TravelinSteph

Hello.... I was trying to get some input about my trip plans. We want to fly in and out of Zurich. The Swiss section of the trip would be by rail and then from zurich into germany and austria and back to zurich would be by car. Our plans are just that right now... the time of year would be spring or early summer and nothing has been purchased yet. We have driven in germany before and loved it. Also, we are not really big city people. I understand that there are things that need to be seen but we dont like to hang out for long.
Any input would be great!

Day 1 - Fly
Day 2 - Arrive in Zurich -Train to Lucerne
Day 3 - Lucerne
Day 4 - Lucerne to Interlaken
Day 5 - Interlaken - Jungfraugh
Day 6 - Interlaken - Trummelback Falls
Day 7 - Interlaken to Montreux
Day 8 - Montreux - Swiss Chocolate Train
Day 9 - Montreux to Zurich to Meersburg
Day 10 - Meersburg/ Insel Mainau
Day 11- Meersburg to Rothenburg
Day 12 - Rothenburg to Munich to Salzburg
Day 13 - Salzburg
Day 14 - Salzburg - Sound Of Music Tour
Day 15- Salzburg to Fussen
Day 16 - Fussen
Day 17 - Fussen - Zurich
Day 18 - Fly Home

PalenQ

I'll comment on the rail travel and can blindly recommend a Swiss Pass for the Switzerland portion and as nearly all or most of the German portion is in Bavaria, the bargain Bavarian Ticket (sold locally at any station).

I would think an 8-day consecutive Swiss Pass would be the best since you are traveling nearly every day and taking some long (for Suisse) train rides. It would cover all your train travels in Switzerland in full except for the Jungfrau train, which you would get 50% off of with the pass (about a $60 discount)

The Swiss Pass also acts as a Museum Card good for free entry to over 400 museums if any museums, pricey in Suisse, are in your plans. Trummelbach Falls, even though not a museum, may well be included but i don't know for sure.
Swiss Passes are sold at stations in Switzerland but at last notice they are significantly cheaper if bought in the US - why i don't know but are even though RailEurope, the marketer of them here is in part owned by the Swiss Railways! I always recommend BETS (800-441-2387) as they are in my exp Swiss rail experts with great personal service; their free European Planning & Rail Guide (www.budgeteuropetravel.com) has a great chapter on Swiss trains and travel; their web site has suggested Swiss rail itineraries and current prices of passes (which now can fluctuate often). I find www.ricksteves.com also has good info on Switzerland and Swiss trains.
Swiss Chocolate train i believe is first class only - in Belle Epoque old Pullman cars and with a 2nd class pass you could pay an upgrade to first class to ride it. Or you could take normal trains over the same route.

You could also consider the Swiss Flexipass, good for 3 or more days of travel in a one month period and then giving 50% off everything for a whole month on non 100% covered travel days. This is best for folks just going to one place for a while but i'm sure the 8-day consecutive pass will save you more money - or pretty sure.

check regular rail fares at www.sbb.ch - Swiss rail website.

Swiss passes are good on boats on lakes in Lucerne, Interlaken, Montreux and Zurich as well as city trams, buses, rural buses, etc. Everything that moves in the country - no not cows, i didn't say everything that moos!

I've used at least 15 Swiss Passes in my travel career and would try to answer any questions.

TravelinSteph

WOW! That is a TON of info. Thanks so much!!!

Do you have an opinion on time spent in each area or length of travel between those places? Too far? Not enough Time? That kind of thing....

Thanks

TravelinSteph

Or even better places than what I have picked...

PalenQ

IMO that's a perfect perfect itinerary and one that i would love...especially if never to Switzerland or Austria Germany before.

Some will say you should dwell more in one place so it's up to the style of travel. Travel times between most of your bases is not that much and every train in Switzerland is scenic to me.

No i really think that's a marvellous itinerary - all the places are different and you won't be suffering any huge cities after Zurich - and for a big city that one feels like a small town.

TravelinSteph

Thanks so much!
I am Excited... The only time we have ever been in that area was last summer and it was only for 4 days! YIKES talk about rushed! We flew from london to Fredrischafen (spelling?) then drove to fussen to see the castles and then into munich for a day and then to insel mainau from meersburg but we were only able to see 1/4 or less of the island because we had to catch our plane ride back to london. I wanted to stay longer but we had plans in london...
This time I am bringing my parents! I think they will love it plus they are in their 50's and my husband and I are in our 20's so I think this will be a good blend of relaxing if you want or hiking/being active if you so choose!

TravelinSteph

If anyone else has any input on this that would be great!!!

swandav2000

Hi TrevelinSteph,

What route are you taking from Interlaken to Montreux on Day 7? If you're taking the scenic route via Zweisimmen & Gstaad, you'll be repeating it on day 8 when you do the Chocolate Train.

If you want to save a day, you can do Gruyeres and tour the Cailler factory at Broc on your own as a quick detour from Montbovon, a stop between Interlaken & Montreux on the scenic route.

