greg

Here is another train route question. Taking train from Interlaken to Fussen looks like many train changes no matter which way one takes. Please comment on Interlaken-Brienz-Luzern-Zurich-Lindau route and Interlaken-Bern-Olten-Zurich-Lindau route. I can find train frequencies from the time table but want to know about train change hassles and scenaries along the way. <BR>

bbrown

Hi Greg. I have ridden trains in Switzerland several times, including the Interlaken Ost - Luzern route and the <BR>Zuerich - Interlaken route. <BR>Also the Geneva - Bern - Zuerich - Munich route. And Brig - Lausanne - Geneva route. <BR> <BR>The route to Zurich via Luzern is a little more scenic on my scale of values, but the train is slow going over the pass from Meiringen to Luzern. This is good in that it gives you time to see the country side. The route from Luzern to Zuerich is not one I have taken, so I cannot comment. <BR> <BR>We had little trouble changing trains in Switzerland. If I were the one to be taking the trip you describe, here is the route I would take: <BR> <BR>leave Interlaken Ost at 10:19 on #2471 <BR>arrive Luzern at 12:05 <BR>leave Luzern at 12:10 on 1970 <BR>arrive Zuerich HBF at 12:59 <BR>leave Zuerich HBF at 13:33 on #95 <BR>arrive Buchloe at 17:04 <BR>leave Buchloe at 17:47 on 4512 <BR>arrive Fuessen at 18:57 <BR> <BR>It is a long day on slow trains. I have no idea why it takes to long to get to Buchloe other than you have to take such a huge detour around the lake and the train stops at every cow crossing. <BR> <BR>You have 3 changes on this route, and none of them are close, except in Luzern where you have 5 minutes to hustle. <BR> <BR>You might consider taking an earlier train from Interlaken Ost, e.g. 8:58, and find a nice tea room in Luzern. Also, you could stroll around the immediate area of the train station, visit a department store or two, walk over the old wooden bridge, and get back to the train station for the ride to Zuerich. I found that there were plenty of baked goodies in Luzern to enjoy! <BR> <BR>Despite all of the miles I walked on the mountain trails, I gorged myself on so many bakery goods that I added a couple of pounds. Amazing. <BR> <BR>You can check this out yourself on the SBB web site. I am not sure if there is a version in English. I read a little German, so that did not stop me. If need be I can help with that aspect of it because I have queried the SBB site many times. <BR>Feel free to quiz me directly using my email account. I will be happy to respond. <BR> Why not get a car and drive it? <BR>It would save a lot of time. Just stay out of Zuerich at 5 PM rush hour.

tammy

You can find the information you need (& more) on the German rail site... <BR>

greg

Hi Bob, <BR>With fear of starting yet another drive vs train war, best answer to the car question is a personal preference. <BR> <BR>There are those like my in-laws who believe it ain't a trip unless you drive yourself. Other perhaps because of the economy it brings in their circumstances. Like many in this forum I have driven around US during course of business and vacations I have also driven in Canada, Central, and South America. In each case, they were right choice for the circumstances - visiting places or vendor sites not served well any other way. <BR> <BR>Driving in UK last summer, we decided we had to be more careful on when it is sensible to choose driving instead. Here were cons we experienced: More stress (when one object of the trip was to relief stress), kids disliking the trip because they cannot play games or read without getting car sick, yelling at my wife for missing yet another turn (she does not read maps well.) and final blow was that I was so preoccupied in keeping the car on pavement on narrow winding roads that I totally did not have time to enjoy the passing scenaries. <BR> <BR>There were days when getting lost might have been a good part of the trip. When one is at a time in life where time is abundant, that would be the right thing. Like many Americans, the vacation times are hard to come by for us. We don't do 5 countries in-a-week trips, we still have to make good use of our times there. Getting lost and missing the open hours of castles and palaces were not a good way to do so. <BR> <BR>For those who enjoy a chance to drive on Alpine roads, it is the right thing. <BR>We might change our view of travelling in Switzerland after our visit and experiencing the amount of hassles we have to deal with. Looking at per country traffic fatality statistics and reading about how fast Swiss drive their cars, we are planning to travel by train this time.

Bob Brown

Hi Greg. <BR>I do indeed see your point. We spent the first week in Switzerland without a car because we did not need one. Every where you go it seems it costs to park in some areas. Our apartment was a 5 minute walk from the train station and we could go where we wanted from Interlaken Ost. (We were in Lauterbrunnen.) <BR> <BR>The second week we had a car because we were in a remote valley that is not served by a train. But I must admit that making wrong turns around Zuerich seemed very easy to do; even following the signs we got lost. I had to go into a hotel to ask for directions. (I went there because I was sure to find an English speaker.) <BR> <BR>The train is the easy way. We landed in Zuerich, got our luggage, and boarded the train for Interlaken Ost. <BR>After an easy change, we were in Lauterbrunnen where the owner of the apartment met us with her car. <BR>About as easy as it gets in a strange location. <BR>

victoria

Mr. Brown, <BR> <BR>I was wondering if your apt was through Untours or if you have another source of apartment rentals in Switzerland that rents for just one week. Could you please provide the internet site if so? Thanks... <BR> <BR> <BR>

Bob Brown

For Victoria and all of those intersted: <BR> <BR>I found my apartments through Internet searching. Most every town in Switzerland located in the mountains has a very helpful tourist bureau. <BR>That was how I located one of them. <BR>The other one I found through a defunct web site. One apartment was in Lauterbrunnen. I contacted the owner directly. I struggled to write a letter in some kind of German. The reply came in British English: our landlady grew up near London and married into a Swiss family. The house is called Chalet Horner and Teresa Staeger is the owner. <BR>I located the apartment in Saas Grund, about an hour from Zermatt through a brochure I got from the Saas Valley tourist office. <BR> <BR>I have one slight advantage in doing this, I read German. But the local tourist offices almost always have someone who knows enough English to help out. I would pick a place, contact the tourist bureau, and go that route. <BR>We had good luck and found that we could negotiate a little time wise in September.