Switzerland
 

My husband and I plan to visit Switzerland in May in 2007 on a Eurail pass. We plan to spend 5 nights and wonder how it can best be used. Our main interest is in the scenery. It has been suggested that we go to the Jungfrau valley including in particular Lauterbrunnen. Any comments or other suggestions would be most welcome.

While waiting for other replies, enter Palenque'scenic Swiss trains in the search box above and you will find a wealth of information.

Hi novir,

Yes, many people enjoy seeing the Jungfrau area on their first visit to Switzerland. In addition to Lauterbrunnen, nice places to stay would be Wengen, Muerren, or Grindelwald -- all higher in the mountains. Information at

www.wengen.com
www.wengen.ch
www.grindelwald.ch
www.muerren.ch

Train schedules are at www.rail.ch

Have fun!

s

Yes, I would recommend spending the time in the Jungfrau region. I spent 5 nights in Lautherbrunnen in September and loved it. That was a very convenient location, making it easy to get to all the little villages in the region, including Murren, Wengen, Gimmelwald, Grindelwald, Interlaken, etc.
Martha

My base of operations for the Berner Oberland has been Lauterbrunnen for one big reason: location as a transportation hub.

From Lauterbrunnen I can easily travel to Mürren, Wengen, Grindelwald, Interlaken, and other destinations.

I rarely spend the day in Lauterbrunnen because I am going elsewhere.

Because of its location, car travel to Interlaken does not take very long and the main east-west road is about 5 miles north.

In fact, with a car, a day trip to Zermatt is easily possible. (I have done it twice and it was no big deal.)

Others will argue that Mürren has better views. Others like Grindelwald because it is more active and much larger.

I don't disagree with those opinions at all because all of them are valid.

I like Lauterbrunnen because from there I can go all over the area by car, train, cable lift, or foot.

We've stayed at Hotel Staubbach twice and love the location in Lauterbrunnen. As Bob says it is the hub for train travel. The hotel is about a 5 minute walk from the train station. Great view of Staubbach Falls!

The major drawback to Lauterbrunnen for some people is the fact that it is relatively quiet after 10 pm.

If I have a rental car, I can find activity at night in Interlaken or Grindelwald.

One potential difficulty for visitors who do not have a car is that train connections between Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald become unfavorable after the
18:05.

Travel by train between the two locations requires a change at a station named Zweilütschinen, where the two branches of the Lutschine river meet.
After the 18:31 departure from Zweilütschinen to Lauterbrunnen, the trains operate less frequently thus causing a very long wait.

I think a fast walker could complete the trip from Zweilütshinen faster than waiting for the train.

I walked once from Lauterbrunnen to Interlaken and it didn't seem to take too long and was a lovely gently descending walk along the river. I guess wouldn't advise at night however.

Almost all trains in Switzerland have scenic views, and we like to spend a lot of time enjoying the train rides, rather than hiking.

I suggest you go to
http://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/pa...land_index.htm

and look at the section on scenic trains, which describes a few routes that they consider particularly scenic. We've ridden the golden pass route and the Bernina express. Both were quite scenic, and the Bernina express is, I think, the most scenic ride I have ever had, anywhere. Some posters have reported the glacier express is not as scenic, but I have not yet ridden it, so cannot comment. I would look over these routings and perhaps patch two or three of them together for consecutive days of very enjoyable touring.

bookmarking

I stayed two nights in Lauterbrunnen and loved it. Arrived by train, stayed in a hotel in town, walked around the valley, up to the falls, went up to Wengen and Schilthorn. A really beautiful place.

Well I can touch off debates on the trains. The Gornergrat train from Zermatt is good.

The train from Grindelwald to Kleine Scheidegg is good.

But for my money, get a car and drive over the Furka, Grimsel, and Susten Passes. Take the road up to Col Grand St. Bernard, drive to Zinal, drive to Chur or Pontresina. You will see the high stuff from high up.

Do all those in one trip, and your eyes will bug out.

I passed on one! The road from Kiental to Griesalp. I let the Post Bus take me up that 30% grade!!

People did it in private cars, however.

I will say one thing, after doing the Furka and the Grimsel Passes, the Grossglockner Hochalpenstraße seemed fairly tame, particularly the second time around.

Some people rhapsodize over the Brünig Pass between Meiringen and Sarnen. As far as I am concerend it is a pain in the rear because of the traffic. That may be one better viewed from the train, except the route is in the trees for part of the journey. I did it twice and never could figure out what all the oohing and ahing was about. Just another Swiss hill.

The highway descent into Sarnen from the west where the road curls tightly down the mountain side is an event.

The descent from the Rhone end of the Lötschberg Tunel to the valley floor is also a spectacular view over the whole valley.

But for my 50¢, the view from various points on the Grimsel Pass where the driver can pull the car off the road, get out, hike and gawk is worth the effort.

We went for a walk in the snow up there one day when the sun was shining brightly. Odd feeling hiking in snow while dressed in a t-shirt, shorts, a hat, and about half a tube of sunscreeen!

For that kind of walking, I found that two Leki's with snow baskets were be handy. My wife uses Gabels to equally good effect. Even with my trusty Lekis I took a few test wallows in the snow.

Some man was there with a beautiful Bernese Mountain dog. This big girl was having a ball wallowing in the snow. She seemed to be having the time of her life running around, nose diving into the snow, wallowing on her back, sticking her nose ear deep in the snow, and generally frolicking around like a dog in her home element. Here doggy language said, Look at me, I'm having a good time. What are you doing?

People should have so much fun at simple pleasures. Bet the heart attack rate would be lower.