Switzerland - Need to plan 6 days
Apr 17th, 2013, 10:51 AM
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Switzerland - Need to plan 6 days
Hi All,
We are a family of 4 visiiting first time to Switzerland....We shall be in Rome (Italy) before heading for Switzerland....
I have thought of an itinerary as below:
Day 1 Reach Zurich via Milan - see Zurich town - overnight at Zurich
Day 2 Visit Rhine Falls and after lunch head for Lucerne - explore Lucerne, Lake and Lion Monument- overnight at Lucerne
Day 3 I am confused between Mt. Pilatus and Mt. Titlis. Please suggest. I assume that both are day trips - overnight at Lucerne
Day 4 head towards Interlaken - explore the area and do hand-gliding - overnight at Interlaken
Day 5 visit Jungfrau - overnight at Interlaken
Day 6 visit Lake Thun and - overnight at Interlaken
Day 7 - leave early morning for Paris
Is it better to stay at Interlaken or Wengen/Murren?
Please suggest if the route options are good and is this plan doable
Thanks.
AK
We are a family of 4 visiiting first time to Switzerland....We shall be in Rome (Italy) before heading for Switzerland....
I have thought of an itinerary as below:
Day 1 Reach Zurich via Milan - see Zurich town - overnight at Zurich
Day 2 Visit Rhine Falls and after lunch head for Lucerne - explore Lucerne, Lake and Lion Monument- overnight at Lucerne
Day 3 I am confused between Mt. Pilatus and Mt. Titlis. Please suggest. I assume that both are day trips - overnight at Lucerne
Day 4 head towards Interlaken - explore the area and do hand-gliding - overnight at Interlaken
Day 5 visit Jungfrau - overnight at Interlaken
Day 6 visit Lake Thun and - overnight at Interlaken
Day 7 - leave early morning for Paris
Is it better to stay at Interlaken or Wengen/Murren?
Please suggest if the route options are good and is this plan doable
Thanks.
AK
Apr 17th, 2013, 09:28 PM
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Hi ashkay2801,
When will you be travelling? If you are going in the summertime, I would avoid Interlaken absolutely, as it becomes far too crowded and unpleasant then. However, if you are going in May/June or in Oct/Nov, then Interlaken would be ok -- though it's really some distance from the peaks.
If your intention is to stay in the mountains, then stay in Wengen or Mürren.
Have you found this site
www.myjungfrau.ch
Have fun as you plan!
s
When will you be travelling? If you are going in the summertime, I would avoid Interlaken absolutely, as it becomes far too crowded and unpleasant then. However, if you are going in May/June or in Oct/Nov, then Interlaken would be ok -- though it's really some distance from the peaks.
If your intention is to stay in the mountains, then stay in Wengen or Mürren.
Have you found this site
www.myjungfrau.ch
Have fun as you plan!
s
Apr 18th, 2013, 03:17 AM
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Hi again,
Does your luggage have wheels? These villages are so small, you can meander from one end of the village to the other in about 20 minutes.
However, the hotels have electric carts and vans and normally pick you up from the train station.
I would opt for the peace, serenity, and stunning views from Wengen or Mürren.
s
Does your luggage have wheels? These villages are so small, you can meander from one end of the village to the other in about 20 minutes.
However, the hotels have electric carts and vans and normally pick you up from the train station.
I would opt for the peace, serenity, and stunning views from Wengen or Mürren.
s
Apr 18th, 2013, 04:38 AM
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So you plan to travel from Rome to Milan and then to Zurich, necessarily either via Lake Lucerne - Arth-Goldau (about 10 miles from Lucerne)
or
via Brig - Spiez (about 10 miles from Interlaken). You will then go to Rhine Falls and back to Zurich and will then continue to backtrack to Lucerne and Interlaken. You may finally do the same itinerary for a third time in order to catch a Paris bound TGV at Basel
I would either
book a easyjet low cost flight from Rome to Basel and then continue via Rhine Falls (1 1/2 hrs by train) - Zurich - Lucerne etc. - Interlaken etc. - Bern to Paris
or
go by train via Milan to Spiez - Interlaken - Lucerne - Zurich - Rhine Falls - Basel - Paris.
or
via Brig - Spiez (about 10 miles from Interlaken). You will then go to Rhine Falls and back to Zurich and will then continue to backtrack to Lucerne and Interlaken. You may finally do the same itinerary for a third time in order to catch a Paris bound TGV at Basel
I would either
book a easyjet low cost flight from Rome to Basel and then continue via Rhine Falls (1 1/2 hrs by train) - Zurich - Lucerne etc. - Interlaken etc. - Bern to Paris
or
go by train via Milan to Spiez - Interlaken - Lucerne - Zurich - Rhine Falls - Basel - Paris.
