Via Francigena - bus under Great Saint Bernard Pass

[AlwynWellington]

I am in Switzerland.

At Lausanne and Montreux I ask about bus under the Pass.

The answer is indirect.

Rome to Rio suggests BlaBlaCar but the routes, while close, do not seem right.

Searching the Forum I can see posts from 2022 and earlier.

Searching bus operators SAVDA and Arriva provide no information or my phone screen is too small to pick up details.

My current intention is to carry on to Martingy and enquire there.

Does the Forum have current information?

 

[Tassie Kaz]

My info isn't current but I'll still let you know of a problem I encountered in early May 2019.
Knowing I wouldn't be able to walk over the GSBP due to snow conditions, I bussed from Bourg St Pierre (Switzerland) to Saint Oyen (Italy). I found all the details online (sorry, don't recall the company name); time, bus stops for pick up & drop off, fare, etc. There was only one bus that day so it was critical I caught it.
The problem? I went to board, proffered the exact fare in € euros as listed on the website (fare listed in CHF & €)...but the driver wouldn't accept it...he wanted CHF Swiss francs only. As I was leaving the country, I had all but exhausted my CHF & didn't have enough.
Paying by credit card was not an option.
The driver was enjoying my predicament & relishing the prospect of leaving me kerbside. I was saved by some Aussie tourists who witnessed the whole thing & paid my fare in CHF. I was eternally grateful & the driver didn't conceal his disappointment.
I gave my Rescuers the amount in €.

So Alwyn, my tip is have enough for the fare in both currencies...just in case!

Good luck...hope you can resolve your situation. Please let us know how you get on.
Safe travels.

 

[Corned Beef]

My current intention is to carry on to Martingy and enquire there.

You can email them (https://www.martigny.com/) and ask before you get there.

They were very helpful to me but as I recall the buses were on set days so you might want to pace yourself so you don't get stuck on a non-bus day as I did. And as @Tassie Kaz says have CHF


I've just checked the "Fahrplan" on the Martigny site which gives you public transport options to get to Aosta. There are lots of them and most involve multiple changes of trains. You won't get stuck in Martigny but the bus is a shorter journey and more direct.

Connection | SBB

www.sbb.ch

 

[Tassie Kaz]

....as I recall the buses were on set days so you might want to pace yourself so you don't get stuck on a non-bus day as I did. And as @Tassie Kaz says have CHF

Yep, the scheduling was exactly why I had to get on that bus. The ramifications of being kicked off were big for me...& all because of a few francs!

 

[AlwynWellington]

@Tassie Kaz, thanks for the heads up.

At Romainmotier I got 2 x CHF 50 notes.

One was needed for dinner and a cabin at the camping ground.

Since then I have offered them for coffee and beer, without success.

So I might have an interesting discussion with the bus driver.


@Corned Beef, I have emailed info@Martigny.com asking for a timetable. We’ll see what comes back.

On Wednesday night a local Montrusian found a news report that the service had stopped until further notice. Hence my panic!

The Info Office at Lausanne had a very complicated route going west beyond Geneva and then a lovely journey through the hills to Aosta.

Having arrived at Martigny, my preference would be to go through the Simplon to Milano and from there to Vercelli.


I just hope Abp Sigerico will approve.

Kia kaha

 

[Tassie Kaz]

@Tassie Kaz, thanks for the heads up.

At Romainmotier I got 2 x CHF 50 notes.

One was needed for dinner and a cabin at the camping ground.

Since then I have offered them for coffee and beer, without success.

So I might have an interesting discussion with the bus driver.

The bus company website I used said to have 'exact fare' but sounds like you're having trouble breaking the larger denomination.

However...

...found a news report that the service had stopped until further notice. Hence my panic!

...it seems it's all now irrelevant anyway!

Good luck with your convoluted route...I hope this hiccup is not derailing your overall journey.
I still break into a sweat thinking of what would've happened if I hadn't caught that bus.

 

[Corned Beef]

If you can make notes for feedback, it would be appreciated. The section between Martigny and Aosta is on my list for next July.

When I arrived on a bus-less day I found I would have had to wait 2 1/2 days for a connection over. I bit the bullet and shelled out for an expensive taxi (CHF150) through the tunnel to the Services (Traforo del Gran S. Bernardo) at the other side. From there I picked up a local bus to Aosta

If you are now saying the local (Italian) bus no longer runs, then it will be a good CHF200 for a taxi, so getting the bus on the correct day would be ideal. Tassie was lucky to get on the bus. I was a few days behind and missed out.

 

[Harington]

I am in Switzerland.

At Lausanne and Montreux I ask about bus under the Pass.

The answer is indirect.

Rome to Rio suggests BlaBlaCar but the routes, while close, do not seem right.

Searching the Forum I can see posts from 2022 and earlier.

Searching bus operators SAVDA and Arriva provide no information or my phone screen is too small to pick up details.

My current intention is to carry on to Martingy and enquire there.

