Chocolate Train: the sweetest train ride in Switzerland

What is the Chocolate Train?

The Swiss Chocolate Train is one of the most characterful day excursions in Switzerland: a guided rail journey from Montreux that combines a scenic train ride in restored Belle Epoque carriages with visits to a working cheese factory and one of Switzerland’s oldest chocolate factories. It is a full day out that covers about 100 kilometres of Swiss countryside and two of the country’s most celebrated food products — all by train and coach, with no car required.

Operated by Montreux–Oberland–Bernois (MOB) railway and Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the Chocolate Train runs from May to October each year and has been one of Switzerland’s most popular tourist train excursions for decades. It is particularly good for families, food lovers, and anyone who wants a structured day experience rather than independent exploration.

The route and what is included

The Belle Epoque carriages

The Chocolate Train departs Montreux at 09:11 in one of MOB’s Belle Epoque coaches — historic first-class wagons built in the 1910s and restored to their original wood-panelled, brass-fittings glory. Sitting in these carriages is itself part of the experience: the plush seats, the small tables with white tablecloths, the period lighting fixtures. Your journey begins with croissants and hot chocolate served at your seat. This is the only train in Switzerland where breakfast is served in historic art nouveau rolling stock.

The Belle Epoque service runs on certain days of the week — usually Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from May to September, with additional Saturday departures in peak summer. On other days, the excursion uses modern panoramic carriages. Check your departure date carefully when booking.

Montreux to Gruyeres by coach

From Montbovon station (reached by rail from Montreux), passengers transfer to a coach for the drive to Gruyeres. The coach journey takes around 45 minutes through the rolling green hills of the Fribourg pre-Alps.

Gruyeres village (15–18 minutes from Montbovon by road): A medieval walled village perched on a ridge above a valley, with the Alps visible on clear days to the south. The village is almost entirely pedestrianised. The 13th-century castle at the top of the main street is open for visits (included in the ticket). The village itself is compact — one main cobbled street lined with restaurants, fondue houses, and cheese shops. You will have around 2 hours here.

La Maison du Gruyere cheese factory

The cheese factory sits directly below the village of Gruyeres at the base of the hill. This is a working facility where the famous AOP Gruyere is produced in the traditional way. Your visit includes:

• A self-guided tour of the production facility via an elevated walkway overlooking the copper vats (cheese-making typically happens in the morning, so morning visitors see active production)
• Cheese tasting — different ages of Gruyere including the young (5 months), reserve (10 months), and old (over 12 months)
• An exhibition on the history of cheese production in the region
• A shop with the full range of Gruyere products to purchase

The factory produces around 50 wheels of Gruyere per day, each weighing approximately 35 kilograms. The whey by-product feeds the pigs whose meat is used for Gruyere-region charcuterie — the food system is beautifully circular.

Broc: Maison Cailler chocolate factory

From Gruyeres, the coach continues to Broc, home of Maison Cailler — one of Switzerland’s oldest chocolate brands, founded in 1819 and now part of the Nestle group. The factory visit is one of the most immersive food tourism experiences in Switzerland.

The Cailler experience (formally called “Maison Cailler”) takes visitors through a multimedia journey of chocolate history from the Maya and Aztec origins through to the Cailler family’s establishment of their brand in Vevey and Broc. The final room is a large tasting space where visitors help themselves freely to the current range of Cailler products — pralines, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, seasonal varieties. Most visitors leave the tasting room carrying significantly more chocolate than they arrived with.

A chocolate shop sells the full Cailler range at factory prices, including exclusive varieties not available in standard shops.

The factory visit takes around 60–75 minutes. Visitors then reboard the coach or train for the return journey to Montreux, arriving around 18:30–19:00.

Return journey

The return from Broc to Montreux is by train — a regular SBB/MOB service through the Fribourg countryside back to the Lake Geneva shore.

