Getting from Tuscany to Lauterbrunnen

Old Jun 16th, 2013, 12:59 PM
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Hez
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Getting from Tuscany to Lauterbrunnen

We need to get from Poggibonsi to Lauterbrunnen in one day, late July. I want to make the journey as fun/interesting/unstressful as possible. I am currently looking at two options, but am open to other suggestions.

Option One - Florence & 3 trains
In the morning drop off rental car, visit a few places in Florence (rest of group not interested in art). Train to Milan. Train to Spiez. Train to Lauterbrunnen. All up the trains are about 7 hours and we would later need to pick up a car to drive to Geneva

Option Two - Lugano, 2 trains + drive
In the morning drop off rental car and then take train to Milan and then to Lugano. Pick up rental car, visit Lugano and then drive to Lauterbrunnen. This is 3h20m on trains and a 2h30m drive. This also has the advantage that we will have the rental car already.

I'm leaning towards Option Two - but want to make sure I'm not forgoing some awesome scenery on the trains that we wouldn't see on the drive. I've been to Florence before, and I'm not really sure it's going to be my sisters bag as she has little interest in art. I've never been to Lugano though, so don't know if it has much to recommend it - the pictures on the web look pretty, but first hand knowledge is always best!

Also if there's an option I'm overlooking I'd be most grateful to hear about it!

Oh - and I'm fine driving in the mountains - I live in Colorado!

Thanks in Advance
Hez
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Old Jun 16th, 2013, 01:13 PM
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First, I am not sure you really have any time to visit any place en route; the trip is long and likely a bit tiring.

Option 1. is the easy one, maybe you can pick up a car somewhere in Switzerland before getting to Luterbrunnen.

Option 2. - google maps driving times are always underestimated, but 2h30min may be seriously underestimated as you will be driving Gotthard tunnel at a time in which long queues (1-2 hours) are likely. In this case you should better take a train past the Alps, say to Luzern and then rent a car - but in this case Option 1. seems more practical anyway.
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Old Jun 16th, 2013, 01:24 PM
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Have looked at picking up cars elsewhere and nothing really made sense.

Is there anyway to get around the Gotthard tunnel? It will be a Monday, does that make any difference? Are there better times than others on that route?
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Old Jun 16th, 2013, 01:30 PM
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Also - does anyone have experience driving over the pass, rather than through the tunnel? Is it something that you can get close to the tunnel and decide the wait is too long and detour, or do you have to know you're going to do that prior?
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Old Jun 16th, 2013, 10:46 PM
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The Gotthard road tunnel suffered a terrible fire, after that the number of cars in the tunnel at any time is limited out of safety reasons. At times when the traffic outsizes the capacity queues develop at both sides, and the end of July is a likely time for queues. Monday should be better than, say, Saturday, but you cannot really tell.

Driving the pass is easy and extremely beautiful; it will add 45-60 minutes to driving time. But you cannot really say in advance if you will have the alternative, as the traffic is controlled by the police. It works so: from Biasca the valley starts climbing to Airolo. There is the old road parallel to the highway all along the valley. At Airolo you may enter the tunnel, or exit the highway to drive the pass, or even exit to drive Nufenen pass.
As queues develop on the highway leading to the tunnel, the police may choose to block highway exits to keep free the old road for local traffic, public transportation and emergency services. So you may be forced to keep the queue even if you want to drive the pass. Or maybe you will have to leave the highway as early as Quinto, if possible. Informations should checked locally on the very day of travel. This is why you do not really have time for stops en route.

The only real alternative to St. Gotthard is the St. Bernardino tunnel, but it does not lead in the right direction for you. Another alternative would be driving Nufenen and Grimsel passes from Airolo - this is the shortest itinerary if not the easier - but again you may be forced to queue in Airolo. All other alternatives (say, Lukmanier and Oberalp) are long and tiring.
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Old Jun 17th, 2013, 06:45 AM
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Thanks so much for all the information. I'll definitely keep an eye on the traffic situation on the day.

I still think we'll have time to stop as I'm used to driving long distances on road trips so maybe I just have a different perspective on what constitutes too long of a day. A few weeks ago I rode a 25 mile bike ride, shopped & had lunch for 4 hours while my husband finished riding his 100 miles, then drove 6.5 hours home. I'm not saying it won't be a long day, just that I'm ok with that.

If we take a 10am train from Florence we would be to Lugano/Bellinzona around 1pm which seems to me to leave plenty of time to stop for a couple hours and then continue on. Even if we left that area at 4pm, it seems that we would be to Lauterbrunnen by 8pm.

I was looking at lunch in Lugano and then a stop in Bellinzona. If it does work out that the traffic is going to be really bad, which of these would be a better stop?

