cedfall3

We will be house/cat sitting in a suburb of Zug which is 30 min by train north east of Lucern for 2 weeks in July. The people we are sitting for want us to not leave the cats alone more than one night in a row. We are looking at Day trips to Lucern, Bern, Appenzall, and Engelberg. We don't typically enjoy the big city or too many museums. Looking for recommendations on any other Day trips or scenic rides. We are planning to spend one night in Murren or area. Will go when weather looks best and hope to find a place to stay. Someone said to take Brunig pass route betw interlaken and Lucern for a scenic ride. Also thinking about spending a night in Lausanne or Vevey and taking boat ride to Chateau de Chillon. We have never been to Switzerland and are open to suggestions

PalenQ

Einselden for its famous pilgrimage church. And yes the Brunig Pass rail route from Lucerne to Interlaken is so so scenic -the Golden Pass train trundles up and over it 3-4 times daily though regular trains do the same route (GP has spiffy panoramic observation cars) -you may want to look at regional train passes -for lots of info on trains and where to go check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.sbb.ch (official site of Swiss Railways); www.ricksteves.com and http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html.

Ingo

Please check spelling, Pal: It's Einsiedeln. (I second this recommendation.)

Definitely go to the mountains near Zug: Rigi has several options with many cog-railways and cable cars/gondolas. Zugerberg is in your backyard and worth going to. Boat rides on Lake Lucerne are a must. St. Gallen with the famous abbey and library and a picturesque old town. Zürich is also a must IMO - and do a boat ride to Rapperswil.

PalenQ

Yes Zurich is so close and it has its pluses -yeh a big city but lovely old town with cathedral and splendid lake-side walks which on a nice weather weekend day is full of people of lots of ethnicities.

Also its mountain-climbing trams lead up to forests with nice walking paths.

And yes a ride on Lake Zurich.

Cowboy1968

I just stayed near the Brünig pass for a couple of days last week.
It's not that much of a mountain pass road (and rail). Actually, it's just a short ride (both by car or train) to not much of an altitude. The lakes on either side are very pretty, though.
Others mountain pass are much more spectacular.. but I had a car, so I cannot comment on what you could see by train or bus.
To focus on what you can do and see near Zug sounds like a good idea.
IF you really want to make an easy mountain pass route with lots of stunning vistas by CAR, I'd suggest a circle route from Zug via Luzern and Brünig pass to Meiringen. Walk the Aare gorge. Continue to Immertkirchen to Susten pass road and back via Altdorf and Schwyz.
Susten pass is an easy drive also for those with little experience in mountain driving.

PalenQ

Others mountain pass are much more spectacular.. but I had a car, so I cannot comment on what you could see by train or bus.>

cowboy has it right -not a real Alpine adventure as pass is low level but the train is unique in Switzerland in that it is the only one operated by Swiss Federal Railways using cogs and cog wheels to navigate steep climbs and descents -so it is a true mountain railway in that sense. There are also lovely views of high Alps in distance as you roll along lovely Lake Brienz to Interlaken.

But yup not like the Bernina Express or Glacier Express trains (which are too far away for any day trip for you.)

WeisserTee

There's a scenic postbus that runs from Rotkreuz (starts at the train station there) to Luzern's train station. Highly recommended. I took it most recently three weeks ago and it's a very pretty ride...sit on the left side of the bus as you leave Rotkreuz for the best views.

You don't say where in the Zug area you're staying (Baar? Cham? Risch?) but the Hotel Waldheim in Risch has a good restaurant and nice views of Lake Zug and the Alps from its grounds. It's quite popular, so reservations usually needed. http://www.waldheim.ch/
You can get there by bus from the Rotkreuz train station (about a five minute ride), the stop is a 2 minute walk from the hotel.

neckervd

Some journey times (OW) from Zug by public transport:
Gemsstock: 2 hrs 0 min
Rhone Glacier Ice Cave: 3 hrs 0 min
Bellinzona (3 medieval castles): 1 hr 16 min
Locarno: 1 hr 56 min
Tamaro Park: 1 hr 44 min
Lugano: 1 hr 46 min
Swissminiatur: 2 hrs 09 min
Como 2 hrs 25 min
Rigi: 1 hr 15 min
Bad Ragaz thermal spa: 1 hr 28 min
Rhine Falls: 1 hr 29 min
Hell Caves (Hoellgrotten): 30 min
Brienzer Rothorn: 2 hr 11 min
Stein Glacier 2 hr 19 min

PalenQ

If taking trains or boats or whatever nearly every day look at a 15-day consecutive Swiss Pass.

WeisserTee

Don't forget that Lake Zug has some great swimming beaches. Perfect for a hot day like we've had this week.

Sue81

OK, I don't know the distances from where you are staying, but Murren is really lovely if you like mountains, waterfalls, mtn trains up, and a small village. It is really a pretty spot, spent 3 days there in a mtn cabin with 11 waterfalls across the way. Also been to Engleberg, nice little town, but for me did not compare to murren. You can also go up to the mountain over Murren, I think that is the Shilthorn, and that is pretty amazing too. I think we left a car in Interlocken, and got the train up the mtn there and left the car at some place at the bottom by the train. Sue

PalenQ

mtn trains up>

actually a very thrilling aerial cable car goes up the cliff then a train goes along it to Murren- return to Lauterbrunnen via Gimmelwald -famous farming hamlet seemingly in the middle of nowhere except Alpine wonderous landscapes and then plunge down to Lauterbrunnen Valley from there in another thrilling aerial gondola.

PalenQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=gimm...w=1920&bih=950

Be sure to stop off in Gimmelwald if doing Murren/Schilthorn!

mokka4

Rapperswil, Rapperswil!

mokka4

And SOLOTHURN!

PalenQ

Also thinking about spending a night in Lausanne or Vevey and taking boat ride to Chateau de Chillon.>

A nice train ride on the Golden Pass scenic train - join it at Spiez and yes spend a day in the sweet Lake Geneva area. Montreux where the train ends is a neat lakeside town as is Vevey - Lausanne a nice but large more modern city but most folks will be happier in a Vevey or Montreux.

PalenQ

for a real treat on GPass trains check out the VIP seats!

http://www.goldenpass.ch/en/goldenpass/offer/view?id=14