North side of Thun Lake Switzerland as a lodging base
 

We will have a car and was thinking of staying on the north side of Lake Thun and doing day trips to Murren/Wengen, Castle Chillon, Zermatt, Lucerne.
According to Rome2Rio it looks like 35 minutes to Lauterbrunnen region and 90 minutes to Montreux (Castle Chillon) Zermatt and Lucerne.
Is this an OK idea?

Hi FACS,

Well, having a car isn't really an ok idea imo.

Mürren, Wengen, and Zermatt are car-free, so you have to leave your car outside the town and train in. The car is absolutely no advantage.

Luzern is a big city, and having a car is a disadvantage for navigating winding medieval streets as well as for finding and paying for parking (never free).

Montreux is already showing effects of too much pollution, as a greasy haze forms over the lake most days in summer -- you'd probably be happy not to have contributed to it.

Trains are a lot of fun -- if you don't take them regularly, they can add a layer of adventure to your trip!

Have fun as you plan!

s

The northern shore of lake Tun (Hilterfingen, Oberhofen, Sigriswil, Merligen, etc.) is nice. But forget the driving times you mentioned above. The road along the northern shore goes through many villages and the average speed will never be higher than 60 kms/h. Furthermore, in order to go to the motorway, you will have to cross the city center of Thun.
Thun motorway (not Lake shore!) - Montreux or Lucerne is possible in 90 min along the boring highway, but not along the scenic itineraries through the Alps.
Thun - Zermatt in 90 min is impossible:
you have firtst to cross the city of Thun, then to go up to Kandersteg (mountain road with some hairpin bends), load there your car on the shuttle train, cross the Alps by train, go down at the other side to the Rhone Valley, got up to Taesch, find a plce where you can park your car and finally take a shuttle to Zermatt. All that takes rather 150 than 90 min.

Bad idea.

Who planned your itinerary? Satan?

Why do you want to go to Wengen? What would you do there? Buy some Gruyere at Coop?

Tschüß

Thin

Spiez IMO and IME would make a great base for those trips - to Wengen and Murren though best to take the train from Spiez to Interlaken-Ost and jump on trains there for Lauterbrunnen and from there to Wengen or via gondola and train to Murren.

If driving it will be much slower and you'll have to pay a lot to park your car in Lauterbrunnen as they ain't allowed beyond that.

Wengen and Murren are neat towns to stay in but have a paucity of things to see and do - why those towns - the fun of the Jungfrua FRegion ain't its towns but hikes such as the easy famous Ridge Walk from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg -one anyone can take so easy and about the finest views anywhere - or take the gondola from Murren to the Schilthorn or from Wengen the train to Jungfraujoch.

For lots about trains and gondolas in this region and what to see and do check www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

All those other places are easy drives if on the autoroutes but getting from Visp to the small town just south of Zermatdt where you have to park your car and take the train in can be very slow going - again think of taking the train up to Zermatt and back from Visp.

The advantage of Spiez over north lake towns is like neckervd says (she lives in Switzerland I do believe and is Swiss I do believe but not positive) those roads are slow-going to get out to the autoroute but Spiez is right close to the autoroute and has a lovely lovely view over Lake Thun spread out in all its majesty below and the Jungfrau Massif hovering over it to the south.

Spiez has the castle of your dreams brooding high above the lake - lake boats from here are nice to take - even in the late afternoon just to relax.

Spiez - one of the prettiest towns in one of the prettiest settings in Europe:

https://www.google.com/search?q=spie...=1600&bih=1075

Thanks for all of your thoughts.
9 and 10 years ago we spent time in those places staying 1-3 nights at each place and driving from place to place. With the expensive cost of lodging in Switzerland I thought it may be better to stay at a guest house or apartment for 6 days (which would be cheaper) and do day trips from there.
We stayed in Lauterbrunnen win we went up to Murren and Gimmelwald and Schilthorn. I didn't know if you drive to that region you have to pay to park. Do you remember how much for parking (Lauterbrunnen region and Zermatt)
We're flying into Frankfurt because we got a great deal. We don't mind driving and want to stop a few places in Germany in addition to the above mentioned locales in Switzerland.

http://translate.googleusercontent.c...tHxUFJXcw7IuWQ

Lauterbrunnen Parking rates:

When we last traveled to Germany and Switzerland 7,9 and 10 years ago we did not make reservations (last 2 weeks in June)We just looked for signs for rooms available.
But now that we are going the first 2 weeks in July, will I be able to find and prebook online budget lodging for less than $150 night staying a couple/few nights at each location?

$150 is certainly doable in Interlaken and Grindelwald I should think and anywhere in Germany - try to chain hotels like ETAP (www.accorhotels.com) where I have stayed in various German towns for well under that price.

Thanks PalenQ- You are one who has assisted me with trip planning many times this past decade. Are accorhotels similar to a Minotel?

I read in another trip report you like going to Wengen in July and August- does the Gruyere from Coop taste better that time of year?

ps My second comment was a joke for Thin.

Thanks PalenQ- You are one who has assisted me with trip planning many times this past decade. Are accorhotels similar to a Minotel?>

Yes and no - they have several brands from upscale Sofitels and bit less upscale Novotel descending to IBIS and ETAP and finally Formule 1 - ETAP would be close to a Minotel I believe - they are at times right in the city centres but often on the edge - a short S-Bahn trip from the centres - www.accorhotels.com is the official umbrella site - look for weekend specials as many of these hotels cater to business types who are at home on weekends.

Not that many of these in Switzerland and Swiss cities are very expensive for good lodging - except in Interlaken and Grindelwald areas.

Thanks for your nice comments!

FACS, try
http://www.spiez.ch/tourismusfreizei...erienwohnungen
for a list of apartments.
There is an English option!

Start your search on the Tourismus/Freizeit tab, then
Unterkunft...

good luck (previously rach)

thank you mokka4

IME Swiss tourist offices like mokka4 points out have comprehensive lists of all accommodations registered with them - meaning you can be sure of a place passing muster.

Try to get a room with a lake view - looking to the east and southeast so you can see the lake hemmed in by rugged glacier-girdled peaks!

Thanks PalenQ, that sounds beautiful and exactly what we want!

From Spiez there is an easy fairly short ridge walk to Thun - with the lake in the full view far below the whole way - not the rugged hiking of Alps but a mellow stroll which on a nice day begs bringing a picnic along - one you reach Thun you can explore this nice nice larger town and quickly take the train or boat back to Spiez.

We are in Switzerland right now, based in Lucerne. We drove to Interlaken and around the lakes, especially enjoying the north shore. Beautiful views. I like that there are places to pull over and take pics and soak in the beauty. We also went to Grindelwald that same day. It was a great day of touring.