swandav2000

Hi again,

Yes, that's a great plan!

While in Geneva, make sure you take some trips to see Vevey's beautiful old town, to see the vineyards of the Lavaux (between Lausanne and Vevey), and of course to visit Montreux and its lakeside and the infamous castle of Chillon. Be aware, though, that there is a huge jazz fest in Montreux in July, so you may want to avoid it -- or make special plans to attend.

For the route from Lake Geneva to the Jungfrau region, I highly recommend the scenic Golden Pass route -- it leaves from Montreux and climbs through the Pre-Alps, the growing rolling hills around Gstaad, and into the high Alps of the Jungfrau region. You don't have to take the specificly marked GP train; any train on this route goes on the same tracks. Just get the schedule as:

From Montreux
To Interlaken (or Wengen, etc)
Via Gstaad

You may also want to stop off in Gstaad for a gourmet lunch and a wander through town, or make a small detour to Gruyeres to see the medieval village and visit a cheese demonstration building.

Have fun as you plan!

s

Ingo

The train trips from Zürich through Germany to Berlin are not very scenic, compared to what you've seen before.

Most scenic would be going from Zürich via Bregenz (Austria) and Lindau (Germany), at Lake Constance (Bodensee).

PalenQ

Any further suggestions for scenic train tours after Jungfrau ending up in Zurich?>

Well leaving Interlaken you can take a sweet scenic train via the Brunig Pass to Lucerne, spend the day or a few hours there and go onto Munich from nearby Zurich - the Golden Pass train swandav talks about also goes on the route - a very very scenic way to get to Zurich vs the more direct route via Bern.

PalenQ

Note however that there are regular non-Golden Pass trains rolling from Interlaken-Ost to Lucerne via the Brunig Pass - you can always just hop on these (and the official GP train too - reservations not required but, train station staff told me in Interlaken that to be sure of getting a seat in the observation/panoramic cars you should reserve ahead of time - can do once in Interlaken as this portion of the GP route is not the most busy and often has empty seats - unlike the GP on its route from Montreux to Zweisimmen.

WeisserTee

"I think the train is the way to go -- period!"

I can't agree with that entirely. One of the reasons the Jura is less explored by tourists is that it isn't as well served by public transportation. And if you want to explore the beautiful and little-touristed pockets between Basel/Haut Rhin (Alsace) and the Jura, you really do need a car. Without one, you won't be able to see or wander around the delightful villages, lovely rolling countryside, and the local cheese, wine, harvest or history-themed festivals.

suze

I love the trains in Switzerland. It doesn't get any better than that!! I would plan the trip around the trains.

If you are going to drive be ready to drive FAST on the freeways (not sure the correct term) and have the appropriate pass you need for the car. I was only a passenger but find them pretty darn intimidating.

I only know a couple towns well (Lausanne, Vevey, Montreux) and yes parking always seems to be a bit of a problem.

milaedg

The SBB system is amazing, efficient, on time, and the staff is unbelievably helpful! Highly recommended! Last Friday, we took the train from Tirano to Wengen on the Regional train hoping to go through the Albula Pass, alas it was closed as it was not passable due to landslides. The itenarary seemed challenging and worrisome with all the train changes with only a few minutes to go from one platform to another, but the system works so well, we did not miss a single connection. Not bad for first-timers in Switzerland. Thank you to PalenQ, swandav2000 (and many others)-for your insightful advise when I was making plans last year! The OB region is everything you said about it - breathtaking, stunning, and amazing! We will be back.

swandav2000

Weisser Tee -- not even with a bike? E-bike? Or on foot?

WeisserTee

"Weisser Tee -- not even with a bike? E-bike? Or on foot?"

Sure there are hiking trails in the Jura, but the average person would wear out quickly if that was their sole means of exploring the backroads/villages. As for a bike or e-bike -- a lot of the two-lane winding roads have no shoulders. I wouldn't want to be on a bike the whole time. Plus, those two methods of transportation leave a lot of travelers out of the mix, esp if they're not athletic.

For example, we were in Ferrette on Sunday. It's absolutely charming, the kind of village you hope to find, picturesque with friendly people, interesting history, some nice restaurants, beautifully situated, and lovely places to stay. http://www.maison5temps.com/

Getting there without a car or exploring the Swiss/France border region without one? Not easy.

WeisserTee

http://www.maison5temps.com/en/ferre...dans-la-region

swandav2000

Hi again,

That's truly a shame. I couldn't find Ferrette on the SBB at all. I'm so sorry to see that, it's so sad.

s

PalenQ

If staying in Interlaken or environs be sure to take a boat rip on either lake bookending Interlaken - these are wonderfully scenic rides with several neat stops on each lake - make a leisurely day of it - Lake Thun is my favorite for a lake - take a boat to Oberhofen, cute lakeside town with castle - have lunch - re-board boat to Thun, a neat larger city or Spiez, another lakeside gem with the castle of your dreams looming high above the boat docks.

If raining in the hills it may not be down below - a good option for days when hiking trails are wet or muddy, etc.

PalenQ

bahn.de/en does show a Ferret in Switzerland that is reach by taking a train to Martigny then two buses to finally get to the last stop on the line it seems.

WeisserTee

That's not the same place.

swandav2000

Right. There's also a St-Louis Ferrette, but the map shows that it's actually in Basel. There is no actual Ferrett on the SBB schedule.

s