Another question we're considering is the worthwhileness of going to Zermatt.>

Well Zermatt is much more than the Matterhorn but that is the key draw - I have day tripped there from the BO but would prefer a few-day stay - great hiking for all types of abilities and yes one of the world's most famous mountain peak visages.

I think in the BO you can serendipitiously find hotels, especially in Interlaken - August is busy but not peak season, which is winter and there are so so many hotels - I have arranged upon arrival hotels there in summer several times.

At both Interlaken train stations there is a hotel board with all hotels and accommodations listed with a green or red light by them to indicate availability and a free phone with which to call them.

I've seen these hotel boards in many Swiss train stations. And the local tourist office also can always help.

Yet special events like the Jungfrau Marathon can always throw you for a loop - did me one early September when I waltzed into Interlaken expecting to easily book a hotel but nearly all were full - the tourist office did finally get me one but check on special events in areas you want to be flexible in.

Hi PalenQ and Neckervd, we really appreciate the valuable info you gave. We're really interested in that Three Passes Postal bus. As mentioned above, we're planning to stay over in Meiringen before heading to a several day stay in Lauterbrunnen.

The info about Zermatt will play into our decision. If we choose to go, it will be for two nights. It sounds like it is a charming village, Matterhorn or no.

Our question about the school holidays was in relation to how flexible we can be in finding accommodations without reservations in certain areas. It sounds like families may still be taking holidays at this time.

We'll, no doubt, have more questions as we proceed in our planning, especially on the decision to purchase some kind of Swiss Pass. We'll begin a new thread for the remainder of our questions. Thanks again so much!

tomarkot - thank you!

You never know what to expect on any bus ride and the one I took over the Grimsel Pass - out of Meiringen was one of the weirdest bus rides I have ever taken.

Waiting to board at Meiringen's bus station was a group of young 15-16 year old Orthodox Jewish kids from NYC - not your typical studying in Switzerland prep school types but all were outside smoking cigarettes and acting well like bored teens.

The conversations on the bus between their leaders - all dressed up in Orthodox garb with long beards was rather shocking - one cuss word after the other and challenging the bosses - belittling them in ways.

But the most extraordinary thing was at the top of the Grimsel Pass summit one kid who had his bike with him, stowed away in the bus bag storage under the floor - he got off and cycled at full tilt speed down this twisting narrow two-lane road. He nearby beat us to the first train station we came to.

Well kind of a bus ride from Hell but one that lingers in my mind forever so far.

I clearly have more traveling to do. It's tough keeping up with you guys and your adventures!

Wow, PalenQ, that was quite an experience!!! Not quite the type of excitement one wants to have on a bus ride. I think we'll definitely go for the "Three Passes" postal bus. Speaking of passes, when we get our itinerary nailed down, which is slowly coming together, we'll count our number of days in the mts. of Switzerland and see if a pass would be worthwhile for us. Right now, it's looking like almost two weeks. Thanks again for your info!

Our flight home is through Paris, a definite choice. We've been to Paris several times and love it. We'll spend three nights there, and though it comes at the end of our trip, it's the first hotel we booked. September seems to be quite busy there.

THE PALM EXPRESS

is an awesome bus ride that starting from Lugano first goes over to Lake Como and follows its western shore, stopping for about a half-hour in lakeside Mennagio (Italy) then follows the lake to its northern tip before starting its ascent towards St. Moritz.

The best part of the bus ride comes when it negotiates the Maloja Pass with a series of harrowing hairpin tours, twisting up to the summit - in an area of lush verdant forests and meadows - finishing its trek at the St. Mortiz train station.

Swiss Passes are valid on the bus but you must make a seat reservation fee - I did this at the Lugano strain station - assume you could do it as well at St Moritz train station if going the other way or via the contact info gives on the Swiss Postal Bus site I gave to start this thread.

Ah yeh the Palm Express - one of the sweetest bus rides in all of Switzerland (and Italy!)

PalenQ, another wonderful. . .and tempting. . . suggestion. We've been toying around with dipping down into the lake region. Have great memories of the beauty (and nice weather) from a previous trip. We're thinking about having Plan B escapes if the weather in the highter mtns. isn't good. But this Palm Express is sounds like a great idea, weather notwithstanding. Thanks again for your input.

thanks again tom!

THE BERNINA EXPRESS BUS

Another bus linking the Bernina Pass Rail line with Lugano is the Bernina Express bus (not a postal bus I think) - it is timed to leave Tirano, southernmost terminus of the Bernina Pass Railway in conjunction with the arrival of the official Bernina Express train in Tirano.

This is not one of the dramatically scenic Swiss bus rides but a utilitarian link between Tirano and Lugano - or places like Menaggio on Lake Como, where the bus also stops.

