William_Baroo

My wife and I plan to spend 6 full days in Switzerland after 7 days in Greece. I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time in Lucerne when I was 16, and I want to go back, so we want to spend several days there.

Apart from Lucerne, we want to visit the Interlaken area. We are thinking of taking a room in Wengen. We would be flying home from Zurich.

Is it realistic to leave Wengen for Zurich and fly out the same day? The Internet makes everything look easy, but I would like to hear from someone who has tried it.

If it's hard to get to the airport from Wengen, we would need to go back to Lucerne for a night before leaving. This kind of breaks up the trip.

J62

Google maps is a good place to get a quick glance at train schedules, or go directly to the SBB swiss rail website or app. From Interlaken to ZRH (Airport) there are train options several times an hour. Some are direct, others require one change (Spiez or Bern). Travel time is ~2hr 30min. I'm sure others will tell you that you must get to ZRH the night beforehand. Me, I'd be perfectly comfortable arriving same day. I've not done this particular route, but I do know that Swiss trains run like clockwork. With several options an hour departing as early as 5am I don't see any real risk.

From Wengen I'd take a taxi to either Interlaken (if it's a direct train to ZRH), or to Spiez if that one is direct, just to avoid a train change. I see no reason to go back to Luzern.

At home, I routinely drive 3 hrs to get to the airport on the same day - just be sure to leave enough time.

BarbAnn

Are you flying in from Greece to Zurich? If so, train immediately to Wengen (I have done that several times) then put the Luzern stay at the end of your trip.

There is no taxi in Wengen. It is car free. (OK, there are electric cart type trucks.) Swiss trains are usually very punctual, but I would not train from Wengen to the Zurich airport on the day of your flight unless your flight leaves after 12 noon. Also depends on when you are taking this trip.

Have a wonderful trip. I love Wengen!

k_marie

It depends. Of course. On so many things.

What time is your plane from ZRH? Does your airline recommend arrival at the airport three hours earlier? How much luggage will you have? Are you able to handle it easily yourselves?

Isn’t Wengen car free? If there is no taxi, that’s another train to add to the journey. A very quick look at TrainLine shows a trip with four different trains, with some connections of six minutes. Are you able to handle several six minute connections with your luggage?

Can you rearrange the itinerary so that Lucerne is your last destination before your flight from ZRH?

J62

Info from the Wengen website https://wengen.swiss/en/services/guest-information.html

Taxi services in Wengen:
Taxi Wegmüller +41 77 440 5879
Ibex Taxi Wengen +41 79 823 3823
Wengen Taxi +41 79 885 80 00

One of them can tell you if they can pick you up where you are planning to stay. Or your lodging (if it's a hotel) can tell you if you can get a taxi to Interlaken or Spiez....

janisj

Time of departure is VERY important. If before maybe noon-1PM -- then I'd stay the night in Zurich.

But if it was me I'd 100% rearrange things so we'd visit Wengen first and finish up with all the Zurich nights together at the end. That solves everything.

William_Baroo

Thanks for all the replies. Our flight home leaves Zurich at 1:35 p.m., but we might be able to find a later flight.
I wanted to go to Lucerne before Wengen. It seems like a better way to end the trip. I don't want to go back to Lucerne because it will kill a day.

J62

Easy math. A train departing Interlaken at 7am gets you to ZRH before 10am, or 3 1/2 to 4 hrs before your flight which is overkill, but safe. Me? I'd plan to leave before 8 and minimize the connections to zero or 1.

William_Baroo

Sounds like it's no problem, then.

We don't care about the time we spend getting to the airport, since we are used to long flights and waits.

WeisserTee

IF you opt to take a taxi to Zurich airport from Wengen, the cost starts at over 300 francs and escalates depending on day, time, type of vehicle etc. Of course you could take a taxi just to Interlaken Ost for a direct train to the airport. You would probably do best to take the 7 am train, getting you into the airport around 9:20 or so. Plenty of time to check in for a 1:30 pm flight. If you change to a later flight, there is also a direct train from Interlaken Ost to the airport at 9 am.

neckervd

Leave Wengen at 6.13 or 7.13 and arrive at Zurich airport at 9.14 0r 10.14. Change at Lauterbrunnen, Interkkaen Oat and Bern.
The Wengen taxis can bring you from your hotel to Wengen railway station, but not down to the valley, because there is no road..

William_Baroo

Yeah, I'm not interested in dropping 300 CHF for no reason. Trains sound great. We are looking at Oberland passes.

BarbAnn

Connecting on the trains are easy peasy. You will be find. Have fun!

Melnq8

I don't understand the suggestion to take a taxi - take the train. We've traveled from Wengen to Zurich on our day of departure several times. As long as you have an afternoon flight and get an early start, it's a piece of cake.

William_Baroo

Sounds like we are in good shape. This will be fantastic.

I always wish I could stay in one country for a month or more and stay at least a week in each location, so it pains me to have to cut transportation days out of our short, 15-day vacations.

Thanks for the advice.

Melnq8

Perhaps in retirement, assuming you're still working? We travel for 4-5 weeks at a time, a perk of retirement.

Enjoy your trip. We've been visiting Switzerland on a regular basis for over 25 years and have yet to get enough.

William_Baroo

I don't work, thank God, but I am reluctant to leave my house for a whole month unless I have a sitter.