Zurich: Arriving from the US - Frankfurt.
Jul 8th, 2010, 07:45 PM
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Zurich: Arriving from the US - Frankfurt.
Plan is to take a train to Lucerne directly without stopping in Zurich.
Is it a bad idea with small kids - 1 & 5?
- We arrive sunday afternoon around 3pm. Our reservation made it such that we are in Lucerne the same day.
- Anything to be prepared for/watch out for or be ready with in terms of taking the train with luggage, kids etc. from the airport and making it to Lucerne before late?
Is it a bad idea with small kids - 1 & 5?
- We arrive sunday afternoon around 3pm. Our reservation made it such that we are in Lucerne the same day.
- Anything to be prepared for/watch out for or be ready with in terms of taking the train with luggage, kids etc. from the airport and making it to Lucerne before late?
Jul 8th, 2010, 08:01 PM
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It looks like it is only a 4 hour ride. Try to take the train that has only 1 change at Basel. The train is always more relaxing to me than the plane, but I am sure the kids and you will be tired. The good thing is, it will be time for bed when you reach Lucerne.
Jul 9th, 2010, 02:35 PM
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mahjong2010: It's tough traveling with a 1-year-old. Many years ago I flew from the USA to New Zealand with a 2-year-old and it was very challenging. By the time we got off the plane he needed to run around in circles to get his energy worked out.
Recently, my husband and I flew (without any kids) from LAX to Zurich nonstop. it's 11 or 12 hours. Someone else had a small child on the plane...he was about 2 or 3 years old. Eventually the little boy began running up and down the aisles of the plane...his parents let him as he had too much energy. The stewardess had to dodge him.
My advice is get off the plane and stay close to wherever your plane lands for a few days. Then move on by train.
About trains...they are relaxing...but there is one problem. When the train stops at a major station, there are people lined up to get off the train...and people waiting at the station lined up to get on. Sometimes people try to get on before everyone has gotten off the train. So if you have kids and luggage, you could have a bit of trouble. When your train is approaching your station, you will need to line up your luggage and your kids at the door of the train. Then as soon as the train stops you will need to get off quickly before people start pushing to get onto the train!
Most people are fairly polite, but if a tour group has reserved a car of the train, they can be more pushy to get on, and they will pour into every door.
You will be fine as long as you get your luggage and your kids lined up at the door of the train so you can get off right away when the train stops.
I watched a family who had to get off the train with 2 kids and a baby...they got separated from their stroller which they had to leave on the train in order to get their kids and luggage off. Luckily my husband and I were able to hand the stroller out to them before the new people tried to get on the train and before the train took off with their stroller.
Enjoy your trip. You are doing the right thing...planning ahead is always best with kids.
Recently, my husband and I flew (without any kids) from LAX to Zurich nonstop. it's 11 or 12 hours. Someone else had a small child on the plane...he was about 2 or 3 years old. Eventually the little boy began running up and down the aisles of the plane...his parents let him as he had too much energy. The stewardess had to dodge him.
My advice is get off the plane and stay close to wherever your plane lands for a few days. Then move on by train.
About trains...they are relaxing...but there is one problem. When the train stops at a major station, there are people lined up to get off the train...and people waiting at the station lined up to get on. Sometimes people try to get on before everyone has gotten off the train. So if you have kids and luggage, you could have a bit of trouble. When your train is approaching your station, you will need to line up your luggage and your kids at the door of the train. Then as soon as the train stops you will need to get off quickly before people start pushing to get onto the train!
Most people are fairly polite, but if a tour group has reserved a car of the train, they can be more pushy to get on, and they will pour into every door.
You will be fine as long as you get your luggage and your kids lined up at the door of the train so you can get off right away when the train stops.
I watched a family who had to get off the train with 2 kids and a baby...they got separated from their stroller which they had to leave on the train in order to get their kids and luggage off. Luckily my husband and I were able to hand the stroller out to them before the new people tried to get on the train and before the train took off with their stroller.
Enjoy your trip. You are doing the right thing...planning ahead is always best with kids.
Jul 10th, 2010, 05:52 AM
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We just got back this week from 2 weeks in Switzerland and France with our kids (11 and 14, so older than yours). While Switzerland was utterly wonderful and the train system fantastic, we were having regrets after taking the TGV from Basel to Paris on a Saturday. It was about 3.5 hours and packed....maybe because it was a Saturday in early July. We each had a fairly small wheeled piece of luggage which we piled on top of all the other luggage in any location we could find. In our car was a couple with a 10-month-old...very nice to talk with, but the poor parents were constantly walking back and forth through the cars because the baby was hot and miserable for that long (did have a/c but was still very warm). No empty seats so they were at a table with some young guy who didn't seem to appreciate sitting with a family and all their baby snacks/gear. The car behind ours had only 4 kids, probably from ages 7-11, who were jumping all over, sitting on the seatbacks, etc, so it seemed like the car was filled with kids. We were glad we had the 10-month-old car
The TGV from Paris to Geneva on a Tuesday was not nearly so bad. But 3-4 hours is a long time sitting on a train for kids.
The TGV from Paris to Geneva on a Tuesday was not nearly so bad. But 3-4 hours is a long time sitting on a train for kids.
Jul 14th, 2010, 07:25 PM
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Honestly it takes just a little bit over an hour to get to Lucerne from the Zurich airport, we used to do it annually since our oldest was 18 month old to visit family. If you arrive at 3pm, you should be out of the customs with your suitcases in 20 minutes. There is a daily direct train to Lucerne departing at15:47 from the airport basement station arriving in Lucerne at 16:49. The train number is IR 2353 (InterRegio). If you miss that direct train, there are plenty of other trains afterwards with a change in Zurich downtown station which will add an extra 10-15 minutes to the journey. Www.sbb.ch
We used to travel with our 1 yr and 3 year olds everywhere. We would buy a cheap $20 stroller and dump it at the med of the trip. Our kids were always fascinated ( or scared & perplexed) by all the new surroundings that they behaved better than at home. The train station in Lucerne is very much in the town center so it's super easy to get to your hotel.
We used to travel with our 1 yr and 3 year olds everywhere. We would buy a cheap $20 stroller and dump it at the med of the trip. Our kids were always fascinated ( or scared & perplexed) by all the new surroundings that they behaved better than at home. The train station in Lucerne is very much in the town center so it's super easy to get to your hotel.
Jul 14th, 2010, 07:39 PM
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<<at the med of the trip>> should be << at the end of >>
It's really easy to board the train from the airport arrival area just take the elevator down to the ground floor and exit to your right to buy the train ticket at the ticket counter which will be on your right, then hop on the escalator down to the train gate 4. We used to time it and would be at the ticket counter within 20 minutes after landing. The Swiss airport is quite efficient and their goal is to get you out of the airport within 20 minutes after landing.
It's really easy to board the train from the airport arrival area just take the elevator down to the ground floor and exit to your right to buy the train ticket at the ticket counter which will be on your right, then hop on the escalator down to the train gate 4. We used to time it and would be at the ticket counter within 20 minutes after landing. The Swiss airport is quite efficient and their goal is to get you out of the airport within 20 minutes after landing.
Jul 14th, 2010, 07:44 PM
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Oops I just reread your posting, you are landing in Frankfurt insteadbof Zurich. I would recommend staying in Frankfurt for the night. You can also stay in Heidelberg which is just an hour train ride from the airport and it's a nice touristy and student town to enjoy.
