5-6 days in switzerland--which town as base?
 

2 couples from Chicago will be traveling to Northern Lakes in Italy (3 days on Como and 3 days on Garda) then onto Switzerland the first 2 weeks of June. We've received tons of good information from this site for the lakes part of the trip. Now to plan the remaining 5 days or so in Switzerland. We think we want to see Bern Lucern Interlaken, Matterhorn, but are in the planning stages. Are there other towns that are must see and easily accessible? I"m sure we're missing a few. We would like to plant ourselves in one town if possible and day trip to a few others. What town would be a good base considering easy transportation for day trips to others? I thought Interlaken, but one of the posters said that wasn't the best town as a base if we are going to visit many others?

Folks really like Wengen above Interlaken and accessible by train. Others like Grindelwald as a larger more active town but still with awesome views of glacier-girdled Alps all around. I'd forget Matterhorn -can't really do both and appreciate either area and Matterhorn often shrouded in clouds and Interlaken areas have so much to offer for five days - spend last days in Lucerne perhaps. Trains are great - check www.sb.ch Swiss Rail's official site - more on trains themselves - BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com.

Agree with Pal (!) that Zermatt will be a real stretch with so few days. In fact, I think you're stretched even without it.

The debate about which town/village in the Berner Oberland makes the best base is ongoing and never ending on this forum.

We've stayed in all of them several times - Grindelwald, Murren, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, and once on our first visit (before we knew better) Bern.

Lauterbrunnen is often overlooked as it sits in a valley and some folks feel the need to be further UP, but it makes an excellent base from which to explore the entire Berner Oberland. It's a transport hub of sorts - easy to get to just about anywhere you want to go, and still a small village instead of a big town (such as Interlaken).

I've stayed in every possible Jungfrau base - even Gimmelwald - and would say any are great but Murren and Gimmelwald are too remote for what sights most will want to see. You can't go wrong with Grindelwald, Wengen, or Lauterbrunnen - Interlaken is a nice town off the beaten track but is too far from the awesome Alpine peaks that will seem to loom right outside your hotel balcony in those other three. I driving cars can access Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen - Wengen and Murren and Gimmelwald are car-less.

What Melnq8 said!

If you haven't already seen it, you might find some useful information in my trip report:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...thanks-983126/

would it make sense to spend all 5 days in Lucerne? is travel easy from there to other cities?

PalenQ. Can we base in Lauterbrunnen without a car?

kja, Oh MY! What a glorious trip you had. And I was thinking 5 or 6 days would cover it haha!! It will be very difficult to pick and choose what we will pack in those few days we will be there.

It's rather easy to go by train from Lake Maggiore (Stresa) to Zermatt (2 1/2 hrs; 1 train change) or Interlaken (2 1/2 hrs too; 1 train change).
From mid Lake Como it's rather time consuming, however, for example:
Bellagio - Interlaken 6 1/2 hrs; change at Como SG, Milano C and Spiez,
Bellagio - Zermatt: 6 3/4 hrs, change at Como SG, Milano C and Brig.

If you want to go to the Swiss Alps, it wouldn't make much sense to cross the Alps up to a place north of them, like Lucerne or Interlaken and to backtrack from there to the Alps in daytrips.
If you want to visit the Alps of Western Switzerland (Zermatt, Interlaken) from one unique base, you better stay at Brig (5 1/4 hrs from Bellagio, 1 hr from Stresa/Lake Maggiore, 2 1/2 hrs fron Locarno/Lake Maggiore or 3 1/2 hrs from Lugano/Lake Lugano).
OW train journey times from Brig:
Zermatt: 1 1/4 hrs
Saas Fee: 1 hr
Aletsch Glacier (Belalp) 3/4 hr
Interlaken: 1 hr
Montreux/Chillon castle: 1 1/4 hrs
Bern: 1 hr
Lucerne: 2 1/4 hrs

If you stay at Wengen etc., you can do daytrips in the Bernese Oberland area and may be up to Bern (1 3/4 hrs OW) or Lucerne (2 3/4 hrs OW). But forget all other places in Switzerland.

BTW: what would you do with a car at Lauterbrunnen? The road ends there. All places beyond can only be reached by mountain railways.

We are going to spend 5 or 6 days in Lake Como then go to a "base" in Switzerland for another 5 or 6 days. Sorry I don't think I made that clear. We are looking for a base city in Switzerland. Appreciate all of your comments and help

would it make sense to spend all 5 days in Lucerne? is travel easy from there to other cities?>

Well, lots of cities but not the high Alps at their most majestic - I would consider three days in say Grindelwald - better views IMO than Lauterbrunnen, deep in its gorgeous valley and then take the Golden Pass scenic trains over the Brunig Pass to Lucerne and stay 2 nights there -do a boat rout one day maybe - and close to Zurich Airport.

" We are going to spend 5 or 6 days in Lake Como then go to a "base" in Switzerland for another 5 or 6 days. Sorry I don't think I made that clear. We are looking for a base city in Switzerland. Appreciate all of your comments and help"

I answered your question just in my post 10 above.

Ah that sounds verygood. Thanks for your advice, neckervd

Palen Q We will research Grindelwald and Lucerne. We are all about the beautiful views.

Lucerne then get a hotel on the lake and have sweet views - Grindelwald ask for a room facing the glacier-girdled peaks.

Yes, I did have a glorious trip! And even though I had a full month, it was hard to skip the many, many places I did skip.

IMO, Lucerne could be a good base – it really depends on what, exactly, you want to see and experience. For the places you mention as of interest to you, I’d encourage you to consider splitting your time between Lucerne and somewhere in the Bernese Oberland (my preference would be either Wengen – stunning views! – or Lauterbrunnen – for the convenience).

Travel in Switzerland is incredibly easy – play around with sbb.com and you’ll learn a LOT about just how easy it is! I’d go so far as to say that with so little time in Switzerland, and with such excellent public transportation, planning to visit without a car makes a great deal of sense.

FWIW, I’m not a fan of Grindelwald – I found it unpleasantly packed with tourists and exhaust-spewing tour buses when I was there (June, 2013).

Hope that helps!

Wengen is absoultely awesome if you are into high Alps. Our hotel room looked out on the Monch/Jungfrau over the village. Been to Murren and Wengen and thru Lauterbrunnen. Great hiking in Wengen, up the lift in small town to the Mannlichen plateau area. Was there in July, lovely weather every day. Train right to village and to neighboring areas.