need help with 1st visit to switzerland
Dec 19th, 2008, 10:16 AM
#61
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A consecutive day pass, if it fits you itinerary - gets you from the airport and back within the time frame takes all the calculations out - flexipass you have to judge how many 100% covered travel days you need (if going to museums as suggested in Bern the Swiss Pass gives free entry to over 400 Swiss museums but only on 100% travel days and at about $20-25 a pop IME it may be worth it to use a day, if traveling to that city or museum by train from some distance - no 50% off on museums on half-off days on the pass however.
Thus a good way one of the minimum of three 100% covered travel days on a flexipass in the Berner Oberland, if you stay up in the mountains or Interlaken is to take the train to Bern and see the fantastic Paul Klee museum and some other national museums - and on this journey you could even do a boat ride on Lake Thun - from Interlaken to Thun then train to Bern.
Thus a good way one of the minimum of three 100% covered travel days on a flexipass in the Berner Oberland, if you stay up in the mountains or Interlaken is to take the train to Bern and see the fantastic Paul Klee museum and some other national museums - and on this journey you could even do a boat ride on Lake Thun - from Interlaken to Thun then train to Bern.
Dec 20th, 2008, 03:40 AM
#62
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Swiss pass:
---we dont plan to do any museums at all.
---family of 4 and a child....even if we dont travel all 7 days that we are there i am sure we will travl a fair bit. dosent the 8 day pass cover us completely. plus any special panoramic trains and any special rides up the jungfraujoch?
This pass thing is really confusing me. i am stuck at the part wherein any journey for me is easily multiplied 4 times....hence what gives a bargain collectively is a real bargain. the rices i saw are about 280 to 293 pp thru family pass. any thoughts?
Should i buy the passes or tix in the us or in switzerland. also will the person at tourist info center understand us correctly and give us the right kind of passes if we explain to them our exact travel itinerary? or are they just going to sell us some extra stuff?
I was looking at prices in indian restaurants. it looks like food is extremely expensive in switz. cost 35 us $ for a buffet when we can have the same for inside 10 $ in the us. Never considered that the us is so cheap. always thought we were expensive. or maybe the portions in switzerland are larger.
Also has anyone visited a place called markthalle in bern? supposed to be different cuisines under one roof and could get a meal under $ 20.Chinese ,thai, south indian food etc.That would be excellente!!
Someone suggested abt just going to atms in the airport for conversion of us dollars. should i take the us dollars from here or should i just use my atm card.probably a stupid q...but just making sure. becoz the usage of the atm card would be practically same as calling up my bank and getting charged fees and a bad conversion rate, no?
any more help with apts / bnb in interlaken or bern?
---we dont plan to do any museums at all.
---family of 4 and a child....even if we dont travel all 7 days that we are there i am sure we will travl a fair bit. dosent the 8 day pass cover us completely. plus any special panoramic trains and any special rides up the jungfraujoch?
This pass thing is really confusing me. i am stuck at the part wherein any journey for me is easily multiplied 4 times....hence what gives a bargain collectively is a real bargain. the rices i saw are about 280 to 293 pp thru family pass. any thoughts?
Should i buy the passes or tix in the us or in switzerland. also will the person at tourist info center understand us correctly and give us the right kind of passes if we explain to them our exact travel itinerary? or are they just going to sell us some extra stuff?
I was looking at prices in indian restaurants. it looks like food is extremely expensive in switz. cost 35 us $ for a buffet when we can have the same for inside 10 $ in the us. Never considered that the us is so cheap. always thought we were expensive. or maybe the portions in switzerland are larger.
Also has anyone visited a place called markthalle in bern? supposed to be different cuisines under one roof and could get a meal under $ 20.Chinese ,thai, south indian food etc.That would be excellente!!
Someone suggested abt just going to atms in the airport for conversion of us dollars. should i take the us dollars from here or should i just use my atm card.probably a stupid q...but just making sure. becoz the usage of the atm card would be practically same as calling up my bank and getting charged fees and a bad conversion rate, no?
any more help with apts / bnb in interlaken or bern?
