A Swiss rail route has named one of its new services “Shania Train” in tribute to the country music star, Shania Twain.
The Golden Pass Express train, which runs from Montreux on Lake Geneva, to Interlaken in central Switzerland, named the new service after the “That Don’t Impress Me Much” singer, who has lived by Lake Geneva for over 10 years.
In a press statement announcing the launch in December, a spokesperson for the Montreux Oberland Bernois Railway declared: “The Canadian singer is the godmother of the Shania Train.”
In a Twitter post announcing the train’s launch, the 57-year-old posted a picture of her wearing a conductor’s hat and carrying a signal paddle, with the caption: “All aboard the Shania Train to Twain Town!
“I had the honour of officially inaugurating the GoldenPass Express train today!”
The new trains form a revolutionary new fleet that is capable of jumping rail tracks, by changing the gauge of their wheels and the height of their coach bodies, in a world-first.
With no need to change trains, passengers can remain in their seats, soaking up the views of some of Europe’s most beautiful lakes, valleys and mountain passes through enormous panoramic windows.
At present, the service runs once a day in either direction, but from 11 June, it will increase to four daily return trips.
While the Grammy-award winning singer is originally from Canada, she has been primarily living in Corseaux, Switzerland on the shores of Lake Geneva, where she resides with her husband, Nestlé executive Frédéric Thiébaud.
Speaking about the region on her Home Now Radio show, she said: “It's a very beautiful region, very scenic. I like to spend a lot of time boating on the lake.
“In fact, one of the neighbouring properties is the studio where Queen spent many, many years writing and recording. Freddie Mercury lived in what is called ‘The Duck House’.
“That perspective from the Duck House on the lake is on one of their album covers. And [it’s] very appropriately named Made In Heaven. I’m assuming that a lot of the music was made in what many people consider heaven, Lake Geneva looking out at the Alps,” she said.
