Himanshi

Hi,

We are travelling for 9 days in July first week with our 2 kids (5 Years & 6 months old). Travelling to and from NYC -->Zurich. Based on all forums, after landing we plan on taking a train to Interlaken and stay there for 6 nights. We plan on doing the following day trips:

Day 1: Visit Interlaken - may visit wengen, murren
Day 2: From Interlaken Ost station take train to "Jungfraujoch" (depending on weather - Apprx 2 hours train ride) [Going via Lauterbrunnen and returning via Grindelwald - can stop in Gridenwald for dinner]
Day 3- Train to Zermatt (Approx 2 hrs train ride)
Day 4 - Day trip to Laussane, Montreux and Chateau De Chillion
Day 5 - To Lucerne & Bern
Day 6- Golden Panaromic Express Train or any other suggestion?

Any other suggestions would help us include more places?

We will then head to Zurich for next 2 nights.
Day 7 - City Tour, Trip to Rhine falls,
Day 8 - May be Heidiland and Liechtenstein or any other suggestion

Please let me know if the above seems OK or if i should switch something for something more interesting.

Thanks

tipsygus

You of course know what your five year old can manage in a day, but I would be prepared to modify your days if necessary. Day 2 Please check with your baby's doctor that the Jungfrau trip is suitable, check the Jungfraubahn website for their advice on taking babies to that height, and be preapred to change plans if the weather is not suitable. Day 4 is another long day and I would not personally want to this trip with young children as a day trip. Day 8 also looks to be another long day for the children.

tipsygus

Sorry I should have added that you are covering the same ground on days 4 and 6. You take the Golden Panoramic Express if you go to Lausanne.

Himanshi

You are Right- any other suggestion for day 6 & 8 then?

Himanshi

Any other suggestions to see on Day 6&8

Pepper_von_snoot

I don't understand why you are basing yourself in the Bernese Oberland, yet you don't seem to want to explore the BO but want to go to Lausanne and Chillon Castle.

That doesn't make any sense to me.

The BO is so much more than the Jungfrau.

There is plenty to see and do in the BO for 6 days.

If you want to explore the Geneva area, why are you flying into Zurich? Why not fly into Geneva.

Why do you want to go to Lichtenstein?

As Tipsy Gus has stated above, you are looking at long train rides with your kids.

Do you want to see Switzerland or the inside of a train?


Thin

Himanshi

OK- got the point! can you then recommend someother place in BO for Day 4 and 6? This is my first trip to Switzerland so any help is much appreciated!

Can you also suggest a trail that we can do with kids - stroller?

Himanshi

Any suggestions.?

kwren

If I were you, I'd stay in Lauterbrunnen, Wengen or Grindelwald or the first 4 days. That way you'll be able to play it by ear to go to the Jungfrau (some hotels have a TV in their lobby showing the weather conditions up there) and explore some of that area. Go to Pfingstegg for the toboggan ride. Walk the Panoramaweg between Mannlichen and Kleine Scheidegg (it's pretty level and the unpaved paths aren't narrow and could accomodate a stroller - you'll have a couple of uneven parts but it's also mostly downhill and there is a tiny playground just before you reach Kleine Scheidegg. It's normally a relaxed 1 1/2 hour walk so consider that too), relax and enjoy the mountains.

I haven't stayed here, but you could check out the Derby Hotel in Grindelwald. 3 reasons I mention this particular hotel (other than having eaten there and it had great food)...
it is right at the train station so you wouldn't have to shlep all your stuff + stroller very far, with a 5 year old maybe the family apartment overlooks the train station (but the south facing rooms are reportedly large and have a great view of the mountains if you prefer that), and Tripadvisor gives it mostly great reviews (and says that there is no noise from the trains). That's just a starting point and of course I don't know your budget, but with a 5 year old I would consider the advantages of train watching to keep him occupied during downtimes.

In any case, email whichever hotel you choose and discuss the different types of rooms they offer.

Good luck with the planning!

Pepper_von_snoot

There are so many outings you can do with your kids in the BO.

Some examples: boat rides on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, Schynige Platte, Schilthorn, Ballenberg Farm Museum, Harder Kulm, Thun and Thun Castle.

Easy walks: Lauterbrunnen to Stechelberg, Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg, Murren to Grutschalp (at half-way point there is a restaurant and playground).

There is also a playground across the road from Hotel Schonegg in Wengen. Walk up the road behind the playground to see cows--on the way to the public swimming pool in Wengen.