Dec 20th, 2008, 04:18 AM
#63
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>I was looking at prices in indian restaurants. it looks like food is extremely expensive in switz. cost 35 us $ for a buffet when we can have the same for inside 10 $ in the us.
Indian restaurants are considered more "exotic" and thus more expensive than normal food. The restaurants are in general FAR more expensive than eating at home, because rent and staff wages are far higher than in USA.
Note that your family may not like the Indian food in Switzerland and consider it bland. The food is prepared mainly for people without fireproof bricks lining their mouths.
>Never considered that the us is so cheap.
Of course restaurants are cheap, the staff is practically paid nothing and they are all situated far out in some mall.
>always thought we were expensive. or maybe the portions in switzerland are larger.
No, the monstrous portions you get in USA would be considered for two elsewhere.
>should i take the us dollars from here or should i just use my atm card.
>probably a stupid q...but just making sure. becoz the usage of the atm card would be practically same as calling up my bank and getting charged fees and a bad conversion rate, no?
No, that's what would happen if you exchange cash - you tell a business to call your bank and get charged fees and a bad exchange rate, and additional fees by the business (they have to live from something).
Indian restaurants are considered more "exotic" and thus more expensive than normal food. The restaurants are in general FAR more expensive than eating at home, because rent and staff wages are far higher than in USA.
Note that your family may not like the Indian food in Switzerland and consider it bland. The food is prepared mainly for people without fireproof bricks lining their mouths.
>Never considered that the us is so cheap.
Of course restaurants are cheap, the staff is practically paid nothing and they are all situated far out in some mall.
>always thought we were expensive. or maybe the portions in switzerland are larger.
No, the monstrous portions you get in USA would be considered for two elsewhere.
>should i take the us dollars from here or should i just use my atm card.
>probably a stupid q...but just making sure. becoz the usage of the atm card would be practically same as calling up my bank and getting charged fees and a bad conversion rate, no?
No, that's what would happen if you exchange cash - you tell a business to call your bank and get charged fees and a bad exchange rate, and additional fees by the business (they have to live from something).
Dec 22nd, 2008, 09:51 AM
#64
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Food is much cheaper in U.S. than Switzerland - either in a supermarket or in restaurants - like High Wall says U.S. pays these type workers far less and less benefits that i would believe that Switzerland mandates.
But food itself i believe is much cheaper here as well.
ATMs are the way to go in Switzerland and all of Europe when changing money - tell your local bank what countries you are going to so they do not reject your ATM request for security reasons. You get the best rate of exchange at ATMS - only what your local bank charges - no fees to use any ATM in Europe IME. Credit Cards are also a good way to pay for things - usually a tad better than paying with cash from an ATM. Again notify your credit card companies you are going abroad.
But food itself i believe is much cheaper here as well.
ATMs are the way to go in Switzerland and all of Europe when changing money - tell your local bank what countries you are going to so they do not reject your ATM request for security reasons. You get the best rate of exchange at ATMS - only what your local bank charges - no fees to use any ATM in Europe IME. Credit Cards are also a good way to pay for things - usually a tad better than paying with cash from an ATM. Again notify your credit card companies you are going abroad.
Dec 22nd, 2008, 11:35 AM
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<we dont plan to do any museums at all.
---family of 4 and a child....even if we dont travel all 7 days that we are there i am sure we will travl a fair bit. dosent the 8 day pass cover us completely. plus any special panoramic trains and any special rides up the jungfraujoch?>
Covers you completely except on the Jungfraujoch trains above Grindelwald or Wengen - then it covers you 50% to Kleine Scheidegg and then 25% from there to the Top of the World. But kids always go free with the free Family Pass (free if bought in U.S. used to be 20 Swiss francs in Switzerland but may be free there as well???) - if you pay 50% for anything like aerial gondolas the kids still go free. Always free on the Swiss Pass cum Family Pass.
