Yash Chopra came to Switzerland in 1970 for his honeymoon and was enamoured by the small village of Gstaad. (Pronounced as staa-d, the G is silent). The first film he shot in Swiss was Faasle in 1985, and Chandni in 1989, with Sri Devi dancing in the snow wearing a sari. These movies made Switzerland look like a dream destination, a dream that was a bit too far for many. However, in 1995, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge happened, the economy boomed and suddenly Switzerland was a dream that could be realized for millions of people in India. Summer vacations were booked for Euro Trips and visiting the filming locations, especially the one where Raj thinks, "Agar yeh tujhe pyaar karti hai, toh yeh palat ke dekhegi". If you are on the DDLJ trail then you must visit Zweisimmen, Gstaad and Saanen. Many of the scenes in DDLJ were shot in and around these towns and were passed off as Paris, Amsterdam, and other European cities. Not that we cared about the accuracy of the locations, we were in falling in love!
Saanen railway station was the location for the scene in the movie where Raj and Simran wait to catch the next train to Zurich. If you are lucky then you might just see a train sauntering down from Gstaad just like in the movie. The station has been renovated a bit since 1995 but you can easily spot the place on right side of the station is where they have a heart-to-heart conversation. The bridge next to the station was the location for the "palat" scene.
The next stop on the DDLJ trail is Gstaad, an upscale resort town. Its location made it a winter holiday destination for royalty and celebrities, although the current generation has moved on to St. Moritz. During summer, the town is mostly quiet, and the hubbub is from the tourists snapping photos in the picturesque promenade. Many scenes from DDLJ were shot here and you can easily find the Café "Early Beck", which is just a stone's throw away from the railway station. In July the town is part of the beach volleyball world tour, it is a fun event to watch, although the Swiss crowd is not so raucous.
Zweisimmen is the station where Simran misses her train to Zurich. The kiosk where she buys the cow bell is still there right next to the station. This is also the starting (or end) for the Montreux - Zweisimmen Golden Pass scenic train.
Recommended: There is an easy 3KM walk along the river Saane from Saanen railway station to Gstaad railway station. If you feel like it then you can get down at Rougemont and walk up till Gstaad. The total distance from Rougemont to Gstaad is 7KM. On this route you pass the airstrip where some more scenes from the opening song of DDLJ were shot.
By Public Transport: The Golden Pass scenic train from Zweisimmen to Montreux stops at Gstaad but not at Saanen. You do not have to take the Golden Pass train to visit these three places, the local SBB connections between Zweisimmen and Montreux stop at Gstaad but check for Saanen, all trains do not stop at Saanen. The scenery is the same in all trains!
There are frequent connections between Interlaken and Zweisimmen. You need to change trains at Zweisimmen to continue your journey to Gstaad, so take that time to visit this little town. Visting these three places is a fun day trip from either Interlaken or Montreux.
By car: The three towns lie on route number 11 of the Swiss road system.
Gstaad summer hikes: https://www.gstaad.ch/en/summer/hiking/hikes.html
Beach volleyball: https://www.beachworldtour.ch/de
The Goldden Pass Scenic Railway: https://www.goldenpassline.ch/en/
Swiss Railway: www.sbb.ch/en
It is wise to keep a light jacket, the weather changes abruptly in these valley's.
Make sure you have lots of space in your camera.
If you plan to hike around Gstaad then make sure you are wearing good hiking shoes and hiking sticks are recommended.

















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