Help with Switzerland in December/January
Apr 28th, 2019, 06:19 PM
#1
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Help with Switzerland in December/January
Planning at trip at the end of the year. Am I missing anything? Any tips? I think I'll need the rail pass right? Is it true people don't tip in Switzerland? Any restaurant recommendations? I have practically none planned.
12/26 - Arrive in Zurich and take train to Zermatt. Taking the Gornergrat railway to Riffelberg to stay the night at Iglu Dorf.
12/27 - After breakfast wander around Zermatt's Bahnhofstrasse before taking the train to Montreux.
12/28 - Staying at Montreux Fairmont. Full day at Swiss Alps Glacier Adventure Tour.
12/29 - Visit Chateau de Chillon, old city, Freddy Mercury statue, maybe Montreux Museum.
12/30 - Spa morning at the hotel and take train to Lucerne.
12/31 - Staying at Art Deco Montana. Do I need to do Jungfraujoch or Titlis if I've already done Matterhorn and the glacier trip. If I must, which one should I pick? The Titlis trip is shorter and cheaper so I'm leaning towards that. New Years Eve at the hotel restaurant.
1/1 - Swiss Chocolate Adventure at Swiss Museum of Transport. Yes, it seems cheesy but it's much cheaper than the make your own chocolate bar at Aeschbach. Wander around Lucerne, see the Lions, covered bridge, old town, cheese shops, chocolate shops, bakeries!
1/2 - Train ride to Interlaken or Grindelwald. Can I do both? If not, which should I choose? What should I do there other than wander around the cute towns?
1/3 - Train ride to Zurich. No hotel yet, just need something relatively inexpensive to get to the airport the next day. Spend some time wandering old town Nierderdorfstrasse, see the largest clock face at St. Peters, maybe hike up the Grossmunster church towers. I saw something about a fondue tram that I’m looking in to for the last night dinner. Seems fun and out of the ordinary!
1/4 - Would love an awesome breakfast restaurant recommendation before taking the train to Zurich airport.
Does this itinerary sound doable? I wanted to try to stay away from staying at the big cities like Geneva or Zurich. Thank you so much for your review!
12/26 - Arrive in Zurich and take train to Zermatt. Taking the Gornergrat railway to Riffelberg to stay the night at Iglu Dorf.
12/27 - After breakfast wander around Zermatt's Bahnhofstrasse before taking the train to Montreux.
12/28 - Staying at Montreux Fairmont. Full day at Swiss Alps Glacier Adventure Tour.
12/29 - Visit Chateau de Chillon, old city, Freddy Mercury statue, maybe Montreux Museum.
12/30 - Spa morning at the hotel and take train to Lucerne.
12/31 - Staying at Art Deco Montana. Do I need to do Jungfraujoch or Titlis if I've already done Matterhorn and the glacier trip. If I must, which one should I pick? The Titlis trip is shorter and cheaper so I'm leaning towards that. New Years Eve at the hotel restaurant.
1/1 - Swiss Chocolate Adventure at Swiss Museum of Transport. Yes, it seems cheesy but it's much cheaper than the make your own chocolate bar at Aeschbach. Wander around Lucerne, see the Lions, covered bridge, old town, cheese shops, chocolate shops, bakeries!
1/2 - Train ride to Interlaken or Grindelwald. Can I do both? If not, which should I choose? What should I do there other than wander around the cute towns?
1/3 - Train ride to Zurich. No hotel yet, just need something relatively inexpensive to get to the airport the next day. Spend some time wandering old town Nierderdorfstrasse, see the largest clock face at St. Peters, maybe hike up the Grossmunster church towers. I saw something about a fondue tram that I’m looking in to for the last night dinner. Seems fun and out of the ordinary!
1/4 - Would love an awesome breakfast restaurant recommendation before taking the train to Zurich airport.
Does this itinerary sound doable? I wanted to try to stay away from staying at the big cities like Geneva or Zurich. Thank you so much for your review!
Apr 28th, 2019, 06:56 PM
#2
Join Date: Dec 2006
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Switzerland is a delightful destination!
One night in Zermatt gives you no back-up if the weather is bad. I trust that experts will comment on the likelihood of that.
"Do I need to do Jungfraujoch or Titlis if I've already done Matterhorn and the glacier trip. If I must, which one should I pick?"
I felt no need to go to Jungfraujoch or Titlis, and I hadn't been to the Matterhorn. It really depends on YOUR interests!
"Train ride to Interlaken or Grindelwald. Can I do both? If not, which should I choose? What should I do there other than wander around the cute towns?"
One night in Zermatt gives you no back-up if the weather is bad. I trust that experts will comment on the likelihood of that.
"Do I need to do Jungfraujoch or Titlis if I've already done Matterhorn and the glacier trip. If I must, which one should I pick?"
I felt no need to go to Jungfraujoch or Titlis, and I hadn't been to the Matterhorn. It really depends on YOUR interests!
"Train ride to Interlaken or Grindelwald. Can I do both? If not, which should I choose? What should I do there other than wander around the cute towns?"
Interlaken is a small city that many people use as a base for a visit to the Bernese Oberland. I'm sure it offers some pleasant moments, but it isn't really a destination per se.
If you don't know what to do in that area, I suggest that you need to consult some guide books, read some trip reports, or consult some of the planning threads on this forum.
Hope that helps!
If you don't know what to do in that area, I suggest that you need to consult some guide books, read some trip reports, or consult some of the planning threads on this forum.
Hope that helps!
Apr 29th, 2019, 05:37 AM
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II am wondering if I should get the Swiss Rail Pass? Rail trips: airport to Zermatt, Gornergrat railway to Riffelberg, Zermatt to Montreux, do I take a train to Glacier 3000 (or do I have to buy an excursion), do I take a train to Chillon castle (or do I have to buy an excursion), Montreux to Lucerne, do I take a train to Mt Titlis (or do I have to buy an excursion), Swiss Museum of Transport (discount w/rail pass?), Lucerne to Zurich, Zurich to airport. Is there a way to price these individually so I can decide if Rail Pass is a better deal?
Apr 29th, 2019, 08:41 AM
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Swiss Transport Pass should be good for you - covers trains and lake boats (great on Lake Lucerne and other lakes) and cty transports, postal buses and free entry to 470 plus museums and sights but only 50% off Swiss Transport Museum. www.sbb.ch should give you prices for trains. www.seat61.com has great advice on trains - general train info in Switzerland also BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.cm.
Apr 30th, 2019, 02:10 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2013
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At least 11 hotels in and around Zermatt (Taesch, Randa, Herbriggen, St. Niklaus) have available rooms
https://www.booking.com/searchresult..._list_length=0
https://www.booking.com/searchresult..._list_length=0
Last edited by neckervd; Apr 30th, 2019 at 02:13 AM.
Apr 30th, 2019, 02:54 AM
#7
For what it is worth you could try www.zermatt.ch for hotel vacancies. Be aware that some establishments want a week's worth of stay in season. I enjoyed the Titlis trip out of Luzern; the rideup to Engelberg and then the three-stage ascent; you can easily do the whole thing and back to Luzern in half a day.