You may go to places like Trummelbach Falls - water casacde inside a mountain in Lauterbrunnen, near Wengen - kids will love it - i believe those type things are also included in Swiss Pass museum scheme (but only on 100% travel days - like the day you arrive in the Berner Oberland if you go that route
Dec 22nd, 2008, 06:13 PM
#67
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---Need help with apts within walking distance of interlaken ost station and bern main station.
---what is the best site to buy the pass in the us? sbb.ch or other private companies.
thanks.
---what is the best site to buy the pass in the us? sbb.ch or other private companies.
thanks.
Dec 22nd, 2008, 06:33 PM
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borivlikar1, we are from India, and recently toured Switzerland. You may want to read our trip report, which is given in link below:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35154089
We are also vegetarians, but did not have your son's dietary restrictions. I can understand that your mother may crave for Indian food quite often while travel.
You have received excellent advice from very knowledgeable people on this forum. Many of them had advised us when we were planning our trip, and their advice is excellent. Based on what everyone has already said, and understanding your special needs as an Indian, my advice would be as follows:
1. Stay at Interlaken for the entire duration. It is very close to all the scenic spots in the Bernese Oberland region, very centrally located in Switzerland, and has easy train connections to any corner of the country. Also, there are a very large number of Indian restaurants in Interlaken, so you could easily find Indian food for your mother. Bern is also a good location, but I think Interlaken would be better for you, as it is closer to the mountain tops. If you wish to visit Bern, it is a very short train ride from Interlaken.
2. Would strongly recommend that you take the 8-day consecutive Swiss Pass (2nd class). Since 5 people are traveling together, please specify a Saverpass, wherein you will get a 15% discount over the cost of one pass multiplied by 5. Please buy the pass in the US, and remember to get it validated at the train station before you board your first train in Switzerland. The Swiss Pass will give you unlimited free train travel all over Switzerland (except mountain-top cable cars and lifts, where you get 50% off, and the journey from Klein Schedegg to Jungfrau, where you get 25% off). Also, it covers free all boat rides on any lake, and bus trips/tramcars anywhere in Switzerland, plus free entry to all museums. It is good value for money, and with the travel that you are proposing, it will be cost effective.
3. Do not bother about reservations. You can usually find seats in most trains without any hassle. Do not think about 1st class pass, as 1st class coaches are generally not available in most of the trains that you will take in the B.O. area to the mountain regions.
4. Vegetarian food is not a problem at all in most of the Swiss restaurants. Try Rosti, Fondue, Raclette; pastas are also easily available. You can easily find vegetarian soup options. Let this be the least of your worries. Your mother will have no problems in finding veg food wherever she goes, although Indian food may only be available in Interlaken in that region (and of course in Bern, and on top of Jungfrau).
5. As everyone has suggested, do play around with the site sbb.ch to see the train schedules anywhere in Switzerland, and jungfraubahn.ch for schedules in the mountain regions of Bernese Oberland. Trains are very reliable, and the best mode of transport, and usually run till late. Only when you take cable cars up to mountain-tops, you need to check on the last car coming down, as they frequently shut down early.
6. There is a train station at Zurich at the airport itself. So when you get off the plane and retrieve your baggage, go to the Rail Centre one level below, get your Swiss Passes validated, and proceed one level lower to the train station. You will not have to wait for more than 15-20 minutes to get the next train to Interlaken Ost.
7. Interlaken sits between 2 lakes, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Your son may enjoy boat rides on these lakes. At Breinz, there is the Ballenberg Museum, which your son may find interesting (or maybe he is too young for it). I am sure he will love the mountain journeys, the easy mountain walks,the journey to Jungfrau, Trummelbachefalle at Lauterbrunnen, and everything else in that region.
8. You will find plenty to do around Interlaken for 7 days. If you want to stay in another city for 2-3 days, try Luzern (about halfway between Zurich and Interlaken). It also has a few Indian restaurants.
Please come back with specific questions if any.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35154089
We are also vegetarians, but did not have your son's dietary restrictions. I can understand that your mother may crave for Indian food quite often while travel.
