10 days Switzerland
 

I usually use Rick Steves guide books to help plan my trips but do not have one on Switzerland. I would appreciate it if someone could suggest about a 10 night itinerary - probably flying in and out of Zurich - proabaly basing in two places. We like to explore the mountains and lakes to some extent. We do leisurely walks, not hikes. Enjoy art and architecture. Years ago we stayed in Montreaux and explored that region for several days. We would travel in Aug. Prefer mid-range hotels. Or maybe combine Switz. with another base in the Italian lakes region. For some reason planning an itinerary in Switz. baffles me a bit - all the different mountains and rail passes. On a recent Rick Steves episode he showed an area where you could cable up and walk a long ways on a ridge - I did not catch the exact location. Thank you for gracious suggestions.

The centerpiece should be 4 nights in the Lauterbrunnen area, such as Murren or Wengen. Pontresina is a nice base for exploring if you have a car. Finishing up in Luzern for a few nights is a good capstone. Switzerland is small - you can go from one corner to another in a half day by rail.

Cable up from Grindelwald or Wengen to Mannlichen then do the few mile Panorama Walk to Keline Scheidegg - can take cable back from there to Wengen or Grindelwald.

I'd suggest Lucerne and its lovely lake - the Grindelwald area - the high Alps at their best and Lake Geneva. For lots on Swiss trains check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel; www.ricksteves.com.

You might consider getting the Michelin Green Guide for Switzerland. It's the best I've seen!

Switzerland is small, as Edward notes, but it is also absolutely filled with stunning gems, both natural and cultural. I would think that a combination of the Bernese Oberland (perhaps staying in Wengen as a base to explore the region) and Lucerne, with a day or more in Zurich (underrated, IMO) would make for a lovely trip, but you have a nearly infinite range of options. You might find some useful information in my trip report:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...thanks-983126/

I planned my itinerary (3 weeks in June) on basis of the Grand Tour of Switzerland on https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-be/...itzerland.html
We will be driving but I believe it can also be done by train/bus/boat. The MySwitzerland website is so full of information that it's not always easy to navigate.

If there is a place where you don't need a car, it's well Pontresina.

Interlaken is not in the mountains nor is it a particularly charming town (but the old town is nice and the tourists stick to the main street where all manor of stuff like Hooters is) BUT it makes a great base if you have an interest in anything in addition to the mountains - such as the lake, Thun, Spitz, Bern, Gruyere, etc. The problem with Switzerland is the weather. The mountains are glorious except when socked in clouds - which happens a lot. If you base several days in Interlaken you can go up to the mountains on nice days and less nice days visit towns or lakes in the other direction. You can also do this if you base in Lauterbruen but it will add time to your other day trips.

You can get all the Rick Steves videos on youtube for free so maybe you want to watch the Switzerland one again.

Thank you for those that have posted so far. In the last 24 hours I have done online research - I skipped around the website "my switzerland" and I skimmed kja's trip report -whew! very busy:) So at the moment I am thinking maybe Lucerne and Lugano, maybe each 5 nights, maybe 2 nights in Zurich at the end. Suggestions for day trips / outings at these locations?

I'm thinking either the 1/2 price transportation / rail card or 3 day flex pass? But neither of these cover cable cars? I know several mentioned Interlocken but are there similar experiences to be had from Lucerne? maybe not so much glaciers (not a fan of snow and ice) but charming mountain villages? Put in a hold for Rick Steves at the library and will continue to research on internet as well as soliciting input from my fellow travelers on Fodors.

I am not sure if you would call Engleberg and the ascent to Mt. Titlis "charming" but you can easily do it by rail in half a day from Luzern.

This is what we will do (amongst others) ... by car but maybe they can be done by train/bus also.
From Luzern:
Mont Rigi / Pilatusberg / Stanserhorn (by cablecar)
Brienz (boatride on Brienzersee)
Four-Pass ride starting in Innertkirchen which is 50 km from Luzern (Innertkirchen: Innertkirchen – Grimsel – Ulrichen – Nufenen – Airolo – Gotthard – Andermatt – Wassen – Susten – Innertkirchen)

From Lugano:
Locarno
Centovalli (scenic drive)
Valle Verzasca (scenic drive)
Arcumeggia (murals)

Maryiam - the four pass train ride? you are starting in Lucerne and going to Interlaken and on from there? how long would that all take? and returning in the evening o Lucerne? Thanks for the clarification!

