In December, we will be in Basel at the end of a Rhine cruise and will have only two days and two nights to spend in Switzerland. We thought we would like to immediately hop a train and see some mountain scenery. Even if the train trip is mainly riding the train and seeing scenery, with little time in any destination, where would you suggest that we go? We will have to spend the second night back in Basel in order to catch our flight on the third day. We don't mind a "rushed" trip, we should be rested after a river cruise. Please advise!

First, I would say, don't sell Basel short, it's a more interesting and attractive city (esp. the old town) than you might think. So try and spare a little time to see it.
When I was in Basel for several weeks, I did week-end day trips to Bern, Luzern and Lugano (that was a LONG day trip). Luzern is pretty with mountains around it; Bern has a very handsome old town (the bear pits are, well...the pits IMHO) and I remember seeing some mountains along the way.

Can you do a scenic one day train trip from Basel?

Annetti, that is what I am asking. The first day we would like to travel somewhere with great mountain scenery. The second day make our way back to Basel. I am sure Basel is nice but we will have just completed a ten day cruise on the Rhine and would like to see some different scenery. Any suggestions?

Also, I understand that Basel has wonderful art museums but I fear that I am a Philistine.

The most scenic ride that I've been on from Basel was to Lugano. It's very pretty. It stops in Luzern. The train from Basel to Luzern, FYI, is not that exciting, mostly farmland and hills, not mountains.
The train ride from Basel to Lugano is probably too long for a day trip.

If I were to recommend one scenic ride, it would be to Spiez. There are direct trains (no changes) and the train stops along the way at Bern and Thun. It's about 1 hour 40 minutes each way. Spiez is a pretty village, you could have lunch, walk around, admire the mountains, and then head back. http://www.spiez.ch/

Hello Marlib:

You may wish to consider a short train trip (about 1 hour) to a small town in the Black Forest called Staufen. I've seen good comments about the town on this board and elsewhere and plan to visit this Fall. Gradyghost

First of all, the weather. If you get to Basel and it's the typical grey socked-in overcast Swiss winter weather, switch to plan B and take your pick among the many museums and historic city center strolls, either in Basel itself, or within an hour to an hour and a half by train: Zuerich, Luzern, Bern - google each town and see what's on in the museums, permament and temporary shows.

If Paul Klee appeals, Bern has a splendid new museum dedicated to him. If the Verkehrsmuseum in Luzern sounds like fun, go there. Or the Landesmuseum in Zuerich. And on and on.

Now here's a trick: This grey layer of clouds that makes Switzerland look so drab for weeks on end sometimes has an upper limit, above which there is splendid weather. If you can go up on a mountaintop that rises above the layer, you'll need sunscreen and serious sunglasses and you'll be looking down onto what appears like grey cottonwool, while the big alpine peaks will be in view.

One such mountaintop that remains accessible in winter is the Niederhorn, above the town of Beatenberg that sits on a "ledge" above the lake of Thun. The cograil or whatever the technical definition is runs all winter, and it would make a brilliant excursion if it is really the kind of weather I mentioned. You can always call on the morning of your planned excursion and ask them straight up.

www.niederhorn.ch (click on Kontakt and call)

www.thunersee.ch/en/som/aus_nid.asp

europeforvisitors.com/switzaustria/ articles/beatenberg.htm

myswitzerland.igougo.com/photogallery/ displayFeaturePhoto.asp?ID=3671

But make sure you watch the weather forecast, and get reliable advice from the locals who know what it means - terms like Hochnebel and Schneefall bis auf 1500 Meter and such need to be interpreted - they are clues as to what happens above the cloud layer. If there's snow falling up high, forget it, you'd need to be in a jetplane to get above it all.

WK

BTilke
Thanks for the advice. Is Interlaken very scenic? Could we get from Basel to there in a day?

Interlake is scenic, but also quite commercialized and overtly touristy. Which is fine if you're prepared for that. Spiez offers similar, if not identical, vistas and is quieter.

BTilke: How long would the train trip from Basel to Spiez be? This sounds good, thanks for the advice.

Interlaken and Spiez are down by the lake - if the weather is clear, you have great views up onto the 3 Big Ones (Eiger, Mönch, Jungfrau) and many others. But if it's overcast, you need to go up, as described earlier, or give up.

BTilke gave you the times you're asking about. For trains and such, check www.rail.ch (there are two stations in Interlaken, a few minutes apart, East and West, and the Swiss station in Basel is called Basel SBB as opposed to the French and the German stations - Basel sits on the tri-country border).

WK

The days will be short in September, with darkness coming around 5 pm. I have been in Interlaken many times and never thought of it as particularly scenic.

In the summer, I keep going to higher destinations like Wengen and Mürren.

The train trip from Basel to Interlaken is a little over 2 hours. Some connections require a change in Bern, which is no big deal at all.

Yes, of course, you need to do the trip early in the day. Because it will be dark by 5 pm, as WK noted, and getting dark around 4 pm.
Anyway my recs are, in order:
Sunny weather: Spiez (direct train taking 1 hour, 40 minutes, no changes, passing through Bern and Thun, so you could stop at Bern on the way back)

Mixed weather: Luzern with trip to top of mountain and walk around town

Just plain crappy weather: Bern, the arcaded old town should be very pretty in December and I'm quite fond of their art museum, or Luzern, for strolling around and you could still go to the top of the mountain even if you don't get a view, or stay in Basel and enjoy the old town with its handsome buildings, cafes and terrific shopping.

Oops, sorry, should be as Bob Brown noted, it will be dark early.

Clarification: OP goes in Dec. - that's whre it gets dark early (not in Sep. as Bob states).

Before you plan on going up on mountains, check that they're open. Niesen is not, Niederhorn is, and so on. (Seasonal closures!)

WK