Advice for 6 nights 7 Days in Switzerland
Aug 28th, 2014, 10:10 AM
#22
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In the Jungfrau Region look for copies of Jungfrau Magazine on free racks at hotels, train stations, tourist offices, etc.
It is probably online too - a wealth of info on every form of transport - huge relief map with hiking trails coded in three colors - from easy to moderate to demanding. Has elevations on it to plan walks up or down hills, etc.
I too love the Michelin Green Guides but for the Jungfrau Region I only use them for a general run-down - Jungfrau Magazine has it all in great details - times of opening, fares, etc.
It is probably online too - a wealth of info on every form of transport - huge relief map with hiking trails coded in three colors - from easy to moderate to demanding. Has elevations on it to plan walks up or down hills, etc.
I too love the Michelin Green Guides but for the Jungfrau Region I only use them for a general run-down - Jungfrau Magazine has it all in great details - times of opening, fares, etc.
Sep 1st, 2014, 02:39 AM
#23
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This is what I am thinking of spending the 4 days, assuming weather is accommodating:
First day - Take the train and go to Jungfrau.
Second day - Trek to Murren, take the train back from Murren to Grutschalp and then the cable car back.
Third Day - Go to Interlaken and do the boatrides/museum.
Fourth Day - possibly go to Bern
Fifth day - Spend in Lucerne
On the last night, stay at a Zurich airport hotel for the flight back.
First day - Take the train and go to Jungfrau.
Second day - Trek to Murren, take the train back from Murren to Grutschalp and then the cable car back.
Third Day - Go to Interlaken and do the boatrides/museum.
Fourth Day - possibly go to Bern
Fifth day - Spend in Lucerne
On the last night, stay at a Zurich airport hotel for the flight back.
Sep 3rd, 2014, 06:19 AM
#25
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Is it possible to leave Interlaken/Lautenbrunnen early morning, spend the day in Lucerne, and then head to an hotel near the airport? If so, what do you think can be practically done in Lucerne for those 7-8 hours?
Sep 3rd, 2014, 12:23 PM
#26
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Very very possible - Lucerne itself ain't big nor does it have many must sees - a lake boat trip is a delight and can take only a few hours - otherwise that is a good plan - always IMO better to be near the airport the night before your flight - that said Lucerne is only about an hour by train from Zurich Airport as well and is a nicer city for most to stay in.
Sep 4th, 2014, 04:24 AM
#27
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First day - Take the train and go to Jungfrau.
Second day - Trek to Murren, take the train back from Murren to Grutschalp and then the cable car back.
Third Day - Go to Interlaken and do the boatrides/museum.
Fourth Day - possibly go to Bern
Fifth day - Spend in Lucerne>
The Jungfraubahn Pass may just be your best ticket to ride - buy it locally at any train station - covers much more than trains. then just buy cheap tickets to Lucerne and Zurich. To reach Lucerne you can take the super Golden Pass train up and over the Brunig Pass then down along a series of lovely Alpine lakes to Lucerne.
Second day - Trek to Murren, take the train back from Murren to Grutschalp and then the cable car back.
Third Day - Go to Interlaken and do the boatrides/museum.
Fourth Day - possibly go to Bern
Fifth day - Spend in Lucerne>
The Jungfraubahn Pass may just be your best ticket to ride - buy it locally at any train station - covers much more than trains. then just buy cheap tickets to Lucerne and Zurich. To reach Lucerne you can take the super Golden Pass train up and over the Brunig Pass then down along a series of lovely Alpine lakes to Lucerne.
Sep 4th, 2014, 10:45 AM
#28
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http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/
A major benefit of the pass is the Jungfraujoch train coverage - goes a long way to paying for the pass - a Swiss Pass would only give 25% off on trains Grindelwald/Wengen via Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch.
Plus in Murren be sure to take the long thrilling cableway to The Schilthorn - also covered by the Jungfraubahn Pass - The Schilthorn is a remote icy outpost smack in the middle of the proverbial nowhere - Piz Gloria is the revolving restaurant there and was used a lot in the filming of James Bond On Her Majesty's Service when the restaurant was still under construction.
Do The Schilthorn - as awesome in its own way as the Jungfraujoch train and not nearly the mob scene once there.
A major benefit of the pass is the Jungfraujoch train coverage - goes a long way to paying for the pass - a Swiss Pass would only give 25% off on trains Grindelwald/Wengen via Kleine Scheidegg and Jungfraujoch.
Plus in Murren be sure to take the long thrilling cableway to The Schilthorn - also covered by the Jungfraubahn Pass - The Schilthorn is a remote icy outpost smack in the middle of the proverbial nowhere - Piz Gloria is the revolving restaurant there and was used a lot in the filming of James Bond On Her Majesty's Service when the restaurant was still under construction.
Do The Schilthorn - as awesome in its own way as the Jungfraujoch train and not nearly the mob scene once there.
Sep 4th, 2014, 02:32 PM
#30
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https://www.google.com/search?q=Schi...=1600&bih=1075
The Schilthorn - Piz Gloria is very different than the Jungfraujoch - much less crowded - these pictures are largely in winter it seems - not nearly so snow-bound in summer but still icy.
The Schilthorn - Piz Gloria is very different than the Jungfraujoch - much less crowded - these pictures are largely in winter it seems - not nearly so snow-bound in summer but still icy.