You have received excellent advice from very knowledgeable people on this forum. Many of them had advised us when we were planning our trip, and their advice is excellent. Based on what everyone has already said, and understanding your special needs as an Indian, my advice would be as follows:
1. Stay at Interlaken for the entire duration. It is very close to all the scenic spots in the Bernese Oberland region, very centrally located in Switzerland, and has easy train connections to any corner of the country. Also, there are a very large number of Indian restaurants in Interlaken, so you could easily find Indian food for your mother. Bern is also a good location, but I think Interlaken would be better for you, as it is closer to the mountain tops. If you wish to visit Bern, it is a very short train ride from Interlaken.
2. Would strongly recommend that you take the 8-day consecutive Swiss Pass (2nd class). Since 5 people are traveling together, please specify a Saverpass, wherein you will get a 15% discount over the cost of one pass multiplied by 5. Please buy the pass in the US, and remember to get it validated at the train station before you board your first train in Switzerland. The Swiss Pass will give you unlimited free train travel all over Switzerland (except mountain-top cable cars and lifts, where you get 50% off, and the journey from Klein Schedegg to Jungfrau, where you get 25% off). Also, it covers free all boat rides on any lake, and bus trips/tramcars anywhere in Switzerland, plus free entry to all museums. It is good value for money, and with the travel that you are proposing, it will be cost effective.
3. Do not bother about reservations. You can usually find seats in most trains without any hassle. Do not think about 1st class pass, as 1st class coaches are generally not available in most of the trains that you will take in the B.O. area to the mountain regions.
4. Vegetarian food is not a problem at all in most of the Swiss restaurants. Try Rosti, Fondue, Raclette; pastas are also easily available. You can easily find vegetarian soup options. Let this be the least of your worries. Your mother will have no problems in finding veg food wherever she goes, although Indian food may only be available in Interlaken in that region (and of course in Bern, and on top of Jungfrau).
5. As everyone has suggested, do play around with the site sbb.ch to see the train schedules anywhere in Switzerland, and jungfraubahn.ch for schedules in the mountain regions of Bernese Oberland. Trains are very reliable, and the best mode of transport, and usually run till late. Only when you take cable cars up to mountain-tops, you need to check on the last car coming down, as they frequently shut down early.
6. There is a train station at Zurich at the airport itself. So when you get off the plane and retrieve your baggage, go to the Rail Centre one level below, get your Swiss Passes validated, and proceed one level lower to the train station. You will not have to wait for more than 15-20 minutes to get the next train to Interlaken Ost.
7. Interlaken sits between 2 lakes, Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. Your son may enjoy boat rides on these lakes. At Breinz, there is the Ballenberg Museum, which your son may find interesting (or maybe he is too young for it). I am sure he will love the mountain journeys, the easy mountain walks,the journey to Jungfrau, Trummelbachefalle at Lauterbrunnen, and everything else in that region.
8. You will find plenty to do around Interlaken for 7 days. If you want to stay in another city for 2-3 days, try Luzern (about halfway between Zurich and Interlaken). It also has a few Indian restaurants.
Please come back with specific questions if any.
Dec 23rd, 2008, 05:35 AM
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Hi gruezi,dalailama,palenq,enzian,all,
i need some fresh help since some variables have changed in the equation.
---mother in law dropped out of the swiss visit. so now it is 3 adults inside 30 yrs of age, 1 kid 3 yrs of age.
Food is a lot more flexible now, except the nuts allergy.
--- we can do more walking and also visit more remote places.
Any changes suggested to the itinerary?
Looked at apts in Interlaken for about 900 to 1400 chf for a family for 4. may need to revisit that and can possibly look into youth hostels which have private bathrooms.
Thanks,
borivlikar.
i need some fresh help since some variables have changed in the equation.
---mother in law dropped out of the swiss visit. so now it is 3 adults inside 30 yrs of age, 1 kid 3 yrs of age.
Food is a lot more flexible now, except the nuts allergy.