Hope this helps.

Thin

zorepm

As others have said, there is plenty to do in the Bernese Oberland, and you need to keep flexibility because the weather is always a big question. Going up into the mountains isn't a good idea if you can't see anything, which is quite often the case. It's often hazier in the afternoon than in the morning. If you can go up, as others have pointed out, the trail from Maennlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is a "granny walk" with spectacular scenery--you start out heading toward the famous North Face of the Eiger, then round a corner to see the Jungfrau, then down to Kleine Scheidegg (which, by the way, is where the Jungfraubahn starts). The Jungfraujoch is 11,000 feet up, and I had a little altitude sickness there. The best way to get to Maennlichen is the spectacular half-hour cablecar ride from Grindelwald-Grund (down from Grindelwald). We've also enjoyed going up to the Schilthorn, where you can eat in the revolving restaurant.

If you can't see the mountaintops from Interlaken, then better to take a boat on one of the lakes (maybe by way of the Giessbach Falls or the Beatenberg Caves) to visit Brienz or Thun; go to the Ballenberg Open Air Museum; see the Truemmelbach Falls (very impressive); take a low-level walk in the Lauterbrunnen Valley or along one of the lakes; or take a daytrip to Bern or Meiringen (for the Aare Gorge or the Reichenbach Falls--where Sherlock Holmes and Professor Moriarty fought to the death!).

But I hope that the weather cooperates, because this is some of the most spectacular scenery in the world.

kwren

I have to say that sometimes, even if you can't see the mountains from Interlaken, the top of the Jungfrau can be clear. Our first trip to Switzerland, before we knew better, we could barely see the trees in Interlaken one morning but went up to the Jungfrau anyway because we had only planned one day for this trip. It was spectacular, not a cloud in sight and we had a perfect view. We were pretty lucky that day!

I'm not saying to up and go when it's very cloudy. I'm saying that it's a good idea to ask the hotel personnel if they know the weather conditions at the top before going, no matter what the weather is where you are. They have been very helpful to us. Do the trip the first good day in case the weather worsens as time goes on.

I have also noticed that the clouds seem to roll in as it gets later in the day so it might be best to try to plan the trip for the morning. Same if you go up the Schilthorn.

If you stay in Lauterbrunnen and want to take the hike from Mannlichen, you would take the train to Wengen and the cablecar from Wengen to Mannlichen. There's a playground up there too before you start the hike. Then take the train back to Lauterbrunnen from Kleine Scheidegg.

PalenQ

With that wide-ranging itinerary definitely investigate the Swiss Pass which would cover all the trains you mention and for that much travel be better than the Half-Fare card or regular tickets I suspect - great sources of info on Swiss trains and passes and lake boats, etc - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - sites that give a lot of great info and not just the usual pass and product prices.

PalenQ

You have two kids under 15 - thus you get free with a Swiss Pass a free Family Pass whereby the 5=yr old never pays a dime for any form of transport - even those trips to mountain tops the pass may only cover 50% - the 1 yr old of course goes free even within the Family Pass - but the 5 yr old in effect gets a free pass and never pays a dime for any type of travel. If you do not buy a pass you can buy the Family Pass for around $35 in Switzerland I believe but with the Swiss Pass it is free.

PalenQ

I have to say that sometimes, even if you can't see the mountains from Interlaken, the top of the Jungfrau can be clear.>
tis true also IME - but be sure to check the ubiquitous weather forecasts TVs inevitably in hotels or in the Interlaken tourist office or other tourist offices to make sure - there is a web cam on the Jungfrau to show you exactly what is is up there!

PalenQ

ah the Mannlichen to Kleine Schiedegg hike is not to be missed - by anyone and anyone practically who is ambulatory can go this flat short ridge walk affording views down over both the Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald valleys as well as from the Mannlichen, Interlaken itself, lovingly wedged between the two lakes bookending it!

Himanshi

Thank you all for great suggestions! Where can I find/ search good apartments in interlaken? The Beau Rivage is too expensive-$400/night!

PalenQ

http://www.interlaken.world-guides.com/

try this site

PalenQ

http://www.booking.com/city/ch/inter...:ap1t1:neg;ws=

Booking apartments in Interlaken.

Himanshi

We instead of staying in Interlaken, have booked 5 nights in Bern and will take day trips from there. Any suggestions on day trips?