betsy3

I am so confused reading all the websites for the beautiful mountains in Switzerland. I thought that I had it all down with my 3 month reading on Lauterbrunnen and surrounding towns.

But I just saw Brienz to Rothorn Railway and then I came across information “Zermatt-Rothorn paradise.” Is Rothorn a town and paradise is higher?

1. I do not understand how to get from Rothorn to Zermatt or Zermatt to Rothorn.
I look at websites but for some reason they do not seem clear to me.
2. Is the trip on cable cars?
3. Is it a day trip from Lauterbrunnen where we are staying?
4. If this is possible would you take a train to Zermatt and then cable cars to Rothorn or the other way around?
5. Do we need reservations that first week of October for any of this?

Thank you for all the information possible.
I know someone has done this before or lives near this beautiful area of the world.
besty3

Ingo

Two different mountains ;-)

Brienzer Rothorn is near Lauterbrunnen with a steam cog-train up.

Rothorn above Zermatt is a peak that is accessible by funicular first (to Sunnegga) and then cable cars/gondola.

Reservations are not possible and definitely NOT necessary, either.

betsy3

Ingo,
You mean 2 mountains with the same name Rothorn.
I guess you mean they can not be done together.

Do we take the train from Lauterbrunnen-Interlaken to Zermatt
and then the different steps to Rothorn paradise round trip?

Is it possible to do Zermatt to Rothorn in the morning. and then Brienz to Rothorn in the afternoon?

Is all of this open the first week of October?
Thanks

kappa1

> Is it possible to do Zermatt to Rothorn in the morning. and then Brienz to Rothorn in the afternoon?

No you simply don't/can't do that. Find out how far are these 2 points from each other, Brinenz and Zermatt. Take a look at a map. Or use google.map and find out how long it take to go simply from Brienz ( the bottom station for Rothorn 1) to Zermatt. From Zermatt as said by Ingo, you still have the way to go up by Metro(sort of underground funicular) to Sunnegga then further up by cables cars (with 1 change )to Rothorn 2.

Dukey1

I can tell you from many experiences that there is basically ONE big thing in Zermatt: that big peak up above.

If you are already in the Berner Oberland there are going to be plenty of great alpine vistas, etc.,etc., and lots of other "it is so great it almost looks fake" scenery. No need to troop all the way down to Zermatt unless you have, literally nothing else much to do.

PalenQ

a great day excursion from Lauterbrunnen - take train to Interlaken-Ost, hop boats from behind the station to Brienz, take the steam train up to the Brienzer Rothorn - summit I gather and walk back down or take the train back down - I walked and it was lovely with the lake glimmering far below. On the boat also get off at Geissbach Falls and take the antique funicular up to the famous falls - a roaring cascade and hotel/restaurant.

If you have a Swiss Pass it will cover all the trains and boats in full to Brienz and give 50% off on the steam train up to the Rothorn - and 50% off funicular to Giessbach - great sources of info on Swiss trains and things like the Rothorn steam train- http://www.budgeteuropetravel.com/id3.html; www.swisstravelsystem.com and www.ricksteves.com. Brienz is known for its many elaborate wood cuttings/carvings - revel at the many intircately hewn wooden flower boxes and shutters on the wooden chalet-style houses in town. Steam train departs right opposite the boat dock - from the town train station - lots of trains take you quickly back to Interlaken-ost station.

Ingo

Betsy,

there are about two dozens of "Rothorn" mountains in the Swiss Alps. Or more.

Like the others said, you cannot do both on one day. And it is a total waste of time to go from Lauterbrunnen to Zermatt for going up to the Rothorn there. Make the best of your time in the Lauterbrunnen area instead!

I.

betsy3

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am marking off Zermatt.
I am going with Palen Q suggestion Brienz-Rothorn.

I have never had so much confusion over planning a trip.
I am finding this more difficult to plan than Germany. I want to use my time wisely and we want to see the best of Switzerland. All these alps and names are confusing to me and I have Rick Steve's book.

We will be in Lauterbrunnen 5 nights but only 4 full days.
Has anyone eaten breakfast at the Schilthorn-Piz Gloria?

greg

I have eaten lunch at Piz Gloria. I think you go there primarily for the view.

Also this type of distance-time questions I have seen can be to the most part answered by looking at an online map. Enter "Zermatt-Rothorn" and "Brienz-Rothorn" into Google map and you can immediately find out where they are located. How long does it take from Lauterbrunnen? Enter "Swiss Train" into google search and you get www.sbb.ch at the top of list which in turn tells you how long the trips take.

betsy3

Thanks!

PalenQ

If doing Schilthorn it is a great day not because of Piz Gloria and all the hype about the Alp's longest aerial cable way and James Bond On Her Majesty's Service in part being filmed there but also to see Murren and Gimmelwald and take two of the most thrilling aerial cableways in the Alps - first up to Grutschalp from Lauterbrunnen - then go via toylike train along the cliff's edge - grand views of Jungfrau Massif across the deep Lauterbrunnen Valley - to Murren - hop the longest Alpine cable they say to Schilthorn and back (you could walk back though it is a steep start) and then from Murren to Gimmelwald aerial cableway then a thrilling plunging cable car ride back down to the Lauterbrunnen Valley at Stechlberg where postal buses take you the few miles back to Lauterbrunnen (or a nice flat stroll along a bubbling brook - passing Trummelbach Falls just before Lauterbrunnen. And with a Swiss Pass all the cables and train and postal bus is 100% covered save the Murren to Schilthorn cableway which is 50% off - a great use of a day on a Swiss Pass!

betsy3

PalenQ,
This sounds great!

Thanks everyone.

betsy

PalenQ

I do not understand how to get from Rothorn to Zermatt or Zermatt to Rothorn.
I look at websites but for some reason they do not seem clear to me.
2. Is the trip on cable cars?
3. Is it a day trip from Lauterbrunnen where we are staying?
4. If this is possible would you take a train to Zermatt and then cable cars to Rothorn or the other way around?
5. Do we need reservations that first week of October for any of this?>

Well no because none of those trains nor any in Switzerland TMK except trains like the official Glacier Express demand reservations and do not even make them so you cannot pre-book if you wish and anyway the 1st week of October is a very slack travel time in this area.