PalenQ

With the 4-consecutive-day Swiss Pass, do we still need to make our train reservations in advance? As someone mentioned 90 days before travel is the best bet, so that would mean us buying tickets in the next week or two.>

yes as mokka4 says the 90 days thingy is only to grab the limited in number discounted tickets that are sold on long-distance trains like the ones to Paris- no need to make any train reservations at all IME of zillions of Swiss train trips - even on long-distance trains (kind of an oxymoron for Switzerland) - few Swiss it seems ever reserve trains unless it is something like Bern to Brig/Milan or Zurich to Munich.

DirkN

Luzern is a great choice. We spent two nights there several weeks ago (after taking a fast train from Zurich airport). We liked the Monopol Hotel across the street from the train station but there are many good choices. You can hike around Lake Luzern, weather permitting obviously, and plenty of other places outside of town.

I wasn't that impressed from what I saw of Interlaken or Grindelwald, as they were bigger than where we stayed in Wengen (1/2 way to the Jungfrau - charming but very small). Look into the Romantik Hotel - wonderful, especially with the half board -- especially if you're a vegetarian/vegan (or anything out of the ordinary). There's a nice FLAT hike a little down the mountain in Lautenbrunnen, maybe four miles along/near a creek, with Wengen overhead on a precipice on one side and Murren/Gimmelwald on the other.

Of course, you'll be in the middle of the Christmas ski season, so it would be busy and expensive in any of these ski resorts.

Jean

I don't know what sort of "mountain town at night" experience you'd get in Grindelwald if the evening temps are in the single digits to low teens. There won't be lots of people walking around outside, and Grindelwald isn't a tight little village with everything located within a small area.

Historically, the highest daytime temp at that time of year has been 14F and the lowest overnight temp has been 7F. Those are dangerous temps if you're not prepared. If you decide to do any hiking, be sure to speak with a local about weather and trail conditions.

swandav2000

Hi again,

I would do Interlaken first. Your arrival day is going to be a wash anyway; chalk it up to travel, and use it to complete your travel to your mountain destination. Then you'll wake up the next morning and have the splendor of the Alps outside your window.

I would do Luzern last, as it's nearby Basel, so your departure to Paris will be easier and quicker.

Oh, and just fyi, in the ski season, there *will* be lots of folks walking around either Grindelwald, Interlaken, or Wengen at night. It's high season, remember, lots of folks there, lots of folks enjoying the night air, lots of young athletic folks looking for some evening entertainment.

Have fun!

s

Sojourntraveller

If you want to split your time that's up to you. I would NOT however stay in Interlaken. I think you will find that most people who have much more than a superficial tourist knowledge of Switzerland will advise staying in a village like Grindelwald, Wengen, Murren, Lauterbrunnen, etc. instead.

Put simply, Interlaken is the height of tourist kitsch. If you are on a bus tour you'd end up there. That says it all as far as I am concerned. I would suggest either of the car free villages of Wengen or Murren.

travelgal86

Hi,

Thank you for all the input and advice.

Murren sounds very nice. Maybe I will go directly from Zurich to Murren for 2 days and then Lucerne for three, and then take the train to Paris. But, I will continue to explore and research some of the other mountain towns as well! There certainly does appear to be a wide array of opinions about all of these towns and cities--I appreciate everyone's thoughts!

Thanks!

PalenQ

The mountain towns and Interlaken will be hopping at that holiday period - I'd stay right up in the hills - Murren is too remote for me and at higher altitude - when I was there in September once there was already ice on the sidewalks in town - unusual but in December it will be much colder than Grindelwald or Lauterbrunnen and especially Interlaken.

I love Interlaken and feel who make comments like the one above simply have not taken the time to explore this really in many areas nice town. The Matten district on its southern end has lots of nice guest houses and hotels with sweet views of the Jungfrau Massif in the distance and cow-dotted meadows come right up to Interlaken.

But as a first-time visitor I would always say stay in a Grindelwald - to me the perfect town at that time of year. And not so remote as Murren, being just a short train ride from Interlaken.

swandav2000

My personal favorite town is Wengen.

It is car-free, like Wengen is, and to me, that adds a very special atmosphere to my visit. However, Wengen isn't as remote as Mürren is.

I've stayed in Wengen 2 times, Grindelwald 3 times. My favorite is Wengen.

s

PalenQ

Wengen is a perpetual favorite amongst Fodorites - especially older folks who find it much more tranquil than more boisterous Grindelwald which has a lot of young skiiers and hikers and a lively apres-ski or spres-hike nightlife - Wengen has a few quiet pubs it seems.

