2 1/2 Day in Switzerland
 

I need some advise. We are a group of four people that are booked on a Viking cruise on the Rhine leaving Basel on a Tuesday evening, 2022. We have decided to spend the preceding weekend in Switzerland, so arriving Saturday am, and meeting boat on Tuesday. I am thinking of staying in Lucerne until Tuesday because it is a short train ride from the Zurich airport and onto Basel and it looks like a lovely city to visit. I can’t decide which city would be best for the weekend Lucerne or Interlaken, we really would like to see both places. Do you think we could do a day trip from Lucerne to Interlaken on that Sunday, it will be Easter Sunday. Can we get at least a taste of this region in just a one day trip? I’m thinking arrive in Zurich Sat morning, train to Lucerne, check into a hotel and take an easy rest of the day in Lucerne. Then early Sunday morning train to Interlaken, go to Jungfrau and then back to Lucerne by train. Spend Monday in Lucerne and then onto Basel late morning on Tuesday. I know it’s busy, but this is our only time in Switzerland and I want to see as much as possible. Any thoughts?

I would not try to do the Jungfrau from Lucerne. For one thing, whether or not to make the trip is totally dependent on the weather (no point in going if there is a low cloud ceiling), so you can't simply lock in one specific date for the Jungfrau because that's what fits your itinerary. Lucerne is a lovely town with some easier to reach peaks nearby. With your limited time, I would just stay there. It's a good choice for a short stay.

I think Lucerne would be a perfect location for your short stay. You can visit Mt Pilatus (by boat and funicular) or Mt Rigi (by boat and cog railway), both are spectacular and make for a great day out. Wander around the old town. Museums and art galleries if the weather is not nice.

Do Lucerne or Interlaken but doing both would involve a lot of travel.

In 2018 we took the Viking Rhine Getaway River Cruise from Basel to Amsterdam which sounds like what you are doing. We booked extensions through Viking of 2 days before in Lucerne and 2 days after in Amsterdam. We had a great time and we really enjoyed our 2 days in Lucerne. You may have seen it already but I posted a fairly detailed trip report that also has a link to some of our pictures. Hopefully you will have as much fun as we did. Please let me know if you have any questions. Here is a link to the report:



https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...018-a-1657305/

Neither the cog wheel train from Alpnachstad to Pilatus nor the Lake Lucerne boat to Alpnachstad will run before May.
But don't worry: there are tons of other day trip possibilities. All will depend on the weather.
There will be no fine weather guarantee for April anyway: there may be rainfall at Lucerne, snowfall at Jungfraujoch, and warm and sunny weather along Lake Geneva, Valais or Ticino.
A train ride from Lucerne to Jungfraujoch takes 3 1/2 hrs OW; change at Interlaken Ost, Grindekwald Terminal and Eigergletscher.
A train ride from Lucerne to Lake Lugano would take 1 1/2 hrs OW (direct trains).

Thanks
 

John 183 I did read your trip report and really enjoyed it, thank you.

Do you have a preference and why? I am torn between both places and it seems it’s impossible to do both.

Lucerne
 

I loved Lucerne! Beautiful walk around a lake, etc. I also went to Interlachen and took the train to the jungfrauyock, there was snow on the mountain and I skied a bit. If you could manage to squeeze in these two places and add a day or two to your trip, I think its worth it. Wasnt really too impressed with Zurich. Lucerne was the best!

I work in Lucerne twice a week and live in the area so I know it perhaps too well to see the city's charm. However, Neckervd is right about the weather although in recent years, some of our best weather has been in April.

If you dare to chance it, you might want to wait until the last minute to book your hotels and decide on your destination based on the weather. For amazing weather, Interlaken/Grindelwald/Lauterbrunnen offers more snow and mountain village feeling in the middle of the alps. Lucerne, on the other hand, offers a medieval old city with a day trip to either the Rigi, Pilatus or Engelberg. You could even go south to Lugano or Locarno for a day if you want something completely different or if the weather is dismal in the Innerschweiz.

