beestarkes

I'm trying to plan a trip for these 4 locations. Just me & my GF - 30's

8/29 - Fly into Venice From Philadelphia - arrive 8AM on 8/30
Venice ( 8/30 - 9/1 ) 3 Full Days
Train Venice to Milan to Brig ( get Swiss Pass ). Train to Lauterbrunnen 9/2
Lauterbrunnen ( 9/2 - 9/6 ) 4.5 days
Train Lauterbrunnen to Geneva to Paris 9/7
Paris ( 9/7 - 9/11 ) 4.5 days
Train Paris to Amsterdam 9/12
Amserdam ( 9/12 - 9/14 ) 2.5 days - Less Travel Here so almost 3 days
9/15 - Fly out of Amsterdam to Philadelphia at 10:30

Is this a good way to allocate our time ? I'm thinking Paris & Switzerland deserve a bigger portion of the trip. We've been to Rome & Florence , but never hit Venice. The part I'm mostly worried about his Switzerland. In 4.5 days we would like to go up Jungfrau & Schilthorn. Maybe Paraglide off Schilthorn ? See Oberhofen. See Trummelbach Falls ( or other waterfalls ) Maybe a day trip to Luzerne & do Titlis or Pilatus ? I'm just figuring that it takes a while to get to stuff in Switzerland ? Is there enough time to do all this & maybe suggest other things we can do ?

goldenautumn

Actually, I found it super-easy to get around that area of Switzerland, taking lots of hikes, cable cars to peaks, visiting the attractions -- although I admit I did NOT paraglide off Schilthorn -- but how slow can that be?

At that time of year, the Trummelbach Falls will not be the big "wow" that they are for some visitors (kids mainly). Ditto other waterfalls. Down to a trickle.

I would want more time in Paris and a shade less in Switzerland. I've never been to Titlus or Pilatus, but if you've never been to Paris, you might want another day there. How did you feel about Rome? Were you itching to get out of city and into nature, and did you enjoy every day of it. Paris and Rome are very different cities, but if you enjoy urban exploration, and you and GF don't always picks scenery over cities, then Paris is a treat.

Hard call to make. It really comes down to your personalities and whether you are always happier outside of cities or enjoy being in them.

michele_d

I think your allotment of time looks good. We were in Lauterbrunnen in September 2009 and the falls were raging. I guess every year is different. Trummelbach was quite impressive. You can easily do Jungfrau and Trummelbach on the same day. Head up to Jungfrau early and then get off the train in Lauterbrunnen, walk across the street from the train station and catch the bus to the falls. It runs every few minutes. From the bus stop to Trummelbach is about 10-15 minutes. You walk about 10 minutes on a path to the falls and then the falls take about 45 minutes or so. So allow a couple hours for this trip.

beestarkes

We loved Rome. I think Lauterbrunnen would be a nice change of pace between Venice & Paris. It looks beautiful. Really, would we need more than 4.5 days in Paris ? I realize you can spend weeks in any of these European cities & " still not see it all " as people would say ... but no we have not been to Paris or any of these cities. We went to Rome , Florence & Berlin for our first trip last year. As far as outdoor stuff I certainly enjoyed Boboli Gardens & Tiergarten in Berlin. Maybe we could trim it down to 3.5 days in Lauterbrunnen ?

michele_d

It will take the majority of the day to get from Venice to Lauterbrunnen. The same for Lauterbrunnen to Paris. We took the 7:50 train from Venice and arrived in Lauterbrunnen at 15:25. By the time you walk from the train to your hotel/apt, unpack and get situated you will have just enough time to eat dinner before the town shuts down for the night.

The first time we spent 8 days in Lauterbrunnen and this time we spent two full days: just a little introduction for our kids. Your trip to the Jungfrau will depend on the weather. I would check the weather each morning and then catch the early train up the mountain if it is a clear day. You can grab breakfast at the train store and eat on the train.

You can get a good intro to this area with just three days and you could spend more time in Paris if you wish. With just four full days in Paris I wouldn't plan any day trips to Versailles or such.

You can always spend more time in each area, but you only have so many days in total so some sacrifices will have to be made. Either way, I still think you have a good amount of time in each area for an overall good introduction.

beestarkes

Michele

What else did you do in that 8 day span ? Say we are there for hypothetically 3.5 days what would you do besides Jungfrau & Trummelbach ? Say we get in & have enough time to go eat dinner & after traveling to get there. Just enjoy the town. Next day we do Jungfrau ( pending weather ) and Trummelbach Falls. Could we fit in other stuff that day ? What would you do on the following 2 days ?

