Hambagahle

S - are you trying to park on the streets? If so I totally agree with you - almost impossible. (Ironically the ONE time I have parked on the street in Montreux was during the Jazz Festival - but I was in Territet not Montreux itself. Still it was pure luck I saw the space and could fit into it). I have a lot of friends in Montreux - as you know I am a member of the Montreux Golf club - and am there relatively often, all year round. I base what I say on public parking garages and the availability of spaces. All that said - with what is going on in Vevey this year parking in Montreux will be under pressure. Hope you are going to the Fête des Vignerons!

swandav2000

No, it was in parking lots. As always, I found the spaces teeeeeny tiny. Must be because, as an American, I am used to parking spaces as big as a house. So I have trouble finding spots and then trying to get into them without dinging anybody. It is so much easier to just hop onto the bus.

I actually saw one hapless driver who was trying to park in an illegal spot, an entry way, I guess...and a big round pole started rising from the ground beneath the car...and lifted the car up. I confess I did not wait around to see what happened next. I scurried away in my hunt for a spot.

Oh, I wish I could attend the Fête! I happened to be at the last one, but that one was held in Sep or Oct, I think. I generally don't get to your area in the summer.

s

jane86

Thank you both for your input, swandav2000 and Hambagahle.

I agree parking is not easy most time in any city anywhere. When we traveled to Spain a few years go, we used both train and car, but car only on a few places, used car to one small town (maybe granada), from there to Valancia by car, then to Barcelona by train, it works ok, we contacted the hostel in granada before we left, so they arranged a parking space for us. In the city itself, we did not use the car, but bus. I guess the car was not fully used. We need to look at each destination and its route, timetable of the train etc, try to find the routes and means that make would good use of the travel time. Any input and advice are welcome!

Thank you!

swandav2000

Don't know if you saw this note, buried in my paragraphs (response #38) above --

In Montreux, you'll get the Riviera Card, making trains, busses, and funiculars between Villeneuve, Glion, Montreux, and Vevey free.

s

neckervd

I told you in post 35 that it doesn't make sense to rent a car for Western Switzerland only.
Unless you have a lot of money to waste anyway, do either all by car or all by train.

You absolutely want the timetables for the Western Switzerland leg:
Here they are:
Zermatt - Visp - Martigny: 2 trains every hr from 5.37 until 22.13; journey time 2 hrs
Martigny - Chamonix - St. Gervais: trains every hr from 7.46 until 18.46; journey time 2 hrs
St. Gervais - Annecy: trains about every hr from 5.04 until 20.04; journey time 1 1/2 hrs
Chamonix - Geneva: different bus companies, departures about every hr, journey time 1 1/4 - 1 3/4 hrs
Annecy - Geneve: bus about every hr from 4.30am until 19.15, journey time 1 - 1 1/2 hrs

exact timetables:
www.sbb.ch/en
https://www.ter.sncf.com/auvergne-rhone-alpes
https://www.transalis.fr/fr/destinat...seilles-geneve

PalenQ

And for visits to wineries take a taxi or tour - drinking and driving is a no go in Switzerland - better relax, imbibe and leave the driving to the cab guy or bus or train.

dugi_otok

Hertz
Compact
Pick up in Tasch 9am June 13
Return at Lausanne train station 5pm June 15
338.60 CHF (336.88 USD) includes 100 CHF drop off charge -different than renting location

dugi_otok

If you want to go all train I would propose changing (eliminate Annecy from itinerary) your Feb 12 itinerary June 13 to June 15 as follows:

June 13th: Zermatt to Chamonix (am by train- 4 hours, hourly, 4 changes, Zermatt-Visp-Martigny-Vallorcine-Chamonix Mont Blanc). Sleep in CHAMONIX=left
June 14th Chamonix -take gondola ride to Aiguille du Midi - Pointe Hellbronner - Entreves (Italy) Sleep in CHAMONIX=left
June 15th Chamonix to Montreux (am by train- 2-1/2 hours,every 1 to 2 hours, 2 changes, Chamonix Mont Blanc-Vallorcine-Martigney-Montreux). Sleep in Montreux.

dugi_otok

Based on your activities for June 8 to June 11 I would over night June 10 in Brienz. Then:

June 8th: arrival at ZRH, direct train to Lucerne, Lake Lucerne cruise. Over night in Lucerne.=left
June 9th Lucerne - Rigi, Pilatus, Old Town. Over night in Lucerne.=left
June 10th: am Train to Brienz. Take luggage to hotel. Brienzer Rothorn. Aare Gorges. Over night in Brienz.=left
June 11th: Swiss Open Air Museum in Ballenberg. Steamer Brienz to Interlaken. Train Interlaken to Zermatt

Hambagahle

FUNNY!!* When we go to the US I think the spaces there are large enough for TWO cars!!* We are used to squeezing in and out of our cars here!!* The Fête des V. is always in summer.* And was in 1999 and in 1979 - never in the autumn.

jane86

Thank you all for your responses and input, which have helped me. Thank you neckervd, PalenQ, dugi_otok and Hambaghle ......

It seems hard for us to finalize the itinerary, but we will get to it soon after taking considerations of all the information. dugi_otok, your suggestions in terms of date changes and skipping Annecy make sense from the travel point of view, It saves some time by condensing one day in Lucerne and not going to Annecy (only for a very brief stay). As for whether moving the base from Lucerne to Brienz, it's good idea for the tour and convenience, but I am more towards staying in Lucerne, because otherwise we will be in Lucerne for only one and half day, I wish we could use late afternoon /early evening time (day 3 in Lucerne) finishing up some sightseeing in the town? is it possible?