--- we can do more walking and also visit more remote places.
Any changes suggested to the itinerary?
Looked at apts in Interlaken for about 900 to 1400 chf for a family for 4. may need to revisit that and can possibly look into youth hostels which have private bathrooms.
Thanks,
borivlikar.
Dec 23rd, 2008, 06:59 PM
#73
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Now you need to buy the Swiss Pass for 3 people (since children upto 5 yrs of age travel free). Opt for a Saverpass, which will give you a 15% discount over the price of 3 individual passes.
Now that Indian food is not a constraint, suggest you stay at either Lauterbrunnen or Wengen instead of Interlaken. They are a short ride away from Interlaken, closer to the mountains, and much more beautiful. Hotels in Lauterbrunnen are very cheap, and you would probably find reasonable hotel accomodation for 3 people in a room at very low cost.
For your 7 day vacation, I would recommend 5 nights in Lauterbrunnen or Wengen, plus 2 nights in Luzern.
Now that Indian food is not a constraint, suggest you stay at either Lauterbrunnen or Wengen instead of Interlaken. They are a short ride away from Interlaken, closer to the mountains, and much more beautiful. Hotels in Lauterbrunnen are very cheap, and you would probably find reasonable hotel accomodation for 3 people in a room at very low cost.
For your 7 day vacation, I would recommend 5 nights in Lauterbrunnen or Wengen, plus 2 nights in Luzern.
Dec 24th, 2008, 12:27 AM
#74
I was just thinking last night about how much I enjoyed Wengen and can't wait to go back. I just got a Christmas card from the owners of the Alpenrose there and it got me thinking. (BTW, the Alpenrose is lovely and I'm sure they will take great care with your son's food - look into it.)
Have you looked into Lauterbrunnen? I think it would be a perfect spot. You can then visit Wengen, top of Europe, Grindlewald and a few other spots on one side and then Murren, Gimmelwald and Shilthorn on the other. Endless possibilities for outings.
It's a gorgeous area.
gruezi
Have you looked into Lauterbrunnen? I think it would be a perfect spot. You can then visit Wengen, top of Europe, Grindlewald and a few other spots on one side and then Murren, Gimmelwald and Shilthorn on the other. Endless possibilities for outings.
It's a gorgeous area.
gruezi
Dec 24th, 2008, 07:29 AM
#75
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(since children upto 5 yrs of age travel free).>
All kids under 16 travel free on the pass with the free family pass
but indiancouple is right that under 5 is free anyway so no need to bother. But for others any kids 5-15 get a Free Family Pass and never pay a cent even for things adults pay say 50% for.
Keep schedule flexible for days that are cloudy - Jungfraujoch a waste of good money if clouded in - do some weather-proof trip instead - day trip to Bern or Lucerne or boat ride on the lakes (can often be cloudy in the high Alps but clear down below)
All kids under 16 travel free on the pass with the free family pass
but indiancouple is right that under 5 is free anyway so no need to bother. But for others any kids 5-15 get a Free Family Pass and never pay a cent even for things adults pay say 50% for.
Keep schedule flexible for days that are cloudy - Jungfraujoch a waste of good money if clouded in - do some weather-proof trip instead - day trip to Bern or Lucerne or boat ride on the lakes (can often be cloudy in the high Alps but clear down below)
Dec 25th, 2008, 11:22 AM
#76
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---ever since i came to know abt lauterbrunnen and wengen ....seem like idyllic settings to stay. there are a couple of towns in that area which seem nice. is anyone of those very well connected by train to the rest of switzerland?
wasnt able to locate any stores like migros and coop? are they more in the proper cities? still checking into bnb's.
gruezi...checked into alpenrose. seems very nice. checking their chalet erika. might be a good option.
any recos for any day trips from lauterbrunnen? specificially scenic boat rides that anyone has taken and liked a lot!.
does anyone recommend going to rhine falls near zurich? how abt going to mondreaux and then taking a cruise across the lake towards lausaane though not intending to go to geneva.
