We are a family of 4 (small children 2 and 4) and will be visiting Switzerland July 5 - July 13. We are flying in and out of Geneva with morning arrival and departure, so accordingly, my plan is to travel to Zurich on our first day, spend a few days and then work our way back to Geneva, spending our final 2 days in Geneva. While the trains sound convenient, we plan to rent a car for the entire duration as we will have some gear for the kids and we also enjoy the freedom to explore. I'd like to take 2 different routes to and from Zurich and am looking for suggestions for best routes for the one day trip (with a couple short stops along the way) . On the return route, we have 4 days and will either spend a few days in Bernese Oberland or possibly in Lake Geneva region, but with the jazz festival in full swing, I am not sure if we are best to save that for another trip. Bern seems like a very nice base to explore the countryside for a few days, but with time planned for both Zurich and Geneva, I think we may be better basing a few days away from a major city.

Hi ronjrich,

I know you've already made your decision to drive, yet I would still like to comment.

Trains are not only convenient in Switzerland -- they are FUN and get you actually next to the locals. They also will take you lots of places that cars cannot go (all the mountaintops and the sweetest mountain villages).

Finally, Lake Geneva is (already!) showing the effects of too much vehicle traffic with an ugly lid of smog over the lake. I'm sure you'll see it when you're there . . .

It just seems that, when there is a world-class train system available, it should be used.

Anyway. Just mho.

s

Is there a reason you want to spend several days in Zurich. I wanted to see it, and I'm glad I did,but one day was enough for me. Other, smaller cities like Lucerne and Bern were far more interesting in terms of architecture, ambiance, etc. Plus since you are going to have a car it would probably be easier to park. I would also definitely spend a couple days in the Bernese Oberland. There are lots of very easy paths connected by funiculars, trams, etc that you could do with little kids. A lot of people don't like Interlaken but I thought it was a good base for a few days to take trips up into the mountains and also on the lake. There were some small towns on the lake with nice castles. My photos of our Swiss trip are all labeled so you could get an idea of what some of the towns I'm talking about are like. They are at: www.pbase.com/annforcier/switzerland_2005

Hi Ron,

I think that you will get tired of Zurich after 2 days (3 at most). I would add the time to the BO.

Switzerland is much a paradise for the road trip enthusiast as for the railway lover. Just mixing a rental car with stays in two of the major Swiss cities does not make sense IMO.
What exactly do you plan to do with 2 small children in Zurich for "a few days"? And if you just plan to use Zurich as a base (like Bern or Geneva), it makes even less sense to stay in downtown Zurich and drive through the morning and evening rush hour to some day trip destinations.

I'd stick to places where a car makes sense: small villages, rural country hotels, mountain pass roads etc.

And on Day 1 (assuming that you may fly in from the States with a jetlag in your bones), why all that rush to get to the farthest away point of your trip?
You could as well just stay in the Lake Geneva region, e.g. in Yvoire on the French side of the lake, and explore for 2 days that vicinity, e.g. Evian, Mont Blanc, make a boat trip, etc.
http://yvoire.free.fr/

I agree with driving - we always do in Switzerland and Germany - since it gives much more freedom to go exactly when/where you want - and allows for serendipity - rather than seeing something that looks cute fall forever behind your moving train. And I think the "stuff" you need for 2 small kids is much easier to deal with in a car - and hard to deal with when also getting 2 small kids on/off trains.

I do question Zurich - which is primarily a business city. IMHO you would be much better spending time in Lucerne - with wonderful tourist facilities of all types - and immediate access to a lake and the ascent of several mountains (which might be better for small kids than the Jungfrau for instance).

I agree with the comments above.
Why so much time in Zürich? I have been to Switzerland quite a few times and the cities are certainly not what attracts me.
I go for the mountains. In fact if the only thing I went for was places like Bern, Geneva, and Zürich I think I would be wasting my time and money.

Luzern is a pretty city and has a very good transportation museum. I could see spending time there, but my destinations are the Berner Oberland with its 2 car-free villages of Wengen and Mürren, and the mountain towns of Zermatt and Saas Fee and Saas Grund.

Sure Zermatt is touristy. That means services for the visitors. There is no better view of high mountains than from the Klein Matterhorn and from the Gornergrat which on a clear day or even a semi clear day has fantastic views of Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn.

The view from the Klein Matterhorn is incredible. From the viewing platform The Matterhorn itself actually blends into the background of the other peaks and becomes part of the overall panorama.