sahihe

Hi Everyone,

I've put together an itinerary for my swiss vacation based on reading up on the web and suggestions from a friend who traveled there a few years back. But, now while putting everything in action, its getting overwhelming and I am second guessing my itinerary. Most of the reservations are done, but I am willing to make tweaks even if it costs extra. There will be 5 of us in our group - myself, my wife, our son (6yrs) and my parents (60+), and we'll be travelling towards the end of August.

Day 1: Travel from Paris to Zermatt via Lausanne. We'll reach Zermatt in the evening and will be staying there for 3 nights.
Day 2: Zermatt
Day 3: Zematt
Day 4: Leave Zermatt early in the morning and travel to Interlaken OST.
- Do a boat cruise on Lake Thun/Lake Brienz
- Sight seeing in Interlaken
Day 5: Leave early in the morning for the excursion to Mt. Jungfraujoch. After the excursion travel to Zurich.
Day 6: Sightseeing in Zurich.
Day 7: Morning flight out of Zurich

I have a few questions, and would very much appreciate any guidance you could provide.
A) After having read more, I am starting to feel that there might not be that much to do in Zermatt at this time of the year. Also concerned that with my son and my parents, we probably won't be able to do much hiking, and I am not sure what else to do around there. Should I reduce the stay at Zermatt by one day and add that to Interlaken or Zurich - We could then use that to do a day trip to Luzern or the excursion to Mt. Pilatus.
B) For train travel, I am planning to buy the Swiss Pass. We will be there for 6 days, so I'll have to buy the 8 day Swiss Saver Pass. It is $343/adult (4 adults). I am trying to figure out if there is a cheaper option. Maybe the 4 day Flexi Saver pass @ $276/adult - this will work only if the Swiss Pass is not useful during the two days in Zermatt.
C) Are there any scenic train routes that I can take when travelling from Lausanne to Zermatt, and Zermatt to Interlaken, and Interlaken to Zurich.

Thanks for reading through the rather long post. I should have sent this sooner, and before I had made some of the reservations. Hopefully, I'll still be able to make any required tweaks.

Thanks so much.
Sahi

Melnq8

There are absolutely loads of things to do in Zermatt, although August wouldn't be my choice, as it will be very crowded. There are several mountain excursions, and even if you're not hikers, you'll have no trouble filling two full days.

You'll find some ideas here:

http://www.zermatt.ch/en/page.cfm/experience/excursions

joannyc

Maybe your son would like the open air museum at Ballenberg. If I'm getting this right: you can take the boat from Interlaken on Lake Brienz then the bus to the open air museum.

In that case, I'd take a night from Zermatt and add it to Interlaken.

yk

ditto what joannyc said - spend an extra day in Interlaken.

We stayed 4 nights in interlaken and there was plenty to see and do. The open air museum at Ballenberg is fascinating for all ages. The Swiss Pass covers the admission.

Spending an extra day in Interlaken will give you some leeway on which day to head up to Jungfrau. Ideally you'd want to go up on a nice, sunny day.

Dukey1

I think you might find MORE to do in the Berner Oberland around but not IN Interlaken than in Zermatt. In the latter there is always a ride up to view the peak and the village can EASILY be transversed on foot in less than one hour. Other than hiking, or general sightseeing I would spend MORE time in the BO and less in Zermatt.

Don't get me wrong, I love Zermatt and environs but realistically, there's more to do IMO elsewhere.

sahihe

Thanks! everyone. I am going to try to add the day to Interlaken stay. If that doesn't work, maybe we can do a day trip from Zermatt.

Did some calculations for the train pass, and found that 4 day flexi pass would work quite well. It is almost the same price as the half price card + 50% ticket prices for our travels.
Might even be able to do it with a 3 day flexi pass, didn't know you still get 50% off on the days between the free days.

PalenQ

so I'll have to buy the 8 day Swiss Saver Pass. It is $343/adult (4 adults). I am trying to figure out if there is a cheaper option. Maybe the 4 day Flexi Saver pass @ $276/adult - this will work only if the Swiss Pass is not useful during the two days in Zermatt>

For one thing the 3-day flexipass is almost always a much better deal than the 4-day flexipass because on the 3 day flexi you get 50% off everything nearly that moves in switzerland in between the first and third days of 100% covered travel - thus to buy a 4-day flexipass would mean that for the extra cost you would have to travel twice as much on the 4th day to break even over getting 50% off on the 4th day of travel with a 3-day flexipass? If it's not clear let me know and I'll try again - rather complex figuring it all out. If traveling enough the 8-consecutive-day pass may be more economical if say traveling or using a pass nearly every day but the 3-day flexipass make be the best. As for the half-Fare Card which you can buy in Switzerland it currently costs about $150 to get and then you get 50% off everything but still have to wait in line to buy tickets of course, always a hassle - but anyway take the difference between $150 and the cost of say a 3-day Flexipass and you may find the 3-day flexi still the best deal as you are traveling a lot - the train up to Zermatt and back itself is pricey.

anyway check out these great sources IMO for lots of great info on Swiss trains and railpasses and things like the Swiss Card (which for many will be better than the Swiss Half-Fare Card IMO) - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; wwwswisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - and when I checked last week it seems Swiss Paases sold in North America are currently a whole lot cheaper than the same exact pass sold in Switzerland so when doing cost comparisons use the dollar figures and not figures for sale in Switzerland in Swiss francs - these things can always change - the current spike in value of the Swiss franc has made things sold in Switzerland to foreigners a lot more expensive - but it can change so compare both prices IMO - www.swisstravelsystem.ch has prices in CHF or Swiss francs.

