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Germany, Switzerland and Paris with teens

Germany, Switzerland and Paris with teens

Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 09:45 AM
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Germany, Switzerland and Paris with teens

Planning a summer vacation with our 17,15 and 12 year old. Starting in Munich, then headed to Lucerne, drive to Grindelwald and Zermatt, finish in Paris. We thought it might be fun to drive in Switzerland a bit to see the more out of the way sights. Total of 16 days so have some built in "slow days", but still sounds like a lot for three teens. Any recommendation or diversions in this plan before I book flights. Any favorite spots along that route that anyone might recommend? Recommendations for traveling with teens?

Thanks, Sandra
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 09:55 AM
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Slow days could be exciting ones in Jungfrau Region around Grindelwald where cars are banned beyond Grindelwald and a myriad of mountain trains and aerial cable cars abound - do some easy hiking like the popular easy Ridge Walk between The Mannlichen (chairlift from Grindelwald) and Kleine Scheidegg (trains back to Grindelwald) with some of the most awesome views in the Alps - very easy few-mile trail not a forced march up and down, etc.

At Kleine Scheidegg hop the Jungfraubahn to Jungfraujoch and Europe's highest train station and a sea of snow and ice - ice grottoes - and walk to tip of Alp's longest glacier.

For lots on the area's transports check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com. Get a free Family Pass at any station and kids under 15 go free on anything conveynace adults pay for.

I'd say two days in that wonderful area for sure.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 12:37 PM
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Thanks for the great tips. So would you recommend renting a car from Lucerne, two days in Grindelwald and then drop off before entering Zermatt or is it just as easy to buy the rail pass and take the trains (two of mine would be under 15). Just trying to take advantage of seeing places like Murren and Wengen and Kandersteg. Also looking for a place to do a chocolate making workshop or some time of experience that would be unique to Switzerland.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 01:09 PM
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Check rental fees for picking up car in one country and returning in another. Trains would be fantastic for all your places - Zermatt you have to park well out of town at Tasch (I believe stand to be corrected) and take shuttle train into Zermatt itself (not sure how hotels work with that though -maybe can drive to a hotel - check).

Lucerne has great boat rides on its lovely lake - and trains Lucerne to Interlaken-Ost (jumping off point for trains to Grindelwald, Wengen, etc) and it is a very scenic rail route - the official Golden Pass scenic train goes up and over the Brunig Pass with spiffy panoamic observation cars - Interlaken to Zermatt is easier by train and probably faster than driving since cars must be transported on trains thru the Lotschberg tunnels. Kandersteg is reachable by postal bus from Frutigen train station.

I suggest that the Grindelwald area is all in all a bit more varied in its attractions - like boat rides on two lakes bookending Interlaken and a much broder area with lots of easy hikes, etc than Zermatt, whose attraction is of course the Matterhorn, which can always be fogged or clouded in on any day.

Sans car spend 3-4 days in Wengen/Grindelwald area (Wengen is great for families and many here rave about it as a base but things to see just a nice village - if not staying there no real reason to go there IMO)

The Loop from Lauterbrunnen to Murren to The Schilthorn/Piz Gloria (where some of James Bond's On Her Majesty's Secret Service was shot when the famous revolivng restaurant was under construction) and back via cables to Gimmelwald and Stechelberg on Lauterbrunnen Valley floor with postal buses to Lauterbrunnen (trains from Wengen and Grindelwald) is to me the most awesome excursion I've done in this area - a great day out and a Swiss Travel Pass would cover it all except 50% on Murren-Schilthorn cable - one of the longest and most thrilling in all the Alps.

Then by train you could take the Golden Pass scenic train to Montreux, on Lake Geneva - a very pretty route and easily stop off at Broc to do a Willy Wonkaesque visit to Nestle's Callier Chocolate Factory- trains take you right to the factory. End up in lovely Montreux for a few days - visit the famous Chillon Castle on the lake, take lake boats around like to Evian-les-Bains France and

then when ready to blast to Paris hop TGVs from Lausanne that take you there in about 4 hours (www.voyages-sncf.com for discounted booking tickets on your own. www.seat61.com is a great resource for help with that.)

And yes a Swiss Travel Pass for all that and also in full to Zermatt would be great.

Munich to Lucerne by train www.bahn.de/en for discounted tickets to Switzerland.

So that is how to do by train.

