SWITZERLAND IN 5 SUMMER DAYS

Old Jun 22nd, 2016, 08:56 AM
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SWITZERLAND IN 5 SUMMER DAYS

I am in Switzerland for 5 days in AUGUST. I will be flying through Zurich. Out of the three areas Zermatt, Interlaken and Edgadin which areas should i cover . I am arriving in Switzerland early at 6 am on 8th AUG and flying out o 13th afternoon 1 pm.
Basically i want my sons ( 17 and 11) to experience Switzerland. We love mountains , open air , quaint little mountain villages. short hikes . I am unable to decide which areas to cover and what to leave. Instead of moving too much I would like to choose maximum two hubs and explore those areas .

i would appreciate any suggestion from fellow travellers who love to explore " off the beaten path".

AMIT SRIVASTAVA
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Old Jun 22nd, 2016, 09:03 AM
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It takes a bit of time to get to the Engadin from Zurich and with your limited time I wouldn't recommend it.

Easiest is to go to "Interlaken" in the Berner Oberland. Or choose another town within the BO.
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Old Jun 22nd, 2016, 11:03 AM
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Yes to what Diane says - the Interlaken (Jungfrau) area is IME the best place in Switzerland to spend 3-4 days - and put a day or two into Lucerne - take a boat ride on lovely Lake Lucerne.

If you chose the Jungfrau Region and coming from Zurich it is less than 2 hours or so to get to a mountain village like Wengen or Grindelwald that will more than fulfill your desire of a romantic place with lots of natural beauty of the glacier-girdled high Alps right from your hotel balcony.

Interlaken is a nice city but staying right up in dem hills is highly suggested - again being eyeball to eyeball with soaring peaks =- toy like train and thrilling aerial cable ways go off in all directions - there are hikes for all abilities and energies.

Between Interlaken and Lucerne take the gorgeously scenic Brunig Pass Railway, part of the Golden Pass route.

I'd say 4 nights in the Jungfrau Region in one base and another day and night in Lucerne, a small city with few must sights.

For this type of trip I'd take a look at the Berner Oberland Pass, good on conveyances of all types in Lucerne and Interlaken areas - better perhaps than a Swiss Pass or regular tickets or maybe if not traveling on transports that much but more hiking the Half-Off Pass.

details on all the above and Switzerland trains in general check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

The Engadine and Zermatt are neat too but IME and IMO do not compare with the Jungfrau Region in the number of varied things to see and do. And much closer to Zermatt.
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Old Jun 22nd, 2016, 11:44 AM
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The Berner Oberland/Lucerne area has a much more developed infrastructure for tourists. I would go there.
It has mountains, quaint little villages, pristine lakes and hiking.
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Old Jun 22nd, 2016, 11:49 AM
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You can be in the Engadin in about three hours by rail from Zurich; to get to Interlaken Ost by rail you will be spending two hours so I am sorry, but I disagree with the whole "the Engadin is too far to reach" declaration.

I would, however, second the whole Berner Oberland destination IF you want to see what has become, for many, the stereotypical image/surroundings which people think of as "Switzerland."
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Old Jun 22nd, 2016, 12:41 PM
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You can be in the Engadin in about three hours by rail from Zurich>

To St Moritz takes 3.5 hours but where in the Engadine should someone base- it would take another hour or so to get to any Alpine resort areas - But from Zurich airport you could be in Grindelwald at 3 hours flat.
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 10:53 PM
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Journey times from Zurich airport (trains at least every hr):

Wengen or Muerren (Bernese Oberland): 3 hrs 10 min
Zermatt: 3 hrs 30 min
Suol-Tarasp (Lower Engadin) 2 hrs 55 min
Zuoz (Upper Engadin): 3 hrs 10 min
Samedan (Upper Engadin) 3 hrs 25 min
Pontresina (Upper Engadin): 3 hrs 35 min

Jungfraujoch Glacier area (Bernese Oberland): 4 hs 40 min
Matterhorn Paaradise Glacier area (Zermatt): 4 hrs 20 min
Diavolezza Glacier area (Upper Engadin): 4 hrs 20 min
Corvatsch Glacier area (Upper Engadin): 4 hrs 35 min
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Old Jun 24th, 2016, 10:58 PM
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"where in the Engadine should someone base":
Scuol-Tarasp, Pontresina, Zuoz, S-chanf, Guarda, Muottas Muragl......
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Old Jun 25th, 2016, 03:02 PM
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Wengen or Muerren (Bernese Oberland): 3 hrs 10 min>

Grindelwald is less than those two and a base for a good % of Jungfrau area travelers.
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