9 nights in Switzerland Help!Please.
 

With your help, we have made the following plans.
Fly from NYC to Geneva June 24th.
June 25th., overnight in Lausanne. (b and b ideas?)
June 16-July 1 Lauterbrunnen rental apartment.booked
Questions
Should we rent a car or take trains or a combination of both? We' ve been to Switzerland before and love to drive and stop along the way, but can we use the car in L?
Can we get a partial train pass for the OB area?
Where should we base ourselves between L. and Geneva for our last days? We prefer small scenic towns with some easy hiking.. Any rental or b and b recommendations?
All suggestions or opinions are welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Joan

Can we get a partial train pass for the OB area?>

two passes the Berner Oberland Pass and the Jungfraubahn Pass, both covering more things in the area than the Swiss Pass does so if driving the rest opt for one of these if traveling enough - cars of course cannot be driven beyond Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald but there is a panoply of mountain trains, aerial gondolas, etc in the higher altitudes the pass would be useful on. For lots on Swiss trains check www.swisstravelservice.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

Both the Berner Oberland Pass (which covers a much wider area than the Jungfrau Bahn Pass (but you will be driving the other areas) and the jungfraubahn Pass are purchased locally at trains stations - no need to pre-order.

http://www.swisspasses.com/railpass/...rau-unlimited/

the Jungfraubahn Pass gives six straight days of travel but it costs a lot so unless staying in the area several days you may just want to buy regular tickets - but if doing several pricey train trips the pass could be a good thing.

I was glad that I did NOT have a car and so could give full attention to the scenery. If you have a rail pass, you can probably get off the train or bus whenever you want, and you won't even have to worry about parking. :-)

Hi joanw,

I agree; the train is the way to go. You won't use the car much, and it'll end up parked (likely in a paid lot) while you use the trains to get up into the mountains and on excursions. As you're hikers, it's easier to do hikes without a car, too, as you take a train or bus to a trail, walk to another village or your destination, then take a bus or train back.

You'll also find that using the trains gets you closer to the locals; you won't be isolated inside your private bubble. You're much more likely to have interactions with locals who aren't in the tourist trade (hotels, restaurants, shops), or you can just sit back and enjoy people watching -- see how teens treat the elderly, see how families interact, see the matrons back from a family trip, see the fashionistas back from a shopping trip in Paris or Milan, etc.

You can take a road trip practically anywhere in the world, but using a good and workable rail system is pretty rare. It'll add a layer of "European adventure" to your European adventure!

Have fun as you plan!

s