PalenQ

Well just a note on Swiss trains and passes - also check out the Half-Fare Card - but for most a pass is great - covers not only trains but everything that moves in Switzerland just about.

Rather than buying a Swiss Pass in Brig you may check prices for sales in the U.s. I have been tracking these for years and more often than not they are significantly cheaper here and you also have no foreign transactions fees - recently I check and they were significantly cheaper here than there and you may be on a train that continues past Brig to Spiez (changing there for Interlaken) and with the pass already you need not get off the train to buy or activate your pass if you already have one.

For loads of great info on Swiss trains and passes and the fabulous Jungfrau Region - to me the absolute highlight of Switzerland, both literally and figuratively check out these fantastic sites - http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; www.rickstevees.com and www.swisstravelsystem.com - compare pass prices in Swiss francs at latter with those on other two sites or www.raileurope.com, part owned by the Swiss Federal Railways.

PalenQ

Train Lauterbrunnen to Geneva to Paris 9/7>

Maybe slice a day off Lauterbrunnen and stay a day in lovely Montreux or Vevey on lovely Lake Geneva and savor the French part of the country?

this would give you time to take the Golden Pass specialty train from Interlaken to Montreux - one of Switzerland's iconic scneic railways - it takes a bit longer than the main route to Geneva so if going straight on you'd obviously want to go that route - but consider hopping the Golden Pass train, which plies a different Alpine route and near Montreux you can walk, train, bus or boat to the nearby famous Chateau de Chillon, of Lord Byron fame sitting plop on Lake Geneva.

Then you can get direct train to Paris from Lausanne, just a few minuttes train ride from Vevey or Monteux.

PalenQ

At that time of year, the Trummelbach Falls will not be the big "wow" that they are for some visitors (kids mainly). Ditto other waterfalls. Down to a trickle.>

Are you sure you are not mixing up Trummelbach Falls - the unique water cascade inside the cliffs with the very high open-air falls that backdrop Lauterbrunnen? That one in summer does often dry up to a trickle but I have seen Trummelbach in August and being the sole drain of the northside of the then melting Jungfrau Massif glaciers and snow, etc was a real torrent as I understand it is at that time?

goldenautumn

Palen!Q,

I am talking about Trummelbach Falls. I thought they were boring. I did not enjoy being cooped up in a hole with electric lighting on a beautiful day with a stunning landscape outside listening to what sound like a rainstorm inside a broken NYC drain pipe. To me, it was a "roadside attraction." Other people have told me that had I gone later then November, I would have been mightily impressed by the thundering noise and volume of water. I still think I would have rather been outside in the sunshine listening to the cow bells and bees, watching the clouds drift over the mountains.

Beerstarkes,

If you are not going to that area to hike, and then hike some more, or paraglide, there really isn't anything to "do" in terms of attractions other than the Jungfrau, or piz Gloria, to look at more stunning views of the stunning Alps. The town, while pleasantly Swiss, are not anything to write home about. They are not places to "explore." They sell postcards of the views.

I once booked myself into Murren for 4 days, and left after 3 to go to a lake for variety. Of course, I wouldn't have booked myself there for 4 nights if I had known ahead of time how I would feel, nor would I have gone to Trummelbach Falls had I remembered I'm usually not as interested in others in caves, geysers, weird rock formations. My goof.

It's really a very subjective call. I very much enjoy walking through the Alps and I feel the same way you do about Rome or Berlin or other cities you've enjoyed . Of course you are not going to be through with them in 4 days or 5 or 6. I also think Switzerland will make a great break from between Venice and Paris (I don't like Venice much at all but that is totally irrelevant. I think the time you've allotted it makes sense).

Just go with your gut on this one. If you run out of things to do in Switzerland, be naughty and leave for a surprise location. Have fun whatever you do!

suze

I don't think you need a "Swiss Pass" for what you describe.

I strongly agree with the suggestion to somehow include Montreux, Vevey, Lausanne, which is right on your route and an incredibly beautiful area.

