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We arrived into St Pancras almost five minutes early, which means if I am swift and the Victoria is kind, I might be able to pick up a train home from Vauxhall. But, I think I'll end the thread here. If you've followed me and friends on this Interrail shenanigan and we've inspired you, then do it!

Eurostar train under the glass roof of St Pancras

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RER A turned up, a wait at Châtelet les Halles and then RER B. The D had a 27 minute wait... And then the faff of the registration kiosks which oddly do not have a UK button despite that being the only destination. Anyway, managed to get onboard 9O63, an e320 to whisk me back to STP

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Time to submit ourselves to the ... Experience that is TGV Lyria. Aboard an Alston built duel voltage duplex train.

Genevé main station is... Busy. And a tad confusing in places. It seems to be wedged into a shopping centre as well which isn't the best for passenger experience. Anyway, down to the lake, spotted a Camino shell, saw the fountain and a monument and then via a supermarket for snacks.

We stayed on the L3 from Annemasse and should arrive at Genevé by 1528. Will have just shy of an hour for food and very quick sight seeing.

And all the way down to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, to change to our next service. We are taking TER23484 towards Annemasse, close to the border.

On the way down to and then through Chamonix, the views just kept developing. The sheer scale of the massif unfurling and taking up a good portion of my eyeline.

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Crossing the platforms we boarded the next train to Saint-Gervais-les-Bains and further into the French Alps. And our first glimpse towards the mountains around Mont Blanc. Oh and we are on old coaching stock, with opening windows! Que a lot more photos!

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The route up to Vallorcine was pleasantly wooded, from the little depot and engaging with the cogwheel we watched the valleys falling away as we climbed quickly through tunnels and tight turns.

We had just enough time in Martigny to grab a coffee and croissant, and see the mirror rocks before we needed to get heading back to the station and getting the next train. A third rail using cog railway over the hills towards Vallorcine.

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A quick cross platform change at Visp to grab the IR95 - a mixed single and double deck carriages under headcode TRN1714 - and off towards Martigny. Not much else to say right now. Just enjoying the scenery and wishing for coffee.

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Only a few minutes to change at Bern, onto the IC8 towards Brighton, changing at Visp. Our planned route via Palézieux and the R7 has been cancelled due to track issues so no lakeside run for us this morning. I did manage to get the bridge at Bern this time though. And mountains near Thun.

Fields in foreground and distant mountains

Sunday, and so begins the long journey home. First the Tram 1 back to Basel SBB and the 0758 IC61 service (an ICE under headcode IC 333) to Bern.

Destination board on train showing IC333

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Post dinner back to the station and onto the SOB IR26 back to Basel. Should be back around 2200 but alas no late evening TER so will have to navigate the extensive road works in Basel and get the tram back to the hotel. Anyway, have some pretty night time pictures of Luzern and plan your own trip

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We did the length of the accessible wall and then down to the little city farm behind the Waxhtturm tower. From here we grabbed a beer and then down to the city again to find some dinner.

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You can go up inside two of the nine towers and out along the wall. The views are pretty incredible and it's great that you can come up here for free.

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Went up the hill to the old city wall with some very tall towers and fantastic views out across the city and lake. It's called the Musegg Wall, stretches over 800m and 9m high and dates back to around 1400. Something to do with the Battle of Sempach in 1386 where the Swiss defeated the Habsburgs.

They really like decorating and painting their older buildings in the town. Some of them are quite intricate and some are vaguely disturbing.

It does have some decent views. If you ignore me obviously.

Into Luzern and first of all there is some sort of apparently famous bridge... This is the Kapellbrücke, and it's associated water tower. It is the oldest covered bridge in Europe, originally built in 1333.

A walk up to the main road to catch a bus back into Luzern. And to the great delight of @yindee8191.bsky.social and @daxon.insanity.tube (if not @nqrw.bsky.social) we have a Citaro!

Sunlight spearing theough the clouds onto the lake below

Looking down the driveway toward the lake

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We went swimming. Third time this trip and our second big lake. Lake Lucerne is warmer than Brienz was the other day.

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We disembarked at Meggenhorn, a country estate and park that overlooks the lake.

