Day Trips from Thun
 

The last 4 nights of our 16 night Switzerland trip next month will be in Thun. I have lots of ideas for day trips, too many really, so I’m trying to decide which would be most worth doing.

If there’s a sunny day during our 3 whole days there I’d like to go to Zermatt and see the Matterhorn.

Possibilities for other days are Murten, Avenches, Bern and Gruyeres. We’ll have Swiss Travel Passes.

There’s also Thun itself and trips on/around the lake.

Would Gruyeres be worth the long trip by train? I’d like to see the castle and town.

If we had to cut down on places to see from Thun which do you think I should keep? We like smaller old towns, castles, Roman ruins and beautiful Swiss scenery.

On this trip prior to Thun we’ll have been to Wengen, Lucerne and Locarno.

How interesting that you would choose to stay in Thun!

I loved Bern and was glad to have 2 nights -- nearly 2 full days -- there, but I'm not sure what you would consider a "smaller" old town. Even if it's larger than you would like, it has some sites that are, IMO, well worth seeing.

I think Gruyeres would provide a greater contrast to the other places you plan to visit, and I thought its castle well worth seeing. Whether you would find it worth the time for the long train trip is another question entirely. Frankly, I'm not sure I'd find the opportunity costs worth it, but YMMV.

I trust Brienz and it's open-air museum are on your list of options?

We are also splitting our BO bases between Wengen and Thun in the region next year (4 nights each).
I am looking at a trip to Oeschinensee one day and Bern/ Murten another.
(We spent 8 nights in Wengen last September, then went to Lucerne as part of an 18 day trip.)

Please report back, I'd like to visit the Ticino, but couldn't fit it into next years' trip, so back onto my bucket list!

Hi kja

I have read a lot of trip reports and yours was one of them. We ‘re sure to have some bad weather days while in Wengen so I hope to go to the Ballenberg Museum then.

Hi Adelaidean

I’ve also read your trip report. I haven’t heard of Oeschinensee but will look it up. There are too many interesting places to see!

I'd do a boat trip on Lake Thun or Lake Brienz - Gruyeres is a long way but can take scenic Golden Pass train there but though Gruyeres nice old walled town the castle is no better than the one in spiez right next to Thun.

We did a day trip to Lske Thun from Grindelwald and suggest you do the opposite.

They will have spent 4 days in Wengen and presumably been to Grindelwald.

Lake Thun or Lake Brienz? I think Lake Thun is more beautiful with constant visages of high Alps and easier for OP from Thun but I think Lake Brienz offers more interesting things to do from boat docks - like Ballenberg as mentioned and Giessbach Falls and Meiringen and nearby Reichenbach Falls and Glacier Gorge plus Brienz - can take steam train up mountain - easy walk down on zigzagging paths. But due to sheer rises on northern shore little neat views of mountains but you'll have had enough of those by then. Take train to Interlaken-Ost train station to catch boats on Lake Brienz.

The Kandersteg Valley is another nearby option - great walks in bucolic environs - postal bus from Frutigen (train there from Thun)- we also loved a walk between Thun and Spiez on crest of hills - so many options so little time.

Thanks All

We actually did a Lake Brienz boat ride five years ago. Also, on this trip we’ll probably go to Ballenberg and maybe the Brienzer Rothorn from Wengen one day.

I’d like to do a boat trip on Lake Thun also, but that might happen when we’re in Wengen too if there’s enough bad weather days.

I think there’ll be enough options for day trips so I just need to decide if it’s worth the long train trip to get to Gruyeres one day.

From what I can tell it will take close to 2:45 each way to get to Gruyeres from Thun. Is it worth it? I guess that depends on how much you want to see it.

We made a similar trip from Blankenberg to Gruyeres in the dead of winter a few years ago - visited the Cailler chocolate factory in Broc, walked up to and wandered throughout Gruyeres, visited the HR Giger museum (free admission with your Swiss Pass), ate Raclette until we almost exploded - all in the middle of a huge snowstorm - we didn't get back to Blankenberg until late as the trains were running so far behind due to weather. We had an absolute ball, it was a wonderful day.

No idea how it would be in August - I suspect very crowded (!) although you'll have a whole lot more daylight than we did.

Adelaidean:
I stayed for 2 weeks in Kandersteg several years ago in an apt. Back then, there was a simple chairlift that ran to the great heights to Oeschinensee. Despite my fear of heights (while in the open chair). I LOVED it! We hiked back DOWN to Kandersteg (mistake, very hard on the knees and toes!).
IF you have any chance to hike the Loetschental, please do! This area is unlike any other area I had visited in Switzerland! (Towns of Ried, Wilen and two others)

I even enjoyed walking the BLS Teaching Trail between Fruitgen and the other side of Lotschberg Tunnel - paralelling the rail line most way with explnative signs about this for 1800s prodigious feat of railway engineering. Right near Kandersteg Valley.

Hi Melnq8

We’ll actually be in Thun from 24 September for 4 nights, not August. I’ve looked up the train timetable and I know it’s a long way. I think we’ll just wait until then and see if it’s something we feel up to doing.

There’s lots to do nearby, and we’ll already have done some long train trips. We’ll also be leaving on the 28th for Salzburg, another long train trip so may just feel like pottering around locally.

Hi jacooper,

I have hesitated so long in replying because yours is simply an impossible question. No easy answer.

I adore Gruyeres. I visit every single time that I'm in Vaud or in Gstaad. I love the double cream and the cheese. I love the small village (I have never visited in summertime). I adore the beautiful, green, rolling hills that surround Gruyeres, and in fact have done a bike ride into the village in the past. When I visit in Oct, I plan to take one of the walks that terminates in the village.

