Suggestions for a 2 night stopover in Switzerland
May 16th, 2006, 04:32 PM
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Suggestions for a 2 night stopover in Switzerland
Hey folks,
This summer we are travelling from Venice(after touring Italy for 10 days) to Switzerland, by train, with our 2 boys ages 13 and 11. We have two nights to spend somewhere in Switzerland before our reservations in Murren for 4 days then Geneva for 2 nights before flying home. I was thinking of Luzern or Murten or Pontresina. I would greatly appreciate any and all suggestions. Thanks.
This summer we are travelling from Venice(after touring Italy for 10 days) to Switzerland, by train, with our 2 boys ages 13 and 11. We have two nights to spend somewhere in Switzerland before our reservations in Murren for 4 days then Geneva for 2 nights before flying home. I was thinking of Luzern or Murten or Pontresina. I would greatly appreciate any and all suggestions. Thanks.
May 16th, 2006, 07:32 PM
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While the Bernese Oberland is gorgeous, is just not that well located for getting to from Italy easily or quickly, especially by train, so you may have to prepare yourself for some long train rides, or consider flying to Zurich or Geneva.
I would not go to Murtern as I don't think it is worth more than 2 hours at most, plus it is completely in the wrong direction for a stopover on the way to Murren, as it is near Geneva. You could do it as a day trip from Geneva if you wanted, but I personally would not leave the gorgeous lake Geneva area to go to Murten.
Much as I love Pontresina, it is a pain to get there from Italy and then over the Murren esp if you only have 2 nights. You have to take a combination of bus and train from Italy, and from Venice this would be quite a long trip, about 10 hours requiring several changes. If you did this as a night train, you would have to make several changes in the early morning hours. (I also don't like night trains, see below.) Then from Pontresina to Murren is about a 6-7 hour train ride, and while much of it is very very pretty, it is long and involves 4-6 changes, and with luggage that is not a lot of fun IMO. If you had more than just 2 nights in Pontresina it might be worth considering, but I think those long train trips for just 2 nights might not really be worth it.
If you are not going to the Lake Como on this trip already, that would be my first recoo. Beautiful, very different from Venice and Murren, easy 4-5 hour train ride (depending on where you go on the lake) which you can do during the day and see the countryside, wonderful gardens, little villages, all in all a great stopover for 2 days. Not a bad ride from there to Murren, it would probably be 6-7 hours, but you may be able to shorten this a bit by taking a ferry over to Menaggio and going from there.
Now, another thing you could do from Como to get to Murren is to take the Bernina Express train ride up and over the glaciers. This is, IMO, the best of all the scenic train rides in Switzerland. This would be a longish day, but the ride is really great and this could be a very good way to get to Murren that would be more interesting and scenic than the regular train route. The best way to do this would be to overnight in Chur (I might vote to overnight in Davos or one of the smaller towns along the route like Filisur and do a little walking in the mountains the next day before you leave for Murren, you can take various cable cars up the mountains in Davos or do some wonderful walks in the Filisur valley). If you stay in Varenna, it is only 1.5 hours by train from there to Tirano where the Bernina Express departs each in summer for Chur at about 2 pm . You would take the train up and over the glaciers and into the Pontresina area, but would not stop there, you would keep going down to Chur or if you wanted to overnight in Davos or Filisur, you would get off there. The Davos train is actually a different train and departs Tirano a little later, like 2:30 pm each day. (IMO the most beautiful part of the ride is between Pontresina and Chur actually). From Davos, Filisur or Chur, you have a trip of about 5 hours to Murren. For info on the Bernina Express, go to rhb.ch.
Another thought is the Tocino area of Switzerland like Lake Lugano. This would be an very easy 4.5- 5 hour train ride from Venice. Very pretty lake area, a mix of Italian and Swiss culture. From there you have a ride of about 6.5 hours to Murren, so it is a long day, but if you get an early start you still would have a good bit of day left when you arrive. (It is possible to do the Bernina Express by taking a bus from Lugano to Tirano at then getting on the train, the bus takes 3, which may be kind of a long trip IMO justify going to Murren via the Bernina from Lugano. You would also have to overnight in Chur or Davos. Take a look at the rbb website if you are interested.)
Lucerne would also involve a longish train ride of about 8 hours. There are however direct change that require no changes that would work for night trains if you really wanted to take one. I just am not a fan of the town, but others on this board are. From there you have almost a 4 hour ride to Murren. If you wanted to consider the Lucerne area, I would strongly recco Weggis or Vitznau as a base, and you can go into the town of Lucerne for half a day to see the bridge and the old town and the tourist stuff and then get out. Weggis and Vitznau and tiny village with lovely aspects on the lake and wit Alp views, you can ferry over to Lucerne (a great way to travel) and train back.
I am really not a fan of night trains, esp with kids as I don't think they are that comfortable and no one gets a good nights sleep, you end up being exhausted the next day. This is esp the case if you can only get a couchette (i.e. a 6 person car and these are only 2nd class.) If you can get a first class sleeper car for 4 people these are more comfortable and perhaps may work. However you don't see any countryside. Short day trips I think are better (I love train rides what can I say), plus I think kids like them. Go to rail.ch for schedules.
I would not go to Murtern as I don't think it is worth more than 2 hours at most, plus it is completely in the wrong direction for a stopover on the way to Murren, as it is near Geneva. You could do it as a day trip from Geneva if you wanted, but I personally would not leave the gorgeous lake Geneva area to go to Murten.
