Seeing one corner of Switzerland by way of postal coaches

Sunset, July, 1984

Drivers in Switzerland keep their eyes on the road--a pity in a country with such spectacular scenery. There are alternatives. One is the train. Another is the comfortable Swiss postal coach, which goes many places even trains don't go. The ideal canton (state) for postal-costal explorations is ticino. Just south of the Alps, it's Switzerland's warmest region.

Planned to pick up mail and deliver passengers from rail terminals to remote corners of the canton, Ticino's postal coaches are a distinctive bright yellow. They stand out against the mountainsides as they twist their way from village to village, sounding a motif from the William Tell Overture as they confidently round the blind curves.

Little-frequented by tourists, the picturesque valleys of Ticino are flanked by steep rock outcrops where tiny, centuries-old villages hang precariously from mountainsides. Homes are built of native stone, in an architectural idiom unique to the region; their rather stark rock faces are often softened by hand-carved wooden balconies. The language here is Italian, and the food is like that of northern Italy.

In small village shops, you can buy freshly baked bread and local cheese. Sometimes there's a cafe or simple restaurant. Well-marked trails go through forests or to sunsplashed mountain meadows.

Buses leave the rail station several times a day. The ride to a distant village usually is short enough that you can catch a bus in the early morning, tour the town or go for a hike, and take the coach back at the end of the day.

Last summer we made several trips from Locarno into the valleys of Ticino. We went to the Blenio valley (train to Biasca, then postal coach to Acquarossa) and made an hour's climb to the frescoed 12th-century church of San Carlo (ask for the key at the Trattoria del Nara, a restaurant just above Acquarossa).

Other outings included Loco in the Onsernone Valley, with its museum devoted to basket-making; Gresso in the Vergeletto valley, home of a basket-maker; and forays to the Verzasca valley and the Bavona and Lavizzara valleys (bus to Bignasco, then postal coach).

Since coaches connect with rail routes, you can get schedules at any Swiss train station, as well as at post offices and tourist bureaus. In Ticino, there's no need to buy tickets in advance. Sample fare: Locarno to Gresso and back, about $5.

For more information, write to Swiss National Tourist Office, 250 Stockton St., San Francisco 94108; (415) 362-2260.