Hello!

I am planning a 7 - 9 day trip to Switzerland and would appreciate some assistance on best travel route, time to spend, best places for overnight. We will be traveling by train, 2 adults. Here are 2 travel routes we would like to take:

Zurich to Chur for GlacerExpress to Zermatt o or reverse? or start Glacier Express in Disentis after Berner Oberland?

Boat from Brienz to Interlaken

Here is what we would like to see:

Aare Gorge

Lauterbrunnen - waterfall hike

Kanderstag – Oeschinen Lake hike

Jungfraujoch

Gimmelwald – possible base here for a few nights?

Grindlewald - zip line or other mountain activity

Zermatt

Montreux

Gruyere

Depart Zurich

Any tips are greatly appreciated! Thank you

It would help to know what time of year you'll be taking this trip... It sounds like summer...?

Seven to 9 days is a bit vague. Is it 9 full days not impacted by arrival/departure? Or is it closer to 7 days including travel to/from Switzerland? Others may disagree, but I think your list is long for even 9 full days... unless you really like fully scheduled days. (BTW, there's bound to be rain some days.) At a minimum, I would probably leave Gruyeres and Montreux for another trip and keep those days open for hiking/rain delays, but I admit I'm not a fast traveler. Would you anticipate any jetlag at the start?

Others may disagree, but I think your list is long for even 9 full days

I don't disagree, way too ambitious. You need to look at travel times, decide what you absolutely don't want to miss, and trim, trim, trim. We're currently in Switzerland and are here for five weeks (and we've been two dozen time before). I suggest you think in terms of nights, and full days in a given place and go from there.

SWITZERLAND IN SUMMER 2024
Just an idea how you could do that:
Day 1:
Land at ZRH and take a train to Lusanne (train change) - Montreux and relax (trains every 30 minutes.
Day 2:
Montreux dp 7.50 by Golden Pass train to Montbovon and by connecting train to Bulle ar 9.07. Put your luggage into the lockers. Leave Bulle 9.21 by train to Gruyeres ar 9.28 and visit Gruyeres. Turn back to Bulle, retrieve your luggage and leave at 14.50 to Montbovon where you board the Iinterlaken bound Golden Pass Express. Interlaken ar 17.50, dp 18.05 - Wengen ar 18.42
Days 3 and 4:
Grindelwald - First, Gimmelwald - Schilthorn, etc.
Day 5:
Wengen dp 8.42 - Kanderseg ar 1039. Lugage into the lockers. Oeschinensee by lift and hike. Kandersteg dp 16.40 via panoramic Loetschberg line to Brig and by connecting train to Zermatt ar 18.51
Days 6 and 7:
Gornergrat, Matterhorn Paradise - italy, etc.
Day 8:
Zermatt dp 7.52 by Glacier Express to Andermatt ar 10.46. Dp by Swiss Post Bus via St. Gotthard Pass (30 minj stop) - Nufenen Pass(45 min stop) - Grimsel Pass (20 min stop) to Meiringen ar 17.14.
Day 9:
Aare Schlucht walk in he morning. Local train to Brienz. Brienz dp 15.40 by historic paddle wheel steam boat to Interlaken ar 16.53. Interlaken Ost dp 18.00 by direct train to Zurich airport ar 20.14.

Hello cbdurf
That sounds like a lovely trip! Here are a few suggestions from my side: On the boat trip from Brienz to Interlaken, I would definitely take a look at the Giessbach Falls. You can take an old train up to the Hotel Giessbach and see the beautiful waterfalls.
At the Aareschluch is also the spectacular Reichenbachfall waterfall, which is also worth a visit.
I would not stay in Gimmelwald as there is almost nothing there. I would prefer an overnight stay in Mürren.
Have a great trip!
Martin