Plenty of other boats out - paddle steamer and loads of small sailing boats. And the clouds look incredible across the lake!

Sailing boats under a gorgeous cloudy sky

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Of course we found a boat! My inner otter is happy. We even got an Interrail discount. Luzern and the mountains look even better from the water

And after a brief FLIRT we arrived in Luzern. The station front is ... Different. 60s airport vibes and a freestanding arch across a road directly outside the station. But we wandered across to the lake.

Concrete and glass station front with pennants

Up to Basel SBB main station, a little trip out, just for the afternoon.

The Tinguely Fountain (Fasnachtsbrunnen or Carnival Fountain) in Theaterplatz in Basel, Switzerland.
It features ten low-voltage mechanical figures submerged in a large, shallow asphalt basin. These scrap-iron structures are in constant, jerky motion, continuously splashing, pouring, and spraying water at one another. The whimsical movements mock the automation of modern society while mimicking the actors, dancers, and mime artists who once performed on that exact spot. The chaotic, playful spirit of the splashing water is heavily inspired by the deep cultural traditions of the Basel Carnival. In sub-zero winter temperatures, the water continues to flow, freezing over the moving limbs to form striking ice sculptures.

The beautiful station frontage of Basel SBB. Stonework, clocks and copper(?) roof is lovely

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Wandered back to the tram (spotted the little lighthouse model with cat toy) and jumped off again Kunstmuseam and wandered around to Basel Cathedral and surrounds. The knight fighting the dragon on the side of the cathedral might get me into trouble with @keytarrex.bsky.social though!

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I caught a tram the rest of the way into town and changed for the T8 up to Kleinhüningen and walked across and around the rail freight yard attached to the docks and up to the Dreiländereck which marks the three borders of Switzerland, France and Germany in the river. I like a funny border.

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A slower start to today - we may have stayed up until the early hours - and I headed into Basel for coffee and a wander around. On my way in I stopped to see this old city gate with the huge wooden doors still in situ. This is St. Johanns-Tor, one of three remaining medieval city gates.

St. Johanns-Tor a medieval tower and gateway

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We had less than an hour here, so we called into a restaurant to grab a quick dinner so not real time to explore. But it looks like a city worth coming back to.

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I genuinely really rather like the design aesthetic of Lugano station. Clean concrete with 45 degrees angles and shaped cuts with those dark red/brown ceiling details.

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From Monza we caught the RE25528 service up to Lugano, passing more lakes which were enjoying sunset and giving us rather wonderful views.

Foreshadowing is a literary device... Anyway. We had some back and forth debating the boat. Myself, @yindee8191.bsky.social and @daxon.insanity.tube ended up in Monza. And it's the day before F1 so it's BUSY!

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From Tirano and along the shores of Lake Como, our hope is to get to Verenna and catch the hydrofoil down the lake to Como itself. But. Italian regional trains keep their own mysterious timing that do not align with timetables. And the boat doesn't let you buy tickets online or aboard. Hmm

Under the viaduct and onwards down to Tirano. Will be changing here and onwards into northern Italy

A quick circuit of the Brusio Circular

Down from Miralago and we approach Brusio Circular Viaduct, a full circuit that the train descends.

It still feels odd to be trundling along the road attached to a train that has just hauled us over a mountain or two

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We rolled down through some tight curves and switchbacks. Heading down towards the valley. And of course we found the delight of more street running!

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From the summit we have some 1700m or so to drop down and the views are somehow getting even better. The curves of the train revealing new vistas that I could barely tear my eyes from.

Watching it slowly change as we trundled along was spectacular.

Waterfall! This is coming from the glacier Palü Glacier (Vadrec da Palü) and must be falling a good 2-250m.

Ok, so, we climbed up to a little over 2300m and ... Just wow.

Ooo! Our next train from Pontresina to Tirano (RE1633) appeared to be an EMU pulling some coaches. And then, walking back through the train we discovered an open carriage on the very back! Well, I know where I am spending the next two hours!

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We rode through to Pontresina, having taken advantage of finding a carriage with opening windows so I could get some better photos. This was absolutely worth the trip so far!

The only problem with being on this train is that I can't actually see the Landwasser Viaduct, but the view from it was quite impressive.