skiranprasad

Hello,

I’m in VERY early stages of planning a Europe trip in August 2013 with wife and an energetic 4 year old boy. I need help to finalize Switzerland itinerary. The plan is:
Arrive in Zurich on August 15 at 08:30 via overnight train (CityNiteLine) from Amsterdam. Stay in Zurich until 1400 and then take train to Luzern. Next day, day trip to Mount Titlis.

On August 17, take train to Grindelwald. Next day, excursion to the Jungfraujoch.

On August 21, train to Milan via Interlaken and Spiez. The idea is save time and money travelling while in Switzerland, that’s why decided against staying in Zurich. Does the plan work? Also, any ideas on how to fill the blanks?

All help is appreciated.

Thanks!
KiranPrasad

PalenQ

Well for lots of great info on Swiss trains I always spotlight these fantastic sites for planning that part - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html and www.ricksteves.com. take a good look at the Swiss Pass which covers all your trains except Grindelwald to Jungfraujoch (25% off though on that pricey train) and the pass also covers lake boats - a great thing to do IME on either of the two lakes bookending Interlaken and postal buses and gives 50% off aerial cable ways but does cover in full the tremendous IMO Lauterbrunnen-Grutschalp-Murren-Gimmelwald-Lauterbrunnen loop, which to me is the finest overall excursion in the region - from Murren the pass would cover 50% off the long aerial cable way to Schilthorn.

Pamelaaddinall

Watch Out! You do not want to stay at Olle & Maria's B & B. On June 16/12 I booked a room for Sept. 24, 25 & 26/12. I provided a deposit of half of the total cost of this expensive B & B. On July 17/12 we had to cancel our trip. I immediately gave Olle OVER TWO MONTH's NOTICE. He would not refund my deposit.

We had also booked accommodation in 9 other hotels/B & Bs through-out Switzerland. ALL establishments were gracious & refunded 100% of our deposits.

It is clear that it is not common practice in Switzerland to keep a deposit when a booking is cancelled, especially with OVER TWO MONTH's NOTICE of the cancellation.

This was not only poor customer service, but I feel that we were taken advantage of by an unscrupulous innkeeper!

janisj

Pamelaaddinall: Again welcome to Fodors. Just posting the same complaint on multiple threads?

"<i>It is clear that it is not common practice in Switzerland to keep a deposit when a booking is cancelled, especially with OVER TWO MONTH's NOTICE of the cancellation.</i>"

Deposit policies are upto the individual establishment - not 'common practice'.

This is what Travel insurance is for . . .

PalenQ

Back to the OP - yes plan is well thought out to me. But do not plan on doing Jungfraujoch on any set day if you are there some days because it can be cloudy or rainy - so the very first clear day hop on it and if cloudy wait until the next clear day or all that money could be a washout.

PalenQ

Pamelaaddinall - you are simply being foolish if you think on any given thread someone with any knowledge of where this god-forsaken b&b even is - well these threads sink quick into Fodor's blackhole - I suggest you make a separate thread, if you have not, with the title of the B&b in the title and then simply keep topping it if you really want anyone to notice it.

That said i would wager all the cheese in Switzerland that it clearly stated the refund policies when you booked the place - if it did not then you may have a legitimate complaint.

Blame yourself for entering into a contract with such a drastic cancellation policy - which I do admit is disgusting but that is what you signed onto.

jacketwatch

I actually checked this B+B and there is no cancellation policy on the website so I contacted them. He said the deposit is forfeited if they can't rerent the time you booked. Refunding the deposit is neither common practice nor is the owner unscrupulous. Next time check and be sure you get things in writing and then pay with a cc so you have a case for a refund. Sorry but this is your fault.

PalenQ

Ah yeh Caveat Emptor!

PalenQ

Also, any ideas on how to fill the blanks?>

so many great possibilities in the Jungfrau/Interlaken region - boat trips on either lake lovingly bookending Interlaken or the tremendous excursion IMO from Lauterbrunnen straight up the cliff a few thousand feet to Grutschalp aerial cableway) then train over to Murren - longest cable way in the Alps they said them to Schilthorn/Piz Gloria of james Bond fame - On Her Majesty's Service in part filmed here in the famous revolving restaurant while that restaurant was being built) - then cable down to Gimmelwald - unique one-of-a-kind Gimmelwald 9No Rick Steves did not put it on the map! - a lost-in-time bucolic farming hamlet surrounded on all sides by terric Alpine vistas and then aerial cable way that plunges like a rock it seems back down to the valley floor for a postal bus to Lauterbrunnen 20 mins or so by train from Interlaken) - if you have a Swiss Pass they are completel valid both on the lake boats and on all of the Lauterbrunnen-Murren-Gimmelwald-Lauterbrunnen excursion with 50% off Murren to Piz Gloria

And the famous Ballenberg Open-Air museum overlooking Lake Brienz Swiss pass covers $20 or so entry fee) or in poor weather day trip to nearby Bern, whose arcaded streets will keep you dry.

Lots of things to do in the Interlaken area.

PalenQ

If you want to stop someplace before Milan then consider Stresa, on lovely Lake Maggiore - Stresa is a stop on the main rail line from Spiez/brig to Milan. Right offshore are the famous three Borromean Islands, each one with a different treat on it. Heck I would even consider day tripping into Milan from Stresa - about an hour or so by train.

skiranprasad

We are just 30 days away from our first ever self planned Europe Tour . Very Excited :0)

Thank you for your posts and encouragement.

Cheers,
Kiranp

PalenQ

Please give us a trip report!

Cheers!

skiranprasad

Will do for sure.

cheers,
kiranp

simpsonc510

I will be anxious to see how you enjoyed the train ride from Amsterdam to Zurich. My husband and I did this trip (in a deluxe cabin with its own bathroom). This is a no-frills train ride! I had done searches on the internet to see pictures of the deluxe cabins, and it looked very nice. When we boarded the train we did not have anything close to what was seen on line.... THOSE newer cars were ON the train,yes, but they were attached to the train at some point in northern Germany! Oh well... We kept making stops along the route, to add and subtract various cars and/or portions of the train. This is why the journey is somewhere around 12 hours, but if you drive it, it is closer to 8! We always say that travel is an adventure, and this certainly was.

We did get some sleep though. That was what we needed on that trip anyway. I hope it works fine for you and your family!!

Your trip sounds wonderful!!

Carol