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Switzerland - October 16th - 20th ( Half Term)

Switzerland - October 16th - 20th ( Half Term)

Old Aug 23rd, 2010, 06:19 AM
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Switzerland - October 16th - 20th ( Half Term)

Hi all,
Am taking the liberty to post a new thread just because there is already one existing ( by asmama) and I do not want to confuse issues. Any help ,idea, template itinerary ,advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

I am looking to make a short trip to Switzerland with my wife & 2 kids ( 13 & 5 resp)between the days mentioned in the topic - tying in with the october half term. An option suggested by Swiss Travel Centre is on the higher side - estimate of £ 2000 plus and hence this request.

We want to mix up all, land , rail & water travel if possible to get the maximum out of the 5 days. Excursions to Jungfrau ,Titlis are mandatory (kids want that). I intend to be in Zurich by mid-day Saturday 16th Oct and fly out evening of the 20th. Would also like to visit Luzern, Interlaken ,Engleberg if enroute to either of the mountains.

I have seen some very helpful posts on the asmama thread and am working through that but as we are travelling a little later and for a shorter duration , I cannot afford the luxury of that travel. What about the weather that time of the year ( altho I am quite aware of the mountain weather uncertainity).

All help, more than appreciated.

Thanks
Dharmesh
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Old Aug 23rd, 2010, 06:33 AM
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I'll comment on transportation - be sure to investigate the 4-consecutive-day Swiss Railpass as it will cover nearly all your transporation in full from get go to get gone - assuming you spend you first or last day in Zurich - then you have 4 full days in between where, if plans as envisioned, entail beacoups rail travel and boats, mountain trains, etc. Only excursions to mountain tops would not be covered in full - pass you take you to Engelberg but then pay 50% to ascend Mt Titlis - ditto for the Jungfraujoch - pass takes you in full to Wengen, from Interlaken, then pays 50% to Kleine Scheidegg, jumping off point for the Jungfraubahn on which portion you get a 25% discount. But a great thing is that both kids since they are under 16 get a free Family Pass to match the pass you buy and they also always - always go free, even on the 50% or 25% off with pass portions - kids never pay a Swiss cent.

Anyway for lots of info on Swiss trains and Passes i always highlight these fantastic IMO sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com -links you to the www.sbb.ch or Swiss Federal Railway site to get timetables and see what regular fares are to compare to the pass - this site also links you to special scenic trains like the Golden Pass you could hop on between Interlaken-Ost and Lucerne; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.seat61.com; www.ricksteves.com. You can buy a pass in the U.K.thru RailEurope UK or upon you arrival in Zurich Airport at the airport train station - prices fluctuate on each and at times buying before going may be cheaper but at other times not so check each source.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2010, 12:36 PM
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Lucerne is your place for a water-borne transportation you want. Lake Lucerne IMO is Switzerland's finest lake and boats even in October scoot around it several times daily- you could even incorporate a float on the journey Lucerne to Engelberg (base for Mt Titlis) - take the boat to Alpnachstad and change there to the mountain railway to Engelberg, which only about an hour from Lucerne is an easy day trip from that city.
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Old Aug 23rd, 2010, 01:27 PM
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Excellent info, thanks PalenQ. I will start planning journey on this info. Please keep the feed on. Thanks a mio.
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Old Aug 24th, 2010, 07:11 AM
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thanks - when going between Lucerne and Interlaken or vice versa there are two routes - the faster one going via Bern and Spiez but a slower one that is a lot more scenic that goes up and over the Brunig Pass - using cog wheels (rack and pinion) at points because the tracks are so steep.

Then the train plunges down to Meiringen and then putzes along lovely Lake Brienz to Interlaken-Ost, terminus of this line.

For variety you could get off the train at Brienz - just a few minutes west of Meiringen towards Interlaken and hop on a boat that will take you to Interlaken-Ost train station - a lovely cruise on a lovely lake backdropped by high Alps.
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Old Aug 24th, 2010, 02:28 PM
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Thanks again. Based on what you have suggested, what are your thoughts about this itenerary - please feel free to chop n change , advise, tweak.. etc (all those English words !):

16th Oct Sat - Arrive Zurich PM and either stay overnight or move to Luzern.
17th Sun - Luzern Interlaken via the Brunig pass and then onto Wengen- Kleine Scheidegg - Jungfraujoch - back to Luzern late eve( is this doable in one day ? or is an overnight suggested ? where ?
18th Mon - Luzern - Alpnachstad (boat )- Engelberg - Mt Titlis -return to Luzern ( train)

If this is feasible, and not too 'chasing trains.. I will have nearly a day spare before I return to Zurich to take the flight back home

What are your suggestions on the above and the utilisation of the spare day ?

Thanks a lot,again. Greatly appreciated.
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Old Aug 25th, 2010, 10:46 AM
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Luzern Interlaken via the Brunig pass and then onto Wengen- Kleine Scheidegg - Jungfraujoch - back to Luzern late eve( is this doable in one day ? or is an overnight suggested ? where ?>

Yes it is very doable - esp if you as i would expect take the quicker way back to Lucerne. It would be a long day but one with lots of great and varied scenery and thrills. I would pay attention to the weather and pick the first sunny day for the Ungfraujoch (lots of weather reports in Switzerland on places like Jungfraujoch - not much fun in rainy days!

