Staring out the window at the town of Trimmis in Switzerland. Max Knight
Max Knight is a British photographer based in Los Angeles. He and his wife recently crossed the Swiss Alps along the UNESCO world heritage Rhaetian Railway–traveling on regional trains and the Albula/Bernina railway line from Zurich to Milan–and shared the experience with Lonely Planet.
"We spread the trip over three days, spending a few hours each day on the local train and the rest of the time eating, hiking and exploring small towns like Pontresina and Poschiavo," Knight said. "These towns are so sparsely populated, especially in spring, just after the ski season. Walking around a town of 100 or 200 people felt like being in a storybook. Especially coming from Zurich and ending in Milan, which are both busy, chaotic places.”
As the train chugged on, the landscape transitioned from springtime views to high-altitude areas and mountain ranges, giving peeks into local life.
“The Glacier Express is another famous tourist train with panoramic views, but there was something really charming about the local trains," Knight said. "There were a lot of commuters reading newspapers in front of these majestic views while the half dozen tourists seated behind them were looking out the window and kind of losing their minds. The hardened Swiss and the emptiness of the off-hours commuter trains were a nice contrast to the kind of excitable tourists that we would run into elsewhere. There was one remaining ski slope open, and we saw a couple from Zurich who came clunking onto the train in their ski boots and gear, carrying their skis. They got off at the slope–the train stopped right next to it."
“If I had to tell a friend to visit one place, I'd suggest Poschiavo which felt really special," Knight said. "There was a retirement community that maintains allotments and gardens, and it just feels like heaven. This area of the Alps toes the line between German food and Italian food, and it was incredible. Even though we were there in the shoulder season, the springtime produce was super fresh. It was almost difficult to get the photos to look less saturated, the air was so clear. The piercing light was very intense.”
"We also did a lot of hiking on the Smugglers' Trail that was used to bring goods from Switzerland to Italy, beginning in the early 1800s when Napoleon imposed a monopoly on certain goods like tobacco and continuing for various reasons throughout WWII and into the 1970s," said Knight. "The trails are at a high altitude and along the way, we came across beautiful old churches and small farms with incredible views."
When their trip ended in Milan, the couple needed time to adjust to the shock of a busy train station and city grit. Both longed for the peaceful Swiss towns they'd explored.
"There is something quite liberating about the limitations of train travel through quiet towns," said Knight. "Being on foot, we were not able to stray too far from the train line and were limited to local food and lodging options. The result was that we spent far less time making decisions and more time enjoying ourselves."
Plan with a local
