Brig’s tourist office is in the train station up a spiral staircase (Mon–Fri 8.30am–noon & 1.30–6pm, Sat 8.30am–noon; July & Aug Sat also 2–5.30pm; 027/921 60 30, www.brig-tourismus.ch). They have information on the town, as well as on all the resorts around Brig, and also on the Goms region further east. Downstairs in the travel office, you can check email (Fr.11/hr).

As well as SBB trains, the forecourt of Brig station is a departure point for BVZ trains to Zermatt, and FO Furka–Oberalp trains northeast up the valley to Oberwald, through the tunnel beneath the Furka Pass, and on to Andermatt. “Glacier Express” panoramic trains use this line to reach Chur, Davos and St Moritz. For details of the Lötschbergtunnel car-carrying train, which ducks beneath the mountains at nearby Goppenstein.

Hotels in Brig are all moderately priced. The cheapest option is La Poste, Furkastrasse 23 (027/924 45 54, fax 924 45 53; a), which has a few renovated rooms as well as some dorm places (Fr.30). The Londres & Schweizerhof on the central square (027/922 93 93, fax 922 93 94; b) is a comfortable old place, with pleasant rooms overlooking the square. The quiet and graceful Schlosshotel, Kirchgasse 4 (027/923 64 55, fax 923 95 36; b) directly overlooks the gardens and towers of the Schloss Stockalper, with bright and attractive rooms.

All the cafés and restaurants around the main square set tables outside during summer: pick of the bunch is Zum Eidgenossen, which offers fondues and meaty Walliser fare in a traditional atmosphere for around Fr.20. Nearby on Alte Simplonstrasse are two pleasant local bistros, Matza and Angleterre, both serving up pizzas and simple meals for Fr.13–18. Down by the station, as well as a self-service Migros, you’ll find the Hotel Victoria, which offers good brasserie-style food, with some veggie options (Fr.15–20).