Preliminary Questions
 

I have always traveled with my husband by car but as he died last year this trip is on my own. No car...I will have to rely on train service to get where I want.

1) Does Switzerland have an extenive train service like other European contries?
2) Is one city easier than the other to fly into from US - Geneva or Zurich?
3) I will be staying 2-3 weeks and would like to choose a city/town centrally located that has great transportation to most of Switzerland. I hope to rental a small studio or 1 bedroom. Any suggestions on town? I have thought about Lucern which I love but I think I would rather something smaller.

I will have other decisions to make later but now I need to decide on an airport and a town to stay in. Your help is appreciated.

I have no answers and I'm terribly sorry that you lost your husband. I think that if you title this thread Need help with Switzerland, you will get more responses.

what major city/airport will you be flying from? There are new flights starting this spring/summer direct to Geneva.

I am flying from Tampa. Usually leave the States from Atlanta or New York.

Hi Kathy -

IMO the train system in Switzerland is the best in Europe. Trains are on time, they're clean and comfortable, and the entire rail network is easy to navigate. We've been visiting for years and have always traveled by train.

We've always flown into Zurich, regardless of where we're coming from, as it works well for us.

If you haven't yet seen the Berner Oberland, highly recommend that you do so.

Hi kathyandrick2,

My condolences for your loss -- I know it will be hard, but making your new life will be worth it, I'm sure.

Anyway, yes, I agree: the train system in Switzerland may be the best in Europe. The trains are on time to the second (!), and the train sschedules and tickets are linked together with the Postbus if you ever want to go where there is no train station. In addition, Switzerland offers many discounts for train travel to make it a good budget option. Here are some links:

For all train schedules and fares,
www.rail.ch

For discounts and passes:
www.swisstravelsystem.com

I will add that I usually buy a Half Fare Card (99 chf for one month), and then get half off of everything that moves in the country.

Staying in an apartment is a very good idea. You can find them usually at your town's website under the accommodations options, and you can usually book them online as well. To find your town's tourist site online, it is usually an address like this:

www.townname.ch

But there are exceptions. Here are a few to get you started:

www.luzern.org
www.wengen.ch
www.wengen.com
www.muerren.ch
www.gstaad.ch
www.berninfo.com

I would also suggest that you don't spend all 2-3 weeks in a single spot. Staying in a mountain village (particularly a car-free one) is a unique and wonderful experience that you would probably absolutely love. However, these mountain villages are also a little remote, so cannot really be a good base to explore the rest of the country. So I recommend that you spend maybe 1-2 weeks in a central city like Luzernm Thun, or Bern to explore the country, and then spend one week in a gorgeous and serene mountain village.

As for your entry point, Zuerich is the bigger airport where most international flights land. If you want to fly into Geneva, you'll probably have to transfer in Zuerich or Paris or Brussels -- so going to Zuerich will be quicker.

I hope you have some fun with the planning -- and do not hesitate to come back for more information as your planning progresses!

s

Sorry I disagree with the poster who suggested staying in an apartment. If you are a solo traveller and it's your first trip solo a hotel would i think be preferable. Staying on your own can be very lonely, You are on your own in a different country, using a different language, even watching TV is difficult. Could I suggest flying into Zurich and perhaps spending time in one of other of the Berner Oberland villages, a lot of posters suggest Lauterbrunnen or Wengen, for a change one of the lakeside villages, Bonigen, Spiez, but remember the station is at the top of the village up the hill, and then possibly somewhere like Villars-sur- Ollon or my favourite Champery. All have good rail and postbus links and their websites will give an idea of accommodation. The Swiss Tourist Office will also have plenty of information. Put please think long and hard about the apartment idea. I have travelled solo for fifteen years and always stay in hotels, I spend my days sightseeing and travelling on my own put enjoy the company of other guests in the evenings, sitting discussing everything from the days travels to what's happening on the world. i've made some good friend on holiday

swandav -

We're considering the Half Fare card for our trip to Switzerland in April.

Is it true that we can buy it upon arrival in Zurich?

