JulieVikmanis

We will be in Zermatt for 5 days and Lucerne for 6 in January. Son will ski in Zermatt. We intend to buy Swiss passes and use rail and bus to see more of the country from our two bases. Need to decide where to go for our day trips. We enjoy charming towns with quaint as well as modern architecture (intrigued by the library in St. Gallen, for instance), easy walking, and good dining. An art museum (with some modern and not all ancient, religious art) every now and again would be good but not necessary

So far my research suggests that Sion and Saas Fee might be the only reasonable day trips from Zermatt. Am I overlooking anything?

The picture changes dramatically when we get to Lucerne where there seem to be a vast number of places within 2 and 1/2 hours or less for day trips. Possibilities I've been looking at include Bern (by itself or in conjunction with Murten), Neuchatel, St. Gallen, Basel and Rapperswill. Having trouble getting son and DH to be intererested in Zurich. Any other places I should be looking at? Are there some "hidden gems" I should be considering? If we wind up needing to cut back on the number of day trips, which should be at the top of the "do not cut" list?
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Thanks for your recommendations.

Surfergirl

Actually, most places are within 2 1/2 hours from Zermatt. For example, in that time, you could go from Zermatt to Montreux, or Vevey, changing at Visp. Incredible scenery between the two!

A very cool museum to go to in Vevey is the Food Museum (or as it's known there, the Alimentarium. Then a quick look outside at the lake where there's a giant fork in the water in front of the museum; and it's close to the Charlie Chaplin statue.

Dukey1

From Luzern the half-day rail trip up to Engleberg with the additional 3-stage ascent of Mt. Titlis (the pass will get you a discount) offers nice scenery on the way as well as from the summit.

PalenQ

So far my research suggests that Sion and Saas Fee might be the only reasonable day trips from Zermatt. Am I overlooking anything?>

Both are great places though any day trip save Saas-Fe is long because of the 80 minutes or so each way between Zermatt and Visp/Brig - Sierre is near Sion and offers the longest funicular ride in Switzerland or even Europe perhaps - up to the tony ski resorts of Crans-Montana - of take the train to Brig and then to Bettmer (not sure of name of station) and then take a cable car up to see the awesome Aletsch Glacier, the one that tumbles all the way down from the Jungfrau's south face.

Brig I found was a rather neat old town as well - an old castle nothing really spectacular but kind of neat - ditto for Visp. Actually Montreux and lake Geneva are not much farther by train than Sion I believe - Chateau Chillon near that sweet old lakeside town.

For lots of great info on Swiss Passes and places to reach by rail I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html and www.ricksteves.com. As for Swiss Passes compare prices for those both in the States or your other home country with the exact same one bought in Switzerland - since I have been buying Swiss Passes forever it seems the price for some reason has often been cheaper, sometimes significantly here than there. It is not always true however and if not much difference just wait until Switzerland to buy it - figuring in any exchange fees you may have for foreign purchases - if you buy ahead and have to refund you will pay 15 or 20% cancellation fee and you never know what will pop up just before your trip - but if savings are significant then buy here. But always check both IME. Often a 3-day Swiss Flexipass Saver is the best deal if one of the consecutive-day pass lengths does not comport to your actual time there. In between the first and third 100% covered day you of course get 50% off practically everything that moves, except cows, in Switzerland.

Hopefully there will not be an avalanche once in Zermatt like the one that closed the rail line for a spell a few years back, standing folks above it!

nytraveler

From Lucerne (which deserves 1 or 2 days for itself:

Mt Pilatus
Mt Titlus

A host of smaller towns:

brienz
many in the lower area of the berner oberland
Thun
Gruyeres
Bern
Neuchatel

JulieVikmanis

Thanks. Lots of options. Hadn't thought to explore Brig and Visp. Sierre offers another possibility. Brienz and Thun are back on my radar. We were in Geneva and Montreux on our way to Chamonix a couple of years ago, so I'm looking in other directions this time, but yes, everything in the country practically turns out to be only about 3 hours away unless you're way up in the mountains with difficult connections--like Zermatt.

Appreciate the info on Swiss passes. My research so far suggests that we may be best off biting the bullet and going for the whole enchilada with a 15 day Swiss Pass, getting a 15% reduction for buying three. The hop on, hop off, without need to buy tickets is definitely appealing. I had thought that Swiss Passes could only be bought in the US--or at least not in Switzerland.

While I have your attention, could someone help clear up confusion about Fly Rail Baggage Service. One guidebook I have says it is not available on US airlines and that you must obtain a luggage tag from SWISS or a Swiss tourist Office. Another says "from any airport in the world" And does anyone know how to find out which train stations it works for?

Avalanches had never crossed my mind--until now. Uf dah! I think 5 days in Zermatt would be about my limit. Hope it doesn't turn into more.

mokka4

I believe the Fly Rail Baggage servise IS available from USA to Switzerland at 22 CHF per bag (32 kg max weight, no bulky items).
"If your flight lands before 19:00, your bag(s) is ready to collect at your destination Train station frim 9:00am TWO DAYS LATER!!!"
"Vouchers are available form your travel agent or theour RailEurop online."


http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...l-baggage.html

PalenQ

a consecutive-day pass is great - covering virtually all transportation on a hop on hop off basis - even city trams and buses, lake boats, postal buses and most trains - well all trains that actually link towns - mountain trains to mountain tops are usually 50% off unless they actually serve a town then they are covered 100%.

nytraveler

I know everyone says to use rail in Switzerland - but we always drive. Unless you are staying at a town high in the mountains with no road access - we find it gives us the freedom to change plans whenever we want based on serendipity and what we encounter on the road.

But then we usually do road trips in europe - we both enjoy driving and share it equally - so no one is stuck missing anything. And it really plays into our need to make the most of our limited time (it's bad enough being on someone else's schedule for planes - we won't do it on the ground as well.)

JulieVikmanis

Thanks mokka. Helps to have most recent info. Sonny may not be interested in waiting an extra day to take to the slopes and may handle his skis himself on the basis of this.

nytraveler, I'm with you but I'm not the driver and our driver is a bit tired of it, not to mention concerned about snow and ice.

PalenQ, once I got over the sticker shock, the advantages of that consecutive day pass look better and better.

Thanks all for your help on this.

PalenQ

One advantage of rail over road in winter is yes winter and its vagaries of weather from freezing rain to snow, etc. so perhaps in winter trains are a bit more stress-free way of getting around? Not debating fact that car travel in Switzerland can be nice with the desired total flexibility to at whim do anything en route - some folks prefer cars and if so they are a great way to get around Switzerland.

Me however I have driven in Switzerland and I find at least as a driver that I have to keep eyes peeled on the road more than ogling the scenery like I can hands-free on trains.

Each to their own and neither is better than the other - cars are great especially if not going to Alpine resorts where they often much be parked at remote lots that cost a pretty penny to boot!