Binu

Hi everyone,
We are planning a switzerland trip in October first week, Can you please help me out to list the places which I should not be missed.We two people are there,It will give more happiness if anybody also join us on those days
Our proposed plan is like this :

Day 1 : Reach Geneva.. and explore there
Day 2: Bern and Lausane .. Stay
Day 3-4 : Interlaken
Day 5-6 :Zermatt
Day 7 : St,Mauritz
Say 8.Geneva

Please let us know ay changes need to be done...And let me know which all places need to be given prime importance : Please let e know if anybody wish to join us .(who will be in Swiss at that time)

kja

This trip sounds very rushed to me. For example, I can't imagine trying to visit Bern AND Lausanne on the same day! I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, note their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from the train/bus station or whatever, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together.

swandav2000

Hi Binu,

I agree with kja (whose advice is excellent, as it normally is on these boards).

Remember that you lose about half a day of "outside" time with every move due to the chores of packing up and checking out of a hotel, then checking in a new hotel and unpacking again. Factor in the time it takes to get from one place to another (Lausanne to Interlaken, Interlaken to Zermatt, Zermatt to St Moritz), and you'll generally have just a few hours in each place.

With only 7 nights, I would recommend having only 2 stops -- that way, you'll be able to actually see and experience where you are.

Have fun as you plan!

s

kja

(@ swandav -- thank you kindly! )

Binu

There is a place called Lausanne near Geneva..I thought about it first..Now I got it..so 2 days in interlaken and 2 days in Zermatt is enough ? Shall I skip Berne/Laussane in order to cover Zermatt and interlaken ? all the hotel bookings will be done in advance and passes and tickets will be taken out early.

swandav2000

Hi again,

Lausanne is a big city on Lake Geneva -- I personally don't like big cities, so I prefer to stay in either Montreux or Vevey.

I also don't like Interlaken because it's in a flat area and not in the mountains; the mountains are a further 90 minutes away. Since your trip is in October, I wouldn't stay in one of the small car-free villages like Wengen or Mürren, but Grindelwald would be ok. It's set up IN the mountains rather than down in the flats; your views will be over to the other mountains and down into the valley.

If you really want to see Zermatt and Interlaken/Grindelwald, yes you can spend more time there. Here's what I would do --

Arrive Geneva, train immediately to Zermatt, stay 2 nights.
Train to Interlaken/Grindelwald, stay 4 nights.
Train to Geneva (maybe take the long and scenic Golden Pass route from Interlaken to Montreux via Gstaad). Spend a few hours enjoying Montreux and visiting Chillon castle, then continue on to Geneva for 1 night
Fly home from Geneva.

As an alternative, you may consider:
Arrive Geneva, train to Interlaken/Grindelwald, stay 4 nights
Train (Golden Pass) to Montreux, stay 3 nights
Fly home from Geneva

The second itinerary would give you more contrast -- Interlaken/Grindelwald is all mountains and in the German part of the country, while Montreux has the beautiful lake and is in the French speaking part of the country.

s

swandav2000

Sorry, forgot some sites to help you out --

www.mygrindelwald.ch

www.montreux-vevey.com

www.goldenpass.ch/

Binu

Thanks for the informations again !!