Different strokes for different folks.

swandav2000

Pal, I've told you before how wrong you are!

At night in season, the bars in Wengen are crawling with ski instructors and hiking guides -- all fit young men and women out to have fun.

Yes, Different strokes . . . but get your facts right.

s

Sojourntraveller

PalenQ, I agree there are some nicer parts of Interlaken. However, the average tourist doesn't see those parts. It is what the average tourist will find if they stay in Interlaken that I consider a waste of time.

I also don't think it can compare to staying in one of the mountain villages, whichever one someone chooses. Those are the picture postcard image the average tourist is looking for and hopes to find.

My personal favourite place in the area is the Hotel Gleitscherblick which is a modest little family run hotel. It is in Goldern, Hasliberg. But there is nothing there really for the average tourist who wants that picture postcard village. So I would not suggest it to the OP as a first time visitor. It is for the skier or hiker who has done the usual tourist places and is now looking for somewhere a bit less well known.

PalenQ

I agree the first-time visitor should stay right up in the hills, eyeball to eyeball with the soaring peaks. Just that Interlaken is not as dim a place as you seemed to initially say. The Matten area again is as quaint as anyplace in Switzerland that is not actually up in the mountains.

But yes first-timers should do a Grindelwald or Wengen, the two I think are the best for views and accessibility. Wengen for older crowds or those with younger kids - Grindelwald for the more energetic and youthful.

swandav2000

LOL. Not really.

Wengen for folks who want the cleanest of air from a car-free environment, peace, quiet, and the energy of the mountain peaks.

Grindelwald for folks who don't mind sharing their streets with traffic and getting a bit of pollution with their views.

s

PalenQ

Pollution in Grindelwald being any worse than anywhere else in the area just because a few buses come in - you gotta be kidding - how do they heat the hotels in Wengen - with wood - nuff siad.

swandav2000

Yes, a few busses. And lots of cars.

Compared to no cars in Wengen. Clean and clear.

s

Sojourntraveller

Umm, do you think the average tourist chooses where to stay based on the difference in air quality? Come on people, there's no point in a pissing match over that.

Let me give you something to argue over. The ONLY place worth staying in the area is the Grand Hotel Giessbach. Anywhere else simply isn't worth bothering with.
http://www.giessbach.ch/en/grandhotel-giessbach.html

If you are on a limited budget, then the ONLY place worth sthttp://www.berghotel-faulhorn.ch/index_eng.htmlaying is Berghotel Faulhorn.

So travelgal86, if you really want to do it right, here is what you do. You arrive early in the day in Grindelwald and hike to Faulhorn where you spend the night. The following day you hike down the other side from Faulhorn to Giessbach and stay the night there.

That is the way to really see the area right (no short cuts on gondolas etc. allowed either). Anything else is just second rate.

PalenQ

Yes, a few busses. And lots of cars>

Come on cars running around the narrow lanes of Grindelwald - cars must be parked in parking lots or at a few hotels accessible by road - you make it sound like its rush hour on an LA freeway - once again mystified why you diss Grindelwald so so much, often without merit - like the bogus 'smog' charge - I'll wager the air in Grindelwald is as clean for the most part as Wengen.

I've been to Wengen many times - never to stay the night - it's nice for what one may want - isolation, quiet, etc but IMO most will like Grindelwald and its semblance of life than somnolent Wengen.

swandav2000

Talk about dissing a place -- what you claim about Wengen is worse, imo.

I'll agree the air in Grindelwald isn't FAR worse than Wengen, but it will be a bit worse. Even a few cars will bring in those emissions.

"A bit of pollution," as I stated above, is far from being like the smog on the LA freeway, which you claim I said. You exaggerate too much. That doesn't make your case stronger.

s

swandav2000

Oh, Wengen is NOT sleepy. Get your facts straight.

PalenQ

I am not dissing Wengen by comparing it to Grindelwald - I always say different strokes for different folks and if you do not think compared to Grindelwald Wengen is somnolent (wrap your head around 'compared to') then you simply are missing the boat - I say Wengen is a wonderful place to stay but if you're young and looking for night fun there is a whole whole lot more of it in Grindelwald - Wengen yes has a few pubs but again I've been to Wengen many times passing thru and have never seen the type of crowd there that Grindelwald has and again different strokes for different folks.

I say good things about Wengen you never utter one good thing about a Grindelwald you have called 'charmless', which missed the mark by a whole lot but that is in the eye of the beholder and our eyes are seeing very different things.