SBB*, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
I love thine extensive, inter-connecting network of trams, buses, trains, boats, funiculars, and donkey carts (ok, maybe there aren’t any donkey carts) which whisk me away to any corner of Switzerland with the greatest of ease.
I love how very very clean and pleasant-smelling thine vehicles are, how free from smoke, gum, and grime.
I love how thine website will tell me exactly how to get, via public transport and foot, from any address in Switzerland to any other address in the entire country, and in the language of my choosing.
I love how thou always adequately staffs thine ticket counters, so I never have to fear missing a train while waiting in line.
I love how very very punctual thine transportation is, and how thou apologizeth for even the smallest of delays.
I love how thine workers don’t strike. Ever. And thou just keepeth getting better.
Today I ventured outside the city to go to a friend’s house out in the boonies. The trip took an hour and required me to make two different bus connections. As I sat on the first bus, I perused my itinerary (printed out from sbb.ch) and saw that I only had 2 minutes to change buses each time. While I might have worried in a place like, well, anywhere but Switzerland, I knew I could just sit back and enjoy the ride…
Because I am a glutton for punishment, I am taking a train to France later this week. Thinking back on my previous experiences with French trains, the word “retard” jumps to mind. For those of you who haven’t had the pleasure, French trains are everything that Swiss trains are not. From my understanding, French train workers are the only people in the world who make Italian train workers look like dedicated, reasonable, hard-working employees.
Wish me luck.
* SBB is also known as CFF or FFS, depending upon which language is dominant in the particular part of Switzerland you happen to be in. Also, SBB would like you to know that the image in this post is © SBB photo.
I’ve been on both French and Italian trains. I’ll take the Italians at least their having fun while they work. Also I can never quite understand how French Ticket agents can speek the King’s English, but not that which comes from across the pond.
I am taking a trip to Ovronnaz this weekend which requires a transfer to a bus. I thought I’d have to time the connections myself and pay twice, but was thrilled to learn that the system is integrated. I buy one ticked and recieve just one itinerary. Amazing.
the trains are great, but i’d like to give a shout-out to the road-sign system. specifically the arrows pointing you to a specific town. you can’t get lost here — i’ve driven cross-country without a map and without a problem. it’s like having your own personal valet at every intersection pointing you in the right direction. i love that…
Sounds like a very convenient website! By the way, I can’t remember if I’ve asked you this before (and if I did, I apologize). Do you live in the French or German-speaking area of Switzerland? And do you speak the language fluently?
Zan – I live in the part that speaks Swiss German (see This previous post about Swiss German for my feelings on this particular language). I speak pretty good High German (from my time living in Germany), but that is only partially useful here. I’m not a big fan of the two-language thing they have going on here, that’s for sure…
I too love SBB… so reliable it makes you wonder why the rest of the world struggles so badly with their trains.
Ahhhh. Word verif is visible again.
Good luck on the French rails. I just hope you don’t have too far to go and no train change.
A recent visitor to our labratory used the expression “run like a French Train” to describe smooth, efficient operation.
Anyone wanna guess where he came from?
Lemming – is it La La Land?
No, and it’s a country closer to you than me (e.g. not Indonesia).
Is it France?
No, it is an English-speaking country.
Malta!
They have trains?
Well no, probably not, which would explain why the subject’s perception of trains was so skewed as to think that French trains were somehow “efficient”.
Have you ever been on English trains?
I have, although not in a while. I remember the worst part being how painfully expensive they were if you tried to buy them the day-of. And aren’t the British too polite to strike?