PrincessDee

TR and I are going to zurich on Sept 15th for a week then to Innbruck Austria for 2 night and then Germany for the next 4-5 nights and back to Zurich. Is it worth a day to take a train ride to Paris? Never been to France,and will be so close. What do you thing? Or is there just too much to see in and around Zurich?

cls2paris

You can check train schedules on a number of sites. I like the German one for research:

http://www.reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en

It is probably 5-6 hours each way from Zurich to Paris. Doesn't seem like a good way to spend a day on a short vacation. Maybe there are some closer French towns you could visit? Strasbourg is probably 2-3 hours.

There is plenty to do around or from Zurich. Switzerland is a very diverse country with a great rail system. You could go to the French-speaking region for a change of pace, or the Italian-speaking region (Ticino) for a day or two during your week.

Have fun!

EricH

That's a long train ride. If you want to spend any time in Paris, you're probably better off trying to find a cheap flight.

kaneda

It is about 300 miles each way. Whether you fly or go by train you are going to have very little time in Paris out of a day if you go and there is a fair bit to see there.

Not really that much to see in Switzerland. It's more of a winter destination.

PrincessDee

Thanks! I think everyone answered my question. I think we will stick to Zurich and that area. We are renting a car,and are into photography. Any suggestions? Also like hiking, but not too much up hill

Christina

I'd so no, you aren't so close to Paris, that it is a short train ride from Zurich, although the French border isn't too far. While Strasbourg is probably closer by train (I think you go from Zurich to Basel to Strasbourg by train, but I don't know the timing), it isn't the same experience nor culture. I mean it might be a nice side trip if you are bored in Zurich for a week, and just want another country, but it's not going to replace Paris.


Are you intending to do this as a day trip, it sounds like it (I imagine you don't want to pack and repack by checking in and out of a hotel in Zurich). Then I wouldn't do it. If you are getting a cheap hotel or someone else is paying for the Zurich hotel, you might do an overnight to France and just take a small day pack of things, without checking out of your Zurich hotel.

If there are cheap flights that suit you, that could work also if you don't have to check in and out of hotels. I don't think the scenery is anything that spectacular by train to Strasbourg, although it's not bad.

kappa

> Not really that much to see in Switzerland.

Ha?

With the newly opened TGV Est, Zurich - Paris is about 4,5hrs (no change), still too long a way unless you do at least a overnight trip. Somebody mentioned Strasbourg as a closer alternative. With the same TGV, it's only 2 hrs so much more doable (with other trains, 2,5hrs with a change at Basel).

nytraveler

From Zurich you should probably visit Luceern (a great town - about an hour by train) with a wonderful lake, access to several mountaintops via cablecar or rail - and lots of opportunities to see small towns and hike if you wish.

freeman0819

A good day trip out of Zurich would be Luzern. In September, the hours are from 8:30am until 5:15p (last descent from the very top), so that can be a full day trip for you. There are some trails at the top that you can navigate (nothing to intense, but the views are breathtaking!) You could have dinner in the city and then take the train back to Zurich that evening. Not sure if you were renting a car, but for this day trip you wouldn't need it unless you wanted to stop in some of the little towns between Zurich and Luzern (just be advised the parking here in Luzern is terribly expensive!)

There are trains from Zurich to Luzern and vice versa pretty much every hour, so as long as you don't miss the last train, then you won't have a problem. Train fare from Zurich to Luzern is 22CHF each way. Entrance to Mt Pilatus using the gondola all the way up and back is 58CHF (adult price).

PrincessDee

I think everyone is right! Now I am spending a week with my home base in Zuich, where should we not miss! We will have a rental car so we can go anywhere for day or overnight trips. We are really into out or the ordinary places, any suggestions?