On the other hand, I never do a day-trip that will take longer than 2h on the train. I find that any journey longer than that will just eat into my memories and impressions of the day, ruining it. I find it counter-productive.

So, I do agree with your decision here -- wait and see. If it's pouring rain and you can think of nothing better to do than sit inside a cosy train to enjoy the landscape, it may be worth it. Or no.

Good luck! I hope you enjoy your trip!!

s

In case you plan to hike the river Aare gorge (Aareschlucht) near Meiringen, get off the train at Aareschlucht (West) to walk appr. 10 minutes to the main entrance. After you finished the hike, train back from Aareschlucht (Ost = East) station - near the exit end of the gorge. Aareschlucht (Ost) is probably one of the top 10 most unusual train stations in the world...

Zermatt's quite a long way from Thun as well.

On castles, Oberhofn right on Lake Thun is lovely, and you have castles in Thun and Spiez as well. (And you can include the boat trip to Oberhofn or Spiez.)

If you are going to be in the area on Sept. 29, go to Kerns for the "moo-ving of the cows"! It the descent from the mountains back into the valley for the winter where the animals (cows, goats, sheep, etc.) are decked out in their finest flowers and bells! A lot of fun! Kerns is about an hour drive from Interlaken if I recall correctly. Well worth the trip!

Here's a little info but google it for more: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...304831993.html

Thanks Everyone

Hiking isn’t an option for me as I have problems with my feet. Yes, Zermatt is a long way but I’d like to see the Matterhorn if we can. I should probably forget Gruyeres if we go to Zermatt as another long travel day might be too much.

But if the weather isn’t good enough for Zermatt then Gruyeres could be our one long day trip from Thun. And on the other days we’ll go to closer places like Bern, Murten, Avenches and Lake Thun.

Joannyc, we leave for Salzburg on the 28th. A pity as the cow mooving would be interesting to see.

I'm glad if you found some useful information in my report!

I know that many people recommend Ballenberg as a back-up for a bad weather day in the Bernese Oberland, but do pay attention to the weather in / around Brienz, too -- it is, after all, an outdoor museum!

Bummer.... but check this website as it shows a number of the descents in other locations. They are on different dates depending on the location so maybe one would work out for you during your trip.

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/...he-cattle.html

BTW, have you considered visiting the Laténium -- a museum featuring Switzerland's prehistory? I thought it excellent, with displays of interest to people of all ages. And the setting is lovely.

joannyc, those processions don’t fit in with our itinerary I’m afraid. Maybe on a future trip we could plan our itinerary around one.

kja, is that the Latenium in Neuchatel? It does sound interesting, but that adds another destination and I already have too many, I think!

It's outside of Neufchatel, but closer than some of the other places you seem to be considering, and could, perhaps, be combined with Murten.

Zermatt is not that far from Thun - Only about 90 mins. via Spiez and Visp. And well, well worth visiting on a clear day. zermatt has its own micro climate so you do need to check the local weather before going - Thun is on the northern side of the Alps, Zermatt in the south. Weather patterns change a lot between the two. The zermatt tourist office site gives an accurate forecast - www.zermatt.ch - and www.meteoblue.com is pretty good too for hour by hour weather.

IF you go to Zermatt - go early in the day. Go right from the main station there to the station across the square and take the train to the Gornergrat. The views from the top are incredible. Take the time also to wander around the village and visit the Matterhorn museum which is very well done and fascinating. IF you have a Swiss Travel Pass it will get you to and from Zermatt, give you entrance to the museum and get you 50% off the Gornergrat train fare.

Thanks for that mokka, Loetschental looks lovely.

2 hours each way Thun-Zermatt -and yes go for it - scenic train the whole way and Gornergrat train is fantastic. Long day but oh so sweet.

Thanks for that information, Hambagahle. We’ll definitely go to Zermatt if we get a good weather day.

Since you are staying in Wengen prior, why in the name of Roger Federer would you move on to stay in Thun?

You can take the train from Wengen to Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken to Thun. It only takes about 1 1/2 hours.

Thun is a cute town with a covered bridge, but I would not stay there after sleeping in Wengen.

Seems daft.

Thin

The Lauterbrunnen Valley from my room of the Hotel Bellevue Wengen.https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2069e540b5.jpg

Piz Gloria.https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...895d82b933.jpg

Hi Pepper,

I believe the idea is to have a base from which the OP can visit a wider arc of Switzerland. Up in Wengen for the Alps, down in Thun for excursions.

s

We’ll stay in Wengen first, then Lucerne, then Locarno and lastly Thun. This is in order to take the GEX, the Centovalli line and the Lotschberger train rides . Staying in Thun will let us see many more places in the vicinity than we would have time for from Wengen as well as going to Zermatt one day if the weather allows.

Which makes sense. Spiez however might make more sense as it is a major rail junction.

I’m doing the same next year. Thun works as a base once out of the mountains, has good access for Bern, Murten, Kandersteg etc excursions, is a nice place in itself. We didn’t visit those places last year because it was too long a trip from a mountain base.

Yes, I like the look of Thun too. I was thinking of Bern as a base but the smaller size of Thun appealed to me. Also, hotels in Bern were more expensive for our dates than Thun. I think it should be pretty handy for the trains that we’ll most likely be taking.

Spiez however has hotels overlooking Lake Thun and views of high Alps - Thun is a largish city sans such views. I'd take Spiez but that's just me.

Something on your camera lens Thin? Those don't look like birds.

Those are actual photographs that I re-photoed with my phone so I could post them here. Those birds are probably dust.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...250e10f3b8.jpg