (MOB). ©Paliparan*

montreux station — *Montreux station. ©Paliparan*

montreux switzerland — *As you exit the station of Montreux, you will find yourself in the heart of the city. ©Paliparan*

Conclusion

It’s easy to travel by train from Geneva to Montreux, and on a day with good weather you can enjoy lovely views over Lake Geneva and the Alps.

Although this was sadly not the case when I travelled as the weather was lousy, I still enjoyed the train ride.

The Swiss InterRegio trains plying the Geneva-Montreux route are comfortable – and especially in first class they make for a great quality ride.

Trip report index

This article is part of the ‘Scenic Trains Around Switzerland and the Italian Lakes‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:

1. Bergamo: A Visit to Lombardy’s Beautiful Hilltop Town
2. Travelling From Bergamo to Milan by Train
3. From Milan to Varenna and Tirano By Trenord Regional Train
4. A Varenna Visit: A Day Trip to Lake Como’s Most Beautiful Town
5. Tirano: The Italian Gateway to the Bernina Railway
6. Bernina Express Train: Guide to Switzerland’s Most Scenic Railway
7. Review: Swiss InterCity (IC) Train Chur to Zurich and Basel
8. From Zurich to Geneva on a Swiss ICN Tilting Train
9. Cheap Geneva Hotel: Stay Across the Border in Annemasse!
10. Around Lake Geneva by Train: From Geneva to Montreux (current chapter)
11. A Visit to Montreux and the Freddie Mercury Statue
12. Golden Pass: Guide to a Scenic Railway Route Across Switzerland
13. Swiss Chique: The MOB GoldenPass Belle Époque Train
14. From the Mountains to the Lake: Zweisimmen to Spiez by Train
15. Spectacular Spiez: A Visit to a Scenic Swiss Town
16. Spiez to Interlaken by Train: A Trip on the Lake Thun Railway Line
17. Review: Interlaken to Lucerne by Zentralbahn Train
18. Lucerne: Exploring One of Switzerland’s Most Beautiful Cities
19. From Lucerne to Locarno: By Train Across the Gotthard
20. A Visit to Locarno and the Sanctuary of Madonna del Sasso

** rest of the chapters to follow soon **

Koen

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