What is included in the ticket price

The standard CHF 89–99 per adult ticket (price varies by season and day) includes:

• Round-trip train/coach transport from Montreux
• Breakfast croissants and hot chocolate served on board
• Gruyeres castle entrance
• La Maison du Gruyere factory visit and tasting
• Coach transfer between Gruyeres and Broc
• Maison Cailler chocolate factory visit and tasting

What is NOT included:

• Lunch (budget CHF 20–35 for a meal in Gruyeres)
• Any additional food or drink purchases
• Souvenirs and chocolate purchased at the factories

Ticket prices and 2026 schedule

Ticket type	Price
Adult (1st class / Belle Epoque)	CHF 99
Adult (2nd class)	CHF 89
Child (6–15 years)	CHF 25
Child (under 6)	Free

The Chocolate Train runs from May through October, typically on:

• Mondays
• Thursdays
• Fridays
• Selected Saturdays and Wednesdays (July–August only)

Exact dates for 2026 are published on the SBB website in January–February each year. Check early if planning a specific date, as the most popular summer departures (Saturdays in July and August) sell out well in advance.

Swiss Travel Pass and half fare card

The Swiss Travel Pass does NOT cover the Chocolate Train excursion ticket in the usual sense. However:

• Swiss Travel Pass holders receive a discount of approximately CHF 20 on the excursion ticket
• Half Fare Card holders also receive a discount of approximately 50% on the rail portion of the ticket

In practice, the Chocolate Train is sold as an all-inclusive package and the discount is applied automatically when you show your pass at booking. Confirm the current discount structure with SBB or the Chocolate Train booking line before purchase, as terms are reviewed annually.

Booking your place

Book directly through SBB (sbb.ch) — search for “Swiss Chocolate Train” or “Train du Chocolat.” The booking opens the full season in January.

Book at least 2–3 weeks in advance for summer travel. July and August departures, particularly those on Belle Epoque carriage days, routinely sell out. The train has limited capacity (around 100 passengers per departure), which is part of what makes it feel exclusive rather than crowded.

What to expect in Gruyeres village

Gruyeres is compact and walkable. The main street (one road, cobbled, about 300 metres long) leads from the gate up to the castle. Along it you will find:

• Fondue restaurants: The dish invented in this region. Half a dozen restaurants serve traditional fondue (minimum two persons). Expect to pay CHF 25–35 per person for a full fondue meal. Reserve ahead in summer — the village fills up around lunchtime.
• HR Giger Museum: Unexpectedly, Gruyeres contains a museum dedicated to the Swiss artist HR Giger, creator of the alien creatures in the Alien film franchise. The “Bar HR Giger” across from the museum is decorated entirely in his biomechanical style. Fascinating and slightly surreal.
• Gruyeres Castle: The 13th-century castle houses collections of medieval arms, furniture, and regional art. The views from the ramparts across the valley and toward the Alps are worth the climb.

Tips for getting the most out of the day

Tip 1 — Arrive at Montreux station at least 15 minutes early. The train departs at 09:11 and does not wait. Montreux station is easy to navigate — the Chocolate Train departure platform is signposted.

Tip 2 — Eat breakfast lightly before boarding. The croissants and hot chocolate served on board are genuinely good and will tide you over until lunch in Gruyeres. If you have a large hotel breakfast first, you may find yourself full by the time the second round of cheese and chocolate arrives.

Tip 3 — Have lunch in Gruyeres before the cheese factory. The factory tasting is substantial — you will sample cheese at various ages. Going in on an empty stomach means you will eat a lot of cheese, which is not a problem, but pairing a proper lunch with the tasting is a more pleasant pacing. The restaurant La Fleur de Lys and Le Chalet de Gruyeres both offer traditional menus.

Tip 4 — Bring a small cooler bag for the chocolate factory. The Cailler tasting room is generous — take-home quantities are entirely permitted. If you want to bring chocolate back without it melting, a small insulated bag helps in summer.