From Tirano the bus tracks down a nice enough mountain valley but the scenery is not nearly as dramatic as the Maloja Pass bus to Lugano. But as a utilitarian link to Menaggio (on Lake Como) and Lugano it is the quickest way to do that.

Reservations are required - Swiss Passes valid but a supplement is required of about 15 Swiss francs I think.

http://rhb.ch/Bernina-Express-Bus.2189.0.html?&L=4

Note also from Tirano, Italy, southern terminus of the Bernina Pass Railway, trains also run, duplicating the Bernina Express Bus route much of the way thru Italy but then split off, going down to Lake Como via a different route - the station in Varenna-Esino is a jumping off point for Lake Como - boats to Bellagio and Como and other lakeside gems.

So to some this will be a better onward option from Tirano than the Bernina Express bus - for those going to Italy.

Not as dramatic as an Alpine bus, but one of the prettiest bus rides I've been on is the bus 71 from Liestal to Reigoldswil outside Basel. It takes you past picture postcard farms and villages that are well off the tourist radar and the descent into Reigoldswil is absolutely lovely.
http://www.aagl.ch/fileadmin/redacte...hnhof_71_2.pdf
In Reigoldswil, you can catch a gondola to one of the highest points in the region, seeing waterfalls and the countryside, then ride or hike back down (other activities as well). In the winter, if there's snow, you can also sled (sledge) down.
http://www.wasserfallenbahn.ch/de/an...n/wanderungen/

Weisser - Thanks for that info on Basel area buses - this is one area of Switzerland I have yet to explore except for Basel itself, again one of Switzetrland's vastly underrated cities IMO.

NEXT UP BUS OVER THE SAN BERNARDINO PASS - From Bellinzona to Thusis (a stop on the Glacier Express rail route - one of the lesser known bus rides but really sweet!

http://www.postbus.ch/pag-startseite...bot-detail.htm

From the official Swiss Postbus Site - The San Bernardino Pass bus line.

the San Bernardino bus trek takes you between Bellinzona and Thusis, a stop of the Glacier Express rail line - with direct trains to Chur, to pick up mainline trains to Zurich or onto Austria - soit can be a utilitarian and sweet option say going between Lugano/Bellinzona and Zurich or Austria/Geramny.

and though you do not see dramatic top of the world scenes like on say the Simplon Postal Bus line it nevertheless is thrilling in its own way - especially at the place the bus detours off the main road and takes an old road that hugs a cliff at points - does this to give riders more thrills.

a sweet sweet bus ride IMO.

It might be easier to remain in the San Bernardino bus up to Chur instead of changing to a Chur bound train at Thusis.

You may go on from Chur with other Post Buses, may be to Lenzerheide - Davos - Fluela Pass - Zernez - Ofen Pass - Mustair - South Tyrol.

Thusis–Splügen–S. Bernardino (Splügen–San Bernardino Route)

The Thusis-Splügen–S. Bernardino (Splügen–San Bernardino Route) leads from Thusis via Splügen and via San Bernardino to Bellinzona. Experience the untamed Via Mala Gorge, the mountains around San Bernardino Pass and the Misox Valley.

The San Bernardino bus I thought, according to the postbus official site ends in Thusis - you are saying the same bus goes onto Chur and v.v.?

Personally anytime I had to chose between a bus and a train I'd take the train - if they duplicate routes - but if the same bus keeps going then I can see the utilitarian reason for doing that.

You may have a look at the timetable
http://www.fahrplanfelder.ch/fileadm...014/90.171.pdf

thans neckrvd - the official site seemed to indicate the Splugen/Ban Bernardino bus ended at Thusis - are all those buses the same - if there a special bus aimed at tourists like the Bernina Experss official train vs local trains?

I remember the bus I took made a special detour to squeeze thru a narrow tunnel on a minor road - the old road I believe rather than going thru a new longer tunnel and the bus paused for folks to have photo ops and visual ops - are all buses in the schedule the same - I presume so but not 100% sure.

NEXT UP - THE GRINDELWALD BUS (Not a postal bus!) offering a thrilling bus trek from Grindelwald to Grosse Scheidegg, on the eastern flank of the Grindelwald amphiteahter - with Kleine (small) Scheidegg on the western tip - the bus ride can tie in with a hike down to Meiringen - or doing part of that by bus as well - via Reichenbach Falls, where Sherlock Holmes tangled with Prof Moriarity, with the bad professor seemingly falling to his death after bein pushed into the turbulent waters.

http://translate.google.com/translat...%26es_sm%3D122

There are
fast buses Bellinzona - Chur,
slower buses Bellinzona - Thusis with more intermediate stops,
very slow local buses Bellinzona - San Bernardino and Hinterrhein Thusis,
as well as
slow buses via San Bernardino Pass (in summer only).

Some drivers stop at some idyllic places if they are too early. The official journey time according to the timetable is rather a bit too long in order to avoid delays in case of heavy traffic or extremely bad weather conditions.