Does the Forum have current information?

https://www.rome2rio.com/fr/map/Martigny/Saint-Rh%C3%A9my-en-Bosses

 

[Corned Beef]

TMR are the service from Martigny but if you go to the website indicated in R2R you see this. I think this is what Alwyn's locals were referring to. There may be a bus through the tunnel rather than over the pass, but the local agencies will clarify.

Interruption of the Martigny-Aoste line from 01.01.23 (Martigny - Le Gd-St-Bernard - Aosta)​

The operation of the Martigny-Aosta bus line will be suspended from 01.01.2023 until further notice

Following the withdrawal of the operation of the line by the Italian company ARRIVA, we are working in partnership with the Canton of Valais and the Federal Office of Transport to propose a new offer for the summer of 2022.

We thank you in advance for your understanding.

 

[Tassie Kaz]

When I arrived on a bus-less day I found I would have had to wait 2 1/2 days for a connection over. I bit the bullet and shelled out for an expensive taxi (CHF150) through the tunnel...

Yike$! While in 'conversation' with the unyielding bus driver, my limited options were already scrolling through my head...taxi being one. So glad I didn't have to resort to that budget buster! But you do what you gotta do don't you @Corned Beef ?!

Tassie was lucky to get on the bus. I was a few days behind and missed out.

Full disclosure; I'm a planner & checked bus availability in advance having read somewhere (possibly here & possibly from @timr ?) it didnt run every day.
My itinerary for that section of the VF was planned around the bus I knew I had to catch.

 

[AlwynWellington]

Thanks for your various efforts.

I am at Aigle Thursday night.

Saint-Maurice Abbey have confirmed a room for Friday night.

Saturday should see me at Martigny.

On Thursday afternoon I met two walkers at the Aigle Tourism Office. They were recording their intentions to walk to Rome. In the chat they said:

• they intend to walk about 20 km daily
• there is no snow on the Pass at present
• they intend to walk the pass

More at the weekend

Kia kaha tatou

 

[Corned Beef]

From the TMR site, here is the bus timetable from Orsieres train station to the top of the pass.

If you go to Arriva.it site, the buses from the Services at Bosses looks like it is running and according to the site, there is no charge/free from September/October as they are putting in a new ticketing system

AOSTA / BOSSES - Arriva Italia - Aosta

aosta.arriva.it

You just have to work out how to get from the pass to Bosses services. But perhaps the Hospice can advise on the Italian side.

[Just making notes for 2024]

 

[AlwynWellington]

The 5 residents at Saint-Maurice Abbey hostel with me all intended to go over Great Saint-Bernard Pass, there being no snow.at this time.

@Corned Beef, you have been most helpful.

For this season, I have decided to bypass the rest of Switzerland and high altitudes.

Now in Milano and will transfer to Vercelli soonest.

Kia kaha tatou

 

[klimmo]

Hi.

There's definitely no snow on the pass or on any part of the walk. Even to quite a bit higher up. Also the walk to the col is wonderful. As is the part down to Oyen and Bosses.

There are multiple buses to the col from the swiss side and a stay on the col is absolutely recommended. I don't know what your reasons are for not walking there? But walking down to Oyen and or Bosses could be an option? There seems to be a bus 422 from Aoste to Gran San Bernardo (which is the italian side, on the other side of the lake, about a 500m walk), so I'm assuming it goes back too. It may not show up as a connection as there is a border and some distance between the two.

To go to the col from Martigny you take two short traintrips to Orsières and the postbus from there. The connections seem short but this is Switzerland and they all connect.

I live in the region (near Aigle) and was on the col on thursday.

 

[Mrs. Bloem]

You might check Google Maps. When I type route from Lausanne to Aosta it gives various train connections and also a direct bus, Flixbus. As far as I can see this connection is only once a day, in the late evening. Probably because this section is part of a longer flixbus route (Paris - Rome for instance).

 

[AlwynWellington]

There are multiple buses to the col from the swiss side and a stay on the col is absolutely recommended. I don't know what your reasons are for not walking there? But walking down to Oyen and or Bosses could be an option?

My original intention, before leaving home in late August, was to continue walking over the col and down to, say, Vercelli. Then do very short side trips to Milan and Turin and continue from Vercelli.

On leaving Montreux, I had developed a head cold and was feeling quite awful. While walking to Aigle that day and Saint-Maurice the next, I decided to keep safe and be responsible for myself.

And so brought forward the side trips.

Even after the side trips, I was still not feeling great. I continued to Piacenza. On that last day I met three youngsters (in their 70s) walking together who had come over the hill without any concerns.

At Piacenza, I decided I did not feel well enough to continue for the 10 or so days to Lucca and have come to recuperate with family in London.

As it happened, the flight route was almost over the col heading west and I had a grand view down the valley towards Martigny.

 

[AlwynWellington]

You might check Google Maps

Based on experiences at home, I have never been a fan of Google Maps. Reasons include Google Maps walking directions for my part of the world seem very inadequate.

But, from your example and some fast learning in Europe these past few days, I can see a use for public transport from Google maps.