two week switzerland itinerary

Old Oct 14th, 2016, 03:25 PM
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two week switzerland itinerary

Hello,

iI would like to seek help from the group. Our family of four is planning a two week Switzerland trip April 7 to 22 next year. I am currently in the process of fixing our itinerary and here it goes. Please feel free to comment and suggest but these are basically the places of interest for us. I have 2 kids aged 11 and 7. We prefer to drive around also but will take a bernina express route tirana-pontresina for a scenic ride.

geneva
montreux - chill on castle
zermatt
bernese oberland --- gimmelwald, murren, Klein Scheidegg, Lauternrunnen, interlaken (take boat to thun)
jungfrao
lucerne
apenzell
lugano (to tirano via lake como)
tirano --- leave car in hotel/station in tirano and take bernina express to pontresina and then back to tirano) ** i know this is kinda a waste of time coming back but we really want to do this stretch of BE because it is said to be the most scenic
milan - fly out milan airport

Is our IT feasible? And is driving around these places doable during the time we are going? I am also considering if we should just go last week of May to June instead but my daughter wants to experience snow in Zermatt. What do you guys think? And with this IT, do we still need a rail pass if we are renting a car?

Thank you so much in advance. I hope you can spare your time and help us make our Switzerland trip a fabulous one.
mjklovestotravel is offline  
Old Oct 14th, 2016, 03:37 PM
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I can't answer all your questions but if you're traveling by car I don't see the for a rail pass.
May-June will be better weather.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 03:38 PM
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Oh and it's Chillon.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 04:04 PM
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Does April 7 to 22 include your flight time? Where are you flying from and might one or more of you have jetlag?

You have 11 destinations to be covered in 16 days max. Not enough time. You're going to have to cut some places.

The trip to Jungfrau is not worth its expensive cost if it's not clear at the top. You may need to hang around a few days for it to clear up. Chances are better in the end of May/beginning of June. (It will be cold and snowy up at Jungfrau no matter when you go.)

Also the months of April and May are not the best time to travel in Switzerland. It's between snow season and summer season, the time the lifts and gondolas are closed for maintenance.

Finally Murren, Gimmelwald, Jungfrau or Kleine Scheidegg are not accessible by car. Hence the attraction of trains, buses, and other forms of public transportation.

All together I think you need to rethink your itinerary.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 04:09 PM
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Dianedancer - thank you. and yes i meant Chillon.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 04:15 PM
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mimar,

Fly times not included.

I'm flying in geneva and i don't plan to go around geneva. From airport i plan to go straight to Montreux.

I can drop jungfrao. If i do, you think IT is doable already?

Thank you.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 04:37 PM
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1) Too many places
2) Go May-June.There will still be snow on the mountaintops. 3) Jungfrau
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 05:58 PM
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May/June will be much better weather, esp for doing any walks (many paths will still be snowy in April). And if you ascend the Jungfrau there is always snow and ice at the top - it's a glacier - so snow 365 days a year.

When we were there in early June they had a ski school at the top.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 06:35 PM
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I agree that (a) May / June would be better and (b) you have way too many places on your list for the time you have. You might try marking up a calendar.

I would also add that public transportation in Switzerland is excellent. I can't imagine giving up the option for every person in your group to actually see and savor the scenery -- something that the driver won't always be able to do. YMMV.
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Old Oct 15th, 2016, 11:13 PM
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Good idea to fly into Geneva and fly out of Milan.

You don’t really need the car from Geneva for scheduling reasons - public transport is incredible in Switzerland. But with the four of you it may save money to have a car.

Make sure the car has the “vignette” road-tax sticker in place - it is required for travel on the main freeways.

While in Montreux, take the mountain goat of a cute train up to Les Rochers de Naye, it’s a wildflower paradise and an incredible lookout over the lake Geneva and across to the Swiss/French Alps (Mont Blanc etc.) on a good day. Take our cameras! And on the way up or on the way down, consider stopping for a meal and a leg stretch in either Caux or Glion. See http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/r...-montreux.html

Chillon Castle is a good idea - there is a bus and also a local train to get you there from Montreux, there is very limited parking.

Also while based in Montreux, you can take the train to Broc for both cheese and chocolate “education” - Swiss style - see https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...n_of_Vaud.html or google “Gruyere Broc Cheese and Chocolate”.

Zermatt is an “it depends” kind of target in April. You can’t drive all the way - the last bit has to happen by train, it’s a pedestrian-only town. If it’s overcast or foggy, you’ve wasted a day. You’ve been warned...

It doesn’t make much sense to visit the Bernese Oberland while based in Montreux - Interlaken is a main hub in the Bernese Oberland itself. Interlaken is of limited attraction, just a tourist-friendly town on the flat, nicely situated between the two lakes and with good views of the alps; its main usefulness is as an access base to many targets in the Bernese Oberland, including the ones you list, and a few you should also know about - look these up and consult a map:

www.brienz-rothorn-bahn.ch/en/welcome.html

www.myswissalps.com/brienzerrothorn

www.niederhorn.ch/en

www.niesen.ch/en/

April is early spring but can act like late winter - it is the proverbial month for changeable weather hour-by-hour, so keep your options open - there will always be something to do and somewhere to go even if the weather shuts down your first or second option.

From Interlaken you can be in Bern in a jiffy, and under the arcades that flank the streets in the historic center you’re strolling comfortably even when it rains. It’s an interesting city - read up on it, www.bern.ch/en and others.

Appenzell is quite a ways from Interlaken, you may want to pass on that one. But if you do go, maybe for an overnight stay, see if you can go up on the Säntis mountain - that would make that trip worthwhile: https://saentisbahn.ch/en

Realize that April is not tourist season, so there is no rush or panic, even accommodation can be found at the last minute.

If you’re driving, keep an eye on road conditions - some mountain passes have to remain closed if there is late snow.

Enjoy!
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Old Oct 16th, 2016, 06:27 AM
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Maybe you need to post a revised itinerary. Are you going to omit all the places not accessible by car?

Actually I think train rides are more comfortable for kids vs. car travel. Trains have more spacious seats, floor space, big windows, and a toilet at the end of the car. Luggage can be a problem for families on trains but your children are old enough to drag their own little rollaboards.
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Old Oct 16th, 2016, 08:39 PM
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Something else to think about -- many trains include a "family car" or a "children's wagon" that's colorful and has some colorful things to climb on. In that wagon, the children can be more rowdy and louder than they could be in a regular wagon. That, for sure, would be more fun for the kids' travel.

Have fun as you plan!

s
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Old Oct 16th, 2016, 08:54 PM
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@ swandav -- I never knew that! What a great idea.
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Old Oct 16th, 2016, 09:20 PM
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Yup! Saw them first in Switzerland about 5 years ago, and they started popping up in Germany about a year ago. Yes, it's really a smart idea!

s
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Old Oct 16th, 2016, 09:43 PM
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@ swandav: Awesome! Thx
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Old Oct 18th, 2016, 04:13 AM
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Hi Everyone

Theres a Taxi service called swiss taxi and ive used it before They are great good services good pricing and VERY nice people. and you can go where ever you want even outside swiss. so if you want to book now i will give you the link : http://swiss-taxi-airport.com/

greetings Ahmed
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