Tip 5 — Combine with a stay in Montreux. Montreux itself deserves at least a full day: the lakeside promenade with its famous Freddie Mercury statue, the Chillon Castle (20 minutes by boat or bus), and the Jazz Festival (July). The Chocolate Train day fits perfectly as one element of a two or three-night Montreux stay.

Tip 6 — Check the carriage type for your date. If Belle Epoque carriages are important to you (and they are the authentic Chocolate Train experience), verify that your specific date uses the historic rolling stock. Monday, Thursday, and Friday departures in peak season typically use them; other days may use modern panoramic cars. The SBB booking page specifies carriage type for each departure date.

For families with children

The Chocolate Train is extremely well-suited to families:

• Children under 6 travel free; ages 6–15 pay CHF 25
• The Cailler factory tasting room is universally popular with children
• The castle visit is not mandatory — if the queue is long and your children are restless, skip it
• The coach sections give children time to walk around and decompress
• Total sitting time in the train is around 2 hours spread across the whole day — very manageable

Bring snacks for children for the coach sections. The day has natural activity breaks, but the pace is still a full 9-hour day. Under-5s may find it too long.

The context: Gruyere cheese and Cailler chocolate in Swiss culture

Gruyere (the cheese, spelled without an accent in French) has AOP status — Appellation d’Origine Protegee — which means only cheese produced in a defined area of Fribourg and the adjacent cantons, following specific production methods, can use the name. The full AOP wheel requires a minimum of 5 months ageing. The reserve grade is aged 10 months and has a slightly crumblier texture and more concentrated flavour. The extra and vieux grades go beyond 12 and 15 months respectively.

Switzerland produces around 29,000 tonnes of Gruyere per year, making it one of the country’s largest cheese exports. La Maison du Gruyere in Pringy (the village directly below Gruyeres) is not the only producer but is the most accessible and the only one with a dedicated visitor facility.

Cailler holds the distinction of being Switzerland’s oldest chocolate brand in continuous operation. Francois-Louis Cailler established his factory in Vevey in 1819, just a few years after the industrial chocolate production process was pioneered. The current Broc factory (built 1898) sits in the same Gruyeres region — the proximity to dairy farms that supplied rich milk for milk chocolate was no accident. The partnership between Swiss dairy farming and Swiss chocolate making is not incidental — it is the foundation of the Swiss milk chocolate tradition.

How to get to Montreux

Montreux sits on the main SBB intercity line:

• Geneva: 50 minutes by IC, or 45 minutes from Geneva Airport via direct rail
• Lausanne: 20 minutes
• Bern: 1h20 via Lausanne
• Zurich: 2h10 via Bern or via Basel

Montreux station is lakeside, within 5 minutes’ walk of the promenade and most hotels. Parking is limited in the town — arriving by train is recommended.

Beyond the Chocolate Train: exploring the region independently

If the Chocolate Train is sold out for your date, or if you prefer to explore independently, the same itinerary is possible by public transport:

• Train from Montreux to Montbovon, then bus or taxi to Gruyeres (30 minutes)
• Bus from Gruyeres to Broc (10 minutes)
• Regular SBB train from Broc-Fabrique back toward Montreux via Bulle

Entrance to La Maison du Gruyere costs CHF 7 for adults (tasting included). Maison Cailler is CHF 15 for adults — or you can book a guided Cailler factory tour with tasting for a more in-depth experience. For a full day combining both food traditions, consider a Gruyeres cheese and chocolate day trip departing from Geneva. Without the guided structure you have more flexibility — you can spend more time in Gruyeres village or return on a different schedule.

The Swiss Travel Pass covers all SBB and MOB rail transport on this independent route at no extra cost, making it a very cost-effective day out when combined with other rail travel.

For other guided train experiences, see our scenic trains cluster or the GoldenPass Express guide, which also departs from Montreux. If you are planning a broader Swiss itinerary, our 7-day itinerary includes suggestions for how to fit the Chocolate Train into a full week in Switzerland.