Just curious, is the Half Fare card only for non residents of Switzerland?

Sorry I should have said as well, Switzerland's rail and bus system is fantastic. I don't drive so I am reliant on the public transport system. Remember that most trains run hourly and the Swiss Rail web site is invaluable in planning www.sbb.ch/en will give you all the information you need, there is also information about the various passes. You might want to look at the Swiss Pass as you are considering 2-3 weeks, doing the maths is the deciding factor. With the Swiss Pass you have the freedom to change your mind once you have started a journey.

Hi All,

tipsygus -- it wasn't I who made the first suggestion of the apartment; the poster herself did ("I hope to rental a small studio or 1 bedroom . . "). But, really, for a trip of 2-3 weeks, would you really spend all that time in a hotel? That would be preeeeety expensive!

Melnq8 -- Yes, you can buy the Half Fare Card in Zuerich, both at the airport's train station and the one downtown. There are two types of HFC: one for one-month at 99 chf, and the longer ones for one year (150 chf), two years, etc. Most Swiss I've met have a HFC, obviously the longer it's valid the better (and cheaper) it is. You need a photo for the longer ones.

Have fun!

s

Hi again,

I just thought of something that could really be a great solution for you: Untours. They are a tour/untour group that put you into an apartment for two weeks at a time (you can add-on another week at another location), and they have several offerings around Switzerland.

They not only arrange the apartment, but they arrange to meet your plane, and you have a host and hostess available during your trip so that you won't feel so alone. They also have a large notebook/binder filled with local information, information for excursions, and train information. So this would be a way to cut hotel costs and yet not feel totally alone.

I've never travelled with them, but I know people who have, and they rave about the company. There are lots of comments & reviews at the website. Check it out at www.untours.com.

Hope you find a great solution!

s

kathryn:

Switzerland's public transport system is really as good as the other posters have mentionned. One third of the Swiss population doesn't own a car.

Now some practical hints:

Swiss International Airways offers nonstop flights from Miami to Zurich and back. As you are a Floridian, this might be the way to go. Generally speaking, Zurich airport is Switzerland's main airport and is more centrally located than Geneva.

Whereas to your base: It mainly depends on your likes and dislikes.

If you prefer rolling hills and lakes to mountains and valleys, the prealpine or Jura locations may be better suited to your tastes. In this case I suggest you pick a medium-size town like Firbourg (my personal favourite), Neuchâtel or Solothurn.

If you are into the mountains, Thun seems the place to go (several apartments offered by untour oberland mentionned by swandav are in Gwatt, which is a suburb of Thun).

All the places I have named are quite centrally located towns in the 30'000 inhabitants range and offer most services needed. They are intercity train stops on direct lines from Zurich airport. The nearest railway hub ist not more than 30 Minutes away.

Staying in a mountain resort makes it difficult to go for day trips outside their respective region, as they generally are rather isolated and need more time to access the nearest hub.

Hope this helps,

Phil.

P.S. If you happen to go to Basel, you might ask swandav about people offering behind the scenes tours :-)

Oh no, a typo!

Make it FRIbourg, not Firbourg.

P.

Hi Phil!! My gosh, how long has it been? Guess what? I finally made the move -- I'm in Garmisch-P now. I hope all is well with you and the Rots!

s

Yes Swiss trains are fabulous - on time to the second, fast, and none of this guessing which track your train is going to leave from (like in Italy). But they aren't cheap, even with the various passes.

If you are staying two or three weeks I'd suggest two or three bases. If you try to see too much from one base you'll spend an awful lot of time and money on trains. I understand the not wanting to switch hotels every couple nights, but a full week or so is different.

Many people don't like Interlaken, but for central location and easy connections it can't be beat. We stayed a week and did day trips up into the mountains (on nicer weather days) and boat trips on the lake, and train trips to Thun, Bern, etc. Then we moved on to Lucerne from which we did day trips to Zurich, etc. With three weeks you could pick another destination too.

Although I was with my husband on my recent Switzerland trip, I often travel solo and I think Switzerland would be a great place to do that.