2 weeks 4+ destinations, need routing help
 

Hi all. I am putting together an itinerary for my 74 year old mother and I to switzerland in September. I know most of where I want to go, but I need help with the order of our route.
We will be flying in/out of Zurich and traveling by train throughout our journey.
My tentative itinerary includes the following:
2 nights Lucerne
3 nights BO area Lauterbrunnen/murren area
3 nights lake Geneva vevey/montreux area
4 nights Ticino area...not sure which lakes yet..still trying to decide.
2-3 nights open
This will probably be my mothers one and only time in Switzerland so we are wanting to see as much as possible.
Looking at the train routes, I'm wondering what is the best route to get in all that we want to see? Also my mother would like to take the Glacier Express so I'm wondering if we can fit it in somewhere along the way and where is the best fit for the 2-3 extra nights on our route. Since the Glacier Express goes from Zermatt to Engadin area, is it best to do the entire route or is one part of the trip better than the other? Since we are doing the BO area, is Zermatt a necessary stop? My mother is big on boats and trains but not necessarily on hiking.
Initially I assumed we would travel in the order listed above but it doesn't necessarily look like Lake Geneva to Ticino area is the best route to take. Thoughts? Suggestions?

First of all, can you fly open jaws? Into Zurich and out of Geneva maybe? Or Milan? Otherwise, you're going to have to backtrack to Zurich.

We took a train from Locarno to Geneva. The first leg was a small, very scenic train called the Centovalli, through the backwoods of the Ticino Alps. Then, at Domodossola we caught the main line to Geneva. (Locarno is in Ticino on Lago Maggiore.)

Also, with as much train travel as you're doing, you might look into the Swiss Rail Pass. It's good for boats and buses also, and discounts on private railways like the ones in the BO. (Riding the postal buses into the Alps is great fun.)

we have to fly in/out of Zurich as I am using a free ticket.

As I've gotten older, the two night stays become less and less appealing; especially if it is at the beginning of the trip when you might be exhausted fromt the overnight flight. You generally arrive later in the day and have this whirlwind one day to see your first stop before repacking and getting ready to move on. So, I'd suggest 3 nights in Luzern to start out. If wanderlust gets you, you could do a day trip from there to Zurich itself, Bern or one of the nearby mountain peaks (e.g., Pilatus, Rigi, Titlis).

My husband and I did Zurich to Lugano by train in August 2005, and "fought" over who got to sit by the window. Actually the specific train we were on had windows on the right side in the compartment, and an aisle with windows on the left side so the views were pretty amazing on both sides. You just couldn't look up on the aisle side and that was fairly necessary to capture the incredible views.

Once in Lugano, the boat ride is great (sometimes you start to run out of adjectives when you describe your travel). You can get on and off at will to explore the villages surrounding the lake - although some are a bit steep - and there's funiculare to take you to the top of some of the mountains that run down to the lake. There's some upscale shopping, a small casino, and a charming old town center. I'd happily return.

Hi, we also have travelled at ages 75 and 76, your mother will love Switzerland. We stay for our 2 weeks in
a Swiss chalet in a small village of Meiringen, we use www.Untours for our travel needs, Untours gets you the apartment fully furnished, Swiss rail pass, and airfare. We have always had a marvelous time, staying in the Heartland only a few train stops from Interlaken. The Heartland area has all the mountains your mother could ask for. A short walk to the train stations and off on another adventure. Taking the train is great you can relax and enjoy the scenery. The people are friendly, and you have a nice chance to meet the local people of the villages. Have fun planning your trip. Hope my suggestions have helped.

Hi buglady 59,
I reread your posting and if you already have your airfare, you can
still use Untours and take the land package, that includes the apt. in Switzerland for 2 weeks, Swiss rail pass, and support services.
We so enjoyed only Unpacking once during our 15 days: eating breakfast and sometimes lunch in our apt.
Free to come and go as we wished, hopping off and on trains, busses, and taking cruises on the lakes. With your Swiss pass over 400 museums are free of charge, just show your pass, and you are admitted. We trained to Luzern, Lausanne, Montreux, Eindeln,
Olympic Museums, Transportation Museum in Luzern. It was our 3rd trip with Untours, I think your mother would like the time to have dinner out on the balcony, overlooking a breath taking view of the mountains.
If you want to relax in the apartment, there are many things to do in the surrounding areas. Untours provides marvelous informative booklets for you to read before your trip.
I would be glad to answer any questions you might have