Trip of the week: a bus journey through Switzerland’s high passes

Switzerland’s trains are famed for their spectacular routes and their efficiency. But the true “heroes” of the country’s high valleys, connecting remote communities and taking hikers to the most distant trailheads, are the humble PostBuses – and this summer marks the centenary of their most remarkable route, says Andrew Eames in the Financial Times.

Starting and ending in the resort town of Meiringen, the Vierpässe circuit traverses four great mountain passes, including the Nufenen (Switzerland’s highest, at 2,478m) and the Gotthard, the so-called “king of the passes”. It’s a glorious journey that takes nine hours, with a long lunch break, a tea break and stops at viewpoints.

The first motorised PostBus ran from Bern to Detligen in 1906, and by 1920, it had been joined by 100 or so more on other routes. These early vehicles often carried milk pails and sometimes even chickens, but the Vierpässe circuit was established in 1922 as a summer “adventure” for leisure travellers.

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Today, the state-owned company has a fleet of 2,500 buses, known for their three-note horn-call (based on the overture to William Tell) and their distinctive bright yellow colouring, derived from the arms of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian, who established a postal service in the 15th century. Together with Milka chocolate’s purple and Ovomaltine’s orange, it is one of only three colours protected by trademark in Switzerland.

The Vierpässe bus leaves Meiringen every morning from late June to mid-October, first climbing through the “ravishing” Bernese Oberland to the Grimsel pass. Next is the Nufenen, and a descent into the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. After lunch in the town of Airolo comes the Gotthard. Finally, there’s the Susten pass, the most “unassumingly scenic” of all, its sides “braided with waterfalls”.

Tickets cost from CHF168 (postauto.ch). Or get a Swiss Travel Pass, allowing unlimited journeys on public transport, from CHF267 (mystsnet.com).