First Weekend in Switzerland
 

I'm taking my first trip to Switzerland this December with my girlfriend from the 11th to the 14th, but I am completely split on where to go. I have heard Interlanken and the surrounding views are beautiful, Lucern is a great point to start and St Moritz is also great, but somewhat expensive. I will probably stay in an airbnb so the costs won't be too bad.
I am only here for one weekend however so I can probably only visit one area and its surroundings. Some snow and amazing scenery are the most important things for me, I will come another time to see the cities and ski. I will most likely fly into Geneva and buy a Swiss rail pass, and I am very outdoorsy but also enjoy rerlaxing.
Any help is really appreciated!

Michael

At that time of year if you want to be sure of snow you need to head to the mountains. Geneva and Lucern may or may well not have any snow. I fyou head to one of the ski resorts - although this is a little early - they may want you to rent for a week - esp if Air BnB.

You could look at renting a place in the foothills above Interlaken and taking the train up the Jungfrau - but the cost is about $200 each.

A Swiss Pass may not be your best bet for just heading to one place, like the fantastic Jungfrau Region around Interlaken - rather the Swiss Transfer Ticket may be a better bet - giving you a train ticket to anywhere in Switzerland from any airport and then back to any airport - and with this you can a half-off Half-Off Pass and get 50% off on practically everything that moves in Switzerland - all in all may be more cost-effective than a Swiss Pass - for lots of great stuff on Swiss trains and passes, etc check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. Swiss Transfer Tickets are not sold in Switzerland though Swiss Passes are - so if that's the best deal buy it thru a U.S. agent before going.

St Moritz is a long long way from Geneva - a day each way about so I'd head, for snow and glacier-girdled peaks soaring thousands of feet above lush meadows the Interlaken area - most prefer to stay up in the hills like in Grindelwald or Wengen. For budget accommodations in Grindelwald check out the Nature Friends' House - a lodge for hikers and folks of all ages.

http://www.naturfreundehaeuser.ch/gr...ch-willkommen/

You can use the common kitchen to keep food costs low in this really really expensive country.

taking the train up the Jungfrau - but the cost is about $200 each.>

With the half-fare card you can buy at half-price along with a Swiss Transfer Ticket that would be $100 or so less!

I can't help you with which area to stay (sorry), but if you do go to the area around St. Moritz, you might want to consider Pontresina or Sils instead of St. Moritz itself.

As PalenQ notes, it isn't clear that a Swiss Pass would be your best bet. Here's another source to help you price things out:
http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets.html

I agree that with only one weekend, you would be best focusing on a single area.

As you price things out, consider your options for flying into / out of Geneva and Zurich (or into one and out of the other).

Hi mpinkerton1,

My thoughts on your dilemma --

First, there is no "wrong" decision; Switzerland is beautiful and charming and beguiling. Whichever place you decide as a base will most probably please you immensely.

Well, I think the best of Switzerland lies in the countryside, not her cities. However, even though Luzern is a city, it really is beautiful, and the countryside is very easy to get to. You could easily spend your time cruising the 4 lakes and popping into the lakeside villages to explore, eat, shop, etc. You can easily get to some very nice mountains -- Rigi, Pilatus, & Titlis to name just a few. An added advantage is that Luzern is just an hour from Zurich airport by direct train, so it's super convenient if you decide to fly into Zürich.

Interlaken is ok, but it is the main destination of all the tour busses headed to Switzerland. And it is actually in the flats, between the two lakes (hence its name). If you want a better Swiss experience, head to one of the mountainside villages like Wengen, Mürren, or Grindelwald. Not much to do up there, though, except ascend the peaks or hike or walk or eat or stare at the amazing Alpine panorama. For more information about the villages, see:

www.myjungfrau.ch

Finally, I'm with kja on this. I personally would head to the Engadin Valley, but instead of St. Moritz, I would base in one of the nearby towns or villages like Pontresina, Sils, Zuoz, etc. You can ascend the peaks, hike, walk, stare at the amazing Alpine panorama. You can also take the Bernina Express over to Poschiavo to get a taste of the Italian part of Switzerland, so it has more variety than either Luzern or the Jungfrau area.

So just remember -- follow your instincts, and you really can't make the wrong decision here. And have fun as you plan!

s

In the first half of December, most places in the alps, like Interlaken/Grindelwald/Wengen, St. Moritz/Engiadina will be more or less deserted. But the trains to Jungfraujoch resp Bernina Pass will run.
Coming from Geneva, you may find snow at Col de la Givrine or Rochers de Naye; all depends on the weather conditions.

So far the best places I have found to stay have been in the oberland, somewhere like Grindelwald or Murren. I have heard there are fun things to do around the lake near Interlanken as well as in the mountains?

I am curious how expensive it is to go from a small town like Murren to the surrounding areas, as well as how much it costs to ascend some of the mountains. I will most likely not do the trip up the Jungfraujoch-though it sounds amazing it is just too expensive, but I would love to do something like that.

Thanks for your insight into going to the Italian side swandav2000, I would be very interested in that, but I am curious if that would be too expensive without a Swiss pass.

I currently torn between going to a remote Swiss town or a ski resort area
Thanks for all of the replies.

" I have heard there are fun things to do around the lake near Interlanken as well as in the mountains?"
Yes, that's true for sure between May and October, but certainly not in early December.

"I am curious how expensive it is to go from a small town like Murren to the surrounding areas, as well as how much it costs to ascend some of the mountains"
The only mountains that you can reach from Muerren in early December are:
Schilthorn: 90 USD/RT
Kleine Scheidegg: 92 USD/RT
Jungfraujoch: 230 USD/RT

But as you come from Geneva airport, you will most probably buy a Swiss transfer Ticket for 225 USD or a Swiss Half Fare Card for 235 USD (with half fare RT ticket up to Muerren).

So since December seems like a bad time to do the normal touristy things anyway, where would be the best but still accessible place to just spend a weekend relaxing with the scenery?

Accessible is the key word here. Go to Lucerne and do day trips according to the weather. There are lots of Christmas things going on at the weekends so you won't be bored no matter if it's cold, raining or gorgeous.

If there's fog in the low land but sun in the mountains, than head for the hills...I mean peaks.

The hills are close to Lucerne - take a train to Engleberg and Mt Titlis - an Alpine Wonderland for sure - just over an hour by train - lot closer than the Jungfrau Region - if you want a taste of the high Alps. ride the unique rotating aerial cable car up Mt Titlis:

https://www.google.com/search?q=mt+t...FceMDQodpSoIfw

Again if going to one place and back from Geneva the Swiss Transfer Ticket and or without the special half-off Half-Fare Card, will almost always be a better bet than the Swiss Pass - you could go from Geneva all the way to St Moritz and back for instance or to Interlaken or any town in the hills or Lucerne, etc. and then get half-off everything once there - even the pricey Jungfraujoch train.