aadi007

Hello All,

I am excited to be part of this wonderful forum.

I am planning to travel to Switzerland in the last 2 weeks of May 2019 with my wife and 10 year old daughter. We will be first going to Italy before coming to Switzerland. My plan is to stay in Lucerne for 2 nights and Bernese Oberland for 4 nights in one of the mountain villages - Wengen/Murren/lauterbrunnen.

However, after doing some research on Internet, it seems that May last week might not be a good time to visit the Bernese Oberland area as some of the train/cogwheel routes might be closed and walking/hiking trails might be difficult to find. Also, I am not sure if end of May weather is worse than other parts of the year for having a clear view of the mountains.

I would like your advice whether I should postpone my travel plans and if so, what is the earliest time to visit this region? June 2nd week? Getting long holiday in July/August is difficult for me. So, I need to plan well in advance.

Thanks a lot.

- Aadi

kja

I originally planned to visit Switzerland in May, but was convinced by experts to delay until June for exactly the kinds of reasons you mention. I waited a month, and was so glad I did! I ended up visiting the Bernese Oberland in mid-June, when the area was filled with blooming wildflowers and waterfalls were full and just one trail was closed because of an unusually late-year avalanche.

if you haven't already seen it, you might find some useful information in my trip report:
https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...thanks-983126/

BTW, I strongly preferred Wengen to Mürren, and I enjoyed Lauterbrunnen more than some people do. I would choose Wengen if you plan to spend most of your time in the area in the area, but consider Lauterbrunnen if you want to have easy access to areas outside the Bernese Oberland (e.g., Bern, Thun, or Brienz).

Hope that helps!

aadi007

Thanks for your reply.
So, you suggest postponing the trip to 2nd/3rd week of June?

kja

I'm not an expert -- I can only tell you what my experience was and what experts told me. And climate change is affecting the Alps, so conditions are changing. With those caveats, I would think postponing your trip until mid-June would be worth considering.

I would urge you to give Fodorites at least 24 hours to respond to your question -- our experts on Switzerland are currently scattered around the globe and have work schedules that limit the times when they can respond.

twk

I went to the Berner Oberland in June of 2016 (June 9-16, if I recall correctly) and even that proved to be about a week too earlier on what was an unusually cold and rainy spring. Specifically, the Manlichen-Kleine Scheidegg trail didn't open until the day we left. There were other things to do, but a lot of the high trails won't be open in May. Going later would certainly be optimal. Most years, I think mid-June would be fine, but as we found out, you can run into an odd year when snow persists at higher elevations later into the season.

PalenQ

Yes as others say try for early June - flowers are out and everything working and beat summer mobs. May be coolish at higher elevations but Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen are fairly low and the weather could be really nice and warm too though at any time of summer wet weather can set in. Trains and cable cars are great and go everywhere - I'd look into the Berner Oberland Travel Pass that covers most conveyances in Lucerne and to Interlaken area and then most things above - could be a great deal and you buy there at any station - for lots on trains and transports in those areas and what to do check www.ricksteves.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.swisstravelsystem.com.

PalenQ

I rarely agree with anything kja says but do on Wengen over Murren - Wengen is a neat car-less town (as is Murren) but is much better situated for day trips most folks will take and IMO a bit more lovely town - I also like Lauterbrunnen though many do not because it is located in a deep gorge that mars the expansive views the other two towns offer. I actually prefer Grindelwald over them all but many do not - great views as good as any but cars and bus tours make it a busier place than the others - to me that is a plus - love apres-hiking scene with many more restaurants and pubs - even live music and a much younger hiking crowd IME.

Melnq8

I'd personally choose late May/early June (we've had some wonderful visits to Switzerland in the off season, including in May/early June), but if you're a first time visitor, you'd probably do best to postpone until mid-late June, as there can indeed be closures that might adversely affect your visit.

I'd avoid July and August like the plague.

You didn't ask, but as for the Wengen, Murren, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen debate, everyone has a different opinion, and time of year is a big factor. I've stayed in all four villages over the years - they all have their good points. What works best for you depends on your particular interests and what you hope to see/do during your visit.

PalenQ

And to throw Gimmelwald the fifth possible base to stay into the mix - more isolated than Murren and a tiny farming hamlet - for those really seeking to get away from it all.

https://www.google.com/search?q=gimm...w=1280&bih=625

I stayed there once for a night and that was enough!

Like melnq8 yes all the other four can be nice for reasons she/he gives.

