Since I went west to east across Europe on the train a couple of years prior, I thought it only right that I go south to north. My original plan started in Seville going all the way to Tromso. However, travelling in July in southern Spain (i.e. 40C temperatures) was not going to happen. A few key train journeys were on the cards for this journey. The rest of the trains on this trip were essentially to join the dots.
Cog railway from Montreux to Rochers-de-Naye
Golden Pass from Montreux to Interlaken
Jungfrau
OBB NightJet from Zurich to Hamburg
Arctic sleeper train from Stockholm to Narvik
As you'll eventually read, some of these just were not possible. Guess I'll just have to go back!
Waypoints
51.533, -0.12675 - London to Geneva
I'm a great fan of early flights, especially on budget airlines. There are fewer chances of delays and drunk stag/hen parties. This time, was a 6:45am flight from London Gatwick airport and arrived into Geneva at 9:10am (local time). Speedy. The train into Geneva proper is easy and only one stop from the airport.
46.20459, 6.15228 - Geneva
Geneva is pretty easy to walk around. A short stroll down from the train station gets you to the lake. Across the bridge and you'll be in the English Garden, which is an excellent place to relax and get your bearings. A pilgrimage to the mighty Swiss watch boutiques is a must; conveniently they are all on one street. Visiting the Saint-Pierre cathedral is also recommended.
46.43607, 6.91052 - Montreux
Montreux is stunningly beautiful. The train from Montreux travels along the lake side. After Lausanne you're peering over the water; sit on the right side for great views. The path beside the lake has well-pruned flowers and a few spots to take a dip in Lake Geneva. The supermarket in the shopping centre is a convenient place to gather some supplies.
46.43171, 6.97896 - Rochers-de-Naye
A trip up to Rochers-de-Naye is a must if you're ever in Montreux. It is just a short journey on the cog railway; expect steep inclines and sheer cliff edges. Once at the top, the views are incredible. There is a large chance of clouds, but the ticket office will check and let you know when you buy tickets. There is a cafe, restaurant and toilets available. The alpine garden is a short walk away. The path does get a little scary but it is generally ok. If time allows, the 5 hour hike back down to Montreux will be great. Something I'll try next time.
46.41405, 6.92822 - Chateau de Chillon
Chillon Castle is a 40 minute walk, or 10 minute train, from Montreux. There is lots to see and easy to navigate by following the provided leaflet. As with anywhere in Switzerland, the surrounding scenery is sublime.
46.94881, 7.43814 - Bern
The weather forecast wasn't great for the afternoon, so I decided to spend the rest of the day on the train. Bern was a few hours away via Lausanne. At some point, the default language switched from French to German, which was a little confusing but fun nonetheless. Bern is a great place to visit, with lots of museums and streets to explore. It was also certainly a place that brought back my fear of heights! After a few hours, I headed back to Montreux while it rained very heavily.
46.69073, 7.86943 - Golden Pass Express - Montreux to Interlaken
Big travel day. First up, the Golden Pass Express. The train itself has massive panoramic windows. The seats were very big and the First Class carriage was relatively quiet all throughout the journey. We reach Interlaken a four hours later - a popular location indeed for tourists.
46.54751, 7.98185 - Jungfrau
I had bought reservations for the trip up to Jungfrau and connection times were tight. Once I alighted the Golden Pass Express, it was a quick hop to the next platform for the train up to Grindelwald. From there, a 20 minute cable car ride to Eigergletscher. Then the train through the mountains to Jungfraujoch. An incredible experience, where temperatures went from 30C in Interlaken to -7C on the glaciers of Jungfrau. Though very very busy even on a weekday, it was well worth the journey.
47.37784, 8.54056 - Zurich
Zurich was where I fully experienced how expensive Switzerland can be. It is a lovely city to walk around, with plenty of spaces to relax, but eating anywhere here will drain the wallet to no end. I was due to take a night train to Hamburg, but since I had thoroughly explored the city ahead of schedule, I decided to take an earlier train in the hopes of getting to Copenhagen in the morning instead of in the afternoon.