Sep 5th, 2014, 08:21 AM
#31
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Penguix - thanks for the thanks.
About the Schilthorn Day - this is my favorite overall excursion in the area - first you go to Lauterbrunnen - then you take the thrilling, hair-raising to some erial cable way up the cliff to Grutschalp from where an electric train trundles you along the cliff edge to Murren - a posh resort town once favored by Brits.
then do The Schilthorn/Piz Gloria lift from there - said to be one of the very longest in the Alps and using smaller gondolas a bit more nail-biting for Nervous Nellies.
Return to Murren by the cable way and then keep on going down to Gimmelwald, an out in the middle of nowhere farming hamlet with just awesome views of the ice-girdled Jungfrau Massif.
Next take another thrilling cable way down to the valley at Stechelberg - this large gondolas seems to drop like a lead balloon down the the Lauterbrunnen Valley - form Stechelberg you can take a postal bus back to Lauterbrunnen for connections all over the area.
The whole route is covered by a Swiss Pass if you have one except you pay 50% off Murren to Schilthorn and back.
About the Schilthorn Day - this is my favorite overall excursion in the area - first you go to Lauterbrunnen - then you take the thrilling, hair-raising to some erial cable way up the cliff to Grutschalp from where an electric train trundles you along the cliff edge to Murren - a posh resort town once favored by Brits.
then do The Schilthorn/Piz Gloria lift from there - said to be one of the very longest in the Alps and using smaller gondolas a bit more nail-biting for Nervous Nellies.
Return to Murren by the cable way and then keep on going down to Gimmelwald, an out in the middle of nowhere farming hamlet with just awesome views of the ice-girdled Jungfrau Massif.
Next take another thrilling cable way down to the valley at Stechelberg - this large gondolas seems to drop like a lead balloon down the the Lauterbrunnen Valley - form Stechelberg you can take a postal bus back to Lauterbrunnen for connections all over the area.
The whole route is covered by a Swiss Pass if you have one except you pay 50% off Murren to Schilthorn and back.
Sep 17th, 2014, 12:50 AM
#32
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Is it better to take a flight or train from Venice to get to Interlaken - both time and money wise? There are flights from Venice to Basel for $80-90 or to Zurich for $115, but would require train transfers to Interlaken.
I saw some TA discussion where the recommendation was to take the train, but that requires 2-3 train changes and sounded a bit complicated.
Any suggestions on which is a better option - Flight or Train? And if it is a train, which train pass would be best for both Venice-Interlake as well as for travel within Berner Oberland?
I saw some TA discussion where the recommendation was to take the train, but that requires 2-3 train changes and sounded a bit complicated.
Any suggestions on which is a better option - Flight or Train? And if it is a train, which train pass would be best for both Venice-Interlake as well as for travel within Berner Oberland?
Sep 17th, 2014, 05:52 AM
#33
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which train pass would be best for both Venice-Interlake as well as for travel within Berner Oberland?>
No multi-country pass is viable but a Swiss Pass for the Swiss portion and then to travel around the Jungfrau REgion, etc could be a great deal depending on what you will be doing of course - a Swiss Pass covers many conveyances in the Berner Oberland - trains, lake boats, some cable ways and 50% on nearly all others, etc.
as for flying versus train - well the train is rather scenic for the last part - air flights will show you the Alps as you fly over - awesome as well I guess. But it is a long train ride with two or more changes of train.
No multi-country pass is viable but a Swiss Pass for the Swiss portion and then to travel around the Jungfrau REgion, etc could be a great deal depending on what you will be doing of course - a Swiss Pass covers many conveyances in the Berner Oberland - trains, lake boats, some cable ways and 50% on nearly all others, etc.
as for flying versus train - well the train is rather scenic for the last part - air flights will show you the Alps as you fly over - awesome as well I guess. But it is a long train ride with two or more changes of train.
Sep 17th, 2014, 09:39 AM
#34
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How about breaking up that long Venice to Interlaken train trip by staying en route in say Stresa, on lovely Lake Maggiore and smack on main rail line Milan to Interlaken. A nice resort lakeside town with offshore the three famous Borromean Islands - each of the three with a different delight on them.
Stresa is about 4 hours all told from Venice and then about 3 hours or so from Interlaken - two nice shorter train trips and you still see the lay of the land.
Stresa is about 4 hours all told from Venice and then about 3 hours or so from Interlaken - two nice shorter train trips and you still see the lay of the land.
Sep 18th, 2014, 09:00 AM
#35
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That is a good suggestion and a possible option, however, the family members are wanting to avoid packing/unpacking for 1 night.
Based on your previous message, it looks like I may need to looks this 2 options:
Option 1: Buy one-way ticket from Venice up to the entry into Switzerland and then use the swiss pass for rest of the trip.
Option 2: Take the flight from Venice to Basel or Zurich, rent a car for 1 week, use Berner Oberland regional pass that you had mentioned earlier.
Thoughts or comments - Let me know. Thanks!
Based on your previous message, it looks like I may need to looks this 2 options:
Option 1: Buy one-way ticket from Venice up to the entry into Switzerland and then use the swiss pass for rest of the trip.
Option 2: Take the flight from Venice to Basel or Zurich, rent a car for 1 week, use Berner Oberland regional pass that you had mentioned earlier.
Thoughts or comments - Let me know. Thanks!
