Floods and mudslides in central Switzerland - travel problems
 

Heavy rains have caused floods and mudslides in Switzerland. The regions of Berne and Lucerne have been heavily hit:

Virtually all rail lines out of Lucerne have been cut. The ones towards Berne an Meiringen (Golden Pass) will be out of service for an undetermined amount of time due to serious structural damage. Highways and roads from and to Lucerne are virtually closed an travel to Lucerne is strongly advised against.

Major parts of the Bernese Oberland are also cut off. Rail and road traffic is severely restricted. Travel into the region is discouraged.

International rail travel between Germany and Italy across Switzerland is restricted and frought with severe delays, as both main rail lines cross the disaster area.

As rain continues to fall, the situation probably will not improve during this week. It is possible that more regions will be hit, when the floods reach the lower regions of the country,

You may want to review your travel plans for the near furture.

Phil.

Here's a update for rail routes around Luzern this morning (Monday):

Luzern–Olten: closed at Emmenbrücke. Also delays at Sempach-Neuenkirch. Buses Rothenburg–Luzern.

Luzern–Langnau–Bern: Tracks cut at Wolhusen, Hasle (LU), Trubschachen, Emmenmatt. Emmenmatt to Luzern buses planned.

Luzern–Brünig–Meiringen: Severe damage from Hergiswil to Giswil. Replacement buses.

Luzern–Hochdorf–Lenzburg: No trains from Waldibrücke to Eschenbach. Buses.

At 6.30 am today: Zug–Arth-Goldau also cut. Trains diverted via Rotkreuz–Wohlen–Heitersberg.

Hope this helps.
Nicky
www.hiddeneurope.co.uk

Hi Phil,

I'm so sorry to hear this terrible news! I'll check it out online, but I sure hope that no one was hurt!

Thanks for the info --

s

Thanks for the information. I'm leaving for Zurich in two weeks and plan to take the train to Milan. On the way back to Zurich, we are staying in Lucerne for 3 days. I hope all this is over by then.

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissin...=1124703304000

Desert Sue,

I'm also leaving for Zurich in exactly two weeks! From your name, though, I'm guessing you're not going through ATL.

s

Oh my goodness, thoughts and prayers are with you all and with my friends in Ticino, where you indicate the floods will soon make their way. J.

Severe flooding in parts of Austria as well. We were in Austria during the floods a few years ago, amazing to see the same general region being pounded with floods again so quickly.
In the Steiermarck, the locals have a summer saying: if it's hot, be thankful it's not raining, if it's raining, be thankful it's not hot. But this is just too much rain.

Real sorry to hear this....

PHIL, SWANDAV and others,
We have been long plannin our honeymoon in Switz starting the 5th Sept. I know you cannot predict the weather, but, any thoughts if things might clear up in the next two weeks? I am not familiar with the swiss weather patterns,but, this doesnt seem like your everyday rain, with all the lakes and rivers running upto their brim.
SHOULD WE CALL OUR TRIP OFF,or wait and see???

Thanks!

OMG, this is terrible. I have had Switerland on the brain all week because at this time a year ago I was on a hiking trip there. It was a beautiful, magical trip. In fact, it was a year ago today I went up the Jungfrau. I feel badly for everyone who is affected. I certainly hope all of the hikers and campers have found safe shelter.

For SoCal100,

I would go anyway (I AM going anyway). Where in Switzerland are you going? The rail schedule might be a bit disrupted, but really not enough to ruin a trip, I imagine.

s

I'm cancelling my weekend in Lucerne and staying around Lake Como. I'm not taking the train to and from Zurich either. I found a flight on Swiss Air to get us to Milan from Zurich.

Swandav2000,
We were planning to do Zurich-Lucerne-BO-Montreaux-Chur-Zurich

From Phil's post, it seems like both Lucerne and the BO area are hard hit...

Great, didn't know that this happened. We are staying for 2 nights in Lauterbrunnen. Hopefully it's good up there.

OH, no.... I hope nobody got hurt there! Hugs to everyone who needs them.

Hi Again SoCal100,

Yes, it does look bad for two of the areas you were visiting -- but there's still a LOT of Switzerland left! Why not head to the Engadin area from Zurich? You were already going to hit Chur, so just extend your visit on that side of the country. You can base at Guarda, Scuol, Pontresina, or St Moritz (or two of these). You can go over the Bernina Pass and spend some time in Poschiavo and head on to the Italian Lakes. Or you can go right across the breadth of Switzerland and hit Zermatt and go on to Montreux.

There's been lots discussed here on St Moritz & the Bernina Pass, some discussion on Guarda, Scuol, Pontresina. Do a text search to find out all about these places.

s

For visper,

I'm not sure about Lauterbrunnen -- as Phil notes, "Major parts of the Bernese Oberland are also cut off. Rail and road traffic is severely restricted. Travel into the region is discouraged." You know, of course, that Lauterbrunnen is in the Berner Oberland. Maybe you can re-route to some other village?

s

I've e-mailed our hotel in Lauterbrunnen and hopefully will hear Tues. a.m. about the conditions in the valley. Will post info when i find out. We also fly into Zurich in 2 weeks with 5 days in Lauterbrunnen.

jill_h, let us know what they say. I'm flying into Zurich next Friday. I'm flying on to Milan for a week, returning to Zurich for the next weekend. I cancelled my other plans for Lucerne and a train trip, but now I'm worried about Zurich.

"The road to Grindelwald has been severely damaged, as has the bridge in the Lütschen valley [to Grindelwald], which means traffic to the resort will be affected for a good length of time –weeks, if not months,"
The valley road leading to Lauterbrunnen and the mountain resorts of Wengen and Mürren above it was also closed

http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissin...=1124813138000

Also the south of Bavaria in Germany is affected by the floods, as are parts of Slovenia and northern Croatia, and Romania.

I would like to mention that usually floods are over in less than a week, but it's quite likely that the signs will still be visible after that, or that roads or train tracks will still need some work.