Linda

I would like to take a late afternoon or early evening train from Lucerne to Murren, yet on the Swiss rail site the last train leaves at 13:35, getting into Murren almost 3 hours later. Could this be right? How do all those people make a day trip to Lucerne from Murren?

Eli

No, that's not right. There's a train departing at 18:35 arriving Murren at about 9.30pm. Is it possible that you may have missed later departures by not asking for "later departures" (Spatere Verbindungen in German)?

Bob Brown

Hi Linda. Technically, the latest you can leave Luzern and get to Mürren that same evening is at 19:46, arriving in Mürren at 23:35, just in time for a midnight snack. That route is just loaded with charm with a change in Olten for Interlaken Ost and all kinds of scenic stops at places like Spiez and Faulensee. (Too bad it is night.) You get to make all kinds of changes of conveyence enroute because you get to ride a train, a bus, and a Luftseilbahn. <BR>You take the bus from Lauterbrunnen to the cable car station in Stechelberg and ride up from there. If you have a full moon, the Jungfrau should be quite a sight as you rise up to Gimmelwald. <BR> <BR>You can also leave Luzern at 18:35 by the train that Eli described so well and get to Mürren at 21:27. On that route, you ride from Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp on that slanted rail car which is pulled up the hill by a big cable. As a refresher after your train rides, you get to walk up the steps from the Lauterbrunnen train station to the cable car station. If you have a big suitcase, you should get your pulse rate revved a little. <BR>I have walked up the steps many times but never with a suitcase. I have gone down it though, and that is one time I was glad my suitcase wheels are not fully lubricated -- natural brakes!! <BR>Actually, it is not that bad. <BR>Have a fun trip. <BR>And oh yes, when you get on the BOB train at Interlaken Ost, make sure your rail carriage is marked LAUTERBRUNNEN. <BR>The train divides at Zweilutschinen and you have no reason to go to Grindelwald. <BR>

Linda

Dear Eli and Bob, <BR> <BR>Many thanks for the detailed info. It's a relief there's a train later than 1:30 out of Lucerne--I knew that had to be incorrect. <BR> <BR>Bob, it seems the first route is more scenic but the second more physically demanding and an hour shorter? My husband and I will have spent a full day in Lucerne, and despite having to trek our luggage (probably backpacks) to the cable car station, would you advise taking the route Eli described? Or is taking the scenic route via Olten a better choice because there's less hassles? I imagine we'll be pretty bushed by the evening and will want to get to Murren as painlessly as possible. BTW, scenery wont' be the biggest priority since we'll have taken the train from Florence to Lucerne the previous day, and I'm guessing we'll take it all in on that ride, plus, hopefully with good weather, it'll be two glorious days around Murren.

Bob Brown

Hi Linda. Let me give you a fully serious response here, devoid of any charm and wit. <BR> <BR>The shortest, both time and distance, way to get from Luzern to Mürren is to take the route Eli described. That was why I said "technically" you can leave Luzern as late as 19:46 and still get to Mürren that same day. But I would not want to be forced into arriving in Mürren that late. <BR> <BR>Considering the fact that you want to look around Luzern, I personally think your best bet is to leave on the train 18:35 and get into Mürren at 21:27. <BR>That particular route goes through Sarnen and descends the Brunig Pass. It, too, is scenic. <BR> <BR>The drawback to any of these routes is that they are local trains and they stop at every little burg and village. The distances are not that great, but with all the stops, you spend quite a bit of time sitting. [see additional comment below] <BR> <BR>If you leave Luzern at 16:57 on the next earlier train, your travel time is 3 hours, 30 minutes. And if you depart earlier than that, you may well be leaving Luzern before you want to. <BR> <BR>I checked the Swiss scheduler and there is no dining car listed on the train that leaves at 18:35. So you will want to pick up something at a bakery to enjoy on the train, or eat before you leave. There is not much in the way of food service at Interlaken Ost. <BR> <BR>The connection based on the 18:35 departure involves getting up the short hill from the train station in Lauterbrunnen to the cable car station. Unless you are loaded with luggage, it is no problem. You might investigate checking your suitcases all the way through and let someone else hoist them about. I have never used that service because I am not that heavily laden. <BR> <BR>If you decide to take the latest connection, the bus stop in Lauterbrunnen is co-located with the train station. As I recall it is behind the station on your right as you walk across the tracks. The valley station of the Luftseilbahn [literally air, cable, line of transport] is designed so that the bus pulls in under it. You walk up a flight of stairs to the waiting area to get into the car. <BR> <BR> <BR>Getting back to the number of stops the trains make. There is a possibility of 15 stops between Luzern and Interlaken Ost. Although the stops have an average duration of about 2 minutes, and the longest one is 4 minutes, you still eat up quite a bit of time slowing down, starting up, and sitting.

Linda

Bob-- <BR>You are the best! Now I'm totally clear on how to get from point a to b to c...you get the idea. I'm sorry I didn't catch your wit and charm the first time around, but I'm sure I'll have a deeper appreciation when I've done the route and understand what's going on. Actually, I just reread your first post and it makes more sense even now. Thanks so much for the reply! <BR> <BR>Another question which has been lurking in the back of my mind... <BR>do you really trek around the Alps with a suitcase complete with unlubricated wheels? It'll be my first time to Europe and I can't decide on a knapsack or a carry-on with _well_ lubricated wheels. I'm rather petite, so I don't want to break my back (yes, pack as light as possible, i know). What would you carry your stuff around in for two weeks, travelling every few days?

Linda

Bob or Eli, <BR> <BR>I'm assuming the train is the fastest way from lucerne to murren? Are there any express buses, though on second thought, that doesn't sound like a safe idea through the Alps. <BR>