53.55338, 10.00648 - Hamburg
That decision turned out to be a bad decision. The leg to Mannheim was fine. Pretty quickly the train filled up. By the time we had to change trains at 11pm, it became apparent that the entire train was filled with football fans and was going the same way. Since the next train was jammed, it was standing room only until 1am when they all alighted at Dusseldorf. I managed a couple of hours shut eye (always bring an eye mask) and awoke just before Breman when I realised the train was no longer going to Hamburg. We all had to change onto a Metronom train at 4am. Luckily we were on time, and I managed to just catch my onward train to Copenhagen with a few seconds to spare.
55.67269, 12.5647 - Copenhagen
I spent three full days in Copenhagen as a tactical rest compared to the adventurous time in Switzerland, and enjoyed every minute of it. The weather was lovely and there was a large selection of design and art museums. Tivoli was great fun and highly recommended. The cafes and hot dog stands were awesome, and I ate the best cardamom croissant from Hart bakery. I'm still thinking about it to this day.
57.70923, 11.97329 - Gothenburg
With only 4 hours in Gothenburg before my onward train, it was time for a speed run. Arriving at noon, first priority was Swedish meatballs. Luckily, there is a store at Stora Saluhallen (market hall) which serves them and wasn't too far from the train station. A gentle stroll through Kungsparken gets you to the district of Haga. New challenge. Climb up the hill to Skansen Kronan to get a lovely view over the whole city. To end the fleeting visit, we relax in Cafe Husaren for fika.
59.91122, 10.75242 - Oslo
Here we end our continuous journey by train. The Arctic Train from Stockholm was not running, so I continued the journey to Narvik by plane. A brief night in Oslo before the plane tomorrow morning. Not to worry, I'll be back in Oslo after visiting the Arctic Circle.
68.44165, 17.44146 - Narvik
The bus at Evenes airport is wonderfully set up to take passengers into Narvik; it'll wait for passengers in the event of a delayed arrival, so no need to worry. This is my first time to experience 24 hour daylight in the Arctic Circle and I was very excited. After dropping my bags at the hotel, I went for a dinner and then proceeded to walk to a local swimming spot. Afterwards, I hiked up to the cable car station and took it up to the viewpoint and cafe. The view as the sun was lowering in the sky was breathtaking. I tried to stay up here until midnight, but the mosquitoes were feasting on me too much. I decided to hike back down to my hotel instead of taking the cable car down. It is a pleasant walk and you get to experience the clean air. The next day was raining so I decided to take the Arctic Train on the Ofoten Line to Bjornfjell (the last station before the Swedish border), and also visited the Narvik Museum.
69.64884, 18.95601 - Tromso
The bus from Narvik to Tromso takes 4.5 hours. Nothing too eventful but comfortable. My time in Tromso was filled with much hiking. First across the really big Tromso Bridge and up to the viewpoint beyond the cable car. I took the Sherpatrappa back down which involved some incredibly steep steps; once again my legs were very wobbly at the end. Next hike took me to Prestvannet and then down to Telegrafbukta and Sydspissen. Great locations for a swim too! It was great to see so many people out hiking - the fjords are really beautiful.
59.91122, 10.75242 - Oslo
Back in Oslo for a few days to finish off the trip. The Vigeland Museum housing the art of Gustav Vigeland was simply some of the best sculptures I have ever seen. Amazing art and one I definitely recommend for any visitor to Oslo. The bigger sculptures in Frognerparken were great, but the museum offers a much more intimate experience without the hordes of tourists trying to take photos. The National Museum was excellent and I spent many hours there. There was also a big Mark Rothko exhibition which was incredible too. There is so much to see, do and eat here it is definitely a place to come back to. One day I'll pick up the courage to go to the saunas and jump into the sea.
51.47136, -0.48786 - London
The flight back to London was pleasant and also marked the first leg of my round the world flights.
51.533, -0.12675 - London to Geneva
