Customer Reviews

The Railfan Guide to Switzerland

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I recently had the opportuity to travel to Switzerland on business. Before my date of departure, I purchased a copy of The Railfan Guide to Switzerland by George Drury, to get an idea of what type of train trips I could fit into the limited free time I would have. While reading the book, I was pleased that in addition to the wealth of train information it contained, it also included other advice and information that a traveler to Switzerland would need to know. Although this book is definitely intended to be a major reference source for the rail enthusiast such as myself, I think it is also a good guide for the international traveler that wants to travel within Switzerland. Major cities, currencies, dining tips, handy german phrases, tourist railroads and local attractions are all covered in the book. The information it contained, enabled me to get the most out of my limited time in Switzerland.

We recently spent two weeks of vacation in a small town in the Swiss Alps. Part of the package was a Swiss Rail pass good for 15 days, so purchasing this guide seemed a logical thing to do. While the guide will be of more interest to the serious railfan, it was very helpful to my wife and I for planning and anticipating what rail travel in Switzerland would be like. The Swiss railways are fantastic; they go virtually everywhere and often. The cars were almost always clean and comfortable. Between this guide and the timetable (an outstanding reference once you figure out how to use it) put out by the Swiss railways, we decided that a car would have been unnecessary. I would recommend this guide to anyone who anticipates traveling by rail in Switzerland.

Twice my wife and I have used George Drury's book to decide which trains to ride. Where to stay. Where to eat. What order to see the most scenic train rides. George's experienced insight and wit were extremely helpful to us. My favorite is the Bernina Express route. As George points out if you are shooting stills or video ride in a car with windows that roll down. I loved his comment about where the best food and beer are in Tiranno Italy. He says he would have to go back several times to decide. I agree. This is simply The reference book on the subject. I won't go without it. He should know as he has led many tours to this area and still does. This is the guide to train and alpine scenic heaven.