Husband and I will be arriving in Geneva on 24 February and staying for 10 days. We plan to travel the Lake Geneva area, Bernese Oberland and Lucerne. Some questions:

1) How should I split my 10 days between these three regions? My rough itinereary:
Day 1-3: Lake Geneva
Day 4-7: Bernese Oberland
Day 8-10: Lucerne

2) Where should we base ourselves in Lake Geneva? Lausanne, Vevey or Montreux? Keeping in my mind that we are travelling with two very young kids.

3) Where should we base ourselves in Bernese Oberland? Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen/Murren or Grindelwald?

Thanks for your input!

SWITZERLAND IN WINTER
What do you plan to do in these 3 areas; what are your interests? How old are your kids (interested in playgrounds, castles or museums?)

My kids are very young, 3.5yo & 1.5yo as stated in the title.

Castles and playgrounds are welcome. But not museums. I think that will bore them to death. We'll definitely be looking at scenic train rides. I'm also thinking of doing short winter hikes, possibly pulling them on sleds. Sightseeing, watching the skiers, sledging, playing in the snow. Not sure what else there is to do during winter for our little kids.

Basically, we just want them to experience snow and have some fun family time far away from home. We're from Singapore by the way.

for lots of info on scenic trains and Swiss trains in general check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. From Montreux you can take one of the iconic scenic trains - the Golden Pass to Interlaken and then scenic trains into the fantastic Jungfrau Region - to me the best place for novice visitors to see Switzerland's Alpine Wonderland - ensconce yourselves in a cute mountain village like Wengen - great for families - and reachable by train - no cars allowed - a car-free carefree village.

From Interlaken to Lucerne you can take the Golden Pass Scenic Train up and over the Brunig Pass to Lucerne - regular trains run over the exact same route.

http://www.goldenpass.ch/en

You don't have to rule out museums in Switzerland! The Swiss Museum of Transport in Luzern will be a good one for your kids since there are plenty of interactive hands-on exhibits.

If you are in the lake Geneva area, you will be a short distance away (1/2hr from Montreux/Vevey) to the Cailler chocolate factory where you can take a tour to learn how chocolate is made followed by chocolate sampling at the end! I don't believe the chocolate train will be running in February though....

I don't believe the chocolate train will be running in February though....>

regular trains take the same route with a change or two - part of the Golden Pass scenic train route then change for Gruyeres - lovely old walled town - then onto Broc Factory station for the sweet Willie Wonkaesque tours - if available in February as I assume.

http://cailler.ch/en/maison-cailler/...n/information/

SWiTZERLAND WITH CHILDREN

As public transport is rather expensive in Switzerland, study carefully the sites about Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flexy and Swiss half fare card: http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/en/home.html

Check the Swiss Travel System Family Card
The Swiss Travel System Family Card is issued at no cost to parents who wish to take along their children under the age of 16 at no cost. Please note that at least one parent has to travel with the child/ren.

Some ideas (check opening periods, some places are closed in winter)::

historic steamboats on Lake Geneva:
http://www.cgn.ch/horaires/pdf/AffA2-ete-10.pdf
http://www.cgn.ch/eng/flotte

Swiss Vapeur Park Le Bouveret:
http://www.swissvapeur.ch/en/index.php

Signal de Bougy:
http://www.parc-aventure.ch/Signal-de-Bougy/
http://www.signaldebougy.ch/

Menhirs at Yverdon
http://www.yverdonlesbainsregion.ch/...menhirs_clendy

Blonay-Chamby historic railway:
http://www.blonay-chamby.ch/index-en.php

Chillon castle:
http://www.chillon.ch/en/

Gruyeres castle, cheese diary and chocolate factory:
http://www.chateau-gruyeres.ch/e/mul...spectacle.html
http://www.la-gruyere.ch/en/navpage-...FR-120085.html
http://www.lamaisondugruyere.ch/inde...=142&Itemid=56
http://www.lamaisondugruyere.ch/inde...=142&Itemid=56