I'm thinking either the 1/2 price transportation / rail card or 3 day flex pass? But neither of these cover cable cars?

The Half Fare Card does cover many, but not all cable cars. Take a look at the map here - the legend in the lower right corner indicates which cable cars are covered under which pass:

http://ontheworldmap.com/switzerland...ailway-map.jpg

It's not a train ride! As I mentioned in my initial post, I was just summing up what we will be doing from these locations.
PS My name is Myriam

Myriam - sorry:unsure:I thought I had taken care to spell it correctly - I suspect the heavy hand of autocorrect! and thanks! I thought that would be a heck of a train ride! again, thanks for the suggestions for both of our possible locations.

Swiss Travel Pass covers nearly all cable 50% as does Half-Fare Card - SPass covers some cables and mountain trains in full if they actually go to some place of residence not just mountain tops - like Grindelwald-Lauterbrunnen-Wengen-Grutschalp-Murren-Gimmelwald and Stechelberg all covered in full by Swiss T Pass because they go to towns,. So may tip the balance to a Swiss Travel Pass if staying in Wengen or Murren especially.

There is also a 3 pass postal bus ride from Meiringen over three rugged passes returning to Meiringen.

Your plan sounds to me like one that could work well. :)

Yes, my trip was very busy -- I wasn't looking to relax! -- and that report covers the day trips I took.

FWIW, I did not find the RS book helpful when planning my time in Switzerland, at least not in comparison to any of the other 6 guidebooks I used.

Enjoy!

Lugano and Lucerne is a good solution, despite the fact that everybody in this forum tell people to go to Wengen/Muerren/Grindelwald.
There are tons of possible day trips from both, like:

from Lugano:
viewpoints Monte Generoso (cog wheel railway), Monte San Salvatore (rope wheel railway), Monte Bre (rope wheel railway), Monte Lema (gondola), Alpe Foppa (gondola), Serpiano (gondola), Mornera (gondola), Cardada-Cimetta (gondola);
copy of the Last Supper painted by a disciple of Leonardo da Vinci at Capriasca;
scenic villages of Gandria and Morcote, reachable by Lake Lugano boat;
WW1 fortifications at Monte San Giorgio;
baptistery with medieval frescoes at Riva San Vitale;
3 medieval castles at Bellinzona;
medieval churches with frescoes at Giornico;
Sanctuary Madonna del Sasso at Locarno;
Luino on Lake Maggiore (1 hr by small train and bus from Lugano);
botanical gardens at Brissago Islands (boat from Locarno or Luino);
Borromean Islands with botanical gardens (Isola Bella, Isola Madre, Isola dei Pescatori, boat from Luino);
Menaggio on Lake Como (1 hr by bus from Lugano);
unspoilt mountain valleys: Val di Muggio, Valcolla, Val d'Isone, Valle Morobbia, Val Calanca, Val Verzasca, Valle Maggia, Valle Onsernone, Val Veddasca, all reachable by Postbus;
Tamaro Park, Swissminiatur, Smuggler museum at Cantine di Gandria, etc. etc.
IN MOST LUGANO HOTELS, GUESTS GET THE TICINO RAIL- AND BUSPASS FOR FREE
https://www.ticino.ch/en/ticket.html

from Lucerne:
all somewhat important cities of German speaking Switzerland can be reached by train from Lucerne within less than 2 hrs. A list of all medieval city centers, museums, Roman theatres, churches, monasteries, castles, boat piers, fun parks, mountain railways and gondolas would get too long.
For travels in the Lucerne area, check the Tell Pass. It's validity begins more or less there where that of the Ticino Ticket ends,
For trips outside the Lucerne area, check the Swiss Travel Pass, the Swiss Half Fare Card and the Saver Day Pass.
https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-an...ravelpass.html
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/...om-abroad.html

N - wow! THANK YOU!