PalenQ

I don't think you need a "Swiss Pass" for what you describe.>

You cannot say that until you know exactly what the poster is going to do in the Lauterbrunnen area - assumedly not stay put in town all the time - one great excrusion that is 100% valid with a Swiss Pass from town goes via thrilling aerial cable way up the cliff to Grutschalp then scintillating electric train right along the cliff to Murren - then aerial gondolas to Gimmelwald - a farming hamalet out in the middle of nowehre and which has gained popularity in recent years for its unique setting - then the awesome aerial gondolas that plunges back down to the Lauterbrunnen Valley at Stechelberg for a postal bus ride back to Lauterbrunnen - 100% covered by a Swiss Pass this rather expensive loop would be and if they go to Schilthorn from Murren they get 59% off with a Swiss Pass - about $50 savings there along so could easily realize $100 or so in ticket prices on just one day.

And maybe in rainy weather they bail out of the Alps and day trip to Lucerne or Bern - the pass is valuable even more or they want to go down to do boat trips on either lake bookending Interlaken - great great floats IMO - so it depends on what they do before anyone can say whether they need a Swiss Pass or not IMO.

suze

<You cannot say that until you know exactly what the poster is going to do in the Lauterbrunnen area>

That's why I said I don't *think*...

Obviously you can never figure out which pass (if any) is best until you know where you are going!

beestarkes

I think we would need the Swiss Pass. We certainly wouldn't want to stay put. Going up gondolas & train rides to nearby towns.

PalenQ , all the things you mentioned sound great.

michele_d

Hi beestarkes,
We did hiking/walking nearly everyday with the exception of one day for grocery shopping and laundry. We also went down to Interlaken and rode the funicular one day. We went to pretty much every town in the BO during our time there. Switzerland was in the middle of a three month trip.

If you do not want to hike but want a lovely, very easy walk then take the train to Wengen, cable car from Wengen to Mannlichen. Walk from Mannlichen to Kelein Scheidegg and then take the train down to Grindelwald, wander around and then take the train from Grindelwald to Lauterbrunnen.

Another day you can take the funicular and train from Lauterbrunnen up to Murren. It is a lovely town to walk around. You can take the funicular up to Allmendubul and stroll leisurely back down to Murren.

We did not do Schilthorn, but many people here recommend it.

There is a lot to do in the area. Restaurants are quite expensive so you might want to pack a little lunch to take with you on your outings.

It is a beautiful area. You will enjoy it.

PalenQ

I always find that if I have a Swiss Pass I may end up doing more than I thought I would - simply because I do not have to think well is this worth that - like on a whim I often in Interlaken take a boat ride on Lake Thun - just a float around the lake on a nice late afternoon in summer - the Jungfrau Massif is out in all its glory and you laze on deck and drink up the intoxicating scenes.

Bring a picnic and make it even better. But if I had to think well would I pay $30 or so for that ride well I may not have done it, etc. And again on rainy days it is easy to take the train to Bern or even Lucerne - cities that even in wet weather can be fun - especially Bern as it has covered passageways lacing the town center.
consecutive-day passes are the best deal per day but even with a flexipass you get 50% of everything in between the 100% covered travel days - again makes one more likely to take a fairly expensive conveyance over paying full price.
Pass gives you flexibility in case of poor weather, not uncommon here and if staying in a place like Wengen or Murren the pass covers 100% of the trains and cables, etc to get there and back and most do not stay put in just one place.

beestarkes

What kind of savings do you see from going up Jungfrau & Schilthorn ?

michele_d

Whatever savings you realize from the Swiss Pass, on the rest of the railways, I still believe that there is no savings at all from any pass for the section from Kleine Scheidegg up to the Jungfrau. At least there wasn't with the BO pass. It is a private railroad. There is a discount for the first train of the day to the top though. I did like having a pass for our stay in the BO, we could just hop on and off whenever we wanted, no money to worry about after the initial purchase.

PalenQ

Whatever savings you realize from the Swiss Pass, on the rest of the railways, I still believe that there is no savings at all from any pass for the section from Kleine Scheidegg up to the Jungfrau. At least there wasn't with the BO pass.>

Yes there is with the Swiss Pass - 25% off and that is no chump change on one of the world's most expensive if not most expensive railway - did not know BO pass got zilch - but conditions of Swiss Pass say 25%.

michele_d

Thanks PalenQ - that's good to know.