I love Montreux, and with only a single day there, I'd hate to think that you're leaving it -- I really like simply lounging around the lakeside promenade or walking the vineyards of the Lavaux or taking a ferry ride or . . . etc.

I'm guessing you already know the Swiss rail site, www.rail.ch.

Anyway, good luck!

s

PalenQ

though the Chocolate Train duplicates 12 miles of the Golden Pass (Interlaken-Zweissimmen-Montreux) route this is just a tiny part of that wonderful ride. Golden pass trains have observations cars and in first class fancy swivel chairs. So i wouldn't not take this route though there is a much quicker route Interlaken-Montreux that goes via Bern and lausanne but not nearly as scenic.
The Golden Pass route and official Golden Pass trains are one of the ballyhooed Scenic Swiss Trains. There are regular non-Golden Pass trains on the route hourly as well.
With a Swiss Pass you can ride the Golden pass official train with a simple reservation fee of a few francs.

TravelinSteph

the train between interlaken and montreux is the golden line (2 hr- 50 min) and does not look like it goes to gruyeres or the nestle chocolate factory. If it does, please let me know! Is there a better rout to take?

swandav2000

Hi guys,

No, you're not going on the "Golden Pass Panorama" route or train if your journey is only 2h30. That routing is the fast one via Bern & Lausanne.

The Golden Pass routing takes an hour longer, 3h24. No, I did not say that it goes through Gruyeres but that it would be a quick detour from Montbovon. Go to the Swiss rail website (which if you didn't already have, I gave you above) and input Interlaken - Gruyeres and then Gruyeres - Montreux to see exactly how much the detour would be.

PalenQ, I definitely WOULD NOT sacrifice a day on the lake for a day on this journey, big windows or not. Since the detour will be slight, I think it's a much better idea to do Grueyres enroute.

s

suze

On day 8, I highly encourage you to stay in Montreux/Vevey and skip the Gruyeres "chocolate train". Because if you do, you will basically have NO time actually in Montreux (one of my favorite places)!! These are two very lovely towns, right on the lake. Instead I suggest going to Chateau de Chillon &/or ride the tram up Rocher de Nayes if the weather is clear. Or just spend it walking the quai along the lake.

suze

oops, that's if you don't skip Gruyeres (but you get the idea)
suze

PalenQ

Or from Montreux take one of the lake boats for a ride - popular one goes to Evian-les-Bains across the lake on the French side - swank lakeside resort and spa with casino, etc. Boats go and return at night even.

If the sun is out a ride on the lake, with the glacier-girdled Mont-Blanc Massif brooding high above it is so fantastic. But alas several times i've been in Montreux area it rarely seems to be clear as a haze often obscures the mountains it seems.

TravelinSteph

I think that you are correct about staying away fom the chololate train. We will probably skip that and just have a nice day on the lake. Do you think that taking the train that goes to bern and back down is out of the way? It seems like backtracking...

swandav2000

Hi again,

The train from Interlaken to Montreux via Bern may look like it's going out of the way, but in fact it's an hour faster. The scneic route, the one that's an hour longer, goes through the mountains.

s

PalenQ

If i were traveling with my parents i'd go first class even though on Swiss trains second class is probably as good as first in many countries.

But to find 4 seats together and roomier seats, being able to put bags on empty seats by you, etc. it will be a much more leisurely experience for your parents. And the price difference in passes is not all that great.

On lake boats first class passes get to ride on the upper deck; second class down below

On specialty trains like Golden Pass, which i as well highly encourage you to take as it's a lovely ride there are observation cars with special 'swivel seats' in first class.

Even on regular trains at times there are observation cars in first class.

TravelinSteph

that is a good Idea that I had not considered. I am sure that if we are going to go that far we would want to have the panoramic seats. I know that my parents will agree since I think that this will be the only chance I will have to take them to Europe. They say it will be a once in a lifetime thing. I have a feeling that once they go, they will want to go back... It never fails. Europe has some sort of magical fix over me and continually draws me back. I start planning my next trip as soon as I get home!

JN

Why stay in Interlaken rather than closer to the mountains (e.g., Lauterbrunnen) or in the mountains (e.g., Grindelwald, Muerren or Wengen)? Most on this board view Interlaken as a tourist trap located in a valley far from the great mountain ambiance.

PalenQ

I for one love Interlaken and feel most of the hoardes who quickly pass thru it see only the main tourist drag, which is a drag. But the Unterseen area a few blocks to the north rivals any Swiss city for having a cute old town -classic square with flower-bedecked buildings, etc. and a roaring river with Lucerne type bridges - a neat walk along the river yields glimpses of the jungfrau

and south of town a mile are neat meadows with terrific views of the Alps - the Matten section has the feel of a rural Swiss town.

but i agree with RN in that a first time visitor to BOB should stay up in the Alps but don't neglect Interlaken, much more maligned than i think it deserves. One of my very favorite European towns and i've stayed here several times. Great base for day trips.