Apr 18th, 2013, 06:49 AM
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hi s, so I can easily visit lake thun, jungrau and do hand-gliding in interlaken staying up in wengen
easy jet flys out of rome at 1445 and reaches basel by 1630....wouldn't that just finish of my day travelling....whereas the train would take almost 8 hrr, but ismt it scenic enough?
But my main reason to reach zurich on the day we are travelling from italy, is that either by flight or train we loose a substantial time....and I do not have any plans of exploring zurich...
however, reconsidering....
Day 1 - reach Spiez and then onto Interlaken/Wengen/Murren (depending where we are staying) .... rest of the day at leisure
Day 2 - Visit Lake Thun + Interlaken - overnight at Interlaken/Wengen/Murren
Day 3 - Visit Junfrau - overnight at Interlaken/Wengen/Murren
Day 4 - Leave for Lucerne - overnight at Lucerne
Day 5 - Mt. Pilatus - overnight at Lucerne (can I do lion monument on this day)
Day 6 - Leave for Zurich + Visit Rhine Falls - overnight at Zurich
Day 7 - Leave for Paris (I think there is a direct train from zurich...please confirm)
How does this sound?
easy jet flys out of rome at 1445 and reaches basel by 1630....wouldn't that just finish of my day travelling....whereas the train would take almost 8 hrr, but ismt it scenic enough?
But my main reason to reach zurich on the day we are travelling from italy, is that either by flight or train we loose a substantial time....and I do not have any plans of exploring zurich...
however, reconsidering....
Day 1 - reach Spiez and then onto Interlaken/Wengen/Murren (depending where we are staying) .... rest of the day at leisure
Day 2 - Visit Lake Thun + Interlaken - overnight at Interlaken/Wengen/Murren
Day 3 - Visit Junfrau - overnight at Interlaken/Wengen/Murren
Day 4 - Leave for Lucerne - overnight at Lucerne
Day 5 - Mt. Pilatus - overnight at Lucerne (can I do lion monument on this day)
Day 6 - Leave for Zurich + Visit Rhine Falls - overnight at Zurich
Day 7 - Leave for Paris (I think there is a direct train from zurich...please confirm)
How does this sound?
Apr 18th, 2013, 09:35 AM
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"How does this sound?"
Much better!
May be Rome dp 8.00 by train - Interlaken ar 14.28.
But I would rather suggest to leave Rome the evening before at 18.00, sleep at Gallarate (ar 22.13, dp 7.56) and arriva at Interlaken at 10.28. Or take the sleeping train Rome dp 23.44 and arrive at I'laken at the same time
So you have almost 2 full days at both, Rome and Interlaken.
Much better!
May be Rome dp 8.00 by train - Interlaken ar 14.28.
But I would rather suggest to leave Rome the evening before at 18.00, sleep at Gallarate (ar 22.13, dp 7.56) and arriva at Interlaken at 10.28. Or take the sleeping train Rome dp 23.44 and arrive at I'laken at the same time
So you have almost 2 full days at both, Rome and Interlaken.
Apr 18th, 2013, 10:06 AM
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Day 4 - Leave for Lucerne - overnight at Lucerne
Day 5 - Mt. Pilatus - overnight at Lucerne (can I do lion monument on this day)>
Yes - the Lion Monument is right in the heart of Lucerne and required little time - it's basically a large statue but the famous Mesdog Panorama is right nearby and it may be more interesting than just a large statue of a lion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panorama_Mesdag
Day 5 - Mt. Pilatus - overnight at Lucerne (can I do lion monument on this day)>
Yes - the Lion Monument is right in the heart of Lucerne and required little time - it's basically a large statue but the famous Mesdog Panorama is right nearby and it may be more interesting than just a large statue of a lion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panorama_Mesdag
Apr 18th, 2013, 10:09 AM
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As much as you are traveling - every day you may look at a 8-consecutive-day Swiss Pass that would cover verything that move sin Switzerland almost - lake boats and trains and postal buses and city trams and buses and gets you 50% off on cable cars or mountain trains to mountain tops - (25% Kl Schiedegg to Jungfraujoch however) and also gives you free entry to 400+ Swiss museums and I presume the Lion Statues and Mesdog Panorama would be included - not sure though.
For lots of great info on Swiss trains and passes I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.comn; www.seat61.com.
For lots of great info on Swiss trains and passes I always spotlight these IMO fantastic sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.comn; www.seat61.com.
Apr 18th, 2013, 10:35 AM
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Ok, now that I have decided on my route from Rome....which would be to Spiez...I need to focus on staying 3 nights either in Interlaken or Wengen before commencing towards Lucerne & Zurich.
