Which would you chose in Switzerland?
 

So, we have two days in the Lucerne environs.

Day 1: Lake Lucerne boat cruise and Vilnius/Mr Rigi.

Day 2: We would either do Engelberg/Mt Titlis, or Interlaken/Berner Oberland.

Which would you prefer?

Thank you!

Hi uluvbs,

Getting to Interlaken will eat up most of your day (assuming you want to set foot on the mountains, not just that busy touristy town).

I would stay local and see local stuff -- much more enjoyable than sitting passively waiting for the destination to arrive.

s

I'd do the Pilatus cable car from Luzern on day 2. Saves a LOT of travel time and is a fine mountain experience.

If the weather allows. Your plans require two clear days. I hope you are staying in the area for longer than just those two days so that you can keep your plans flexible and adjust them to the weather conditions.

A person can certainly do this sort of day-trip, but I think you might be worn to a frazzle at the end of the day.

I learned the hardway that the best thing is to concentrate on one particular area. Trying to do too many areas will certainly make you very weary very fast.

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I'm sorry, but I'm confused.

Are you saying I cannot do Engelberg/Titlis in a single day from Lucerne? Or that Interlaken/Berner Oberland in a single day is too much?

Thank you.

Engleberg/Titlis can be done in one day from Lucerne, but to me going all the way to the Interlaken/Jungfrau area from Lucerne would be too tiresome.

Engleberg area can be done easy from Lucerne. That is a great day-trip from Lucerne.

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uluvbs, do you think this will be your only trip to Switzerland? Or do you plan to return sometime in the near future?

I would hare to steer someone away from seeing the Jungfrau and Eiger if that was going to be their only chance to see this area.

I have seen people do that Lucerne- Interlaken excursion. I remember chatting with this British lady who always made a point of spending the day in the lucerne area.

Then by nightfall, she would return by train. To me, I would be very weary, but there are those that do this trip. Probably someone might be doing this as I type this.

I just want you to be aware that it will require a good chunk of your day. Then once you get to Interlaken, you would probably take the connecting trains up to the Kleine Scheidegg area to see the Jungfrau and company up and close.

I think it was last year that I talked to this group from san Fransisco that were staying in Zurich who had made the long journey to Kleine Scheidegg. These people had driven their rented car though and had parked down in Lauterbrunnen. They then caught the train up to Kleine Schiedgg from Lauterbrunnen.
Zurich would be even longer trip.

Going to Interlaken from Lucerne can be done in a day trip, but as I said, to me it can be a tiresome trip. That is just my opinion. There might be some on this forum that might not think this trip is that tiresome. Just my opinion!!

Vilnius/Mr Rigi

I think you mean "Vitznau" / Mt. Rigi.

It's a very nice boat trip to Vitznau and a nice ride up to the top. You could take the Weggis cable car on the way down and catch the ferry back to Luzern from there.

Day 2: Switzerland's train system is efficient and punctual. I personally don't see a problem doing Berner Oberland in one day from Luzern. Go for it!

depending on your travel ideas, if you like me want to be on the go then both are possible. The Vitznau/Rigi trip could be made longer by returning from Rigi Kulm via Arth Goldau and Brunnen and then taking the boat back to Lucerne, it's 2 hour boat trip but worth it.
Day 2 to Interlaken go via the Brunig Pass route and if the weather is good you will get superb views from the centre of Interlaken, or go Lauterbrunnen and take the cable car to Grutzalp and walk from there to Winteregg, it's an almost flat good path, and has good views of the Monch Eiger and Jungfrau from the other side of the Lauterbrunnen valley, return to Interlaken Ost and you can take the train to Lucerne via Berne, it's longer I think, but it would make a round trip and you have time to eat. I know this sounds like a lot of travelling but some people like it.

Hi again,

Sorry to be unclear; I was saying that the trip to Interlaken/Jungfrau is too far for a day-trip from Luzern.

I always limit my excursions to two hours of transport each way, or else my memories of the destination will be wiped out by too many hours inside a moving carriage. And, there are simply so many wonderful things to do and to see around Luzern that spending so much time in transport is really a shame.

If you want to see the BO that badly, make it an overnight.

Have fun!

s

If you get a clear day, do the "Bus to Kriens, cablecar up to Pilatus-cogwheel down to Alpnachstadt and boat back to Luzern. On another day, explore the beautiful altstadt. See the Lowendenkmal and Bourbaki panorama, have lunch at Cafe Hug's riveside restaurant (or hotel des alpes') and, if time, take in the Swiss transport museum. Save the BO for when you have time just to devote to that region. In Euro travel, less is often more, if you know what I mean.