Schuler,

Thank you. I'll be aware of the traffic jams. Actually I will be staying in Hurden.

Queenie,

The main train station in Zurich is 10 minutes away (by train) from the Airport, right? Do you know if they have lockers big enough to fit the bike at the Zurich main train station? If they have, I could let everything there, if it's not too expensive. I couldn't find the information researching on the website. Someone told me I could let the luggage pieces at the Swiss Rail office at the airport, and they could send it anywhere in Switzerland for about 10-20 CHF, but I couldn't see if it is true...

Thank you!

for a real iron man type thing try the Jungfrau Marathon which winds from Interlaken all the way up to Kleine Scheidegg, at the foot of the Jungfrau Massif - may go a bit father even but a steady climb the whole way. I was in Interlaken once and witnessed the start of the race in town - thousands and thousands of folks doing the climb.

Hi again,

Here's a link to the information on baggage services:

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...itzerland.html


Here's a link to information about storing large pieces (bicycles, etc) at the Zürich station:

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...osid.3000.html

s

You can even have your bags sent right to the airport and your plane in Switzerland by checking them in at any train station and vice versa I believe.

To clarify for the "Lac Leman region" - Geneva, Morges, Lausanne, Vevey, Montreux are pretty much the same place. Within an hour or so easy train ride from one to the other along the lake. Vevey has better economical and local-style eating & lodgings over Montreux and so imo makes a better base.

I prefer Vevey over Montreux because Vevey juts out into the lake - lovingly so and also seems a more old-world looking type town. But Montreux is fine as well.

I checked the Swiss Card (15 consecutive days - about 360 euros per person) and it seems a good option.

360 euros p.p.? that would be about $480 p.p. but if you buy a Swiss Pass for 15-consecutive days in the U.S. it is currently only $413 p.p.

Or did you mean 360 Swiss francs p.p.?

At this stage of my planning, I am considering doing this (simplify is the word):

- 6 nights in Zurich: arrival city. Base for Zurich itself and day trips to Uetliberg mountain in the surroundings, Bern (1h away), Luzern (1h away), Basel (1h away). Not moving around too much with baby, bike and luggage at the same time. I know it's a lot of time in a city which you have been telling me it's not exactly the biggest atraction in Switzerland, but it can be convenient for us staying there.

- then, 2 nights in Rapperswil (which is just 45 minutes away from Zurich).

- then, 2 nights (and 3 days) in Lauterbrunnen or Wengen or Mürren - 3h15m away from Rapperswil - include Junfraujoch and some small villages. I wish I could stay more at this region, but if I stay one more night I will miss the chocolate train (which runs only on mondays, wednesdays and thursdays). Chocolate train or one more day in the Bernese Oberland? What do you think?

- then, 3 nights in Vevey - 2h45m away from Interlaken .(including Golden Line from Interlaken to Montreux; Chateau de Chillon; chocolate train from Montreux to Gruyères, and also Vevey and Montreux). This part can be shortened to 2 nights, if I cut the chocolate train and stay one more night in Bernese Oberland.

- then, 1 (last) afternoon and night in Geneva (friend's house), and home, early in the next day.

Palenq: you were right: the Swiss Pass (15 consecutive days) costs about 395 CHF (not euros) - per person (SSB website and in my country too). Jungfrau Marathon: I saw the website - looks steep!! It's not for me (yet).

If I am doing anything mad, please ell me. Thank you again, everybody!

Hi again,

You really don't have to be tied to the Chocolate Train -- you can do all of its pieces on your own and thus free up your schedule. In fact, the destinations of the Chocolate Train lie right inbetween the Oberland and Lake Geneva, so you can actually do it enroute and kill two birds on that one day (sorry for the mixed metaphor . . .).

The Chocolate Train runs on the route of the Golden Pass train, running from Montreux to Gruyeres. It includes a stop at Gruyeres for the castle and the dairy and then a stop at the Cailler factory in Broc. You do do all of this on your own using train connections. The dairy is right next to the train station in Gruyeres, and the castle sits in the town, which is about a 10-minute walk uphill. Then, the Cailler factory is at the stop "Broc Fabrique" in the town of Broc. Here's more information:

www.cailler.ch
http://www.lamaisondugruyere.ch/inde...=142&Itemid=56

If you wanted to do this enroute (to save some time and lots of backtracking), you would just:

Train from Wengen/Mürren to Gruyeres (about 4h with 4 changes)
Train from Gruyeres to Broc Fabrique (about 30 minues with 1 change)
Train from Broc Fabrique to Vevey (about 1h4 with 2 changes)

To make this super easy, you can send your luggage separately using the baggage service.

The only advantage to doing this using the Chocolate Train is that you do it with fewer changes, and you get to ride in the sweet pullman carraiges. However, I'm not sure those advantages are worth such a disruption of your schedule -- and the back-tracking. If you did these things on your own, you could determine yourselves how long to stay in Gruyeres and at the Cailler factory.

Anyway, have fun!

s

Ah, reading your post again, I see that you already wanted to take the Golden Pass between the Oberland and Montreux -- so doing Gruyeres and Cailler enroute make even more sense!

BTW, doing the Golden Pass when originating from Wengen will take 4h10, no 2h45. It will entail 3 to 4 changes. To get the GP route, you have to use "via Gstaad" on the rail site.

s

Thank you, Swandav2000, I saved the info and changed this bit in my itinerary!

http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/c...ldenpass-line/

official site of Golden Pass train for planning

Or simply

www.goldenpass.ch

s

Early train to Bern (1h20m trip) - visit Bern - take train to Montreux (1h30m) - Sleep: Montreux>

Bern to me is one of Europe's most underrated large cities - a real pleaser and unique look and feel due to the arcades over many of its sidewalks (good for a rainy day day trip from either Lucerne or Interlaken - if into museums the new Paul Klee Museum is raved about as much for its avant-garde architecture of the building itself as well as the contents (if have a Swiss Pass you get free entry at this and 400 other or so Swiss Museums, including some in Lucerne and Zurich - about $15-20 a pop without often.

) is it worth taking the touristic train scenic tours? Can I can get the regular trains with similar views?>

this depends greatly from individual to individual - some rave about the guided-tour aspect of those trains - the commentary you get en route and also the special domed observation cars with see through glass roofs - regular trains do not have these.

But for me I prefer the regular trains that yes have the same exact scenery - the official touristic trains also IME are usually chock full - all seats full - but on the regular trains I can always hop from side to side as the scenery changes, etc so I love that aspect.

so it varies as to who you talk to!

IMO the Swiss Pass is better than the Half Fare Card for a very simple reason: No need to get tickets at each station you go to. Just jump on the train and sit down. The conductor will come by and you will show him/her the pass and that's it. No rushing to get tickets at the Kasse.

We found it so simple.

BTW - Why are you taking a bike?

PalenQ,

Thank you (Bern and the regular trains vs scenic views trains).

Kenav,

Thank you (Swiss Pass vs Half Fare Pass). I am taking the bike because I will take part in a triathlon race in Rapperswil.

I agree with efficacy of Swiss pass over 1/2 Fare Card, which many tout here always as the way to go it seems - it can be if you are going to some base and staying pretty much put but if you are the average traveler, like Cruzer, the pass not only can be cheaper overall but yes much easier to use - and you will not think twice about say once in the Interlaken area about on a whim hopping on a lake boat on say Lake Thun for a relaxing few hour cruise - you would t=perhaps think wice if having to even pay 1/2 price. And check pass prices both in your home country and in Switzerl