baykars

I am planning a 6 day familiy trip to Switzerland at the beginning of December. All the posts I have read refer to summer or spring vacations so I was wondering if we are going to get the correct feeling of the country if we visit in winter. Please comment.
We do not wish to ski, just to get a taste of Switzerland which we have never visited before. We found a nice deal flying in and out of Basel airport.
Any route suggestions? Out of the 4 scenic train rides, which one would you recommend?
Thanks,
Serra

PalenQ

Out of the 4 scenic train rides, which one would you recommend - I assume you mean:

Glacier Express
Bernina Express
Golden Pass
??? Chocolate Train; William Tell?

To me the most scenic train ride in Europe is the Bernina Express - the Glacier Express is Europe's most over-hyped train and turns into a boring all-day marathon for many riders.

The Golden Pass does not feature rugged Alpine scenery except between Interlaken-Ost and Lucerne when it goes over the Brunig Pass but is a nice scenic ride the whole way and can be a utilitarian way to get between Montreux/Lake Geneva and Interlaken (not the fastest though but much more scenic than the faster route via Lausanne and Bern).

For lots of great info on Swiss trains and passes like the Swiss Pass, Swiss Card, Swiss Transfer Ticket and Half-Fare Card - of which one is usually a boon for anyone traveling around at all - check out these IMO fantastic sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.coim; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html and www.seat61.com.

socaltraveler

You will get the winter feeling of the country, so how do you feel about cold, dark and snow? You will also need winter clothes. I imagine it is quite beautiful in the winter, but there are certainly things to consider, especially if you live in a warm weather climate.

jamikins

We spent 4 days in Switzerland the first weekend in December last year in Adelboden. It was just on the cusp of the winter season so things were just opening for the winter season...but barely, a lot was still closed. It was a winter wonderland and we had a great quiet weekend.

You can see our photos here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pug_gir...7633185238329/

Dukey1

You'll certainly get the feel for Switzerland regardless of the season.

I've been during the last week in Novemebr and, as expected, it was cold in many places, especially the higher elevations.

Unlike Pal, I do not necessarily agree that the GE is "the most over-hyped" trip...I think that Chocolate Train might take that prize but to each their own. The Bernina Express is a great trip but if you have to get yourself BACK to Basel perhaps it is not the best option.

You can certainly go to the Berner Oberland and up into the mountains easily from Basel by rail in a couple hours and IMO you do not need to ski to enjoy the fantastic views.

baykars

Thanks for the instant and detailed replies along with excellent photos.

Any suggestions on the best route to follow for six days. We will have our 75+ parents with us, so can`t have hiking trips.

baykars

After going through your comments and the sites you recoomended, this is the plan I made. Any comments?

Day 1 Train from Basel Airport to Luzern (base) in the afternoon.
Day 2 Train to Chur and take the Bernina Express. Travel back to Luzern from Tirano by train.
Day 3 Rent a car for the rest of the trip. Zurich.
Day 4 Geneva and Lausanne.
Day 6 Bern
Day 7 Fly out early in the morning.

Anything else we can fit in to that schedule?
I come from Istanbul Turkey so a bit hesitant about driving in winter conditions. How are the roads?

jamikins

Well we got caught on a mountain pass in a blizzard on 2 Dec and we did not enjoy that drive! And I grew up driving in the Rocky Mountains in Canada. I would stick to the well travelled highways!

Dukey1

The only thing I would say is this: you are going to end up backtracking once you reach Tirano and that's something you may not mind.

What you COULD do is go from Tirano to Milan and change there for a train to Lausanne and Geneva....I know you'd like to take the Bernina but it leaves you in Tirano...

You would not NEED a car if you went back to Zurich to get yourself or Lausanne or Geneva..you can do them all by rail.

However unless there is some big reason you want to do Lausanne and Geneva I still would consider the Berner Oberland instead but that's just me.

I've been to all the places you mention. I like the Lac Leman area but for views, etc., I think you'll find the BO is better and more convenient to reach.

Might help if you elaborated on the kind of things you like the most.

Do you have to fly out of Basel?

michelhuebeli

You may want to rethink a lot of this plan.
On October 27 daylight saving ends, after that the afternoon daylight hours are very short.
To make the 08:58 departure of the Bernina Express in Chur from Monday to Friday, you have to leave Luzern in the dark, on the 06:35 train that arrives in Chur at 08:43 - just enough time to make the connection. You will arrive in Tirano at 13:12.
On Sat. and Sunday the Bernina Express leaves Chur at 09:31 and gets to Tirano at 13:26. You’d leave Luern at 07:10 and arrive in Chur at 09:22.
To get back on a Saturday or Sunday, you can turn right around and leave Tirano at 14:04 and get to Chur at 18:27. That leaves no time for a decent lunch in Tirano, let alone some walking around after lunch to stretch your legs... From Chur you take the 18:39 train that arrives in Luzern at 20:49 - you’ll be lucky to still get a decent meal at that hour. You’ll have been travelling for 15 hours, much of it in the dark...
Monday to Friday you’d leave Tirano at 14:33, you either change trains in Filisur to get to Chur by 19:03 and to Luzern by 21:25, or you’d get off the Bernina Express in St. Moritz at 17:08 to take a regular train at 18:02 that would get you to Luzern at 22:25 after two switches, one in Chur (arr. 20:03 dep. 20:16), the other in Thalwil (arr. 21:37 dep. 21:45).
To make the most of the Bernina Expres, base yourselves in St. Moritz for two nights, but realize that it is an expensive place and that it will be gearing up for winter sports.
Aside from all that, your plan to drive to the cities in Switzerland is not a good one. Driving in the cities, and parking, is restricted, while trains land you comfortably in the center of town, they run like clockwork, frequently, and with no need for reservations, so you take a train whenever you feel like it. In the cities there are trams and buses that run every few minutes and are easy to use.
Be sure you know exactly why you want to visit a city like Geneva - it is not particularly attractive, mostly a business-like city with big internationla organizations, a museum or two, a lakefront park with the famous water spout (“jet d’eau”), but...
And why Lausanne? It has a cathedral of a certain reknown, it has the Olympic museum, and if you found out something else that absolutely attracts you - then by all means go. It is not a comfortable place to walk around (lots of ups and downs) nor a particularly attractive one. Maybe going down to the lakefront and catching one of the few boats that run at that time of the year from Ouchy could be fun, see www.cgn.ch for the schedules.
Be ready for in-between weather - nopt necesarily snow, but rainy and damp dark dreary days - the concert season will be in full swing, maybe that will amuse you after dark?

PalenQ

they run like clockwork,>

michael gives a wealth of info but IME trains in Switzerland do not run like Swiss clocks - often a bit late but there are so so many trains it don't make much difference. But IME they do not run like clocks - at least down to the second being on time.

simpsonc510

I am in Lausanne in early December every year. Sometimes the weather is beautiful, with lots of sun and milder temps. A few years ago, we experienced an unbelievable snow storm. Very picturesque, but driving in it was interesting. I'm from downstate Illinois so I'm used to snow.