Riding Romantic Train Through Four Countries, Published 13 April 1956 ABOARD
THE ARLBERG EXPRESS Here I am on one of Europe's most romantic trains,
winding up amid the snows of the Austrian Tyrol, on a sleeper headed
for Bucharest. During the day I have been in four countries if you
count the postage stamp principality of Lichenstein. Last night at Paris Nord I boarded this spectacular train, renowned in fiction as only second to the Simplon Orient as the route of spies. A friendly porter helped me with my baggage, and in a short while I was safely ensconced in a famous Wagon Lit. Men kissed men good bye, a whistle blew, and the big high wheeled Northern type engine of the French National Railways started us on our way to the border. One thing I have already learned about French trains they run smoothly. They also run on time. So through the night we roared over toward the French-Swiss frontier at Bale (Basel). It would be pleasant to give you an account in detail of the journey across France, but tell the truth, I could not stay awake to find out. In fact I had to tear myself out of my bed to watch the mild and easy amenities at the border where the Swiss took over from the French. The countryside got very pretty, we passed our first Alp, and suddenly the whole countryside began to look like a Swiss postcard. Zurich was as enchanting this time by train as it had before. I gazed at the town where Mussolini once spent a forgotten year as a journalist, I noted the beautiful homes along the lake at Zurich, and then serenely the morning passed after a good breakfast in the Suisst-cuisine diner. We dropped our SI. Moritz passengers at Sargans, then surprisingly enough back up to the border at Buchs. Here the picturesque Austrians took over the Arlberg Express, we got a brief look at Lillipitian Lichenstein, then crossed the Arlberg summit in four feet of snow. Next fabled Innsbruck and after that Salzberg. I can hardly wait till I get to Vienna to see if the Danube's really blue! |