Golden Pass Railway

Though Twain may have been accurate (taste dependent), the Swiss have other means than yodeling to create music on the rails. In 1991, Montreux Oberland Bernois (MOB) railway’s very own brass band serenaded the crowd at the opening of a new 509-yard tunnel. Conductors, repairmen, ticket takers, and guards entertained the delighted masses with a rousing rendition of “When the Saints Go Marching In,” among other un-Swiss celebratory tunes. After a toast, railway officials, dignitaries, and the full brass band boarded a shiny new train for a 2-mile ride. The line’s director, Edgar Styger, was so excited about the tunnel that he performed ribbon-cutting rituals at both ends.

MOB, one of the oldest electric railways in Switzerland, begins in the grand station at Montreux. Passengers board the blue- and cream-colored trains (painted to match the Orient Express) with their restored plush interiors, before enjoying a steep spiral climb through tall forests and  open meadows.

Its GoldenPass routes, which have provided regal passageway for the likes of Queen Elizabeth and Queen’s Freddie Mercury, include Styger’s famed tunnel. The first leg of the three-part journey ends in Zweisimmen, bringing you closer to central Switzerland and the giant Jungfrau  mountain, known as “The Top of Europe.”

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