Car would be fine too but Swiss trains are so nice and relaxing - I've driven in Switzerland several times and IME except taking boring autobahns regular roads can be tediously busy - trains seem more scenic and driver does not have to keep eyes peeled on roads.

But if wishing to take several days driving thru France then car is great - if not I'd turn it in in Germany and hop on trains. But with a family I can see how car is easier in some ways - especially with luggage.

Kids under 16 get again a free Family Pass that lets them go free on any transport in Switzerland - even ones that are only discounted 50% with passes like lifts to mountain tops.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 01:17 PM
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>

Take plenty of food money
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 01:34 PM
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To this day Zermatt remains near the top of our three kids vacation experiences. I’m not sure you need to find out of the way places in Switzerland. The in the way places are magnificent. Consider renting an apartment for 3-4 days and spending all day outdoors.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 01:41 PM
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While in Munich, do a day trip with Mike's Bike Tours. We did this in September and did the Neuschwanstein tour. Loved it! Our kids are in their early 20's, and they still had a blast. On another day we rented bikes from the same company and rode all over the English Garden there in Munich, doing about 30 miles and stopped at various beer gardens along the way. Even though you kids are younger, they can still go to those and get other items.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 06:52 PM
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In June, I did a 16 day trip (a couple) fairly similar to the train trip PalenQ suggested. Munich to Lucerne by train is a good option.
We started in Paris, went to Amsterdam and then did Munich and Switzerland (with less time in the Grindenwald).
Zermatt is a car free town.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 07:17 AM
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" We thought it might be fun to drive in Switzerland a bit to see the more out of the way sights"

But you obviously plan just the contrary: you mention places famous with overseas (not even Swiss) travellers only!

If you want to travel by public transport and if you plan to include Neuschwanstein castle mentioned above (one of the most touristy places of Europe) you best buy a Bayern ticket which is valid from Munich to Fuessen - Hohenschwangau - Fuessen - Kaufbeuren - Lindau (Swiss border). It costs 43 EUR for the whole family
For Switzerland, you will have to choose between
Swiss half Fare Card (360 CHF for the whole family)
Swiss Travel Pass for 8 days (1074 CHF for the whole family)
Swiss Travel Pass Flex for 4 days (850 CHF for the whole family)
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/...pass-flex.html
For direct buses Zurich - Munich (fares start at 15 EUR/pax, no reduction for kids) and Zurich Bern (fares start at 17 EUR/pax, no reduction for kids), have a look at
https://www.flixbus.com/

If you prefer to travel by rental car, rent your car in Munich and do the drop off in a German town along the French border like Loerrach, Weil am Rhein (both linked by commuter trains to Basel), Kehl (commuter train to Strasbourg) where you can easily board a Paris bound TGV.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 07:21 AM
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SWITZERLAND BY CAR

It's perfectly possible to visit tons of gems in Switzerland by car, without boarding any train (between June and October, when all mountain roads are open).

But if you want to visit Switzerland by car, don’t choose just the places that can NOT be reached by car (like Muerren, Gimmelwald, Wengen, Schynige Platte, Schilthorn, First, Kleine Scheidegg, Maennlichen, Rigi, Pilatus, Bettmeralp, Zermatt, Braunwald, etc). Otherwise you will have to pay for both: car rental, fuel (about 8 USD per US gallon/3,85 litres) AND mountain railways.

There are tons of beautiful places in the Swiss Alps which can be reached by car. Some suggestions:

Drive from Martigny to Col de la Gueulaz on Lake Emosson (2000m/6600ft). You are then just in front of the Northern side of Mont Blanc, the highest mountain chain of Western Europe. The glaciers of Trient, Tour, Argentiere as well as the peaks of Aiguille d'Argentiere (3900m/13000fr), Aiguille Verte (4120m/13500ft), Grandes Jorasse (4210m/13800ft), Mont Blanc (4810m/15800ft) ar jus a few miles away.

Drive from Martigny to Grand St Bernard Pass (2470m/8100ft) and hike in 1 hr to La Chenalette (2800m/9200ft). From there, you have a stupendous view to the Southern side of Mont Blanc (A Neuve Glacier, Dolent Glacier, Pre de Bar Glacier, Triolet Glacier as well as a lot of 3800 to 4800m / 13000 to 15800ft high peaks). In the South, but farther away, you see the glaciers and peaks of the Gran Paradiso chain.
A easy, but very scenic 6hrs circular hike goes from Col du Gd St-Bernard via Col des Chevaux - Lake Petit Le - Col de Bastillon to the 3 blue mountain lakes of Fenetre and then over the Col de Fenetre de Ferret back to Col du Gd St-Bernard.