I know Wengen is better...being a car-free town and is migh higher (sea-level) in comparison to interlaken....
But how about travelling to-n-from with my luggage.....?
Is there a way, I can leave 1/2 of my luggage at Spiez Station and then collect it at Lucerne 2 days after????
I know Wengen is better...being a car-free town and is migh higher (sea-level) in comparison to interlaken....
But how about travelling to-n-from with my luggage.....?
Is there a way, I can leave 1/2 of my luggage at Spiez Station and then collect it at Lucerne 2 days after????
Apr 18th, 2013, 01:47 PM
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But how about travelling to-n-from with my luggage.....?>
Take it with you on the train like anywhere else. Trains go to Wengen. From Spiez take the train to the end of the line in Interlaken - Interlaken-Ost (East) train station and transfer to the BOB - Berner Oberland Bahn mountain railway to Lauterbrunnen where you have to change to an even tinier train to go up to Wengen, perched high above Lauterbrunnen. Changes are from one platform to another. If you cannot manage your luggage yes you can send it ahead to any train station in Switzerland for I think about a 15 Swiss franc fee. May be a good strategy - always nice to train teravel luggage-free.
Take it with you on the train like anywhere else. Trains go to Wengen. From Spiez take the train to the end of the line in Interlaken - Interlaken-Ost (East) train station and transfer to the BOB - Berner Oberland Bahn mountain railway to Lauterbrunnen where you have to change to an even tinier train to go up to Wengen, perched high above Lauterbrunnen. Changes are from one platform to another. If you cannot manage your luggage yes you can send it ahead to any train station in Switzerland for I think about a 15 Swiss franc fee. May be a good strategy - always nice to train teravel luggage-free.
Apr 18th, 2013, 09:29 PM
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Hi again,
Yes, there is great baggage service in Switzerland; you can use the station at Spiez to ship one or two suitcases to Zürich, where it will be waiting for you. The cost is 22 chf for Fast Baggage (check it by 09.00 and you can pick it up after 18.00 the same day) or 11 chf for two-day service called Baggage Switzerland. Since you have so much time, you should be fine with two-day service. Here's the information:
http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...s/baggage.html
Have fun!
s
Yes, there is great baggage service in Switzerland; you can use the station at Spiez to ship one or two suitcases to Zürich, where it will be waiting for you. The cost is 22 chf for Fast Baggage (check it by 09.00 and you can pick it up after 18.00 the same day) or 11 chf for two-day service called Baggage Switzerland. Since you have so much time, you should be fine with two-day service. Here's the information:
http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-service...s/baggage.html
Have fun!
s
Apr 19th, 2013, 08:17 AM
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Hi Again,
I have still not decided to do a half-day trip to Lake Thun or Lake Brienz?? Can someone help me out.....
Also, if I happen to stay in Interlaken....then on the day I visit one of the Lakes, is it possible to club a short trip to wengen? If yes, is wengen a nice town to just stroll around for 2-3 hours?
I have still not decided to do a half-day trip to Lake Thun or Lake Brienz?? Can someone help me out.....
Also, if I happen to stay in Interlaken....then on the day I visit one of the Lakes, is it possible to club a short trip to wengen? If yes, is wengen a nice town to just stroll around for 2-3 hours?
Apr 19th, 2013, 09:01 AM
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"If yes, is Wengen a nice town to just stroll around for 2-3 hours?"
No!
It's possible, however. But it would be much better do do some hiking or to go by train or gondola to higher places like Wengernalp or Maennlichen (or to do the classic easy hike from Maennlichen to Kleine Scheidegg).
A Lake Thun boat trip can take the whole day if you hop off/hop on the boats at interesting places like St. Beatus Caves, Oberhofen castle and museum, Thun (many signts, among them a castle), Spiez castle and/or if you go to the villages above the lake, like Beatenberg, Sigriswil, etc.
Similar for Lake Brienz with tons of places to see around the eastern end: historic Giessbach hotel, Brienz village, steam cog railway to Brienzer Rothorn, Swiss village museum Ballenberg, Aar Gorge .....
No!
It's possible, however. But it would be much better do do some hiking or to go by train or gondola to higher places like Wengernalp or Maennlichen (or to do the classic easy hike from Maennlichen to Kleine Scheidegg).
A Lake Thun boat trip can take the whole day if you hop off/hop on the boats at interesting places like St. Beatus Caves, Oberhofen castle and museum, Thun (many signts, among them a castle), Spiez castle and/or if you go to the villages above the lake, like Beatenberg, Sigriswil, etc.
Similar for Lake Brienz with tons of places to see around the eastern end: historic Giessbach hotel, Brienz village, steam cog railway to Brienzer Rothorn, Swiss village museum Ballenberg, Aar Gorge .....