Sue81

Hi, I was in Wengen last year in July and it was a lovely time of year, with the huge mountains hovering over the village/Jungfrau/Monch. I've also been to Murren, which is a charming village, but the area above Wengen, accessible by lift right in the village, takes you up to the Mannlichen, which is incredible...the views, the hiking trails, and the small village of Wengen are just great. i agree with kja and Palen on Wengen. Some nice little hotels in Wengen too, with some excellent meals. book hotels real early, and get meals included if you are able. be sure to have room with a view of mtns. Sue

aadi007

Thanks guys for your replies.

I will try to push my dates to mid June. If not, is early October a good time or it will be too late?

I will probably have more queries about details once I finalize dates and the places to stay. So far, I am leaning towards Wengen or Grindlewald. Which one will be a good place to stay in late-May/early-June? I would like to have a quiet place with great views and decent connectivity but not totally deserted

swandav2000

Hi aadi007,

You've gotten good advice here!

Regarding your post #11, I'll say that I think Wengen is far (FAR) preferable to Grindelwald. Grindelwald allows car traffic, and for the Alps, that means tour busses. I visited one time with my mother in August, and there were lines of tour busses there; the town is really too small to integrate all those off-loaded, day-tripping passengers, and my mom and I found the town really unpleasant because of it. If you are looking for "quiet," that won't be it.

Of course that would not be a problem in May, and it might not even be a problem in early June... but then that would mean that the weather would be the problem...

I think early October would be great. A friend of mine had to plan a trip to the Alps at that time -- his expectatons were low, but he had perfect weather.

Have fun as you plan!

s

aadi007

Thanks, I am still deciding the dates. I can probably push my vacation to 2nd week of June.
Considering that time, is it advisable to stay in Wengen? I was thiking Wengen might be too quiet or deserted.
Between late May and early October, which will be a good time?

kja

OK, I'm confused! Is the 2nd week of June the latest you can push your vacation? If so, why are you asking about times between late May and early October? Or are you asking about either late May OR early October?

Personally, I'd aim for the 3rd week of June unless an expert (e.g., Ingo, Melnq8, neckervd, or swandav) advised otherwise. You should still have wildflowers, numerous snowcaps, and impressive waterfalls then. If you can't push it out that far, I'd push it out as far into June as you can. During the second week of June, you might encounter a closed trail or two, as twk and I did (in separate years), but most things will likely be open, and although no one can guarantee weather, you are likely to have some fabulous days. Other times of year have other advantages, but of course in the fall, the snow caps will generally be at their smallest, as will the waterfalls. I, personally, would not choose late May -- from what I've read, you would be likely to face more closures at that time, but I could be wrong.

Whenever you go, you would be wise to have some plans for days when the weather isn't optimal.

swandav2000

Hi again,

I first discovered Wengen in the late 1990s, when it really was a little village. But it has been a tourist center for about 20 years now; I really don't think it will be too quiet or deserted.

I personally really like travelling in Oct and not in the spring. I feel (no reason or rationale to back it up) that there is more chance of fine weather, and the flowers and floral displays will be more full and lush than they are in May when they are just budding. I myself am travelling to Switzerland in mid-Oct, to the far western edge of the Berner Oberland, though it is at a lower altitude than the Jungfrau region.

Have fun!

s

swandav2000

Wow. That's such a compliment that you say I am a Swiss expert, kja! I am totally absolutely not in the league of Ingo, melnq8, or neckervd! I may have been somewhat knowledgeable, at one time, in the early days of this forum when hardly anyone posted about Switzerland and when I travelled there regularly. But these days there are many more people whose experience is more recent and more thorough. I also don't travel often to the Jungfrau region and basically limit my Swiss time to Montreux (where I still feel some expertise...).

Anyway. All of that to say...that's an unexpected note!

s

kja

@ swandav: Well, you're certainly more expert than I and more expert than many posters, and I'm sure I'm not alone in having benefitted from your input!

swandav2000

So sweet of you to say!

s

PalenQ

Late May would be better than mid-Oct I think - having been there in mid-September several times and even then at high altitudes like Murren I saw ice on sidewalks and the Three Passes bus tour was cancelled due to passes being blocked by snow. Plus October in this area can be very wet.

And I think from what you say you may like Grindelwald more than Wengen at those times. Swandaav will disagree and this is subjective - Wengen is small and though has pubs and restaurants not nearly as many as Grindelwald but Wengen is, being car-less, much more tranquil yet many hotels in Grindelwald are also above the fray of traffic that enters the town -on pedestrian lanes IME.

neckervd

" Three Passes bus tour was cancelled due to passes being blocked by snow"
That's rather the exception in October, but it may happen. In May, Furka and Susten are closed for sure, however.
In general, there is more rain in May than in October, but weather is always unpredictable in the Alps.
And there is more rain along the Northern slopes of the Alps (like Bernese Jungfrau area) than along the Southern slopes (like Crans-Montana).