So, as you can see, it's a tough decision and you'll just have to base it on what you really want to see and do in such a short time.

Good luck

2 1/2 days are close to nothing. I am with the others: Focus on one destination. And more: Focus on a destination that has mountains and scenery at its doorstep but also things to do for bad weather days. It is good to have a plan B in case the weather does not cooperate. You cannot count on blue skies. The weather is changeable in the Alps and the chances of postcard-perfect conditions are far below 50%.

Lucerne is the perfect answer to this.

Interlaken - I wonder what for. 150 years ago Interlaken used to be a posh resort that was popular with high society. Nowadays it is hardly more than the gateway to Berner Oberland. The true attractions of this area are not in Interlaken but further up in the mountains. These are to be explored from one of the mountain resorts. Your limited timeframe would be too tight for that, and April is a bad season for the high Alpine areas anyway.

I agree with the others - stay in Luzern and focus your sightseeing in Luzern and around its lake. Interlaken used to be an elegant resort 50 years ago but sadly the short-sighted policies of its tourist office have attracted the kinds of tourists who litter the streets and it is only a shadow of its former self.

See www.luzern.com to search hotels in Luzern. A really nice excursion from Luzern is to go to Mt Rigi. To get there take a boat across the lake to Weggis, then cable car from Weggis to Rigi Kaltbad and cograil train on up from there to Rigi Kulm - the top. You can have lunch up there (fondue for example). Walk around a bit - the views are amazing. Then down to Vitznau by train and then boat to Flüelen at the very end of the lake of Luzern. down by Flüelen the scenery is very much like a Norwegian fjord. Then you can either take a train back to Luzern or another boat.

With only 2 1/2 days (some of which probably will be taken by jetlag?) don't try to add more destinations but if you then travel to Basel via Bern you could check bags at the Bern station and walk around the old town of Bern which is really unique - 6km of arcaded streets and many fountains.

Also note that on Easter Sunday most shops aside from those in the station will be closed. So if you are going to do some shopping do it on the Saturday...

Thank you to everyone who responded. I will take your advice and stay in Lucerne. If the weather is not good we can hop a train easily and spend a day in somewhere the weather might be better. All your suggestions are greatly appreciated. This site defiantly has the best forum, thank you again.

Switzerland is a small country and the weather patterns are hugely affected by the Alps. For really bad weather in Luzern you have two viable options:
1. Go to Bern. Weather will be the same but the historic centre of Bern has 6km of arcaded streets so you can sightsee and shop AND stay dry. Bern is a "drop dead gorgeous" city. Train time is one hour each way.
2. Go to Lugano. (First check to be sure what the weather will be there but usually it is different). Lugano is on the southern side of the Alps and generally is a lot sunnier and warmer. Train time Luzern/Lugano is under 2 hours each way via Arth Goldau. Be aware that on this route there are two long tunnels. (one very long - 57km). If you don't like/are afraid of tunnels don't go. Lugano is in the Ticino, the Italian speaking canton of Switzerland, and has a very mediterranean feel to it. Also different cuisine.

The no. 1 Plan B thing to do in Lucerne itself on a bad weather day would be the Swiss Transport Museum (Verkehrshaus). Have a look at their website, this is really worth keeping in mind and checking out: https://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en/visit/museum.html

...or if you like paintings of Pablo Picasso, you may visit the Rosengart Museum.

The problem with the Transport Museum (which indeed is wonderful) is that on a rainy day you are going to get wet - can get very wet - moving between the various buildings. Rosengart Collection is amazing, but small. For an informed art historian I think 2 hours would more than do. But perhaps combining them both (with an umbrella at the Verkehrshaus (Transport museum) would fill a day? I rather doubt it.

It will cost you about 120frs to take the train to Lugano and back...if this is too much or if you don't have a Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel pass then Bern is really the best option. Round trip to Bern will cost about 80frs without the HFC or STP.