Berner Oberland Help!
 

Hi1 We will be in the Berner Oberland area June 20, 2002 for 4 nights. Our plane arrives in Zurich at 4 pm. We were thinking of traveling directly to Murren at that time. Will this be difficult to do? What action to we take when we arrive in Interlaken? How long will this all take? Will the Murren area be inconvenient for day trips to Grindewald, Wengen and Murten? Is the French Swiss area preferable to Zermatt? We were thinking of a train/drive pass as we will be going on from this area. Will the funiculars and cable cars get costly this way? We have not been in the area, so any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks. <BR>PJ

Oops...You can tell I am a rookie here.It looks like my post went thru twice. Fodors was telling me it did not go thru..By the way, what is the best method of tracking your post? Thanks. PJ

No Problem getting to Murren when arriving in Zurich at 4. Just check the train schedule. When you get your bags in Zurich, find the signs that take you to the train terminal ( within the Zurich airport). Right next to where you buy train tickets, there is a swiss travel agency that is very informative, and will help you with your itinerary. Generally when you purchase tickets, you will receive a 50% off coupon for all trams, trains, etc in the Murren, Wengen area. This is very important since these trains can get expensive. <BR> <BR>You will need to change trains in Interlaken Ost. Make sure you change in OST and don't get off at the west terminal. Also again in Lauderbruden. The change at these terminals is only minutes. If you wish to tour around town, just leave & lock your bags at the train station. Trains from Interlaken to the mountains leave every 30 minutes to hourly until midnite. <BR> <BR>All the areas you are wanting to go to are convenient from Murren. However, as I mentioned before, the trains, trams ,etc can get expensive. Either make sure you get some sort of pass prior to leaving, or at least a 50% discount pass while in Zurich. <BR> <BR>This will save you money. Have fun! What a wonderful area. <BR> <BR> <BR>

I strongly suggest that you do not even think of going to Murren the same day. It's just too far. Will you be driving or taking the train? You can purchase a regional pass for the Jungfrau Region that will save you money on trains; but driving gives you more freedom. <BR> <BR>Murren imay not be the best place for your base of operations, although it is certainly close to all the places you mention. But, as it is only accessible by cog rail, it's a bit inconvenient for touring the Jungrau region. You could make Interlaken your base, but it is very busy and not at all the idyllic Swiss mountain village that Murren is. Nevertheless, this area has the most amazing scenery and there is lots to see in a rather compact area. Here's the web site for the Jungfrau Region: http://www.twenj.com/swissboregion.htm <BR>I suggest you stay in either Grindelwald or the Lauterbrunnen Valley. But there are lots of good choices there.

PJ, we routinely continue on down to Murren after our long flights from the middle of the US. From the Zurich airport train station the rail trip takes three and three-quarter hours. <BR> <BR>If you are on time and quick you could catch the 4:40 train which will get you to Murren at 8:27. Otherwise the 5:40 train will get you there at 9:27. We've been on a train at the airport in under 30 minutes from arrival, having bought SwissPasses and collected our checked bags, so the 4:40 is doable, and the 5:40 is a dead cinch unless you flight is very late. In that event there are still trains at 6:40 and 7:40 that will get you there that evening. Check the schedules and routing yourself at www.rail.ch <BR> <BR>We've always found Murren convenient, and certainly the most spectacular setting that one can find in the area. <BR> <BR>I think the correct web address Sandy may have meant to give to you is <BR>www.twenj.com/bovisit.htm You will find lots of information there including railpass stuff. <BR> <BR> <BR>

PJ, <BR>Although you're arriving late afternoon in Zurich, you can still get to Murren by late evening. Trains leave 4:43 p.m. and 5:43 p.m. and so on. The hitch is that there are several changes along the way, including Interlaken Ost, Lauterbrunnen, and Grutschalp, so you'll have to be on your toes. Whatever minor inconvenience you may have getting to and from Murren will be more than made up by the setting and views. Everything in the Lauterbrunnen Valley is close by. Murten is not and I would suggest that you don't waste your time going there. You will spend at least a half day getting up and back and what you'll find there may be disappointing. The village is tiny: two blocks across as well as up and down. Once you've walked through you may wonder why you bothered. With four days in the Oberland, you'll find plenty to do and don't forget to take a steamer cruise either on the Thunersee or Brienzersee, the lakes that adjoin Interlaken. I don't understand your reference to the French Swiss area, which is Geneva, Lausanne, and the Pays d'Enhaut. That's complete different from the Oberland and Zermatt. The latter is attractive, hard to get to, and overrun with tourists. Don't make a special trip. Since you're going to and from Zurich, the Swisspass may be preferable to the Regional Pass. Both are good ideas, convenient, and reasonable value.

For PJ