hiki08

I've just started planning my trip to Switzerland, this will be my first time there. I have booked 3 nights in Lucerne and will be looking to book 1 night in Zurich during February. Travel plans are to arrive by plane at Zurich airport midday, then immediately take a train to Lucerne for 3 nights, then travel back to Zurich for one night and then depart by train up to France. I have not yet decided the time of travelling from Lucerne to Zurich and from Zurich to France as I'm not yet confident with how I should be distributing my time.

Reading from a few threads about what to do for short trips in Zurich, it appears mainly museums and walking along the bahnhofstrasse. (The trip along the lake and to other small towns would seem to take too long?)

For Lucerne, I've read that it's good for day trips up Rigi, titlis, pilatis or to Jungfrau area (weather permitting?). I'm not advanced enough in my research to know about the travel times and availability of transport for each (will look into that in more detail over coming weeks, but I read that one of the trains up to Rigi do not run during Winter) but would appreciate any comments on the distribution of time for when I should travel from Lucerne to Zurich and then away from Zurich onwards to France? (for purpose of making early train ticket purchases and deciding whether it is worth getting the Swiss Pass?)

I've previously thought about travelling from Lucerne to Zurich midday (to suit the hotel check in and out times) and then depart mid morning (after breakfast) the next day from Zurich to France. Would this work?

Thanks for any insights in advance!

neckervd

Only the cog wheel trains to Pilatus (Obwalden side) and Brienzer Rothorn (Bernese side) don't run in winter. The gondolas to the Lucernese side of these mountains run until March, the cog wheel trains to Rigi the whole year round.

Trains Zurich - Lucerne (50 min journey), every 30 min, from 5.35am until 0.05am.

Trains Zurich - Rigi (1 hrs 40 min journey), every hr from 7.09 until 17.09

Boat and train Lucerne - Vitznau - Rigi (1 1/2 hrs journey): Lucerne dp every hr from 9.12 until 17.12

Lucerne - Paris: do you really want to make the detour via Zurich?
Direct journey time Lucerne - Paris 4 hrs 40 min, Lucerne dp 6.54, 8.54, 10.54, 12.54, 14.54, 16.54,
Journey time via Zurich 5 hrs 25 min, Lucerne dp 6.10, 8.10, 10.10, 12.10, 14.1', 16.10

WeisserTee

Hmmm....any chance you could be persuaded to go to Basel instead of Zurich? Plenty to do in a short stay. I would be happy to suggest a custom-made itinerary for your interests. And of course, Basel is closer to Paris than Zurich