Thanks,
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Old Jun 17th, 2013, 03:21 PM
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I don't know where a convenient hire location, maybe near a station, could be. Generally speaking, Lugano is more interesting than Bellinzona.
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Old Jun 17th, 2013, 06:05 PM
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There's a Hertz right near the train station in Lugano so I've booked from there. That office will be closed until 1:30 and we arrive at 12:00 so we'll take the funicular down into town, have lunch, and then collect the car and head to Bellinzona.

It seems that unless there's some extraordinary event I'm sure a stop in Bellinzona will work.
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Old Jun 17th, 2013, 07:49 PM
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How long will you be in Lauterbrunnen? You do not need a car in the BO. We took the train from Venice to Lauterbrunnen and enjoyed a relaxing day on the train.
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Old Jun 17th, 2013, 08:19 PM
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We'll be there for 3 nights - the issue was that on the last day we are going from Lauterbrunnen through Gruyeres and then to Geneva. The rail connections for that were nightmarish and left us carrying our luggage around - so we need a car. I did look at picking up a car in Interlaken and dropping off in Geneva but it was way more expensive for that one day than picking up in Lugano and having it for 3. Not to mention that rail connections from Firenze to Lauterbrunnen will get us there later than the car (even if the tunnel is bad).

Good question though as my original idea was to take the train to Lauterbrunnen and then just get a car for the one day from there to Geneva. It just worked out cheaper/more convenient to pick up the car in Lugano.
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Old Jun 17th, 2013, 11:21 PM
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Hi Hez,

Really no need for a car to go from Lauterbrunnen to Geneva via Gruyeres & Montreux. Just send your bags via the Fast Baggage service. It costs 22 chf per bag; you check the bag/s before 09.00 and pick them up that evening after 18.00. Then you're free all day to hop on and off trains and scout around and visit where you like.

The train route from Zweisimmen to Montreux is stunning; it's one of the most scenic of the "scenic" train routes in Switzerland.

Have fun as you plan!

s
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Old Jun 18th, 2013, 07:16 AM
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swandav2000 - Thanks! I hadn't considered the Fast Baggage service. That's definitely available at Lauterbrunnen?

It still seems like a lot of time/trains to get from Lauterbrunnen to Gruyeres...

Lauterbrunnen - Gruyeres = 3.5 hours and 3 changes. So leaving at 8:30 will get us there at 12.

Then from Broc to Geneva it's 2.25 hours and 2 changes.

So that's 5.75 hours travel time, plus having to drop off and collect bags, get to the train station etc.

Driving is 3 hours - although we would have to drop off the car which adds a bit of time.

The trip from Florence to Lauterbrunnen would definitely save time as leaving Florence at 9am we would get to Lauterbrunnen at 3:30pm. Although as we get to Lugano at 12:10 if we left straight after picking up a car this might only save an hour.

However - now looking at that leg there is construction between Milan and Lauterbrunnen so it involves a change to a bus midway through - making a minimum of 6 changes. Ick! It also says "Please allow for a longer traveling time." so who knows how long that might be.

Hmm - I think I'll stick with the car. Given other circumstances I can definitely see that the train could work - but not this time.

Thanks again for the information though!

Thoughts?
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Old Jun 18th, 2013, 10:39 AM
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There is a parking garage in Lauterbrunnen just as you come into town on the left side adjacent to the train station. You can park there if your accommodations do not have enough parking.

We drove all over Europe for months. It was great. Sounds like this might be the better option for you this time. The BO is fantastic.
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Old Jun 18th, 2013, 05:46 PM
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Thanks michele_d - fortunately our hotel does have parking so that's a bonus.

I do love taking trains - but I also love a good road trip - so I'm ok with the driving.

I'm jealous of your driving all over Europe for months! I seem to manage about 4 weeks a year these days, but dream of when we can just travel and explore for months on end!
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Old Jun 21st, 2013, 12:59 AM
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Hi again,

Not sure where you're getting your information from. According to the SBB, if you leave at 08.03, you arrive in Gruyeres at 10.59, a trip of 2h59.

It's too bad you won't consider taking the trains -- the SBB has a program where it shows you how much carbon emissions you're saving by taking the trains! You may really enjoy doing your part to preserve the disappearing glaciers . .

s
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Old Jun 21st, 2013, 07:26 AM
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Hi swandav2000 - maybe you missed this part -

"However - now looking at that leg there is construction between Milan and Lauterbrunnen so it involves a change to a bus midway through - making a minimum of 6 changes. Ick! It also says "Please allow for a longer traveling time." so who knows how long that might be."

So we would be riding part way on a bus anyway. Also, the 8am is earlier than we want to leave and invoves 4 changes - I don't find that to be relaxing.

Oh - and my 11 year old car has 60K miles, and that includes road trips. I walk almost everywhere at home so am not going to feel guilty about choosing to drive on holiday when it makes the most sense.

I find it incredibly rude of you to make assumptions about me and then try to make me feel guilty about my vacation.
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