Drive from Sion to Col du Sanetsch (2250m/7400ft) and hike in about 2 hrs to Refuge/Restaurant La Quille du Diable on Tsanfleuron Glacier (2900m/9500ft). You are there on the top of a perpendicular cliff and can look down to Lake Derborence, just 1500m/5000ft below your feet. Stupendous view to Mont Blanc chain, Grand Combin, Mont Collon and tons of other peaks.

Drive from Sierre to Grimentz and then up to the end of the road on Lake Moiry (2250m/7400ft) and hike then in aobut 1 hr to Moiry hut (Swiss Alpine club) and Moiry Glacier.

Drive from Brig to Ried-Moerel, go by gondola to Riederalp (5 CHF/one way), hike in 1/2 hr to Riederfurka (2070m/6800ft), visit the visitor's centre/museum of the Jungfrau-Aletsch Nature reserve, walk through the Aletsch Forest and have a look at the Aletsch Glacier (longest glacier of Europe) just below and in front of you.

Drive to Breuil-Cervinia (Italian neighbourhood, 2000m/6500ft) and go by cableway to Plateau Rosa (28 EUR/35 USD roundtrip). Plateau Rosa (3500m/11500ft) is close to Matterhorn Paradise/Kleinmatterhorn (1 mile away, same panorama). The roundtrip ticket from Taesch Parking to Matterhorn Paradise costs 107 CHF/112 USD

Drive to Grimsel Pass (2200m/7200ft) and hike in about 1 1/2 hr to Sidelhorn (2800m/9200ft). Panoramic views to Unteraar Glacier, Oberaar Glacier, 6 mountain lakes around Grimsel Pass, Finsteraarhorn (4300m/14100ft) and dozens of other peaks. You may also hike from Grimsel Pass to Lake Oberaar (1 hr) and along this lake to Oberaar Glacier (another hr).
Drive then from Grimsel Pass to Furka Belvedere and visit the Ice cave in the Rhone Glacier.
Another road in the same area goes to Nufenenpass/Griessee. The hike from the end of the road to Lake Griessee - Gries Pass - Gries Glacier takes about 1 1/2 hrs.

Drive from Davos or St. Moritz to Stelvio Pass (2800m/9200ft). Hike to the glaciers (1 hr or so) or enjoy the view to them from Piz da las Trais Linguas (3 languages peak; 2850m/9400ft).

etc. etc.

But if you prefer to ride with Glacier Express, Bernina Express, Golden Pass Panoramic, etc. and if you want to visit Gornergrat and Jungfraujoch, you better look after rail passes.

You may have a look at
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 07:22 AM
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SWiTZERLAND WITH CHILDREN

As public transport is rather expensive in Switzerland, study carefully the sites about Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flexy and Swiss half fare card: http://www.swisstravelsystem.com/en/home.html

Check the Swiss Travel System Family Card
The Swiss Travel System Family Card is issued at no cost to parents who wish to take along their children under the age of 16 at no cost. Please note that at least one parent has to travel with the child/ren.

Some ideas (check opening periods, some places are closed in winter)::

historic steamboats on Lake Geneva:
http://www.cgn.ch/horaires/pdf/AffA2-ete-10.pdf
http://www.cgn.ch/eng/flotte

Swiss Vapeur Park Le Bouveret:
http://www.swissvapeur.ch/en/index.php

Signal de Bougy:
http://www.parc-aventure.ch/Signal-de-Bougy/
http://www.signaldebougy.ch/

Menhirs at Yverdon
http://www.yverdonlesbainsregion.ch/...menhirs_clendy

Blonay-Chamby historic railway:
http://www.blonay-chamby.ch/index-en.php

Chillon castle:
http://www.chillon.ch/en/

Gruyeres castle, cheese diary and chocolate factory:
http://www.chateau-gruyeres.ch/e/mul...spectacle.html
http://www.la-gruyere.ch/en/navpage-...FR-120085.html
http://www.lamaisondugruyere.ch/inde...=142&Itemid=56
http://www.lamaisondugruyere.ch/inde...=142&Itemid=56

