Travel and Transport

For paraglider pilots, it’s completely unnecessary to bring a car, as the public transport facilities are so comprehensive. If you’re coming by air, you can fly to Zürich, Geneva, Basel, or even Milan and take the main line train to Brig, then change to the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn narrow-gauge railway for the final leg to Fiesch. There are several campsites in the area, numerous apartments are scattered around the village, and there are plenty of hotels, some relatively inexpensive. Details can be found on the Tourist Office website. The popular impression that Switzerland is excessively pricey is true for fashionable resorts and big cities, especially with the strengthening of the Swiss franc, but in Fiesch you may find that you don’t pay much more than you would in other premier Alpine flying areas (e.g. Chamonix, the Dolomites) for the equivalent accommodation and food.

If you intend to stay in Switzerland for a while and to get around by public transport, it may be worth investigating whether you could benefit from a Swiss Half Fare card. This entitles the holder to a 50% discount not only on the trains and post buses, but also on the uphill transport to the Fiescheralp and Riederalp takeoffs, for which you can also buy a chip card for multiple trips (covering both gondolas) at a much lower rate than for single journeys.

The Fiescheralp takeoffs are served by an efficient 10-person gondola starting from the train station, which is around five minutes walk from the Fiesch landing field and runs continuously throughout the day.  It has the capacity to take hang gliders, but I have heard reports that these facilities have not always been instantly available, so I would suggest asking about them at the ticket office in advance if you can.  The Riederalp takeoff is accessed from Mörel.

The comprehensive Swiss public transport system takes all the hassle out of retrieves, although it isn’t cheap.   To get the most out of it, I strongly recommend installing the SBB Mobile app on your phone.  This amazingly useful facility enables you to

  • pinpoint your location if you land out, on a map showing the nearest bus stops and train stations
  • view the timetables of those services so you can see whether you need to hurry
  • check in (instead of buying a ticket) by swiping to the right before you board the bus or train and then to the left when you reach your destination, after which you’re then automatically charged the cheapest fare for the journey
  • buy tickets (which is usually not possible at smaller stations) if you don’t want to use the swipe option

If you are unable to find a payment method which is accepted by the SBB app, Fairtiq is an alternative which is more likely to be compatible with foreign credit cards.  It also has the facility to check in by swiping, but none of the other functions.  Between Martigny and Chur trains run along the valley floor (where you will usually be landing) in both directions every hour, and you must check in (on the SBB app or Fairtiq) or buy your ticket before boarding to avoid having to pay a surcharge on the train.  Be aware that at some stations you will need to press a button on the timetable board to request the train to stop!

If you are returning along the valley from a one-way XC to the east, the last train departs Chur at 17:55, Disentis at 19:14, and Andermatt at 20:25, arriving at Fiesch at 21:31. However, if you have missed that connection, your latest option from Chur departs at 19:08, goes via Zürich and Brig, and arrives at 23:23 (for an exorbitant CHF 132).  Standard prices to get back to Fiesch are currently CHF 69 from Chur, CHF 38 from Disentis, and CHF 27 from Andermatt.  Hitchhiking along the valley floor, which in my experience is quite hit-and-miss outside the peak tourist season, is only likely to be quicker than the train if you are lucky enough to be picked up by someone who can take you the whole way.