Virtual Railfan Tour of Switzerland - Monday - Golden Pass to Gruyere and the Chocolate Factory


Today we visit Gruyeres and Broc Fabrique. Gruyere is an important tourist destination with a strong dairy industry while Broc Fabrique is the home to the Cailler Chocolate factory now owned by Nestle.
The Swiss Chocolate Train runs from Montreux to bring tourists to Gruyeres and the chocolate factory but it is faster to use regular service trains of the MOB and TPF to visit these destinations and to avoid the crowded tourist trains. The MOB runs trains to Montbouvon where we switch to the Fribourg RER S60.
A Swiss Travel Pass gets you on any train from Montreux to Montbouvon, including the heritage Golden Pass trains. The coaches of the Golden Pass train are quite elaborate in decoration
Interior of the Golden Pass first class coach waiting to leave Montreux. Second class is crammed with tourists with big bags but few come to first class
Changing trains in Montbouvon where we leave the loco hauled MOB trains and change to the Fribourg RER S60 which run from Montbouvon to Broc Fabrique with stops in Gruyeres and Bulle.


TPF Flirt unit at Broc Fabrique on the S60 RER

Cailler Chocolate Factory is owned by Nestle. Admission and samples are free for Swiss Travel Pass holders

Cholocate production at Broc Fabrique

Cailler sample rooms

The Cailler factory is rail-served. Standard gauge boxcars connect with the standard gauge Swiss network at Bulle where they are put on skates to take the narrow gauge line to Broc Fabrique. There are plans to standard gauge this line so intending passengers may have to transfer at Bulle.


Tilework on a Broc Fabrique dairy

Back at Bulle the Chocolate train finally arrives. Our journey on the RER was much faster.

Gruyere station is served by the Fribourg RER

Gruyere is well known for its cheeses and dairy production. The town is centred on the medieval Gruyere Castle built on top of a large hill in order to command the valley. This is a steep hike from the railway station which runs in the valley

Bed and breakfast in a dairy in Gruyere


This is where the cheese comes from

This is where the cheese is stored

This is how the cheese is consumed

Gruyere with the surrounding mountains in the distance
The Fribourg RER leaving Gruyere. The route back to Montreux can be done by connecting to the SBB mainline at Romont and then back via Lausanne.



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