Genève / Geneva to Sierre by train

The popular ski resort area of Crans-Montana has particularly easy access by train from Geneve, thanks to the connecting funicular railway, which is adjacent to Sierre station.

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Routes

From Genève/Geneva-Cornavin to Sierre

Journey Summary

Travel Time
1hr 56 min - 2hr 5min
Frequency
Daily
Travel Information

These trains on IR route 90 commence their journeys at Geneve-Aeroport station; it takes the trains around 5 mins to travel from there to the main station in Geneve before they then head off towards Sierre

Final Destination: Brig

2 x trains per hour

Tickets

Booking Tickets:

Tickets can be booked online up to 60 days ahead for both a journey to Sierre/Siders and and end-to-end journey to Montana encompassing both the train and the funicular.

‘Individual tickets’ can be used on any journey on your travel date, but they tend to be comparatively expensive.

'Supersaver tickets' are cheaper, the portion of the journey by the SBB train can be discounted by up to 50%, but these tickets are train departure specific.
If you book a Supersaver ticket and a flight delay etc, causes you to miss a train you are booked on to, you will have to book another full-price ‘Individual Ticket(s).
You can then apply for a refund of the Supersaver ticket, but the application costs CHF 10.

Hence it’s worth comparing the ticket price of a journey with the price(s)of the Saver Day Passes there's a possibility they might save you money and can also allow for a less stressful journey.

Using Saver Day Passes:

A Saver Day Pass could save you money, particularly if you will be making a day return trip between Geneve and Montana.

They can be used on;

  • the trains between Geneva Airport /Geneva and Sierre
  • the funicular beween Sierre and Montana.

They are not train specific, so can still be used in the event of a journey to Switzerland being delayed.
Though as they’re only valid for one day’s travel, the clue is the name, so if you will be travelling back on another date, you’ll need to purchase another Saver Day Pass for your return journey.

However, they need to be booked at least a day ahead of your travel date, so won't be an option if you book tickets at the station on arrival in Switzerland.
They're also (much) cheaper the further ahead that you book.

Where to book
Ticket Provider Approximate Cost
SBB *

SBB Guide

SBB is the main national rail operator in Switzerland, but tickets for journeys by the other significant operators including BLS and SOB can be be booked on the SBB website.

SBB also sells tickets for journeys to many destinations which involve a combination of SBB trains and services provided by the many independent operators who serve the Alpine resort towns.
However, if you will be making a long-distance return day trip, look out for he possibility of SaverDay passes being cheaper than tickets.

Though if you download the SBB app, booking tickets on SBB's mobile services can be simper than using the website.
Also watch out for the fact that booking international tickets can be comparatively quirky.

On this journey

Journey Features

Scenic - YesLake viewsMountain views

Good to Know

In Sierre the base station of the funicular which leads up to the centre of Montana is a 3 - 5 min walk from the railway station.

The trains on the funicular railway depart every 30 mins, with one service per hour being non-stop to Montana in 12 minutes, while the other makes multiple intermediate stops, so has a journey time of 20 mins.

The trains get closer to Lake Geneva after Lausanne The trains get closer to Lake Geneva after Lausanne
Approaching Vevey station, looking right Approaching Vevey station, looking right
Travelling by the shore of the lake south of Montreux Travelling by the shore of the lake south of Montreux
Face forwards on the right to see the best of the views Face forwards on the right to see the best of the views
On the right you can't miss seeing the Chateau Chillon On the right you can't miss seeing the Chateau Chillon
Crossing the river Rhone as the train heads towards Sion Crossing the river Rhone as the train heads towards Sion

A plus of the fact that seat reservations aren't available on these trains between Geneve and Sierre is that when boarding, you can choose your seat(s).
Those facing forwards on the right (when facing the direction of travel) have the best views.

The highlight of the journey is between Lausanne and Villeneuve (to the south of Montreux), when the train travels on or near the shores of Lake Geneva.

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