neckervd

"I suppose this trail is doable even in May?"

In early May, there will be some snow or smelting snow (sometimes big "lakes" all over the trail). Frozen legs cannot be excluded in early morning.

But there are tons of other beautiful trails in the area!

rohkbb

Hi guys... Do you know how is the weather in Murren now? Is the weather this year "normal"?
I understand from another forum in Amsterdam the Spring came earlier and weather is warmer than normal years so I'll probably miss the chance to see colorful tulip fields Is Murren's weather also warmer than last year? What kind of weather is likely to be in 3 weeks time? It's about the time I need to decide where to base myself for 3 nights, Murren or Lucerne...

If I spend my last night in Murren, would it be risky when weather is bad and the mountain train/cable car has to be canceled? (would that happen?) My flight is 7.30pm from Zurich Airport.

PalenQ

Murren is at a fairly high altitude so can always be cold at this time of year - I was there early one September and there was ice on the sidewalks - abnormally cold but always possible.

I think the train-cable-train to Interlaken should always run at that time of year - at least not due to weather problems at that time of year.

But that said I always encourage folks to be as close as possible to their departure airport if they have a non-refundable ticket - you never know when unforeseen strikes - a remote possibility but even in Switzerland possible or an accident blocking trains, etc.

Stay at least in Lucerne the last day and travel there via the Golden Pass via the Brunig Pass route!

rohkbb

Well that is one of our original options to spend the last night in Lucerne. However this means that we will only have 1 full day in the Jungfrau region and slightly more than half day in Lucerne after deducting the transfer time from 1 place to another. In this case maybe all 3 nights in Lucerne is a better idea.
I'm definitely looking forward to stay in an alps village because that is something I can't experience here in South East Asia, but if this makes a hassle then I probably have to forget it at the moment...
Anyone with experience to travel directly from Murren to Zurich Airport? My flight is 7.30pm. I understand the travel time via Bern is about 3hrs so I thought I could make it with enough buffer time...but I've never been to Switzerland so I have no idea how risky it is. I hope to hear your experience. Thanks!

neckervd

Train journey times:
Muerren - Lucerne: 2 hrs 49 min, trains every hr from 6.06 until 19.06
Muerren - ZRH airport: 3 hrs 10 min, trains every 30 to 60 min from 6.06 until 19.06
Lucerne - ZRH airport: 1 hr 10 min, trains about every 30 min from 4.55am until 23.10
About 10 per cent of all Swiss trains run with delays of more than 3 min

PalenQ

That Swiss trains do not run right on the second - like clocks always right time - is one of the bigger fallacies around - many yes are later IME - don't count on them being right on time always as the reputation may have it. Thankfully there is usually another train within a half-hour if you miss the connection.

PalenQ

If your flight is a 7:30 pm I'd say it is safe to stay in Murren the night before - I was thinking of an earlier flight - much earlier. Strikes are rare and often announced in advance.

rohkbb

I always hear Swiss train system is one of the best, can't wait to experience myself!
After further consideration and hearing your inputs, we decided to base ourselves 3 nights in Murren. If the weather is not pleasant for hiking we might go for a boat cruise either Lake Brienz or Lake Thun. On the last day we will depart earlier in the morning. If everything went smooth we arrive airport early, we can hang around at Zurich old town after check-in our luggages. We will likely get a 4-day Swiss Saver Pass @ CHF245. After some math calculation, the pass will be paid off if we do a boat cruise and take golden pass from Geneva Airport to Murren.
As for the golden pass via Brunig Pass from Interlaken, is the most scenic section between Meiringen and Lungern? I try to figure out from the google map it seems like the train will cross Brunig Pass around this section?

neckervd

"Strikes are rare and often announced in advance"
The last strike of Swiss railways took place from Nov 11th until Nov 14th 1918.

Brunig train itinerary:
best views of the
Glaciers of Haslital: between Meiringen and Bruenig Pass
Lake Brienz: between Interlaken and Brienz
Lake Lungern: between Lungern and Kaiserstuhl
Lake Sarnen: between Giswil and Sarnen
Lake Alpnach: between Alpnachstad and Lopper Tunnel
Lake Lucerne: between Lopper Tunnel and Horw.
Best side to see all these places: right side (southern side in the train staying at Interlaken Ost).

rohkbb

Thanks neckervd for your detailed explanation. Sounds like the whole stretch of golden pass from Interlaken to Lucerne is very scenic. We are more or less understand what are the attractions around the area and what to expect.

Hope we will have good weather for our short stay there.

PalenQ

http://www.marxist.com/major-strike-...ay-workers.htm

Seems there was a train strike in this part of Switzerland in 2008 - so if there has been no national strike parts of the system at least have had strikes and may have.

neckervd

Wrong: there was a strike in the freight cars maintenance work of Bellinzona. Neither the freight train traffic nor the passenger train traffic was affected.

PalenQ

Whether or not there has been no strikes does not mean that there cannot be or more real disruptions due to accidents. Irrelevant to OP since her/his plane is leaving so so late and have all day to get there.