Seek advice on 10-day Switzerland trip & glacial express
May 7th, 2015, 05:09 PM
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Seek advice on 10-day Switzerland trip & glacial express
I am taking my parents to Switzerland this June, who are about 70 and can't do too much walking or any hiking even though they love scenic views. We plan to rely on the trains.
Below is my preliminary 10-day itinerary and would love to get your advice on 1) How I can improve it; 2) Whether it is worthwhile to go out of our way a bit to take the glacial express - I am trying to shorten it by doing the Chur to Zermatt (instead from St. Moritz) (if not, where shall we visit instead for the time planned?); and 3) How our limitations on hikes/long walks will limit my sightseeing in some of these places and tips on what to do instead.
Many thanks advance!
Day 1 Arrive Geneva from US in morning; take off to Montreaux (or Lausanne?)
Day 2 Launterbrunne
Day 3 Launterbrunne
Day 4 Interlaken -> Lucern
Day 5 Lucern
Day 6 Day trip to Zurich from Lucern
Day 7 Zurich -> Chur -> Zermatt (glacial express)
Day 8 Zermatt; depart for Geneva in late afternoon
Day 9 Geneva
Day 10 Departure
Below is my preliminary 10-day itinerary and would love to get your advice on 1) How I can improve it; 2) Whether it is worthwhile to go out of our way a bit to take the glacial express - I am trying to shorten it by doing the Chur to Zermatt (instead from St. Moritz) (if not, where shall we visit instead for the time planned?); and 3) How our limitations on hikes/long walks will limit my sightseeing in some of these places and tips on what to do instead.
Many thanks advance!
Day 1 Arrive Geneva from US in morning; take off to Montreaux (or Lausanne?)
Day 2 Launterbrunne
Day 3 Launterbrunne
Day 4 Interlaken -> Lucern
Day 5 Lucern
Day 6 Day trip to Zurich from Lucern
Day 7 Zurich -> Chur -> Zermatt (glacial express)
Day 8 Zermatt; depart for Geneva in late afternoon
Day 9 Geneva
Day 10 Departure
May 7th, 2015, 07:01 PM
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Have you considered flying out of Zurich instead of Geneva? Open jaws plane tickets (called multi-city on airline web sites) should cost about the same as round trip and save you the time and money spent backtracking.
From Interlaken you can catch scenic boat rides on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. Likewise from Lucerne there's the Mt Pilatis excusion: a boat on the lake, a funicular railway to the top, then a gondola and a ski lift back to Lucerne. All of these will expose your parents to beautiful scenery without too much exertion.
Do you plan to go up to Jungfraujoch? If so, might the altitude (3500 meters or 11000+ feet) bother your parents?
From Interlaken you can catch scenic boat rides on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. Likewise from Lucerne there's the Mt Pilatis excusion: a boat on the lake, a funicular railway to the top, then a gondola and a ski lift back to Lucerne. All of these will expose your parents to beautiful scenery without too much exertion.
Do you plan to go up to Jungfraujoch? If so, might the altitude (3500 meters or 11000+ feet) bother your parents?
May 8th, 2015, 05:02 AM
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Day 6 - If your parents like mountain views, go to Engleberg to Mt. Titlis. About an hour from Lucerne, instead of trip to Zurich. Great cable cars up and they don't have to hike. Different areas to walk around. And of course, a restaurant.
May 8th, 2015, 06:12 AM
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May 8th, 2015, 06:13 AM
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Day 7 Zurich -> Chur -> Zermatt (glacial express)>
this is a wasted day IME - that is not the Glacier Express but an ordinary railway - the Glacier Express runs from St-Moritz to Zermatt as well as Chur/Davos to Zermatt - an 8-hour marathon that bores many - so don't go out of your way to take Europe'smost hyped train - trains in the Jungfrau/Interlaken area will be just as or more dramatically scenic than the Glacier Express.
I would add a few days into the Montreux/Lake Geneva area and scrub the uneventful Zermatt to Chur day or also the day trip to Zurich from Lucerne - end up in Geneva the day before your flight
Montreux and its area offer some really neat things to do.
Otherwise seems nicely planned - look into a Swiss Pass as you are traveling enough to may it a good deal perhaps - great info on Swiss trains and passes and the Jungfrau Region: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
I think 3 days would be better in the fabulous Jungfrau Region - where there is so so many varied things to see and do.
this is a wasted day IME - that is not the Glacier Express but an ordinary railway - the Glacier Express runs from St-Moritz to Zermatt as well as Chur/Davos to Zermatt - an 8-hour marathon that bores many - so don't go out of your way to take Europe'smost hyped train - trains in the Jungfrau/Interlaken area will be just as or more dramatically scenic than the Glacier Express.
I would add a few days into the Montreux/Lake Geneva area and scrub the uneventful Zermatt to Chur day or also the day trip to Zurich from Lucerne - end up in Geneva the day before your flight
Montreux and its area offer some really neat things to do.
Otherwise seems nicely planned - look into a Swiss Pass as you are traveling enough to may it a good deal perhaps - great info on Swiss trains and passes and the Jungfrau Region: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.
I think 3 days would be better in the fabulous Jungfrau Region - where there is so so many varied things to see and do.
