Arriving in Bern, Switzerland

[amiausUSA]

Please watch also the prequel to this film: v 22kvG8axGZA

[MagoLerio]

I didn't know that the station of Bern was in a tunnel...

[amiausUSA]

The Bern SBB rail station is actually not in a tunnel, but under a building, that would suggest it were under a tunnel. It is very handy for the times when it snows or rains.

[microbot23]

wtf you booked first class ticket?? thats just lame dude.

[amiausUSA]

I had a Eurail pass, so I had no choice. Second class is not available after age 25.

[SchlittschuhclubBern]

@amiausUSA

You can sit in the second class with a first class ticket in switzerland:-)

[amiausUSA]

@SchlittschuhclubBern But why would I do that with a Eurail Pass, Swiss Pass etc? Isn't it a waste of money? I paid to sit in first class, so should I not be able to get my money's worth?

[CrYsIsSuisse]

@SchlittschuhclubBern nein du kannst es nicht wenn die kontrolleure dihc in im zug erwischen musst du einen zuschlag zahlen!!

[aledeville]

i love first class. it's not about beeing better, it's about enjoying the trip.

[darealbabyphat]

you u.s. guys like bern? i'm living there but at the moment i'm in l.a. :D much better

[NicuMD11]

wow! first class, come and see my videos... its first class ;)

[Michigan1985]

Is German the primary language spoken in Switzerland?

[amiausUSA]

Yes in fact 65 to 70 % of Switzerland speaks German as its first language.

[jeanpauljh]

In Second Place is French (20%), Italian stands at 6.5% and Romansh (an exclusively Swiss language, a mix of German, Italian and Latin) is spoken by 0.5% of Swiss people.

[amiausUSA]

There was a rumour one time, likely mid-February 2009, that English would become the "fifth official language" of Switzerland. That seemed too good to be true.

[SchwarzesPCSchaf]

what the..? that's not true! we don't speak german! or at least only very few of us do. but we learn it at school and speak it quite well. What we speak is called Swiss German which is a totally different language. Germans don't understand us. when we talk it. Swiss ppl don't really like to speak german.

[kumachan19852007]

Every EC has English announcement?

If it does, it would be helpful.

[amiausUSA]

Only when approaching the major stations e.g. Zürich, Bern, Lausanne and Geneva.

[amiausUSA]

There was a pre-recorded English announcement for an intercity train, from Zürich HB to Luzern (Lucerne), which I recorded in April 2001. It went "Next stop, Lucerne. This is the terminus station. All passengers are kindly requested to leave the train. The train crew bids you goodbye." It came immediately after the same announcement in German.

At some point I may post this particular announcement.

[jeanpauljh]

You will only hear the English announcements when the train pulls into larger stations like Geneva, Bern, Zürich or when the train is coming to its end station (i.e. St. Gallen, Basel etc.)

[croissantmania]

I miss Switzerland so much!

[rollotan]

thanks a lot!!! remind me all that nice period in CH!!!!! I will never forget

[320k]

I love that 3 chime tone they play before making announcements; instantly reminds me of Switzerland :^)

[mattmorelli]

I totally agree!

[amiausUSA]

Only very recently, e.g. b/w 2001 and 2004, did the stations of Lugano and Bellinzona implement these chimes. It's like a high-high-low tone. I have no idea if e.g. Chiasso, Locarno, Melide or Mendrisio, have implemented these yet.

[jeanpauljh]

As far as I know all railway stations now have the three chimes.

[LeThoem]

cool !