Last two days of Switzerland visit
 

I am taking a first and short trip to Switzerland. Arrive by air at Geneva; will take a train to Zermatt for a few days. Returning home on flight from Geneva. I originally assumed I would take a train from Zermatt to Geneva, and spend two days in Geneva. Seasoned traveler has suggested I stay in another town like Vevey and explore sights and scenery there. I would love to see Chateau Chillon, but with so limited amount of time, want to make the best use of it.
On my flying home day, my flight leaves about noon, so would need to train to Geneva airport either that morning, or the night before.
Comments/suggestions for two days in that area are welcome.

Chateau Chillon and the views from it are wonderful, definitely try to visit!

You can take a diret train from Vevey to the Geneva airort (no changes) in 1 hour 12 minutes; those go about once an hour and in between there are many more with a change at lausanne or elsewhere.

I would spend the night in Vevey and enjoy the castle and the lakeside promenade.If you have time, you can enjoy a boat ride on the lake.

See the train schedules at www.rail.ch (for English)

does this mean that sightseeing in Geneva is missable, or should I stay in Vevey and daytrip into Geneva for some sightseeing time?

Honestly, we have not spent any time in Geneva, apart from connecting to the airport.

We have visited along Lac Leman, in a daytrip to Chateau de Chillon (highly recommended) and an overnight sty at Morges.

I have heard from people I trust that Vevey is very nice, a small lakeside town with a nice promenade.

Geneve might be interesting if you had a specific idea in mind---CERN, for example. But I haven't heard anything about how great the city is, so I cannot speak to general sightseeing there. Hopefully someone has been there and can answer your questions.

thanks, will also try to do more reading about sightseeing in Geneva. I believe that Montreux is also very close to Vevey, even walkable perhaps.

Hi elaine,

I've walked from Vevey to Montreux, and it takes a few hours. It is mostly pleasant and mostly by the lake, but there is a stretch from Clarens to La Tour-de-Peilz that goes up by the main road and isn't at all fun.

If you stay in Montreux or Vevey, your hosts will give you a Riviera Card that gives you free travel on the busses. This is a great way to go between the two -- bus #1 runs from Vevey all the way to and through Montreux, to and past Chillon, to Villeneuve, and most of it next to the lake. A combination of bus and ferry is great for this stretch.

I personally like Montreux more, but that's mainly for personal reasons (boarding school there eons ago) and because of its 11 km flowered lakesdie promenade.

Have fun!

s

11 km flowered promenade sounds pretty good to me too. It will be such a short amount of time, would like to get the most out of the time I will have after Zermatt. Still working on this,comments and logistical suggestions still welcome.

Hi again,

Ok, here are links to my "reviews" (w/photos) of some things I love in Montreux; hope it'll help you decide:

Montreux old town
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Lavaux
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Promenade Fleuri
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...reux_Vaud.html

Fun!

s

Stay in Vevey or Montreux! I prefer the atmosphere in Vevey by a little bit, but they're both gorgeous cities. You can easily take the train into Geneva on the day of your flight (I've done this 5 trips, no problems). Trains run often, from early AM, and go right to the Geneva airport (don't get off at the downtown Geneva stop, stay on until the end at the airport).

Go to the open air farmers markets - they are Sat or Tues in Vevey, and Friday in Montreux. Chateux de Chillon and the tram called Rochers de Naye in Montreux are both fun. Walk the 'quai' (lakeside promonade). These to me are highlights of the area.

I have friends living there so have been many times, we went only once to Geneva for an afternoon of sightseeing, it was OK but not a "must do" for me. Geneva has more the vibe of an international business banking kind of city to me.

For mid-budget hotels in Vevey try: www.hotelgeneve.ch or www.hotelnegociants.ch or in Montreux www.montreux.ch/helvetie

What month are you traveling?

The bus is the easiest way between Vevey and Montreux. But also the train connects them. It's more than what most people would consider 'walkable' (although that's great Swandav did it!)

Do Swiss train stations have Left Luggage areas? I'm wondering if on the way from Zermatt stop at Geneva city train station, leave my suitcase for a few hours, do a quick sightseeing of one or two sights in Geneva, and then return to the train station to go on to Vevey or Montreux.

Hi again,

Yes, most medium and large stations have lots of luggage lockers.

However, going from Zermatt to Geneva will pass by Montreux; you'll be backtracking going from Geneva to Montreux.

It might just be best to go from Zermatt to Montreux, check into your hotel (or even just leave your luggage at the Montreux station) then go on to Geneva.

s

I agree with swandav (since Geneva is not "on the way" from Zermatt to Vevey/Montreux).

obviously I need to look at a map! :-) thanks

PS, I've just realized my time will overlap with the Montreux Jazz Festival (which I don't care to attend). Should that lead me to stay at Vevey rather than in Montreux?

