Out and about with Engela. Through Switzerland as a train driver.
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Intro
Engela sits at the head of the train. As a train driver, she takes on responsibility, is always on the move and enjoys the best view from the train.
Engela was looking for a career change. Through a friend, she became aware of the profession of train driver. It was a quick decision. During the training, she realised how great the work actually is.
No two days are alike.
The day-to-day life of the young train driver is very diverse. Sometimes she has to get up as early as two o’clock in the morning, while on other days she can rest up before the late shift.
Her job involves more than just driving from A to B, however. As part of her job, she also regularly checks her vehicles for safety functions and visual defects on the outside of the train. As she operates different kinds of trains, this aspect of her work also varies. It is possible that she operates up to six different kinds of vehicles in a single day.
At the end of the day, Engela parks the train at the planned location and checks the passenger compartment before calling it a day.
Engela appreciates having the workplace to herself. Although she is out and about a lot, exchange with colleagues is guaranteed. For her, the most beautiful thing about working as a train driver is nature.
I see many animals and the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. You are outside, without actually being directly “outside”.
As a train driver, she experiences something new every day, and there are always extraordinary experiences to be had. Although she actually sits alone in the driver’s cab, she gets to hear a lot, since there are also passengers who speak to her. During the holidays, she also likes to rewrite the front lettering of her train. For example, she wishes “Guets Neus!”, which is always sure to delight the passengers. Often such a train is then also photographed.
Engela’s train tips.
Engela also uses public transport whenever possible in her free time. She appreciates the environmentally friendly way of travelling and finds it good that, with the sustainability programme Swisstainable, a contribution is made towards sustainability. She also likes the fact that, during the train journey, other things can be done as well.
To make the train ride more eventful, she recommends a visit to the dining car. For those who want to see their route longer, it’s better to sit backwards in the direction of travel.
When it comes to tips for regions and experiences along the SBB routes, she recommends being spontaneous and simply taking the train a few stops to discover new places. Alternatively, a dice game called “Gleiswürfeln” can also be played. You roll the dice at the station and take the next train on the corresponding track.
As a train driver, Engela prefers to travel the route between Winterthur and Schaffhausen, as it passes the Rhine Falls.
As a passenger, her favourite route is from Zurich to Chur, along Lake Zurich and Lake Walensee.
Besides the Lake Walensee, Switzerland has many other breathtaking train routes to offer. The best way to enjoy these is on the Grand Train Tour of Switzerland.