Pininfarina has unveiled 'The Goldenpass Express,' a panoramic train designed for the MOB (Montreux Oberland Bernese) railway company. The new trains will go into service in December 2020 and will connect three of Switzerland's main tourist destinations: Montreux, Gstaad and Interlaken, boosting the attractiveness of these resorts.
As of next year, 4 million tourists a year will be able to enjoy the views on the borders of the Vaud and Bernese Alps from onboard the Goldenpass Express. The trains will feature a revolutionary variable gauge bogie that will make it possible to switch in just a few seconds from narrow gauge (1m from Montreux to Zweisimmen) to standard (1.43m from Zweisimmen to Interlaken), meaning that travelers won't have to change trains at Zweisimmen station.
Despite the change in the position of the mechanicals, at the head of the train, imposed by the new safety standards, the Pininfarina's design makes it possible to maintain a large window that provides travelers with a frontal view of great impact. The windows will also make it possible to avoid any reflection or reverberation on photos taken by passengers.
"Having to deal with new safety standards has been a stimulus to our creativity, rather than a limitation," said Alfredo Palma, Pininfarina's Design Project Manager. "In every project, whether it is automotive, transportation or architecture, our goal is to create beautiful objects while overcoming technical or regulatory obstacles. With the MOB we have created a train that offers an immersive travel experience, in total symbiosis with the beauty of the surrounding nature."