Switzerland - Visit Reports

February 2025

Courtesy of Andy Davies

I had pre-booked on the 14:15 mine tour which includes a ride on the mine train, but had no idea what exactly to expect. The tour starts by the main building (QR code to download app to get English commentary), led through a tunnel into the mine for an introductory/information video, then led to ‘Gare du Bouillet’ (approx 100m inside the mine) to board the train, loco #2 on 4 ‘manriders’, but wasn’t quick enough to get the front ‘verandah’ seat by the loco for the 1.5 Km, 11 mininute ride, deep inside the mine to ‘Gare St. Pierre’. Also noted, there were too many passengers for one train, and a second train had followed us! The mine tour was very interesting …. At the end, you re-board the train at ‘La Taverne’ (cafe area) which must be a short spur off the other line. The 2 trains were both in the platform and I bagged the front ‘verandah’ seat behind the loco, for what is a very entertaining ride back out of the mine, terminating at the loco shed. If the BLS did a tour, the line continues another 1.5 KM beyond where the tour goes to the part of the mine that is currently worked, and there were some lines branching off here and there also.