Much as I love Pontresina, it is a pain to get there from Italy and then over the Murren esp if you only have 2 nights. You have to take a combination of bus and train from Italy, and from Venice this would be quite a long trip, about 10 hours requiring several changes. If you did this as a night train, you would have to make several changes in the early morning hours. (I also don't like night trains, see below.) Then from Pontresina to Murren is about a 6-7 hour train ride, and while much of it is very very pretty, it is long and involves 4-6 changes, and with luggage that is not a lot of fun IMO. If you had more than just 2 nights in Pontresina it might be worth considering, but I think those long train trips for just 2 nights might not really be worth it.
If you are not going to the Lake Como on this trip already, that would be my first recoo. Beautiful, very different from Venice and Murren, easy 4-5 hour train ride (depending on where you go on the lake) which you can do during the day and see the countryside, wonderful gardens, little villages, all in all a great stopover for 2 days. Not a bad ride from there to Murren, it would probably be 6-7 hours, but you may be able to shorten this a bit by taking a ferry over to Menaggio and going from there.
Now, another thing you could do from Como to get to Murren is to take the Bernina Express train ride up and over the glaciers. This is, IMO, the best of all the scenic train rides in Switzerland. This would be a longish day, but the ride is really great and this could be a very good way to get to Murren that would be more interesting and scenic than the regular train route. The best way to do this would be to overnight in Chur (I might vote to overnight in Davos or one of the smaller towns along the route like Filisur and do a little walking in the mountains the next day before you leave for Murren, you can take various cable cars up the mountains in Davos or do some wonderful walks in the Filisur valley). If you stay in Varenna, it is only 1.5 hours by train from there to Tirano where the Bernina Express departs each in summer for Chur at about 2 pm . You would take the train up and over the glaciers and into the Pontresina area, but would not stop there, you would keep going down to Chur or if you wanted to overnight in Davos or Filisur, you would get off there. The Davos train is actually a different train and departs Tirano a little later, like 2:30 pm each day. (IMO the most beautiful part of the ride is between Pontresina and Chur actually). From Davos, Filisur or Chur, you have a trip of about 5 hours to Murren. For info on the Bernina Express, go to rhb.ch.
Another thought is the Tocino area of Switzerland like Lake Lugano. This would be an very easy 4.5- 5 hour train ride from Venice. Very pretty lake area, a mix of Italian and Swiss culture. From there you have a ride of about 6.5 hours to Murren, so it is a long day, but if you get an early start you still would have a good bit of day left when you arrive. (It is possible to do the Bernina Express by taking a bus from Lugano to Tirano at then getting on the train, the bus takes 3, which may be kind of a long trip IMO justify going to Murren via the Bernina from Lugano. You would also have to overnight in Chur or Davos. Take a look at the rbb website if you are interested.)
Lucerne would also involve a longish train ride of about 8 hours. There are however direct change that require no changes that would work for night trains if you really wanted to take one. I just am not a fan of the town, but others on this board are. From there you have almost a 4 hour ride to Murren. If you wanted to consider the Lucerne area, I would strongly recco Weggis or Vitznau as a base, and you can go into the town of Lucerne for half a day to see the bridge and the old town and the tourist stuff and then get out. Weggis and Vitznau and tiny village with lovely aspects on the lake and wit Alp views, you can ferry over to Lucerne (a great way to travel) and train back.
I am really not a fan of night trains, esp with kids as I don't think they are that comfortable and no one gets a good nights sleep, you end up being exhausted the next day. This is esp the case if you can only get a couchette (i.e. a 6 person car and these are only 2nd class.) If you can get a first class sleeper car for 4 people these are more comfortable and perhaps may work. However you don't see any countryside. Short day trips I think are better (I love train rides what can I say), plus I think kids like them. Go to rail.ch for schedules.
May 17th, 2006, 02:49 AM
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Hi skiobx,
Out of Cicerone's excellent and thorough recommendations, I like her suggestions for the Lake Como area because it has the combination of convenience and beauty.
I want to make another recommendation for you to consider -- the town of Brig. Brig is a beautiful little gem of a town that most people miss as they change trains to go on to Zermatt. It has a small but cute old town, good shopping, and a neat castle right in the heart of town. It's surrounded by mountains, and it's easy to reach Europe's largest glacier (Aletsch) from there. Of course, you could also take a day trip to nearby Zermatt from there too.
Brig will be 5-6 hours from Venice by train and about 3 hours from Muerren.
Good luck!
s
Out of Cicerone's excellent and thorough recommendations, I like her suggestions for the Lake Como area because it has the combination of convenience and beauty.
I want to make another recommendation for you to consider -- the town of Brig. Brig is a beautiful little gem of a town that most people miss as they change trains to go on to Zermatt. It has a small but cute old town, good shopping, and a neat castle right in the heart of town. It's surrounded by mountains, and it's easy to reach Europe's largest glacier (Aletsch) from there. Of course, you could also take a day trip to nearby Zermatt from there too.
Brig will be 5-6 hours from Venice by train and about 3 hours from Muerren.
Good luck!
s
May 17th, 2006, 02:55 AM
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I have stayed in Brig and agree for the most part with Swanday (although I'm not very high on that local "castle" the Stockalperschloss but that's strictly personal). Brig is also an easy ride (1 hr 20 min) from Zermatt. Brig is a charming place IMO.
You might also consider somewhere along Lac Leman such as Montreux or Lausanne or Vevey..although you could do any of those as a day trip by rail from Geneva.
You might also consider somewhere along Lac Leman such as Montreux or Lausanne or Vevey..although you could do any of those as a day trip by rail from Geneva.
