meanwhile, out the window...

Again this year, the grocery store ran a special on travel passes - $55 rather than the usual $75 for a day pass that covers (nearly) all the trains, buses, and boats in Switzerland. And again this year, I asked for and received one for my birthday. I decided to punch it on the day I had to travel down to Chur to receive the news about my assessment. If I knew I had something to look forward to afterwards, I figured, the news wouldn't hit so hard.

The reality was more like: if you're going to be a depressed zombie anyway, you might as well be a depressed zombie while enjoying the beautiful scenery and eating too many chocolate cookies. But, like, life could be a lot worse.

the itinerary

sometime after 0700: leave the house and walk to the Altstetten train station, intending to take the first available train to Zürich HB, have time to grab a coffee and a treat, and continue on the 0807 train to Chur. 

0731: catch the RE12 train to HB, arrival 0737. On the way notice that there is an 0738 train to Chur...is it worth running to see if I can catch it? Probably not, but doesn't hurt to try...it's only a couple platforms over...

0738: after running by the four first-class cars, quite sure the train was going to pull away from the station at any moment...made it! IC3 to Chur, arrival 0852

...but my appointment isn't until 10. Install myself in the Manor Restaurant with an Ovomaltine and a croissant. Try to breathe.

0958 and 30 seconds: approach the theology school in Chur. 

one hour and 15 minutes later: emerge from the theology school in Chur, not feeling particularly adventurous. But it's so pretty here...

Chur: the view from the bus station over the train station. A gorgeous day to go adventuring.

1155: RE7 to Disentis/Mustér, arrival 1309 followed by a bit of loitering around Disentis, where there's a cloister with a boarding school and also a random carillon and also a crystal museum with some very selective hours.

Disentis: illustrated by, or at least in the style of, Alois Carigiet

1415: R45 to Andermatt, arrival 1621. Up into the mountains, which are white and icy. Nearly every station has a ski lift next to it. At one point a squad of Swiss Army Rangers tramps on, still in ski boots, each carrying a regulation backpack and ice axe. 

my pictures out the train window aren't great but the views were predictably stunning

1629: R44 to Göschenen, arrival 1644. A short ride down a steep hill with a glimpse of the Teufelsbrücke.

1646: Bus 401 to Flüelen / Hauptplatz, arrival 1750. The bus winds its way down through sun and shadow, letting me off by the always-stunning Urnersee. 

hydropower! at what I believe is the Kraftwerk Amsteg

the Urnersee

Flüelen

1709: S2 to Brunnen, arrival 1720. The plan had been to take this train all the way to Zug, and from there back to Altstetten, but...I wasn't ready to give up, I guess. I thought I might walk to the lake again in Brunnen because the ten minutes in Flüelen hadn't given me nearly enough water time. But the sun was getting low...and then the public transport app made me an offer I couldn't refuse: a route back to Zürich with no fewer than four (4) transfers. What's a day pass for, if not this?

1726: Bus 502 to Schwyz / Zentrum / Zone A, arrival 1742

The Mythen ("the myths"), looming large over Schwyz

1745: Bus 507 from Schwyz / Zentrum / Zone D to Sattel / Krone, nominal arrival 1759. But the bus was a few minutes late. Would I make the connection? YES - the brilliant bus driver let people off at an unscheduled stop near the station so we wouldn't miss the train.

waiting on the platform at Sattel, where it was getting cold, though you can still see some sun on the hills back there

1805: S31 from Sattel to Biberbrugg, arrival 1820. Biberbrugg is only one stop away from Einsiedeln. Its train station, at least, has all of the trail signs but none of the stunning scenery.

Wegweiserweiser - trail signs that point to other trail signs. So meta. So Swiss.

Life lesson: the path is never straight.

1833: S13 to Wädenswil, arrival 1850. 

Hello, Lake Zurich! And soon farewell, day pass.

1900: S25 to Zürich HB, arrival 1917.

And then my dear husband met me for a quick dinner and we went to see "The Testament of Ann Lee," which in as much as it involves a female religious leader was topical, but halfway through the movie he started feeling ill and when we got home he spent 36 hours passed out in bed with a stomach flu so...that could have ended better. But even so, three cheers for random Swiss adventuring. When Dan's grandfather retired he bought a year-long pass and spent all his free time riding the trains just because he could. Goals!