From Switzerland to Venice (and back)
 

Hi,

I'm planning a 10-day trip with friends to Switzerland this coming June. We would like to incorporate a trip to Venice.

01) We have not decided where in Switzerland we'll be departing from. Currently, we have shortlisted Lucerne, Jungfraujoch, and Matterhorn for our itinerary. Which station in Switzerland should we depart from, to make it most cost-effective and time-effective?

02) How long should we stay in Venice? Is a 2D1N stay enough?

Thanks in advance!

Pris

If you stay one night in Venice, you won't have 2 days for sightseeing. For example, Lucerne, Zermatt or Interlaken to Venice by train is 7 hours plus time to get from the Venice train station to your hotel, so that day is mostly shot. If you can fly home from Venice, what time of day would your flight be?

IMO, 10 days in Switzerland would be just enough time for Lucerne, Jungfraujoch and the Matterhorn. You'll lose 2 half-days just moving from place to place and another half day getting to your departure airport.

Sorry - 2 nights in a city means one full day. With one night you have parts (likely small) of 2 different days. I would not do Venice for less than 2 full days (3 nights).

For details on train schedules go to bahn.de (sells tickets only for Germany but has schedules for all europe).

Hi Jean,

Thank you very much for your reply.

You mentioned train from Switzerland to Venice takes 7 hours. Where can I get similar information? I did a search on Euro Rail website and it states 21 hours of travelling. :O

We are currently thinking of staying overnight at Lauterbrunnen and do Jungfraujoch the next day, before departing for the next destination.

As for Matterhorn, if we could arrive Zermatt early, we are thinking of just doing a day trip, leaving Zermatt in the evening. Is that possible?

If I stick to Switzerland only, with 10 days, will I be able to insert Bellinzona in my itinerary?

Hi nytraveler,

Thank you for your advice on Venice. Looks like I have to consider removing Venice from my itinerary.:(

And, thanks for the link. Appreciate it. :)

Yes, Zermatt is tiny and you could see everything in a few hours. But consider that in any mountain resort you cannot have hikes if weather is not fine - so planning one single day in Zermatt (or a single day in any mountain place) means betting that the weather will be fine on that day.

If a mountain place is important to you you should plan several days there, hoping at least one has fine weather. If the most important thing to you is visiting as many places as possible in a narrow time window, stick to large cities where indoor activities are easier to find.

Currently, we have shortlisted Lucerne, Jungfraujoch, and Matterhorn for our itinerary. Which station in Switzerland should we depart from, to make it most cost-effective and time-effective?> All are about the same time-wise from Venice.

For Switzerland investigate the Swiss Pass, if going to all three places and taking rides on Lake Lucerne or the two lakes bookending Interlaken and other trains - www.swisstravelsystem.com has lots of good things on it - other useful sites on rail travel - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com.

If you have a Swiss Pass it will take you to Domodossola so on www.trenitalia.com buy a ticket from Domodossola to Venice if wanting to get a discount but discounted tickets are non-changeable, non-refundable and sold in limited numbers so book as early as possible.

Priscilla, you can search train timetables for your itinerary on the Swiss railways website:

http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html

If I stick to Switzerland only, with 10 days, will I be able to insert Bellinzona in my itinerary?>

Well yes but the other three areas could well consume all of your time and have you wishing you had more!

Hi asps, Jean, and PalenQ,

Sorry I got back on here this late. Thank you all so much for your replies, advices and providing the links. Will look into them.

Really appreciate your help. Thanks!

I've done this twice (I was visiting friends in Vevey/Montreux area). Used an overnight train going (but I hear that has since been discontinued) and a day train (thru Sion) returning. I stayed 4-5 days both times.

Personally I would skip the idea if 2 days/1 night is all the time you have.

Hi Suze,

Thanks for your reply.

There has been a change of plans. We are looking into spending 3 days 2 nights in Venice now. Could you advise the things we should not miss while in Venice? This will be our first time there.

Thanks! :)

My first trip to Venice was completely unplanned. As I mentioned staying with a friend in Switzerland she helped me get a hotel and off I went on the train. I just wandered around (loved it) but really have no special things to recommend.

Taking the #1 vaporetto route that is on the Grand Canal is a cheap way to get a "city tour".

Okay, will try to include the #1 route in my itinerary! Thanks! :)

The second trip I was with a friend, he had some printed maps (sorry don't remember who published them) that had self-guided walking tours of Venice that took you thru various areas and narrated the sights. That was fun to do on our own.

I was recently advised to go for DK (Dorling Kindersley) travel guidebooks because they have what you just described. I'll be checking them out soon. Thanks. :)

I like Michelin Green Guides because of their excellent blown up detailed maps for each section of a city. DK guides also feature a lot of large color pictures i believe.