Probably a silly q to ask? do we ever have to negotiate in switz for anything. I am more used to not having to negotiate at all in the us unless hight ticket items are involved.
thanks,
Borivikar1
indiancouple our email address is [email protected]
wasnt able to locate any stores like migros and coop? are they more in the proper cities? still checking into bnb's.
gruezi...checked into alpenrose. seems very nice. checking their chalet erika. might be a good option.
any recos for any day trips from lauterbrunnen? specificially scenic boat rides that anyone has taken and liked a lot!.
does anyone recommend going to rhine falls near zurich? how abt going to mondreaux and then taking a cruise across the lake towards lausaane though not intending to go to geneva.
Probably a silly q to ask? do we ever have to negotiate in switz for anything. I am more used to not having to negotiate at all in the us unless hight ticket items are involved.
thanks,
Borivikar1
indiancouple our email address is [email protected]
Dec 25th, 2008, 01:03 PM
#77
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The car-free villages like Wengen are indeed idyllic. And Lauterbrunnen, while not car-free, is situated in a lovely valley, with cliffs and waterfalls----a bit like Yosemite Valley, if you have ever been there.
One thing to consider is the weather in early May. Wengen is situated at around 1280 meters, so it may still be early spring (cool and cloudy) up there. Perhaps someone who has been there in early May can clarify---we have only been there in mid-summer.
Connections----from Wengen down to Lauterbrunnen is a 17-minute train ride. From Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost, where you connect to the rest of Switzerland to the east or west, is 21 minutes. There is some waiting time between the two trains.
Interlaken is situated between two lakes (Brienzer see and Thunersee) and there are boat rides on both. You can ride a boat to the end return by train.
Staying in Lauterbrunnen rather than Interlaken would add 25 minutes or so to your trips elsewhere (via Interlaken), but would on the other hand put you closer to the mountain trips like Jungfraujoch.
You do not negotiate prices in Switzerland; they are clearly stated and firm.
One thing to consider is the weather in early May. Wengen is situated at around 1280 meters, so it may still be early spring (cool and cloudy) up there. Perhaps someone who has been there in early May can clarify---we have only been there in mid-summer.
Connections----from Wengen down to Lauterbrunnen is a 17-minute train ride. From Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken Ost, where you connect to the rest of Switzerland to the east or west, is 21 minutes. There is some waiting time between the two trains.
Interlaken is situated between two lakes (Brienzer see and Thunersee) and there are boat rides on both. You can ride a boat to the end return by train.
Staying in Lauterbrunnen rather than Interlaken would add 25 minutes or so to your trips elsewhere (via Interlaken), but would on the other hand put you closer to the mountain trips like Jungfraujoch.
You do not negotiate prices in Switzerland; they are clearly stated and firm.
Dec 26th, 2008, 07:34 AM
#78
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Lauterbrunnen and even Wengen i believe have small Co-op supermarkets or their equivalent
But if transiting thru Interlaken-Ost station, as you must to get to Lauterbrunnen or Wengen then right opposite the station is a large Coop Hypermarche - stock up here on one of your trips down to Interlaken - that's what i would do to get large selections of foods, booze and anything else.
but Lauterbrunnen and Wengen will have mini supermarkets that are even open on Sundays i believe.
But if transiting thru Interlaken-Ost station, as you must to get to Lauterbrunnen or Wengen then right opposite the station is a large Coop Hypermarche - stock up here on one of your trips down to Interlaken - that's what i would do to get large selections of foods, booze and anything else.
but Lauterbrunnen and Wengen will have mini supermarkets that are even open on Sundays i believe.
Dec 26th, 2008, 08:22 AM
#79
In the center of Wengen near the train station there is a decent-sized Coop with all the basics.
The Alpenrose is very popular amongst those on Fodor's. It is a very lovely place for the price and the food is quite good as well. There a wonderful views out front.
gruezi
The Alpenrose is very popular amongst those on Fodor's. It is a very lovely place for the price and the food is quite good as well. There a wonderful views out front.
gruezi