Now here is a suggestion - take the fast way to Interlaken and do the Jungfrau excursion and if time allows at Interlaken-West station hop a boat on Lake Thun to Thun - if the weather is sunny this is so so a surrealistic ride - with the ice-girdled Jungfrau Massif you were just a few hours ago on top on out in all its majestic glory.

At Thun hop on the train to Bern and Lucerne. If time is running late of course skip the boat.

And then for that spare day you could take the slower Bernina Pass route but not go to Interlaken but get off at Meiringen - home to both Meringue, the sweet, and the Sherlock Holmes Museum, in a tiny old wooden church - just out of Meiringen are three stellar sights - Reichenbach Falls, where Sherlock and Prof Moriarity tangled - the falls are a huge torrent and a antique funicular takes you up to the platform where the two tangled and Moriarity fell to his death in Conan Doyle's fictional book.

And also close by Meiringen is the Glacier Gorge and the really popular Ballenberg Open-Air Museum. And you could well do a boat ride to on Lake Brienz, making a full day but one when you are never on trains, boats, etc for very long at a time.
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Old Aug 26th, 2010, 07:37 AM
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Or for an extra day in Lucerne you could take a boat to Vitznau and then take the mountain train up to Mt Rigi - one of Switzerland's celebrated summits for views - a lateral view of the rocky Alpine spine of central Switzerland - Mark Twain wrote about his ascent of Mt Rigi in his book A Tramp Abroad (i believe it was this book) - and the summit is known for its Alp Horn players. For variety you can take a thrilling aerial cableway back down to the lake a Weggis to catch a boat back to Lucerne.
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Old Aug 27th, 2010, 02:29 PM
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Salutations to thee PalenQ...
Awesome suggestions. Many thanks. What makes you such a fountain of knowledge ? I am doing that route definitely.

I was reading the Swiss Pass v/s Swiss Flexi Pass. Not much of a cost difference. Which one is better and why ? The Swiss Travel centre book does not explain and I could not spot a glaring difference between the two on the site. Sorry, a daft question but might as well ask !

Many thanks.
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Old Aug 30th, 2010, 01:03 PM
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thanks DharmaeshBuch for comments - i am a retired European travel write who for some decades wrote only about European for various entities, specializing in trains so it is just doing that a long long time with a special fondness for Switzerland.

If the consecutive-day passes can comport to your time frame - they only come in i believe 4-, 8-, 15- and longer periods of time then they are a much cheaper deal per day and it's carte blanche from get there to get going.

But if you are staying say 5 days or 9 or 10 days then they may not work as well.

The difference is that flexible travel days can be spread over a one-month max period and in between you get 50% off practically everything that moves in Switzerland on the days you do not use the pass for 100% travel - most folks find the 3-day Swiss Flexipass the best of the flexipasses as the cost of say a 4-day over a 3-day often is not twice the price that you would get on the non-100% days 50% discount - unless taking some very long trips on several different days.

Well this is too quick as i have to go but will come back and explain it a bit better. Try the sites www.budgeteuropetravel.com (i have bought many passes from them for years - call them and they will answer questions like that without obligation or needing to buy anything IME) and www.ricksteves.com

Cheers
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Old Aug 30th, 2010, 01:04 PM
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Oops i forgot you are in the U.K. - don't know anyplace there to call for expert advice - could be i just do not know - sorry about forgetting - Half-Term must mean Britain!
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Old Aug 31st, 2010, 07:23 AM
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Now using the Flexipass if the consecutive day passes do not comport to your travel time in Switzereland is a bit tricky as though the pass can be used over a maximum of 1 month say if you have a 3-day flexipass as said in between the 1st and 3rd day of 100% coverage - unlimited on those days - you get 50% off nearly everything that moves - trains, buses, boats, aerial cableways, etc.

But once you use the final flexipass day - say the 3rd day on a 3-day flexipass then the pass expires and you get no more benefits. Zilch. So you must save the final day on a flexipass until you are back at your departure point or have to pay full fare as the pass has expired.
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Old Oct 21st, 2010, 07:16 AM
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Hi PalenQ

No, I had not disappeared into the thin air ! We came back last night to a freezing London Luton, to find the car batteries run flat due to the low temperatures ! Anyways..

Just to thank you for the excellent suggestions for the trip that you made, the break was super successful, nevermind the odd day of rain ..The boat from Luzern to Alpnachstad was the crowning glory of the trip and so was the trip upto Pilatus. Jungfrau and Titlis in that order. The kids loved it. We tweaked the itinerary by opting for a one night stay at a B & B in Grindelwald and that was the icing on the cake. Half Fare , Family Card and train travel was a great ease.

At the end of it all, it left me pondering whether there was a job that I could find in Sw'ee'tzerland itself and live amongst the unpolluted landscapes and all...

Thanking you all once again for a great support. I am sure I will approach the portal again before I plan something new. Always happy to help , I live in Leicester, UK.

Regards
Dharmesh
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