Hello:

I've been reading through all of the threads regarding Switzerland and environs. I am going to land in Zurich at 8 in the morning on a Thursday and depart Zurich at 11 on the following Tuesday. So, five full days. I have absolutely no itinerary yet! I'm a fairly seasoned traveler (2.5 weeks alone in mainland China last November, and a couple of trips to UK/Ireland/Belgium/Netherlands), have both hired cars and taken trains and am comfortable with both.

Knowing that, and that I like small pretty towns, majestic mountains, hiking, museums and history, how would you suggest I spend those 5 days? I don't know if I should go down towards Geneva or head East to Austria or even North East to Munich. This is a rather spur-of-the-moment trip (that will be directly after another spur-of-the-moment-trip to Australia!).

I'd love suggestions and hints for making the most of my 5 days. I would prefer Pensiones / Bed & Breakfasts to hotels. I'm interested in horsebackriding though March weather might preclude that; the same with bike riding.

Thanks so much. I promise a trip report on my return.

Okay, I think I scared everyone away with my huge request. So, after talking to friends who used to live in Geneva, and studying maps, I think I'll try:

Land in Zurich and immediately get on train to Lucerne. Enjoy Lucerne and spend the night there. Next day get on a train to Montreaux/Geneva/Lausanne area. Enjoy that area for a couple of days and then take one of the scenic railways to Zermatt (or anyplace where the journey on the train will be spectacular!) and then head back to Zurich late Monday (or early Tuesday, even, since I can go straight from the train station to my 11:55 AM flight).

Does this sound plausible?

Hi javachik,

Yup, you're right; there's no way a group of strangers can tell you which of the hundreds of beautiful Swiss towns and villages you should visit!

I like your plan, and I think it'll give you a great mix of scenery: some lakes, some mountains.

Just fyi, here are some ideas of what to do from Montreux:

Montreux old town
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Lavaux
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Promenade Fleuri
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Morges
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...rges_Vaud.html

Gruyeres
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR..._Fribourg.html

Check your rail journeys at www.rail.ch.

Have fun!

s

Maybe you could consider going straight to Lac Leman upon arrival and save Lucerne for your last night? Only an hour plus ten minutes or so from Lucerne to the flughafen. Take a look at sbb.ch for train schedules and explore bnb.ch for a huge selection of bed and breakfast accommodations. J.

Thank you for all of the links, Swandov! And for the very good suggestion to save Lucerne for the last night. The only reason I thought of Lucerne for the first day was that I'll be traveling San Francisco (home) to DC and on to Zurich and after all of the flying I thought it might make sense to only be on a train for an hour or so before I can get out and walk around and enjoy fresh air. It's so hard to predict just how tired I'll be (and I am leaving for Zurich the day after I return from an Australia trip).

I am looking into SwissPass and SwissFlexiPass (thinking that if I decide to go into France or Italy, I'll just buy a supplement) and am wondering, if I stick to the Swiss trains, if it's really worth it to pay for 1st class over 2nd class? I know in some countries it makes a large difference, but from what I read about the Rolls-Royce of systems the Swiss seem to have, would it make that much of a difference?

I see I am not allowed to edit my previous post, but I meant to thank jmw for the Lucerne last night idea. Thanks!

Hi Again,

Well . . . how old are you?? How much activity & noise do you enjoy before it gets on your nerves? How much interaction with locals do you want?

The reason this is relevant is that first class is less crowded, hence quieter & calmer. In second class, you'll probably have a seat-mate or several compartment mates, and of course there's more chance of striking up a conversation. I think that's the significant differnence.

Have fun!

s

I make it to Switzerland twice a year and I really do enjoy traveling in first class on the Swiss trains. I've taken the ride from Zurich to Lucerne a number of times. I really think the idea of stopping in Lucerne is a good one for you. The scenery there, with the lake and the mountains, in my opinion, is more dramatic than in Geneva/Lausanne.

Switzerland has three "flavors" if you will... there is the German, the French, and the Italian. I prefer the German and Italian areas, although I spend time in Lausanne/Geneva once a year on business. Lucerne in the center, and Locarno in the far south, are my two favorites, with Interlaken a very close third.

I'm 36 and do enjoy meeting new people, especially when I am traveling alone. Does 2nd class offer lesser views of the scenery? I guess that would be my only real dealbreaker.

javachic,

No, windows are all the same size. You may not get a window seat, though, if the train is crowded. If you find this to be true, find a conductor and see if you can upgrade for that ride.

Good luck!

s

Hi all. simpson, don't forget the fourth, Romansch, in the south-east. J.

The only thing where 2nd class offers less view is on some lake boats - the 2nd class seats are on the lower deck and 1st is above. In this case you can just buy an upgrade from the conductor (yes, the ships have those as well) and that's it.

Otherwise, even double-decker trains have 1st and 2nd classes equally distributed over both decks.

Thanks! I took the plunge and bought the flexi 4 day pass in 2nd class. I am so looking forward to this trip. Though I am currently very much enjoying my holiday in Sydney, Australia!

Thanks again for all of the help. I will certainly report on my trip upon return.