linesout

Hi there,

My boyfriend and I are thinking about traveling to Switzerland in September. I went to Switzerland with my parents about 12 years ago so I'm sure the experience will be very different, but as a result I would like to incorporate at least one new place into our trip.

We're planning to go on roughly a Thursday night flight through the following Monday. I'm trying to get a sense of what's doable during this time frame, assuming we get the Swiss Pass that gets us 4 days of train travel within the country. We are considering Zurich, Lucerne, Berner Oberland; Geneva and maybe Montreux/Lausanne. I think if we were to go to Lugano, we would go on to Como and fly out of Milan, but technically I've been to all these places too. The Engadine is also an option but I'm wondering if it's worth doing both that and the BO in the autumn, seems like we'd get plenty of opportunities to hike and see mountains already.

So I guess the question is whether to really just focus on Switzerland, or potentially start in Lyon and end in Zurich, or start in Geneva and end in Munich. I've never been to either of these cities and a bigger city would add variety after the more remote mountain locations and small lakeside towns. Also my bf is a big soccer fan and I think it'd be great if we got to go to a Bayern Munich match (provided they're playing while we're there), though I know there are Swiss soccer teams too.

And in order to address the question I suppose it's important to get a sense of how long to spend in each location while making use of the Swiss Pass.

Let me know if you have any thoughts! Thanks!

bobthenavigator

In that short time you will do well to pick 2 destinations in CH--mine would be Luzern and the BO.

linesout

Sorry, maybe I should clarify - this is for a roughly 10 day trip.

PalenQ

assuming we get the Swiss Pass that gets us 4 days of train travel within the country. We are considering Zurich, Lucerne, Berner Oberland; Geneva and maybe Montreux/Lausanne>

Are you talking about a 4-conseutive-day pass or a 4-day flexipass - if the latter you also get 50% off everything that moves practically in Switzerland - including expensive often cable ways to mountain tops.

anyway I echo bobthenavigator about Lucerne and the Jungfrau region - to me the absolute highlight of Switzerland both figuratively and literally - spend a few nights in the Geneva area, hop the Golden Pass scenic train from Montreux to Interlaken - head for the hills and a dreamy base like Wengen or Grindelwald, etc.

Then take the scenic Brunig Pass train from Interlaken over the Brunig Pass to Lucerne, spend a few days there - be sure to do a boat tour of Lake Lucerne (railpasses fully valid) and then perhaps end up in Zurich or easily in Munich to fly home.

Note that if traveling after Sep 1, 2012 there is a 2 for 1 deal on Swiss Passes but only 4-day ones - like the 4-day Swiss Flexi - for travel before Sep 1 the 3-day Swiss Flexipass is almost always a better deal than the 4-day Swiss Flexipass (because of the 50% off aspect on days in between 100% covered days)

Anyways great sources to help plan a Swiss rail trip check out these IMO superb sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html and www.ricksteves.com.

And compare Swiss Pass prices both bought in US dollars here and in Swiss francs there - same exact pass but prices can be cheaper here than there and indeed have been so much of the past several years I have been comparing. But not always so check prices on both ends - if little difference just buy at any Swiss train station upon arrival.

PalenQ

If you start in Lyon you could go via Chamonix, France - a stupendous Alpine resort with glaciers nearly descending right into town and then take the scenic mountain train from there down to Martigny, Switzerland, not too far from either Zermatt, Montreux on Lake Geneva or the Interlaken area. And a Swiss Pass is valid the whole way from Chamonix, France on this train line into Switzerland.