Glacier Express
 

Hi! I'm joining up with a friend to teach him how to ski and see some beautiful mountains in Switzerland. We are charmed at the idea of taking the Glacier Express but wonder about the logistics. Can anyone suggest an itinerary or some favourite spots? I'll be flying from NY. Is it best to go r.t. say to Geneva, or better to go into Geneva and out of whatever a.p. is at the other end? Any beginner-intermediate ski places you'd recommend? Thanks! Caroline

Caroline, <BR>For my money, the best skiing (and best ambiance/scenery) is in the Berner Oberland villages of Grindelwald or Wengen. I've skiid Zermatt and found it very, very cold and windy. It's also the only area where I was warned to beware of crevasses -- so if you go there, be sure to stay on the groomed trails or stay with an experienced guide/instructor. I'm a bad intermediate skiier, and I was also daunted in Zermatt by the poor visibility caused by blowing snow. I've never skiid St. Moritz, so cannot offer an opinion. Have you found all the web sites? If not, you can compare the various skiing areas at: <BR> <BR>www.grindelwald.ch <BR>www.wengen.ch <BR>www.stmoritz.ch <BR>www.zermatt.ch <BR> <BR>I've never travelled the Glacier Express, but its website is www.glacierexpress.ch. If I were you, I'd fly into Zurich, train to St. Moritz and stay there one or two days to get acclimated to altitude/jet lag, then take the Glacier Express to Brig. At Brig, I'd head north to the Berner Oberland for skiing instead of continuing to Zermatt. Then fly out of Zurich. You can play around with train schedules at www.rail.ch, then click on "Timetables." <BR> <BR>Write me if you need more info. <BR> <BR>s

ps. <BR>But really if I were you, I'd forget trying to combine the Glacier Express and skiing this time -- unless you have two weeks. The mountains of the Berner Oberland are breathtaking, and they really should satisfy your craving for beautiful scenery. So I'd simply fly into Zurich and train to Grindelwald or Wengen and ski for 6 or 7 days, then fly out of Zurich. <BR> <BR>s

Good evening,Caroline <BR>If you are in the Berneroberland and <BR>want take the Glacier Express you would <BR>have to go from Interlaken, change at <BR>Spiez to Brig and catch the Glacer Express there for an all day trip to <BR>St. Moritz. Would throughly check out <BR>the hotel costs in St. Moritz, would <BR>think they are much higher than most <BR>places in Grindelwald, Wengen or Murren. <BR>You would then have to return via the <BR>Glacier Express to Zermatt or Brig, Take <BR>the train from St. Moritz and change at <BR>Chur for Zurich. <BR>Coming in from Geneva, you would have to <BR>take the train from Geneva to Brig, either changing up to Speiz, Interlaken <BR>and Wengen. or from Brig down to Zermatt, a couple days in Zermatt and <BR>then the Glacier Express to St. Moritz <BR>As S suggest would agree that Zurich <BR>to Grindelwald/Wengen really would be <BR>your best bet.. also check www.berneroberland.ch and also <BR>www.swisshotels.ch. <BR>Richard of La Grange Park, Il.. <BR>

While I agree that St. Mortiz is probably a little expensive, there are other reasonably priced places in the same area if the Wengen/Murren/Grindelwald area is not to your liking. Look into Davos, Flims or Arosa as alternatives to St. Moritz in the Rhaedisch area.