Comment on schedule (Switzerland, Nice & Paris)
Jul 24th, 2012, 05:55 PM
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Comment on schedule (Switzerland, Nice & Paris)
Can someone please comment on the schedule, logistics & on train passes etc. First time to europe, on a honeymoon.
Zurich -- Bernese Oberland -- Nice (French Riviera) -- Paris (total of 8 days).
Day 1. Arrive in Zurich early in the morning. Travel to Interlaken. (it better to stay in Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen?) Mostly interested in hikes, waterfalls, cows, greenery etc. Not a big fan of skiing or cold weather. Stay here 3 days. Should I leave to Nice on day 3 evening or day 4 morning.
Day 4. Early morning leave to Nice. Is it worth wasting half a day to take the golden pass scenic train to Geneva & then fly to Nice, France. Where can I get the exact schedule for the trains / flights. What is the best way to get to Nice from Interlaken?
Day 6. Early morning fly to Paris from Nice. Fly out of Paris on Day 8 evening.
Zurich -- Bernese Oberland -- Nice (French Riviera) -- Paris (total of 8 days).
Day 1. Arrive in Zurich early in the morning. Travel to Interlaken. (it better to stay in Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen?) Mostly interested in hikes, waterfalls, cows, greenery etc. Not a big fan of skiing or cold weather. Stay here 3 days. Should I leave to Nice on day 3 evening or day 4 morning.
Day 4. Early morning leave to Nice. Is it worth wasting half a day to take the golden pass scenic train to Geneva & then fly to Nice, France. Where can I get the exact schedule for the trains / flights. What is the best way to get to Nice from Interlaken?
Day 6. Early morning fly to Paris from Nice. Fly out of Paris on Day 8 evening.
Jul 24th, 2012, 06:30 PM
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I have never found any cheap flights from Switzerland to Nice. I have flown several times on Swiss from Zurich to Nice. The train takes a long time.
I stay in Wengen. Some people prefer Murren. Either of these two are nice if you want to be up in the mountains. Lauterbrunnen is in the valley and Interlaken is a bit larger than any of the other three. Kind of depends on the type place you would like. I probably would be happy with any of those, but I have always stayed in Wengen at the same hotel. I will be there again the first week of September.
I stay in Wengen. Some people prefer Murren. Either of these two are nice if you want to be up in the mountains. Lauterbrunnen is in the valley and Interlaken is a bit larger than any of the other three. Kind of depends on the type place you would like. I probably would be happy with any of those, but I have always stayed in Wengen at the same hotel. I will be there again the first week of September.
Jul 24th, 2012, 06:52 PM
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Anywhere Switzerland to Nice by land is a long trek. Look at train options at http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query2.exe/en and you will realize about the only practical way to do this in a 7 night trip is to fly. For a short trip, combining Nice and Switzerland is a difficult task.
Connecting Berner Oberland to Paris is easier via northern route such as through beautiful wine region of Alsace.
I have done Interlaken-Montreux. While the last stretch down to the lake Geneve is pretty, the rest of the trip is not much different from the other parts of Switzerland. If you want a scenic portion of non-mountain train ride, Zurich to Lauterbrunnen via Luzern is prettier than quicker via Bern route. But you will have no shortage of nice scenery once you get to Berner Oberland.
Lauterbrunnen is closer to what you are looking for. Cold weather? Are you going to be there in winter?
Connecting Berner Oberland to Paris is easier via northern route such as through beautiful wine region of Alsace.
I have done Interlaken-Montreux. While the last stretch down to the lake Geneve is pretty, the rest of the trip is not much different from the other parts of Switzerland. If you want a scenic portion of non-mountain train ride, Zurich to Lauterbrunnen via Luzern is prettier than quicker via Bern route. But you will have no shortage of nice scenery once you get to Berner Oberland.
Lauterbrunnen is closer to what you are looking for. Cold weather? Are you going to be there in winter?
Jul 24th, 2012, 07:22 PM
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I will be there in mid august (Thanks in advance for all replies and helpful suggestions)
Looks like plenty of flights from Geneva to Nice. Trying to work out the schedule. How do I get the schedule for Golden Rail train (not the regular train). I want to do something like Lauterbrunnen to Montreux via the panaromic train. Regular train from Montreux to Geneva and then fly to Nice. Might be quite a juggle but trying to please the missus.
Looks like plenty of flights from Geneva to Nice. Trying to work out the schedule. How do I get the schedule for Golden Rail train (not the regular train). I want to do something like Lauterbrunnen to Montreux via the panaromic train. Regular train from Montreux to Geneva and then fly to Nice. Might be quite a juggle but trying to please the missus.
Jul 24th, 2012, 07:34 PM
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You are trying to stuff way too may places in too little time - esp for a honeymoon. With the very little time you have you should do 2 places at most - not 2 countries - but 2 hotels.
If it were me I would just stay in paris - which can keep you occupied for months. If you want 2 places - head for Geneva area and see some mountains from there for 2 days and fly home from there.
If it were me I would just stay in paris - which can keep you occupied for months. If you want 2 places - head for Geneva area and see some mountains from there for 2 days and fly home from there.
Jul 24th, 2012, 08:32 PM
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Hi calidream,
You can see the schedules for the Golden Pass trip at the Swiss rail site at
www.rail.ch
and you enter:
From Interlaken Ost
To Montreux
Via Gstaad
There are a lot of trains that go on that route during the day, and only some of them will be marketed as "Golden Pass" -- what that means is that some of the carriages will have larger windows and/or the older Belle Epoque carriages. Most of the folks on the GP will be tourists on a day-trip, while most of the folks on the regular trains will be locals. It's up to you to see if you want to go on a regular train over the route or one of the marketed GP ones.
BTW, The train trip from Interlaken to Geneva airport on the GP route will take about 5 hours. Then you have to wait at the airport for 90 minutes, then fly. So that's 7h30 or 8h pretty much wasted due to transport.
I do agree with everyone above that you are trying to do too much in too few days. You really don't have enough time in any one of your destinations to experience it properly imo.
Good luck as you work it out!
s
You can see the schedules for the Golden Pass trip at the Swiss rail site at
www.rail.ch
and you enter:
From Interlaken Ost
To Montreux
Via Gstaad
There are a lot of trains that go on that route during the day, and only some of them will be marketed as "Golden Pass" -- what that means is that some of the carriages will have larger windows and/or the older Belle Epoque carriages. Most of the folks on the GP will be tourists on a day-trip, while most of the folks on the regular trains will be locals. It's up to you to see if you want to go on a regular train over the route or one of the marketed GP ones.
BTW, The train trip from Interlaken to Geneva airport on the GP route will take about 5 hours. Then you have to wait at the airport for 90 minutes, then fly. So that's 7h30 or 8h pretty much wasted due to transport.
I do agree with everyone above that you are trying to do too much in too few days. You really don't have enough time in any one of your destinations to experience it properly imo.
Good luck as you work it out!
s
Jul 24th, 2012, 09:20 PM
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I have to agree that this is just too ambitious, even for someone young and enthusiastic. Even Paris and Nice in 8 days would be an 'express' trip.
If you like hiking, I suggest you consider doing some research on hiking spots near Paris. Or, spend the entire 8 days in Switzerland. Or spend 4 nights in Switzerland and then fly from Geneva to Paris for the other 4 nights.
If you like hiking, I suggest you consider doing some research on hiking spots near Paris. Or, spend the entire 8 days in Switzerland. Or spend 4 nights in Switzerland and then fly from Geneva to Paris for the other 4 nights.
