Hohtenn, Grandvaux, Grandson, Neuchâtel

Today I will be travelling around Switzerland.

 I'm starting in Brig

 It's a cold morning, the birds are warming up on the roof

 100 year of Simplon route was celebrated in 2005

 Re460

 SBB Am843 or Vossloh G1700 BB

 BLS RABe 535

 Early morning passengers are arriving from Italy to Switzerland

 I'm taking Lötschberg railway built in 1913

 Below is the Simplon railway connecting Brig with Lausanne

 There are some small stops along the route

 I will visit one of them on my way from Brig

 There is "Stop request" button in the train

 I'm getting off at Hohtenn station, located 1078m above the sea

 There is also a button for request stop from the station

 Hohtenn station is located 1km from the town of Steg-Hohtenn

 I'm taking a short walk from the station to visit the 123m long Luegelkinn Viaduct

 I'm taking the next Lötscheberger train from Hohtenn

 Mülenen

 Next stop for me is Spiez

 BLS Re 4/4 (Re 425) "174"

All locomotives bear the coat of arms of a municipality, through which a stretch of the former BLS group leads. Here is number "174" - "Frutigen", from 1972.

Number "188" - "Naters" from 1974

Re420 and Re620, for freigth services both types of locomotives are used in pairs. Re620 is a more powerful locomotive than Re420

Two Traxx F140 AC1 locotives, one DB Class 185.1 and another one BLS Class Re485

The new EMU from Bombardier is this SBB Class RABDe502, with the first train entering the passenger service as recent as 25th of February 2018. My photo is taken the 28th of February.

It seemed that this particular train was still in test drive mode, since it did not stop here in Spiez.

Eventually it will be deployed on this route to Interlaken

ETR610 / RABe503 is arriving from Italy

SBB Am843 or Vossloh G1700 BB

Spiez station opened in 1893, it is an importiant junction station between the connecting Thun and Interlaken, the line to Zweisimmen, and the Lötschberg route.

Lake Thun can be viewed from the station

Spiez castle

The existing station was built in 1915

BLS RABe515, aka Stadler Dosto, aka Mutz

BLS RABe535 "Lötschberger"

A freight train with BLS Re425, and two Re465

Re425 "179" - "Bern"

Re465 - similar locomotives can be found in Norway and Finland

ICE1 train from Interlaken

This train will be my next train to Thun

Next stop - Thun

ICE1 train approved for use in Germany and Switzerland

Traxx F140 MS from Railpool, and used here by BLS

MS stands for Multisystem, hence this locomotive can be used in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy

Re460

Thun station

Lake Thun ships are located in the harbour near the station

Thun station

BLS RABe525 "Nina"

My next train will be this Stadler Kiss "Mutz" train operatin service S1 from Thun to Freiburg.

These trains have been in service since 2012 in BLS network. Stadler Kiss Dosto trains are also operated by SBB, WestBahn, ODEG, CFL, and Westfalenbahn. From 2019 they will be also operated in Sweden by Movingo and UL regional services.

Traxx F160 AC3 LM from Railpool

Wichtrach

S1 line is passing through Bern

Inside upper deck 1st class coach

Interrail promoted by SBB CFF FFS

Düdingen

Passing on Viaduc de Grandfey

Last stop for this train is Frigourg/Freiburg

RABe527 operated by TPF (Transports publics fribourgeois SA) is a Stadler Flirt EMU

After a short stop in Freiburg, I'm continuing with SBB Interregio

Many castled can be viewed along the way

Another change in French part of Switzerland, the town of Palézieux

My next train will be RBDe560 "NPZ" which operates here S5 line.

Re460 with VSLF livery.

My next stop is Grandvaux

I wanted to visit the station due to it's location next to the lake Geneva, but unfortunately it was too foggy to see the lake.

Wineyards next to the railway, and city of Lausanne far away

Same railway line further east

Another railway line is located down at the lake

SBB Eem 923 locomotive from Stadler

Re420

I'm taking the next S5 train which is a RABe523 Stadler Flirt

S5 line ends up in Grandson which is my next stop

This is the third large lake I see today, this time it is Lake Neuchâtel

It's unusually cold in Western Europe for this time of the year.

RABDe500 "ICN" train passing Grandson

Grandson castle was built in 1050-1100

Many small fountains are covered in ice

Grandson station

My last stop today will be at Neuchâtel, to get there I have to go one stop backwards with S5 train

Inside Stadler Flirt train operated by SBB RER/S-Bahn Vaud

After a short ride, I'm in Yverdon-les-Bains where I have to change trains for Neuchâtel.

Yverdon-les-Bains station

Re421

Crocodile Ge 4/4 narrow gauge version

My last train for today is this ICN from Yverdon-les-Bains to Neuchâtel

I get off in Neuchâteö

BLS Re465

I have a nice view from the balcony of my hotel, it's just a pitty that it's so cold and grey

Basilique Notre-Dame de l'Assomption

BGT 5-25 trolleybus from 1991

Tour de Diesse

Neuchâtel castle

TRN RABe 527 operated by Transports Régionaux Neuchâtelois

Inside the castle

Statue of William Farel outside the Collegiate Church of Neuchâtel

Vectron locomotive from RailCare hauling the freight train for Coop