PalenQ

so I'll have to buy the 8 day Swiss Saver Pass. It is $343/adult (4 adults). I am trying to figure out if there is a cheaper option. Maybe the 4 day Flexi Saver pass @ $276/adult - this will work only if the Swiss Pass is not useful during the two days in Zermatt>

For one thing the 3-day flexipass is almost always a much better deal than the 4-day flexipass because on the 3 day flexi you get 50% off everything nearly that moves in switzerland in between the first and third days of 100% covered travel - thus to buy a 4-day flexipass would mean that for the extra cost you would have to travel twice as much on the 4th day to break even over getting 50% off on the 4th day of travel with a 3-day flexipass? If it's not clear let me know and I'll try again - rather complex figuring it all out. If traveling enough the 8-consecutive-day pass may be more economical if say traveling or using a pass nearly every day but the 3-day flexipass make be the best. As for the half-Fare Card which you can buy in Switzerland it currently costs about $150 to get and then you get 50% off everything but still have to wait in line to buy tickets of course, always a hassle - but anyway take the difference between $150 and the cost of say a 3-day Flexipass and you may find the 3-day flexi still the best deal as you are traveling a lot - the train up to Zermatt and back itself is pricey.

anyway check out these great sources IMO for lots of great info on Swiss trains and railpasses and things like the Swiss Card (which for many will be better than the Swiss Half-Fare Card IMO) - www.budgeteuropetravel.com; wwwswisstravelsystem.com; www.ricksteves.com and www.seat61.com - and when I checked last week it seems Swiss Paases sold in North America are currently a whole lot cheaper than the same exact pass sold in Switzerland so when doing cost comparisons use the dollar figures and not figures for sale in Switzerland in Swiss francs - these things can always change - the current spike in value of the Swiss franc has made things sold in Switzerland to foreigners a lot more expensive - but it can change so compare both prices IMO - www.swisstravelsystem.ch has prices in CHF or Swiss francs.

PalenQ

thing to remember about flexipasses is that you do get 50% off nearly everything except Jungfraujoch summit train is 25% but you do NOT use one of your 3 or 4 or etc flexible 100% covered travel days to do use. If it's a discount you do not use a day - only if something is 100% covered to do burn a day.Thus often a discount may be better with a pass than something that is 100% covered!

PalenQ

C) Are there any scenic train routes that I can take when travelling from Lausanne to Zermatt, and Zermatt to Interlaken, and Interlaken to Zurich.>

Lausanne to Zermatt is IMO all scenic on the mainline as first you roll along the shores of idyllic Lac Leman, then up the vineyard-carpeted Rhone Valley, with mountains arising on each side and ruined castles lying high above and then the train Visp to Zermatt is totally awesomely scenic the whole way.

But on the other two routes there are IMO alternate but a tad slower side rail lines that will be infinitely more scenic than the mainline - such as Visp/Brig to Interlakien is now mainly in a new tunnel nearly until Spiez, where you usually have to change trains - but the old route is really sweet. Got to run but will be back with more on how to do that!

PalenQ

Visp/Brig to Interlaken alternative route - instead of taking the fastest route to spiez, where you typically change trains for Interlaken - the new route that is nearly all in tunnels, tunneling under some of the sweetest scenery in Switzerland - so you can still take the old route that from Brig starts a prodigous climnb along a ledge overlooking the Rhone Valley far below and then does go thru the old Lotschberg Tunnel, a shorter span and then when emerging you can glimpse the wondrous Kandersteg Valley as the train descends towards Fruitingen and spiez - takes about an hour longer all told but has some really really great scenery that cannot be seen obviously from the new all tunnel route.

Mimar

If you have an extra day in Interlaken, you can check if the weather is clear up at Jungfraujoch and only go if it is. It's an expensive trip if the summit is socked in. There are various TVs around town showing the conditions up at Jungfraujoch.

PalenQ

And early birds can get the worm if doing the Jungfraujoch train - to the highest train station in Europe - by taking the Early Bird special (not sure what its official name is - but if you leave Interlaken early in the morning you can save a good chunk of money - a lot of money off the normal fare.

PalenQ

Maybe your son would like the open air museum at Ballenberg. If I'm getting this right: you can take the boat from Interlaken on Lake Brienz then the bus to the open air museum.>

Yes and that IMO is a great great day trip from anywhere in the Interlaken region - from Interlaken-Ost train station (where mountain trains from Grindelwald, lauterbrunnen, Wengen, etc terminate - in the rear of the station hop on the frequetn enough boats in season and get off at Geissenbach Falls - ride the antique funicular up to the famous hotel and roaring cascade of water tumbling out of a sylvan setting into Lake Brienz far below

board another boat to Brienz - a village known for its wood-carvings as noticed by the fancy carved wooden facades on houses here - and take a postal bus up to the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum. If have a Swiss Pass it covers all trains, boats and even the $20 or so admission for adults to Ballnberg.

return to Interlaken quickly from Brienz by train.