I have a slight concern or doubt, that is - is this a good itinerary? Yes we want to have a good alpine experience for this trip, are there too many mountain tops we plan to go in short time based on our proposed itinerary? Would that make us feel like seeing the similar things at the end? For example, from Mt Rigi, or Mt Palitus, to Matterhorn in Zermatt, from Aiguille du Midi of Mont blanc in Chamonix to Schilthorn and Junfraujosh in Oberland, there are 6-7 alpine tops at least.? What's your thoughts? What would you do suppose you were first timer to Switzerland, for a lifetime experience? Please advice.

Thank you all again!

dugi_otok

Your first few days of your itinerary are not too good. Brienz is too far for a day trip. You have 3 train trips between Lucerne and Brienz. I do not think all the activities in Brienz are practical time wise. Stopover in route may not be practical.You may have too many king of the mountain excursions. But they are not all the same. Is cost a consideration? They are very expensive. I will think about this.What are your flight times? Your itinerary may be better with Zermatt at the start, 3-1/2 hour,1-2 changes, Zurich airport to Zermatt. End the itinerary with Lucerne. I like to be closer to the airport when I fly home. Sort of winding down. Put Grindelwald before Lucerne for more flexibility.

Hambagahle

Luzern is not only a beautiful city but very very Swiss. And a perfect base for sightseeing in central Switzerland. The old town - Altstadt - is relatively compact and it is perfectly possible to walk around it in the evening - everything is lit up.
I do think you are trying to add in too many mountains! For one I would cut out the Jungfraujoch. It is very expensive, not a mountain top at all (it is a saddle between two other mountains. Getting there involves some 40mns each way in tunnels - so no views. It is very very crowded as well. I would go to Rigi from Luzern, combining that with the lake boat to get to Weggis. Then cable car to Kaltbad and on to the top. Fabulous views of all of central Switzerland. Drop Pilatus. Then stop at Ballenberg en route from Luzern to Interlaken. You can either put your bags in a locker at the station or take them with you to the museum and put them in a locker there (plenty right next to the entrance gate). Then continue on to Zermatt late that evening via Spiez and Visp.
The mountains that surround Zermatt are the highest in the country and views from the Gornergrat are stunning. Don't miss that! The Aiguille du Midi above Chamonix is also a "must". But skip the others...

jane86

Thank you for your replies dugi_otok and Hambaghle,

If doing Brienzer Rothorn and Aar Gorge are too rushed as one day trip, should we cut off Aar Gorge? or we should give extra day in Lucerne? Cost will be high, but in order not to miss or seeing something unique, we will do it, saving by cutting of other expenses. Our arrival time at ZRH will be early morning.

If we do not need to go up Junfraujoch, how many days should we spend in Bernese Oberland? We could add one day in Montreux area and add back Annecy for one day? Should we go to Oberland at all?

For the travel by train, should we consider saver day pass? As we won't do much of museums stuff, basically train ride, cable car ride...

Any suggestions and comments are welcome!

Thank you!

PalenQ

Well to me the Berner Oberland Jungfrau region is so awesome at least a few days there. do the easy Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg easy few-mile stroll - but just staying in Grindelwald or Wengen will give you awesome views. Rothorn and Aare Gorge could easily be done in day as well as a boat trip to Brienz and then train back from gorge area.

neckervd

" For the travel by train, should we consider saver day pass? As we won't do much of museums stuff, basically train ride, cable car ride.."

Will you finally travel by car or by train?
Only in Switzerland, or in France too?
You can find the best ticket after having finalized your itinerary.
For the moment, it's almost impossible to give an answer.

dugi_otok

I would propose this for your vacation

June 8 Zermatt (Arrive ZRH early am) Train ZRH to Zermatt (3-1/2 hrs )
June 9 Zermatt
June 10 Chamonix Train Zermatt to Chamonix ( 4 hrs)
June 11 Chamonix
June 12 Montreux Train Chamonix to Montreux ( 2-1/2 hrs)
June 13 Montreux
June 14 Grindelwald Train Montreux to Grindelwald ( 3 hrs)
June 15 Grindelwald
June 16 Grindelwald
June 17 Grindelwald
June 18 Grindelwald
June 19 Lucerne Train Grindelwald to Lucerne ( 2-1/2 hrs)
June 20 Lucerne
June 21 Lucerne
June 22 Train Lucerne to ZRH (1 hr) Fly Home from ZRH

jane86

Thanks everyone for the inputs and suggestions, and dugi_otok for your proposed itinerary, I appreciate your thoughts.

I see your rational, is to put the best and farthest first, so we can save time by traveling from south (west) all the way to north (east), so we can earn one extra day in Grindelwald, as Lucerne to ZRH can be done in the same day, if I am right. Overall is good, the only thing is the train ride from ZRH to Zermatt is 3 and half hour, a little too long, and next day will be elevation to the high mountain top. We usually don't want to do too much on the same day of arrival or next day after the night flight. The other thing is Montreux area, We might want to add one day there to drop by Vevey to see vineyards, and Chexbrex? Will eliminate Annecy, and make the travel a little easier, all by train. I will come up with an itinerary for your review.

Thank you again!

jane86

Here is rough time line for your reviews, thanks a lot:

8- ZRH to Lucerne
9- Lucerne
10- Lucerne
11- Lucerne to Brienz to interlaken to Zermatt
12- Zermatt
13- Zermatt
14- Zermatt- Martigny (stopover) to Chamonix
15- Chamonix
16- Chamonix to Montreux
17- Montreux, Monreux to Grindlewald
18 -21 Grindelwald (may move one day to Montreux)
22 Grindelward to ZRH
23 Leaving for home

jane86

swandav2000, any suggestions of what to do in Montreux in 1 1/2 days?

Thanks a lot