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International Art Treasures Web Magazine August 2005 |
Swiss Transit
Efficiency is a given when one travels throughout Switzerland. The small country demands to be viewed via train. Moreover the interior transit system is repeated throughout the major cities. Figure out one and the rest fall into place.
In the height of brilliance and ingenuity, the majority of the transit lives above ground, providing the opportunity to view the country while moving from one cultural delight to the next. Each tram stop is named and most public attractions list the closest tram stop in their promotional materials, including their web sites. The corresponding tram stop shares the name. That might sound confusing but it isn't.
Let's look at how easy it. First visit a tourism center and pick up a map of the tram system, for example the one in Basel. Most visitors will want to visit the burial place of Erasmus located in the Cathedral or Munster. The closest tram stop is Marktplatz. After visiting the Cathedral let us take the route to Fondation Beyeler to enjoy its magnificent Picasso collection.
The tram stop for the art gallery bears its name, Fondation Beyeler. It is common for Swiss Transit to name the stops for the appropriate destinations. Several trams pass through Marktplatz, including the blue 6 which continues to Fondation Beyler. The next thing to determine is which side of the street at Marktplatz to stand on in order to board the correct blue 6 tram. Each tram displays its number and last stop on the front of the vehicle. Given Fondation Beyeler is not the last stop on the blue 6 tram line its name won't appear. Either Aeschenplatz will, which is the wrong direction, or Riehne Grenze, which the correct direction from Marktplatz. Thus if one is planning to visit Fondation Beyeler and the number 6 tram bearing "Aeschenplatz" appears, merely cross the street and wait for the number 6 tram bearing "Riehne Grenze" the last stop on the line that does stop at Fondation Beyeler.
One of the advantages of a Swiss Rail pass is that it is valid in all of the cities listed on the Swiss Transit Synoptic Map. This includes Zurich, Basel, Berne and Luzern, to mention just a few of the cities that are included with the use of a Swiss Pass or Swiss Flexi Pass. For those planning to visit more than one city a pass is a good investment. They offer unlimited travel but for a specific number of days which can really open up the country to the tourist. If that weren't enough purchasing the Swiss Pass includes not only transportation but entry to many of the museums and cultural attractions in the country. Simple! Efficient! That is Swiss transit. |
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