Has anyone ever taken the Lavaux Express Train that runs out of Lutry and Cully up through the vineyards? We have friends coming in July from the US and I was wondering if this is fun. What I really want to know is if the train actually stops at the vineyards for wine tastings along the route. The website makes it look like the trips are only 1 and a half hours long, which doesn't seem long enough for stops along the way.

Sorry-- i don't have any answers but found this thread when I was searching to find out about the same question and noticed you didn't receive an answer so I thought I would ask again.

What i am interested in whether this 1 hr train has time to taste and have a little visit? Or is there something that is similar and better?

I guess, I just don't seem to find the website of La Cote and Lavaux very clear-- too much selection that I can't decide on anything. I am also totally unfamiliar with the wines of Switzerland-- I have only tried a few at the Coop and was disappointed but I tried a great one at Globus and loved it but at 30chf, it can't become my regular wine.

We have visitors coming and I am hoping to include a little wine tasting on our way from Zurich to Geneva for the day. We don't have time for a full day of winery-ing and I don't even mind if we found something closer to Geneva.

Really, I am looking for recommendations of a simple trek so that we can stop, have a sip, buy a bottle, and be on our way. Also, we are travelling by trains so we need to be able to get their via the SBB.

thanks!!!

Can't help on the train trip as I've never taken it, although I live nearby and have seen the train at the platform in Vevey station. Just can't understand how it could take 1.5 hours from Lutry to Vevey - it's a 10 minute train ride along the lake. Even though the train des vignes leaves the mainline track and goes up into the vineyards to Chexbres, it can't add much to the journey. I think there's something fishy about the timetable. And I doubt SBB does a service which stops at different wine producers to allow some tasting. But I can recommend one place midway between Vevey and Lutry to do some wine tasting:
http://www.testuz.ch/treytorrens.asp?l=1

The 'train' is really a tractor with carriages, like the 'Dotto Trains' on UK seafronts.

Details

Guess that's not the train des vignes I saw at the station in Vevey

Correct, my brother in law's place in Epesses along the route www.gaillard-vins.ch. Basically the villages/local market organise either an open doors day or you go to the local depot and get to sample. Local vignerons share the burden on a rota system.

In addition there's plenty of places to eat.

For general info on wine in the region go to: www.epesses-nouveau.ch/Pages%20fr/description.html or: http://www.vins-vaudois.ch/fr/region.asp clicking on Lavaux or La Cote.

Taking a walk through the vineyards is also very nice. The distances are not far, but some of it is a bit steep. There are trails along the tiny roads that are only open to cyclists, hikers, and the farmers. Some trails then turn off the little roads and go right through the vineyards. Along the way, there are educational boards with information about the grapes and soil of that part, in both French and English.

Cully to Rivaz is a pretty nice section, and pretty short, but there are many others. Use the regular train and/or boat to get to and from the start points of your hike so you don't have to make a loop.

I've never taken the "Lavaux Express" train, but I've often seen it while out biking. Unfortunately, I've never noticed seeing it stop to let people on and off, it's always been moving along. Yes, it is the same as one of those "petit trains" that they have at most of the other lake-front areas in the region, which is a few tiny carriages towed by a tractor on the road.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings there's a special Lavaux Express 'Train des Caveaux' leaving from Lutry at 6.30pm. It does a little tour and stops at a wine cave of one of the local communes. The stop changes each night. You can see the list of dates/stops here:
http://www.lavauxexpress.ch/train_caveaux.php

It costs CHF 20 for adults, for which you get the tour on the train, a wine tasting glass to keep and the chance to sample three wines at the cave. If you like the wines, you can buy bottles directly at the cave (remember to take cash as they don't always accept cards!). You can also buy bottles of wine directly from the 'train' driver before you leave Lutry to drink along the way!

As Deep Purple and ChrisW mentioned, it isn't really a train, just a theme-park style tractor disguised as a train which pulls along about five little carriages. It's a bit noisy, so I'd recommend sitting towards the back if possible (arrive early to get a good choice of seats).

On a warm summer's evening it's a nice activity to do, especially with less mobile visitors who haven't the stamina to clamber around the vineyards in the heat of the day.

I noticed that there's another similar 'train' running this year from Chexbres, at the other end of the Lavaux region. I haven't taken it yet, so can't comment any further. More info here: http://www.lavaux-panoramic.ch/

we took this train last weekend. It is actually really nice, especially if you're not a big fan of climbing uphill. only problem is the engine of the tractor is very very noisy, so I recommend to sit on the back as far away as possible. Also, there isn't many seats so you should get your tickets earlier. The view up from the vineyards is stunning.

Here's an update--we did this today for research purposes for when our friends come to visit. The train runs during the day a number of times out of either Lutry or Cully. The daytime trains fill up quickly (there are only 34 seats on the trains) so buy your tickets as far in advance as you can. The daytime trains go up the hillside and through 4 wine villages but do not stop.

We were specifically interested in wine tastings, so we opted for the evening train which runs only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 6:30 p.m., always out of Lutry. They have a total of 7 wine caves that they alternate around. On any given night, it is not really clear exactly which vineyard you will end up at. This evening, the little train (be forewarned, it is full of tourists and it is comparable to a hayride) took us through Aran, Grandveaux and Riex before going back down the hill to Cully where we stopped at the Fischer cave. We all went inside the cave and were offered tastings of three different wines, which were all good. You could also order cheese or sausage plates to go with your wines which was an extra cost but almost everyone ordered them. I think many of these folks were using this whole experience as their dinner. We then had the opportunity to purchase any wines by the bottle that we liked. The prices were very inexpensive. The cheapest bottle was 8.50 francs and the most expensive was around 12 or 13 francs. If you bought a case, the prices dropped dramatically to like 6 or 7 francs per bottle.

The views were fabulous. The wine villages that the train goes through were Disney-perfect. A great experience for visitors if they are not capable or willing to hike or bike through the Lavaux. The train "conductor" spoke English. Well worth the 20 franc for a two hour tour of the Lavaux.

Hope this helps.

World Radio Switzerland review of the Lavaux Express here: http://worldradio.ch/wrs/news/switze...ew.shtml?15159

Click on the triangle to start the audio

I wanted to add another experience of doing this trip. We did it this summer while both my and my wife's parents were here. We did the Friday evening trip with the stop for the wine tasting at the end.

The train ride was great fun, the villages were charming, and the views fantastic. The little roads and paths that the train goes down were great - some of them I'd never even found when cycling or hiking in the region.

We enjoyed the wines we tasted, and bought a few bottles to take home. One of the wine manufacturers was at the "cave" where we stopped, and came to talk to us at length about his wines and was happy to answer all of my parent's questions (they are very into wine). It helped that we were almost the only people on the trip (it was early June).

Even if you are capable of cycling or hiking through the vineyards, then this is still a fun and different way to experience the area that I would recommend.

In 2008 I walked along the Lavaux vineyards, guided by HeatherM, from Lutry to Vevey (The Rain in Spain ..) on a beautiful day. Should I find myself in the Leman area on a weekend I will be very tempted to take the evening train, seems really fun!