Switzerland Suggestions for July 2016
 

We are a family party of 6 all adults 2 younger and 4 in our 60's. We are spending 10 nights in Switzerland and planning is in the early stages. We arrive in Zurich and were contemplating taking the train from the airport to Luzern and spending the first two nights there. The last night we will spend in Zurich. That leaves seven nights. From Luzern we were thinking of spending some time in the Lauterbrunnen area and take day trips doing light hiking and taking the lifts up the mountains.

Are 4-5 nights in the area too much.

Where else should we plan on going.

We are most interested in scenery, culture and crafts. Not looking to spend a lot of time in museums this trip unless the weather is poor

Thanks for your advice

I think for 10 days that is fine and do a day trip from Lucerne or Lauterbrunnen (many rave about Wengen a car-less town 20 minutes by train beyond Lauterbrunnen) - save the day trip for a rainy day - not unexected in the Alps anytime of year.

Lucerne as a base - boat trips on Switzerland's (IMO) loveliest lake - say to Mt Rigi or Mt Pilatus

There is so so much to day in the Grindelwald-Lauterbrunnen area that you will have no problem filling the days.

Zurich is a nice city but one that leaves many unplussed but it is good a day before your flight or a recovery day after landing even though Lucerne is just a short train ride away.

Trains are the best for those areas - cars can't even be driven beyond Lauterbrunnen and Grindelwald for lots of info on Swiss trains check these IMNO superb sites: www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

Look into the Berner Oberland Pass, sold locally, that covers trains and buses and boats - either in full or 50% off on conveyances to mountain tops -around Lucerne and the Interlaken-Jungfrau Region as well.

Your plan sounds just about right to me as well! Lucerne is one of my favorite Swiss cities. Zurich is also nice, but not nearly as scenic as Lucerne. Mount Titlis is close to Lucerne. It was really beautiful going to the top via the sky tramways.

The transport museum in Lucerne is very interesting, should you have a rainy day.

Enjoy your trip.

While you have enough days to the routing you posted, depending on your flight arrival and departure times, you can get some more for practically nothing.

If your flight into Zurich is very early, if you travel to Luzern, about 62 minutes by train, you would probably not able to check-in, at least not all of you.

Instead, if you travel onto Lauterbrunnen upon landing, 162 minutes from the airport, you are probably closer to the check-in time. We usually just drop the luggage at the hotel, have a leisurely lunch, and by the time we are done, we can check-in.

If your return flight from Zurich is not insanely early, you really don't have to stay in Zurich. You can spend the last night in Luzern. This way, you get two-for-one. Luzern at the end part of the trip also serves as the last night stop.

Regarding the foul weather, it is best you have thought about it and not boxed yourself into a location that really has nothing to do if cloudy, such as Zermatt. Lauterbrunnen and Luzern has many choices of activities including even on foul weather days.

Remember from Lauterbrunnen it's really easy to reach Interlaken - with it's steamers on Lakes Thun and Brienz and the ability to reach these villages, both of which are charming. Thun has a great castle to explore and double decker shopping if you get a day or two with bad weather.

I think greg has given you some excellent advice!

FWIW, I liked Zurich much more than many Fodorites do -- the idea of a night or two there before your flight appeals to me, but then, I went solo, which could make a HUGE difference.

For Lauterbrunnen lodging, you might consider the Staubbach -- it won't work for everyone, but I loved it! Great service.
http://www.staubbach.com

"Where else should we plan on going?"
You may have a look at
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/home.html
and the endless links you will find there
You may also be interested in
http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/en/
http://fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/en

Their plate is already full - Lucerne and Interlaken areas are great for 10 days - if bent on another area take the Golden Pass scenic train from Interlaken to Montreux on Lake Geneva and spend a few days there - lots to do. A fairly short train ride back to Zurich.

I'm spending a week in Wengen in June of 2016 (renting an apartment) as part of a 15 day trip. I think your plan for a week in the Jungfrau region, and a couple of days in Luzern and Zurich sounds good (we're doing the same, but will add 3 days in the Lake Geneva region, and 2 days in St. Gallen).

There is a poster on the Trip Advisor Switzerland forum who spends time in Wengen every year and has an incredibly detailed run down on the area. Her user name is "kimsanjose," so if you are registered over there, you can PM her and get her tips (it's a 50 page Word document).

twk - Be sure to take the Golden Pass scenic train between Interlaken-Ost and Montreux, on Lake Geneva - one of Switzerland's iconic spcial scenic trains:

http://www.goldenpass.ch/en

For a real treat nab one of those vaunted VIP seats where you can simulate driving the train!

PalenQ: Absolutely. We're going straight from ZRH to Wengen (may look around Bern a little on the way), then taking the Golden Pass to Montreux (probably staying in Lausanne, although that is still up in the air), then back to Luzern, St. Gallen, and one night in Zurich before our flight back. Going to get the 15 day Swiss Pass and maybe even the 6 day Jungfraubahnen pass, and ride the hell out of everything--trains, lifts, boats, you name it.

Not to hijack the OP's thread, but, how far in advance can you reserve those VIP seats? I'm going to have to coordinate that with checking out of our Wengen apartment.

Thanks for the great ideas.

You get a discount I believe on the Jungfraubahn Pass with a Swiss Pass but a Swiss pass covers may things in full there too - like trains to Wengen - lake boats and even the lifts up to Murren. and Swiss Passes give 50% off everything they don't cover in full except it's 25% on the Grindelwald/Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch section.

VIP seats can (must) be booked several months in advance and can be I think by previous discussions here.

Not to hijack the OP's thread, but, how far in advance can you reserve those VIP seats? I'm going to have to coordinate that with checking out of our Wengen apartment>

check out the official site I gave above and just try - not sure there is an arbitrary time frame but seems there should be.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...pass-train.cfm

maybe this will help - an old Fodor's thread.