点评:On the road from Goppenstein to Kandersteg we had to use one of Switzerlands ‘car trains’.
We were unaware of these modes of transport until we suddenly found we had to use one when travelling from our rented chalet in Ergisch to Lauterbrunnen.
Travelling along a wide dual carriageway surrounded by mountain ranges, the vehicles in front started slowing for what we thought of as another toll gate. We payed at the booth, barrier went up and we carried on. The road bent tight around to the right and then I could see parked cars and a couple of buildings. Where was the dual carriageway? We pulled up under some red lights with men in high visibility jackets walking around. Was this roadworks or police checkpoint?? All very odd, and we were the first car in a queue of vehicles suddenly pulled up behind us! With absolutely no clue as to what to do next, my palms were suddenly sweaty on the steering wheel!
When the lights turned green the men waved us around onto a concrete forecourt to a train waiting with open wagons. It was easy to drive on and we travelled along the train that was then covered with a curved roof about 200 metres right to the front behind the locomotive. (Felt a bit like driving onto a car ferry.)
Once it started moving we entered a very dark tunnel filled with noisy echoes. This lasted about 20 minutes before coming out into sunshine and mountains again. Driving off was just as easy as getting on, and within another couple of minutes we were back onto the main dual carriageway.
A bit nerve wracking to start with as we literally didn’t know what to expect. But we used that train a few more times during the week and didn’t even notice it by then. We were just a part of everybody’s usual commute to work!
翻译:从戈彭施泰因到坎德施泰格的路上,我们不得不乘坐瑞士的“汽车列车”。
我们之前对这种交通方式一无所知,直到从我们在埃尔吉施租的小木屋前往劳特布鲁嫩时,才突然发现自己必须乘坐这种交通工具。
我们沿着一条被群山环绕的宽阔双车道公路行驶,前面的车辆开始减速,我们以为那里又是一个收费站。我们在收费亭缴费,栏杆升起,我们继续前行。道路向右急转弯,然后我看到停着的汽车和几栋建筑物。双车道公路在哪儿呢?我们停在几个红灯前,几个穿着反光背心的人在附近走动。这是道路施工还是警察检查站?一切都非常奇怪,我们竟然是后面突然停下的一长串车辆中的第一辆!完全不知道接下来该怎么办,我的手心一下子开始冒汗,紧紧地握着方向盘!
绿灯亮起时,工作人员挥手示意我们驶入水泥前院,登上停在那里的敞篷火车。开车上去很方便,我们沿着火车行驶,火车车厢上方大约200米处有一个弧形顶棚,一直延伸到机车后方。(感觉有点像开车上了汽车渡轮。)
火车启动后,我们进入了一条非常黑暗的隧道,里面回声很大。大约20分钟后,我们再次驶出隧道,沐浴在阳光下,欣赏着远处的群山。下车和上车一样轻松,几分钟后,我们就回到了主干道上。
一开始有点紧张,因为我们完全不知道会发生什么。但那周我们又坐了几次火车,到那时已经习以为常了。我们只是大家日常通勤的一部分!