We enjoyed Lugano as a base to see the lakes areas. Loved Locarno for a visit amongst other lake towns by train. Very easy to do.

POSTBUS ROUNDTRIPS IN THE CENTRAL SWISS ALPS

Swiss Postbus offers several roundtrips, among them:

Airolo dp 10.30 - Nufenen Pass (1/2 hr stop) - Gletsch (lunch stop) - Furka Pass (5 min stop) - Andermatt (40 min stop) - Gotthard Pass (1/4 hr stop) - Airolo ar 16.32. Connecting trains to and from Lugano.

(Connecting train from Lucerne dp 8.06 - ) Meiringen dp 9.25 - Grimsel Pass (40 min stop) - Nufenen Pass (1/4 hr stop) - Airolo (lunch stop) - Gotthard Pass (1/4 hr stop) - Andermatt (1/2 hr stop) - Stein Glacier/Susten Pass (1/2 hr stop) - Meiringen ar 18.10. Connecting train to Lucerne ar 19.55.

Tons of other roundtrips are possible by combining train, bus, mountain railways/gondolas, like

Lucerne - train - Engelberg - gondola - Titlis - gondola Truebsee - Jochpass - Engstenalp gondola stop - 3 miles hike along Lake Engstlensee to Tannalp - Fruttli train - Melchsee-Frutt - gondola -Postbus - Sarnen - train - Lucerne;
https://www.melchsee-frutt.ch/en/summer/fruttli-train/

Lucerne - train - Engelberg - gondola Truebsee - Jochpass - Engstenalp gondola stop - 1 mile hike along Lake Engstlensee - bus stop Engstlensee - Postbus - Innertkirchen - hike or train - Aareschlucht - Meiringen - train - Lucerne;

Lucerne - train - Giswil - Postbus - Glaubenbielen Pass - Schoenenboden - gondola - Brienzer Rothorn - cog wheel steamtrain - Brienz - train - Lucerne;

Lugano dp by Lake Lugano boat 8.00 - Luino ar 9.40, dp by bus 9.55 - Luino ar 10.17, dp by Lake Maggiore boat 10.55 - Isola dei Pescatori ar 12.45, lunch in a typical ristorante, dp by boat 14.20 - Isola Bella ar 14.25, visit of the castle and the botanical gardens, dp 15.50 by boat - Stresa ar 16.00, dp by train 16.38 - Domodssola ar 17.07, dp by scenic Centovalli Express 17.25 - Locarno ar 19.19. Have dinner at Locarno or continue straight to Lugano (1 hr journey, trains every 30 min).

The list could get endless......

To N (and others) ALL THESE PASSES ARE MAKING ME CRAZY!!!!!!! and on "myswitzerland" there is a spreadsheet to help you figure it out? Is this a vacation or a college course?!:lol: So my hotel in Lugano will most likely GIVE me a Ticino card? and then I would need to BUY a Tell pass for the Lucerne part of the trip?

So I'm thinking a reasonable plan might be, use the Ticino card to explore that area, buy a Tell pass and utilize that and then maybe have just one high priced rail trip - from Lucerne to Lugano on the panoramic train and thus not purchase any other half price / flex day / consecutive day pass?

Thank you for all the help - it has been awhile since I planned a DIY trip and while Switzerland is looking very attractive, I am a tad frustrated by all the discount transportation choices.

I would not rule out the Half-Fare Card which applies to practically every thing that moves in Switzerland, except cows!

suec1 -

Swiss transport passes can indeed make one nuts. I suggest you decide where you want to visit, what you most want to see in a given area, and then, and only then, worry about the passes.

YOU asked about rail passes and WE gave the answers. But you are absolutely free to visit Switzerland by car. The 2 mountain pass loops I mentioned above can be done by car as well.

neckervd - I very much appreciate your, and others, input. We will use the trains, boats, buses and cable cars - but it seems there are quite a few pass / discount options to choose from. Not that sure of some of the daily details of the trip so making the best choice is perplexing at this point. On our other DIY trips to the various countries there did not seem to be as many options!

