A must-have when travelling in—or transiting to and from—Switzerland is the SBB Mobile App. It’s been a lifesaver more than once when we’ve had to quickly adjust plans or reroute on the fly. After spending the summer here, we felt pretty confident navigating the Swiss train system. But connecting from Germany was newer territory.
Sure, we could’ve jumped on one of the many cheap flights between countries—but train travel is way nicer. In many cases, it’s even faster once you factor in airport lineups and security chaos. This time, the goal was to get from Munich to our apartment in the Alps—Saas Fee. The plan: Munich to Zurich, Zurich to Bern, Bern to Brig, Brig to Visp, and finally the infamous Postbus up the mountain. No problem, right?
One of the perks in Switzerland is the “Super Saver” fare system—steep discounts (up to 50%) for specific connections. The catch? You must take the exact route you booked. If you miss a leg—for example, due to a mysterious train incident in Germany, you’re hooped.
You can probably guess what happened next.
Our first train out of Munich triggered the emergency braking system (which, in hundreds of train rides, we’ve never heard announced before). Fortunately, trusty SBB app in hand, we rerouted in real time. Despite the hiccup, we only arrived in Saas Fee a couple of hours later than expected and still in time for dinner at Don Ciccio’s.
Bags dropped, we sat down at our usual corner table at the restaurant. Gabriele might as well have had beers and iced tea waiting for us, and Andrea probably had a pizza already in the oven. It’s amazing how much a place can feel like home. Unfortunately, we missed Ina—she had waited for us, but had to leave to prepare for a busy pre-holiday restaurant week. We made plans to catch up over the next few days over lunch with the Barbieros.
After dinner, we returned to our cozy (and very Swiss-decorated) apartment—conveniently located across from the butcher, the bakery, and above the cheese shop (there is a nursery rhyme in there somewhere). Sheila and Cedar fell asleep dreaming of how they’d decorate for Christmas. I wasn’t as lucky—still had some business to take care of back home. But even with a few time zone juggling acts, being able to travel and end a hectic day with everyone still smiling is worth every. single. second.
Funny how quickly we fall back into the travel rhythm. After just a few months at home, we’re back on the travel beat, ready for another chapter. Yes, we pulled Cedar out of school a little early for Christmas break. But he brought his homework—and he will be starting school in a few days. Just… a different kind of school: Snowboard School.
Can’t wait to share more about that soon.