Hi again,

Yup. Vevey will be relatively quiet. However, I would make arrangements ASAP -- I'd be surprised if you can find anything even in Vevey this close to the Jazz Fest.

s

Found a room at the Astra in Vevey. More than I wanted to spend, but the location seems very convenient, reviews are good, and many other places are fully-booked. Mea culpa for not checking the dates of the festival in advance.

Yes definitely stay in Vevey during the Jazz Festival. And you do need to take what you can get at this late date! The hotels in both towns will end up (if they aren't already) fully booked during that time. Or go back to your Geneva plan (but to me that is just plain boring).

swandav i believe spent some education years in Montreux area and is a font of knowledge on the area - an area that offers so many great possibilities and dream towns like Vevey.

Even for a short trip you indicate you are doing enough rail travel to make a Swiss Pass pay off - like a 4-straight day pass if you are only going to be there four days or a 3-day flexi or 8-straight day etc. Passes can also be used on lake boats and buses (either one you can take to Chillon Castle from either Montreux or Vevey) and a lake boat ride on Lac Leman is so so sweet - even can go to France - to Evian-les-Bains to get a taste of France and one of Europe's primo thermal resorts - home of course of Evian bottled mineral waters. Swiss Pass covers the portion of the boat in France as well.
For loads of info on Swiss trains, buses, boats, passes, etc. i always highlight these fantastic sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com - you can download the latter's free and superb IMO European Planning & Rail Guide that has a chapter on Switzerland for more ideas on places to go. You could well also go to the fabulous Jungfrau Region - to me the highlight of Switzerland - the Switzerland ethced in your mind's eye - for a few days and still be only a few hours from Geneva Airport by train.

I would agree with the general consensus of the responders re: sightseeing in Geneva vs. Montreux/Vevey area. A few years ago we stayed in Geneva but ended up wishing we had stayed at the other end of the lake. Montreux's promenade fleuri is a must-see, Chillon is fantastic and the boat ride we took to Lausanne was just gorgeous. Geneva itself was a little underwhelming IME--it reminded me of Paris without the charm and the art but perhaps this feeling was due to the area we stayed in (Paquis). I also second Palenque's suggestion of the Jungrau area as that was the highlight of our trip (although in all fairness I have not been to Zermatt).

my friends who live there call geneva "a city without a soul"

I was trying to get interested in Geneva's sightseeing in the old town area, but I'm convinced. Vevey it is. Very helpful opinions and information on this thread. Will look at those websites. I have been having a lot of trouble figuring out the Swiss train website www.sbb.ch even in English. Trying to see what the earliest morning weekday train is from Zermatt to Vevey--will keep trying. Thanks all, and additional comments welcome.

Just put in Zermatt under "from" and Vevey under "to". Pick a date in the next couple of weeks that is the same day of the week you will be traveling (remember to use European format, day/month/year/) and enter a random time like 6:00. It will show you several choices and you can always select "earlier" or "earliest connection".

You'll see that the first train leave Zermatt at 5:39 and takes 2 hours 46 minutes to get to Vevey, with one change at Visp. It runs every day. The next one is at 6:13, taking the same amount of time.

and a nice thing about Swiss trains is that they tend to run a very regular schedule - about same times every hour going everywhere - so you really do not need exact schedules but just know how long it takes.

IME the German railways schedule - www.bahn.de gives schedules for all of Europe and is easy to use - you just put in Zermatt and Vevey and the date and all the trains for that day will pop up.

Geneva does have its pluses - such as the boat trips with commentary that take you along the various lakeside mansions where former celebrities, royals and rich flotsam once hung out - and the Red Cross installations

and there is a neat Old Town that can easily be missed.

Otherwise though cosmopolitan it is a rather modern and yes in many ways less romantic city than say Vevey or Montreux.

I'd suggest taking a train from Geneva Airport or Geneva straight away to Interlaken - in just a few hours and head for the Jungfrau Region (or base in Interlaken and do day excursions.

Then take the fabled Golden Pass specialty scenic train from Interlaken to Montreux and thence to the airport.

The Jungfrau Region i think offers the average tourist a whole lot more than Zermatt, where the Matterhorn, which draws most casual tourists could always be obscured by clouds.

@ Palenque: That's practical advice, I'm sure, but Zermatt it must be. Even if I'm disappointed, I have always wanted to go there and must get it out of my system. Thanks for reminding me about the German all-purpose train schedule website. For whatever reason, I immediately found it much easier to use for schedules over the Swiss train website. Got my train schedules for Geneva-Zermatt and Zermatt-Vevey. I will look up Vevey-Geneva Airport also, but I know those are frequent.