I'm am beginning to understand why the concurrent Switz. thread has so many postings!

Again, to ALL who gave input - thanks!

Gotthard Express
 

more confusion - if we go from Lucerne to Lugano on the Gotthard Panorama train? do we go thru the tunnel or is it a special train that stays above the ground with lots of scenic views? I understand it begins with a portion on the lake. Thank you!

https://www.myswissalps.com/gotthardpanoramaexpress/gettingthere
As per the Dutch version of myswitzerland.com the train goes through the tunnel.

The Gotthard Panorama Express runs along the historic line with 6 helical tunnels and a short summit tunnel (only 10 miles long), not through the new 37 miles long base tunnel.
Trains along the historic line run every hr, but only the Gotthard Panorama Express has panoramic wagons (in 1st class only).

If you go from Lucerne to Lugano, you will have to pay for the Ticino leg too, as you will not get your Ticino ticket before having checked into your hotel in Lugano.

Can't Ticino hotel send you that Ticino ticket ahead of time?

IMO, the number of posts on that thread has nothing to do with helpfulness, but rather a refusal by the OP to actually do her own research and competitive chest-pounding of the I-know-more-than-you variety on the part of those who repeatedly reply. My recommendation: Don't even click on it. JMO as someone who has refused to click on it after the first 100 or so posts.

That thread is totally INSANE :) >)

It would take longer to read through then the OP's entire trip. I quit reading it around post #90 and that was two weeks after it started back in FEBRUARY.

Threads like that become useless with all the circling back to the same topic over and over and over . . . and over.

Yes that thread went a litte cray-cray but actually (I'm on page 10) it has given me some ideas - very detailed! After some investigating and mulling I think I am going to do 3 nights Luzern, 4 nights Lugano and 3 nights Rapallo. Honestly, I got a little nervous about rain in Luzern in Aug. and thought I might get a bit stir crazy. We've been to Rapallo before - loved it! so now I'll have a bit more variety of locals and culture.

It really depends on what YOU want to see and experience, but IMO, 3 nights is not much for Lucerne. And FWIW, I've been there when it's raining and have thanked my lucky stars for it, as it meant that I had the streets more or less to myself!

Too, 4 nights is not much for Lugano.

I'm sure you'll have a great trip no matter what you choose.

TO SUEC1
For the Gotthard panorama Express you may buy a first class uprade ticket (CHF 17.50/pax for the train ride only, resp. CHF 29.--/pax for boat and train) together with your seat reservation (CH 16.--).
https://www.sbb.ch/en/freizeit-ferie...ss/kaufen.html

Thanks to your help we may be able to celebrate post number 500 in Jane's never ending thread very soon

Glad to be of help.....would it be a Fodor's record?:lol:.......and thank you for your help. But I have figured out I will not be purchasing a half price card because that is for a year? and automatically renews? (I'm doing some research!) So the price you quote me above would be applicable for a 2nd class flex card?

Half Fare Card can be purchased for one month (120 CHF) or one year (180 CHF last time I checked). Only the one year card renews (and it requires a photograph at time of issuance, whereas the one month card does not - it is a one off purchase).

We've purchased the one month Half Fare Card on our last 5-6 visits to Switzerland - it's by far the best value for us. We've considered buying the one year card (and probably should have last time as we'll be returning within 10 months of last year's visit although we didn't know it at the time) but having a photo taken after a long sleepless overnight flight didn't seem like a good idea at the time:)

Thanks Mel, I did not see that on the website! I am trying to do homework but the complexity / options are frustrating.

I just looked again and did not see a monthly one - can anyone send a link? I'll keep looking:unsure:

Googled it, found it, not sure why I was not bumping into on the main website.

Jane's thread is currently 17th most replies in Fodors history in the Europe board, but all the way up to number 7 in most viewed. This is out of 257,000 threads! Definitely Hall of Fame material.