Chatelard-Emosson (Mont Blanc area):
http://www.chatelard.net/english/pages/descr_e.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emosson
http://www.emosson.ch/PublicEN/default-en.htm

Zermatt-Gornergrat:
http://www.gornergrat.ch/home/index.php
http://www.klein-matterhorn.ch/photos/
http://www.zermatt.ch/en/index.cfm

Entirely walled city of Murten:
http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/nav...nFR-99305.html
http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/nav...-MurtenFR.html
Medieval city of Bern:
http://www.berninfo.com/en/page.cfm/Information
http://www.kleinbahn-gurten.ch/

Swiss Village Park Ballenberg:
http://ballenberg.ch/en/Welcome

Lugano and Swissminiatur:
http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/291/default.aspx
http://www.swissminiatur.ch/

Seewen in the Jura close to Basel:
http://www.bundesmuseen.ch/musikauto...x.html?lang=en

Rapperswil:
http://www.zuerichsee.ch/en/page.cfm...FamilyDRZ/1230
http://www.knieskinderzoo.ch/
http://www.zuerichsee.ch/en/page.cfm/SightsRZ
http://www.zuerich.com/en/page.cfm/r...gion_zuerich_x

Rhine Falls Adventure Park
http://www.rheinfall.ch/Attraktionen...ark?lang=en-US

Furka steam train
http://www.furka-bergstrecke.ch/eng/train/timetable.php

You may have a look at
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/interests/family.html
http://www.takethefamily.com/where/s...ays-and-breaks
http://www.eparenting.co.uk/family_h...tzerland.shtml
http://www.reka.ch/en/rekaferien/Pages/default.aspx
http://littletravellers.com/destinat...y-switzerland/

The Swiss Travel System Family Card is issued at no cost to parents who wish to take along their children under the age of 16 at no cost.>

do kids under 4 even need the Family Card - 4 and over seems to be the routine age for needing tickets (or higher). If a 3.5 yr old shows up do they need to even pay?

Thanks all for your replies. All very helpful!

In Switzerland, kids pay nothing up to 6 years and half fare from 6 - 16 years. Same rule for Brig - Domodossola - Locarno or St. Moritz - Chiavenna - Menaggio - Lugano (Swiss Postbus only), but NOT for international bus lines starting in Switzerland, like Martigny - Aosta, Zurich - Konstanz or Chur - Bregenz.

Here's some advice from my own experience with my kids:

1. Kids get bored on trains easily
2. Kids love snow. Let them play.
3. Rent sleds and go sledding.
4. Use any play areas you can find. This includes play areas at cafeteria-style restaurants such as Migros, Coop or Manor.
5. After playing in the snow, your kids will be tired so don't go too far from your accommodation.
6. Don't go on long excursions. Keep it simple and enjoy your surroundings.
7. Kids are free on trains (as Pal mentioned.)
8. Your kids may need naps so organise accordingly.

In Switzerland, kids pay nothing up to 6 years and half fare from 6 - 16 years.>

So there is no reason to get the free Family Pass as kids that age go free anyway - even on the Jungfraujoch train I assume?

"So there is no reason to get the free Family Pass as kids that age go free anyway - even on the Jungfraujoch"

That's right.

We traveled to Switzerland with two kids almost the same ages as yours! Two things I'd add:

Last cart of the Swiss trains is a play area (really!) so it makes train travel magical for kids this age. The cart is marked with a teddy bear. I don't think it's all the lines but I know there's quite a few out of Zurich.

I would recommend eating at Coop City's, they are these big department stores, but at the top they have a restaurant and play area. It's a life savior! Plus, the food is good and low priced.

Here's more info: http://sleepdeprivedinseattle.com/20...ds-swiss-food/

I would recommend eating at Coop City's, they are these big department stores, but at the top they have a restaurant and play area. It's a life savior! Plus, the food is good and low priced.>

Migros stores are about the same as Coop in terms on inexpensive restaurant but they still I guess refuse to sell alcohol if that is a prerequisite for your meal.

Migros and Coop are usually found in each sizable city like Interlaken. The mini Coops in smaller town often do not have cafeterias.