Hi everyone, I'll be doing a last minute 2 week trip to Switzerland mid June with a friend. We are first time visitors from the US, fairly active 50+ with no mobility issues, who want to see as much of the natural beauty, lakes, valleys and mountains that Switzerland is famous for , as well as sample some of the cities/towns. We won't be doing any super challenging or overnight hikes. We will arrive and depart from Zurich and we plan to travel by train. I've traveled internationally fairly extensively and last year did a 2 week trip to Scotland/London and also Japan/Thailand. I sketched out a fairly ambitious prelim itinerary and wanted to get some thoughts. I do realize weather can impact things so will plan on being flexible and adjusting plans as much as possible during the trip. I don't know if and when I will be back to Switzerland so trying to do as much as possible, and since the country is fairly small and the transportation system is world class, I figured that should make things less taxing.
also, given that it is mid to late June, will I need reservations on the scenic train rides.
Here goes:

arrive Zurich the morning of 6/15
Zurich 1 night (stay in or near Old town)
Lucern 2 nights
Lugano - 1 night
Upper Engadine/St Mirtiz/Pontresina - 2 nights
Zermatt/Bernese Oberland area - 2 nights
Lausanne - 1 night
Berner Oberland/Gimmelwald/Muren - 2 nights
Bern - 1 night
Zurich - last night

I listed the towns where I think we will sleep, but we would plan to explore the particular area as much as possible. We are still in the early planning stage so trying to get a better idea of specific sights/towns etc that we'd like to see. Also my neighbor is Swiss (from Lausanne) so she is a good resource, although she has not been to all the above.

Look forward to suggestions on other towns/regions also whether to skip any of the above.
Also, do any of you recommend staying longer in any of the above destinations and using them more as a base, and doing day trips to other destinations to reduce the number of lodging changes.
Also - what about "Appenzel" vs any of the places I've listed.

thanks in advance!

See if you can change your flight to arrive in Zurich but fly home through Milan or Geneva. Your options will expand hugely.

If you must fly out of Zurich, consider putting all of your time there at the end of your trip.

I’m no expert, but your sequence dpesn’t make much sense to me. For example, why Lausanne in the middle of your time in the Bernese Oberland?

I understand that you are comfortable with a fast pace. That said, I think you are shortchanging some areas. Only 1 nightr in all of the Ticino? Only 2 nights in the Engadine? Your trip, your call, but I think you might want to focus on a few areas rather than trying to see one or two things scattered about the country.

If you haven’t already consulted it, the Michelin Green Guide is an excellent resource for Switzerland. And you might find some useful information in my old trip report. My delightful sampling of Switzerland’s gems, with many thanks

Historically June gets a fair amount of rain so you may be moving around a lot not seeing much of the mountains.

I'm a much slower traveler, so I find your itinerary rather odd and entirely too fast-paced, keeping in mind that we're all different.

I'd skip that first night in Zurich, and head right to Lucerne. It'll be too early to check into your hotel, so why not keep going, drop off your luggage and then do something mellow in Lucerne to get some fresh air and exercise and fight off the flight fatigue.

Keep in mind that two nights is only one full day, and one night (as in Lugano) basically means a train ride, a hotel change, a meal or two and a wander. You'll have no time to do much at all.

Two nights in the Upper Engadine - that means one full day, and it looks like you just plan to take trains from St Moritz to Pontresina. You might have just enough time to walk around the lake, wander Pontresina, and have a meal or two.

Zermatt and the BO are two different areas. I don't get this part at all.

Then back to the BO later in the trip?

Yes, Switzerland is small, but it still takes time to see it. Have you looked into actual train schedules and routing? Have you considered the time needed to get one's bearings in each new location? Have you considered all the unpacking and repacking, the time involved in switching hotels, and accommodation check-in times? This alone could take a lot more time than you think.

Looks like you have 13 nights - I suggest you pick a max of three locations, spend four nights each, and then spend that last night in Zurich. I think you'll find plenty to see and do to fill those four nights and if you choose wisely, you can also make short day trips from those bases.

FWIW this comes from someone who knows Switzerland well, and knows better than to rush through such a beautiful country.

Slow down, take a breath and actually enjoy the place you've come to see.

Hello, no I cannot.

hello and thanks for your response, my sequence is preliminary so yes I see Lausanne would be best visited after Bernese Oberland. And yes I see now that Ticino would be better served with at least 2 nights. I will have to do some serious consideration to focus on fewer areas. And I will view your trip report (and I know there are others, I plan to take a look in the next few days)
thanks very much for your reply.

My final thought is that no matter what you do, you had better decide soon soon and make reservations. This appears to be less than one month away so do your research and start reserving accommodations etc.

Hello, thanks again. As I said this was preliminary and I'm probably being overly ambitious (or something else) and I'm definitely open for suggestions.

And no I haven't actually plotted the actual train schedules - that is on my list for the next couple days. After watching some you tube videos last night it's hard not to try and cram as much as possible into 13 nights. I will definitely consider what you and others have said about reducing the number of locations and spend maybe 3 - 4 nights in each. Maybe head straight to Lucerne upon arrival for the first 2 nights, and then divide the other 10 nights (with the last night in Zurich) into 3 or 4 night blocks to explore the region and do day trips.

My return flight departs Zurich at 1pm so I was also considering overnighting in Zurich the first night and on the last night staying in Bern and taking an early morning train to Zurich airport. That would leave 11 nights to carve out.

I'll take a look at things and I'm sure I will be back with more questions

I can't go in July so will just have to make the best of it and modify things as I go along. But will most likely carve the trip into 3 or 4 segments as everyone has suggested.
thanks

Don't worry about accommodation. June is rather low season in Switzerland.
As to the weather, it's always unpredictable in the Alps. April is usually a rainy month. But this year, there was already no rain in April.
Furhtermore, it doesn't rain usually in all areas of the countriy at the same time and in the same intensity. You may have a look at official weather charts: https://www.meteoswiss.admin.ch/serv...itation-maps-M

The main problem are places high in the Alps, where you can do almost nothing when it is rainy,cold and windy and so foggy that you cannot even see the closest peaks.
Everywhere else, bad weather means the visit of historic medieval city centers, outstandig museums, thermal spas, castles, caves and all kinds of museums.

As to your itinerary: it's completly feasible:
Zurich airport - Lucerne: 1 hr 10 min by train (trains every 30 min)
Lucene - Bellinzona (Unesco site): 1 1/2 hrs by train, up to Lugano 1 3/4 hrs (trains every 30 min)
Lugano - St. Moritz by bus: 3 hrs (once daily, Lugano dp 14.40)
Lugano - St. Moritz by Bernina Express: 5 3/4 hrs (once daily, Lugano dp 10.00)
St. Moritz - Zermatt by Glacier Express: 8 1/2 hrs (3times daily, St. Moritz dp 7.05, 8.38, 9.38)
Zermatt - Lausanne: 3 hrs (every 30 min).