azhawk08

Hi all,

I'm going on a 50 day trip to Europe in Aug/Sept, and want to spend a little time in Switzerland while I'm there. I have a free week between visiting Cinque Terre, Italy, and catching a flight from Geneva to Barcelona.

So Day 1 would be spent getting from Cinque Terre to Destination #1, then I have 7 days to go wherever, and on Day 8 I depart from Geneva airport at 3 pm.

Some places on my radar are Lucerne, Bern, Interlaken (or Lauterbrunnen?), Lausanne, Lugano, Geneva. I'm definitely open to suggestion on where to go, and how many days to spend there.

FWIW: I'm a 25 year old female traveling solo, and I don't mind moving around every few days (or taking day trips). When I travel, I like to experience the atmosphere of a place- its landscapes, architecture, foods, and people. I'm more into historic sites than museums- really looking forward to seeing the things that make a place unique.

PalenQ

with all that train travel envisioned be sure to investigate the Swiss Pass which covers not only trains but lake boats, city trams and buses and 50% off most of the rather expensive lifts to mountain tops - and you can just hop on any train, boat, etc without formality - great info at these fab IMo sources for Swiss trains, lake boats, passes, etc - www.swisstravelsystem.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com. And for some reason Swiss Passes are often significantly cheaper if bought in North America than for the same pass in Switzerland so compare prices in dollars and francs when comparing to regular fares, which you can get at www.sbb.ch - the official site of the Swiss Federal Railways.

tipsygus

If you buy a pass, buy it before going I bought my Swiss Pass for this September last week the Swiss Railways website priced at £291 I paid just that the price on the pass in front of me is 465chf at today's conversion rate equals £352. That is for a 15 day pass. I would also suggest taking the train straight to somewhere like Murren or Wengen for the reasons already stated in previous posts, plus having had a long flight the 3 hour rail trip will be a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery

PalenQ

Some places on my radar are Lucerne, Bern, Interlaken (or Lauterbrunnen?), Lausanne, Lugano, Geneva>

The scintillating Swiss Alpine Wonderland scenery etched in your mind's eye perhaps will be most fulfilled in the Interlaken - Berner Oberland area - and at age 25 I would eschew the likes on Wengen and Murren, which cater to a well-heeled older crowd IME and head for either Lauterbrunnen or Grindelwald, both of which attract lots of folks you age - so glacier-girdled high peaks to ogle in day time and an active nightlife if you so want one in either town or even in Interlaken, to me a much overlooked and very utilitarian base for day trips into the mountains or to the likes of Bern or Lucerne. Base in the Interlaken area and if want to see those two other fine cities hop the train and be there quickly.

PalenQ

If staying in either Murren or Wengen then a Swiss Pass covers transport to both in full - even inluding the thrilling aerial cable cars up to Murren and back down as well as the cable car Murren to unique Gimmelwald, an absolute highlight of this area for many - a small farming hamlet out in the middle of nowhere but with totally awesome views over the Jungfrau Massif.

azhawk08

Thanks for the train info, PalenQ! In fact, I have already purchased a 15 day flexi rail pass for my trip. How does that pass work in Switzerland? Do I need a Swiss Pass in addition to my regular rail pass?

PalenQ

You are talking about a Eurailpass that is valid in Switzerland? well you may want to supplement that pass yes with a Swiss Pass and then conserve some of those 15 days to use other places - but if you will not bea be able to use elseshwere here is how a Eurail Pass worked in Switzerland - it will be valid on all lines of the Swiss Federal Railways like those going between all main cities but will not be valid on trains from Interlaken to Murren or Wengen, etc though it will give you a 25% discount off train tickets from Interlaken to Lauterbrunnen or to Grindelwald and you need not use a day on your flexipass to get the discount.

Thus with a Eurailpass I would base myself in Interlaken and not a Wengen or Murren as it will cost a lot to get into and out of those places if using them as bases - the per day cost of a Swiss Pass is a lot lower than the Eurail pass so that is why if you could use the 15 days elsewhere you still may want to get a Swiss Pass.

panecott

While you're in Geneva, a day trip to the Palais de Chillon is a lovely excursion.

Of the other places you mentioned, I've spent time in Lucerne and Interlaken and loved both. Also visited Lugano on a day trip.

I visited all these places many years ago - when I was your age - and enjoyed them all. Geneva was my favorite city in Switzerland.

PalenQ

Chateau de Chillon, made famous by Lord Byron? not a palace but an old castle overlooking Lake Geneva - you could take a train from Geneva to either Lausanne, Montreux or Vevey or all the way to a station right by the famous castle - or you can go by boat from Lausanne, Montreux or Vevey. Very famous castle often pictured in travel brochures.

panecott

>>>> Chateau de Chillon, made famous by Lord Byron? >>>

Yes, chateau, not palais.

We took the train the whole way - a very scenic and enjoyable ride.

PalenQ

The train tracks go right by the castle - curious as to how far the train station is from the castle and I do not recall - I walked there from Montreux - just a few miles and lovely lakeside paths - you could also take the trolley buses that ply the lakeside road constantly.

PalenQ

You could easily twin a visit to either Vevey or Montreux with a day trip from Geneva to the Castle of Chillon - both are neat old cities on the lake - many Fodorites and myself find that Vevey, which juts out into the lake, is especially dreamy - spend a few hours there wandering around, have lunch, etc. for a superb day IMO.