Chatelard-Emosson (Mont Blanc area):
http://www.chatelard.net/english/pages/descr_e.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emosson
http://www.emosson.ch/PublicEN/default-en.htm

Zermatt-Gornergrat:
http://www.gornergrat.ch/home/index.php
http://www.klein-matterhorn.ch/photos/
http://www.zermatt.ch/en/index.cfm

Entirely walled city of Murten:
http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/nav...nFR-99305.html
http://www.murtentourismus.ch/en/nav...-MurtenFR.html
Medieval city of Bern:
http://www.berninfo.com/en/page.cfm/Information
http://www.kleinbahn-gurten.ch/

Swiss Village Park Ballenberg:
http://ballenberg.ch/en/Welcome

Lugano and Swissminiatur:
http://www.lugano-tourism.ch/en/291/default.aspx
http://www.swissminiatur.ch/

Seewen in the Jura close to Basel:
http://www.bundesmuseen.ch/musikauto...x.html?lang=en

Rapperswil:
http://www.zuerichsee.ch/en/page.cfm...FamilyDRZ/1230
http://www.knieskinderzoo.ch/
http://www.zuerichsee.ch/en/page.cfm/SightsRZ
http://www.zuerich.com/en/page.cfm/r...gion_zuerich_x

Rhine Falls Adventure Park
http://www.rheinfall.ch/Attraktionen...ark?lang=en-US

Furka steam train
http://www.furka-bergstrecke.ch/eng/train/timetable.php

You may have a look at
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/interests/family.html
http://www.takethefamily.com/where/s...ays-and-breaks
http://www.eparenting.co.uk/family_h...tzerland.shtml
http://www.reka.ch/en/rekaferien/Pages/default.aspx
http://littletravellers.com/destinat...y-switzerland/
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 08:15 AM
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and for kids and adults in Lucerne the Swiss Transport Museum:

ttps://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en

half-off with Swiss Pass
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 08:47 AM
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Swiss Village Park Ballenberg:
http://ballenberg.ch/en/Welcome

Great family place set overlooking Lake Brienz - excellent to combine with boat trip Interlaken-Brienz -postal bus to Ballenberg Open-Air Museum of old Swiss farm life - free with Swiss Travel Pass as are boats and postal buses.

Another great excursion in Interlaken area vs Zermatt where it is just (awesome) mountains but little else if poor weather sets in.

From say Grindelwald if wet weather and always possible in Alps you could also day trip to Bern - neat in any weather especially since has covered walkways in much of old town center.

And the city emblem bears in their new pits always prancing about.
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 08:55 AM
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuXfHnVWVRA

Teens will love the summer luge rides in Interlaken (and other venues)!
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Old Nov 23rd, 2017, 01:14 PM
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Hi I like your itinerary. I did Switzerland via train in July from Zurich to Zermatt about 4 hrs by train. No cars in Zermatt, very touristy, lots of tourists, interesting little museum, partly underground, see 2nd floor to understand what put Zermatt on the map besides the Matterhorn (the terrible mtn climber disaster). Expensive hotels/food, but interesting spot. Gorgernaut train ride a must from Zermatt. If you are into hiking and natural beauty of mountains, check out WEngen, 1 hr from Zurich by train, lovely village, with Jungfrau/Monch/and part of Eiger over the village,lift up to the Mannlichen hiking area,right in the village, sort of a plateau that will simply be the most amazing place that one has ever seen. Lovely spot in July when we were there. If in Munich for a memorable historical important spot, go out to Dacchau on the train about 30 min form Munich. so we do not forget, even the children need to know. Trains are excellent in Switzerland, children under 16 go free on Swiss Rail pass I think. Sue
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Old Nov 24th, 2017, 03:32 AM
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"Gorgernaut" is Gornergrat.
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Old Nov 24th, 2017, 06:46 AM
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Some journey times:

Zurich airport - Zermatt (hiking paradise):
3 hrs 30 min, 1 train change

Zurich airport - Wengen: 3 hrs, 4 train changes
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Old Nov 24th, 2017, 06:47 AM
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Trains are excellent in Switzerland, children under 16 go free on Swiss Rail pass I think>

Not just with railpasses but even on things adults with them buy like single tickets - that is with the free Family Pass they can get free at any ticket window - allowing all kids under 16 traveling with a parent to go free.
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