I think I will want a Swiss Flex train pass to cover my intercity train travel plus local travel discounts, but on the other hand, my Vevey hotel will give me a Riviera pass which will cover local bus travel along the lake. Train passes tend to flummox me in every country I visit. I don't care about saving only a few dollars, especially if it limits me in other ways, but I of course am interested in not overspending. Are there advance purchase advantages or requirements for ordering a Swiss Flex pass, or individual train tickets,on the web, in advance?

Vevey-Geneva Airport ARE frequent, but only ONE per hour is direct, the others you have to get off & change trains in Lausanne.

yes, saw that, and will plan accordingly! For a noon flight out of Geneva, no point in wasting time in a transfer. Is Geneva airport a relatively efficient one?
Train websites are advising me to buy only city-to-city train tickets, no pass.

Hi again,

Do consider getting the Half Fare Card. It costs 99 chf and gives you half practically everything that moves for one month. It's what I always use for my trips to Switzerland.

Have fun!

s

I'm sure, but Zermatt it must be. Even if I'm disappointed, I have always wanted to go there and must get it out of my system>

Well you will not be disappointed in Zermatt - even if the fickle Matterhorn does not show itself - it is an Alpine Valhalla too - with hiking trails and mountain-climbing trains and gondolas and that Alpine mountain-climbing base aura - teams of climbers coming and going, etc.

You could still hop the Golden Pass train back to Montreux by coming down from Zermatt and getting off at Visp and taking the new fast train thru the new Lotschberg Tunnel to Spiez in about 20 mins and then joining the Golden Pass train there to Montreux - a bit longer but really bucolic scenery - the Rhone Valley route is quicker and also scenic but you will have come up that way from Geneva.

to figure out if the Half-Fare Card is best for you go to www.sbb.ch - Swiss Railways site and get the normal fares that the half-fare card gives you 50% off on

and add up your fares and compare with the Pass price.

The hitch is you must know exactly what trains you are taking to make a comparision.

Having a pass however often means folks taking more trains or lake boats then they previsioned. Like if you you arrive in Zermatt and it's raining cats and dogs and forecasts indicate same for days you may hop on the train - after having at least seen the town, and head elsewhere - like to Interlaken or Bern, cities that are more tolerable in rain than being in the Alps.

Or you stay in Montreux and just feel like hopping on a lake boat and going over the Evian-les-Bains in France for a few hours - these type of things make calculating Half-Fare Card hard for typical traveler. But if you know exactly how many trains you will take and will take no more then simply do the calculations

and if the prices are close go for the pass so at least you do not have to wait in lines for ticketsn as you must with the Half-Fare Card

I feel most typical tourists will benefit from a Swiss Pass over the Half-Fare Card in most cases.

Will the Golden Pass train get me to Vevey rather than Montreux? I'm staying in Vevey.

Or, from Zermatt, I could perhaps take the Golden Pass train to Montreux, arriving in the morning, check my luggage at the train station, visit Montreux and Chillon (which I was planning to do anyway), and then, taking a train to Vevey (or a taxi?) which is about the time of day when I can check into my Vevey hotel room anyway. How long will the Golden Pass trip be from Zermatt to Montreux? Scenery from a train window is nice but not all I want to experience.

Hi again,

The Golden Pass runs from Luzern to Interlaken to Montreux, and it terminates in Montreux. It does not link Zermatt and Montreux. Lots of information at

www.goldenpass.ch

It's very, very easy to get to Vevey from Montreux. The train trip is about seven minutes, more or less. Get the schedules from the SBB rail site.

Not sure what your plans are now --

s

Yes you get off the Golden Pass train at the smallish Montreux station and cross platforms and get one of the constantly running local or region trains the few minutes to Vevey - where you stash your luggage in your hotel and hop on the train (or lake boat) to get to Chillon in a few minutes. And take train, trolley bus or boat from from Chillon to Montreux and or Vevey.

Funny you mentioned a taxi. I guess there must be some, I really don't remember! Because it's so easy to get around on the train or bus in that area (especially if you're talking just going between Vevey and Montreux, back and forth).

The Golden Pass runs from Luzern to Interlaken to Montreux, and it terminates in Montreux. It does not link Zermatt and Montreux.>

OP talking i think about my earlier post about going from Visp to Spiez - via new Lotschberg Base Tunnel is about 20 mins i would guess to hook up with the Golden Pass train or train route from there to Montreux - rather than the more direct route via the Rhone Valley rail line.

Elaine: Saw this last month while flying on United:

http://www.hemispheresmagazine.com/2...t-days-geneva/

With time so limited, I'm not wanting to spend more time on train connections, however scenic the route. Golden Pass will have to wait. I want to go as directly as possible from Zermatt to Vevey, and have some quality time to spend in Vevey and Montreux.
Weekender, thanks for that link--certainly puts a different spin on the charms of Geneva!
thanks again, all.