MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial 5 days in Iseltwald with Regional-Pass in summer
-
Hello there! we are a family of 8 requesting input from all kindred spirits in this forum to make our 5 day swiss vacation in the Bernese Oberland Region a memorable one. We are coming from Milan with accommodations made in Iseltwald. We are planning to just get the Oberland Regional Pass . We will use public trains, buses, and cable cars. is this pass good enough?
Day 1 : Boat tours in Lake Brienz/ Lake Thun. we plan to hop on and off to see towns, the Panoramic Bridge in Sigriswil. Do we still have time for a harden Kulm Funicular ride on this day?
Day 2: Lauterbrunnen Valley Walk to see Staubbach Falls. We will go up to Schiltorn for lunch. Any additional sidetrips on this day?
Day 3: Train to Grindenwald for Pfenstegg. Any other suggestions while we are on Grindenwald?
day 4: Train to Zermatt . Is it worth to take the trip all the way to Matterhorn or just stay and enjoy the day in the village?
Day 5: Paraglide? Dairy Farm visits? Any other suggestions on this day is much appreciated!
-
Hi Samlam, welcome to MySwissAlps!
Iseltwald is a lovely place, I’m sure you’ll like it.
The Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland will cover most, but not all of your plans. You can study its validity and download the map here: http://www.myswissalps.com/regionalpassberneseoberland/validity. For example:
- You’d need additional full-fare tickets (https://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/switzerland) between Brig and Zermatt, and for any mountain trips (https://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/activities) you might make in Zermatt.
- If your Regional-Pass isn’t valid during your inbound trip yet, you’ll also need full-fare tickets from Milan to Iseltwald (https://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/italy, https://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/switzerland). But if you have a 6-day Regional-Pass and start its validity during your inbound journey, you’ll only need tickets as far as Brig. That’s where the Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland takes over.
For optimum flexibility, you may also consider a 6-day Swiss Travel Pass: https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass, http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/changes-to-the-swiss-travel-system-passes-in-2022. It allows you to travel throughout the country. This page explains how to find the pass that’s right for you: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass.
As for your other questions.
- Yes, you’ll probably be able to fit in a visit to Harder Kulm (https://www.myswissalps.com/harderkulm) on this day. You can plan all of your trips with the aid of the advanced timetable: https://www.myswissalps.com/timetable.
- On day 2, I advise to travel back via Mürren-Grütschalp: http://www.myswissalps.com/schilthorn/gettingthere.
- On day 3, you may like strolling around Grindelwald (https://www.myswissalps.com/grindelwald) after your visit to Pfingstegg (https://www.myswissalps.com/pfingstegg). If you have time, you may even get up to First (https://www.myswissalps.com/grindelwaldfirst).
- Suggestions for more trips in the Bernese Oberland are available at https://www.myswissalps.com/berneseoberland/activities.
I hope this helps :-).
Thank you so much. Your input helps a lot! If our trip is going to be in June, when do you think is the best time to purchase the passes shld we decide on the Oberland Regional or the Swiss Rail Pass?
Hi Samlam,
As Annika suggested, you can compare the different railpass combination with a step-by-step guide here: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass
I recommend buying the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland or the Swiss Travel Pass online once you’re sure which ones work best for you.
Regards,
Anna
Zermatt is not in the Berner Oberland region, so won’t be part of that pass.
You can see the Matterhorn from Zermatt village, so there is no need to take any of the uphill transport if you don’t want to. There are walks in the upper end of the village that will give views of the mountain.
Thank you very much . This will help with reviewing our travel pass options ☺️.
Hello Anna, I got the info about the 25% discount for the Swiss rail pass fr Nov 11- Dec 11. Does that include the Bernese Regional Oberland Pass or it is exclusive to the swiss rail pass only? Also, I learned that if I have the Swiss Rail pass , it can cover Domodossola so if we are coming fr Milan, we just have to buy the ticket fr Milan to Domodossola? With the new discount and if it covers Domodossola and most of mountain excursions , we are leaning towards the Swiss Rail pass. I hope you can clarify this for me . Thank you!
HI Samlam,
The promotion is specific to the Swiss Travel Pass. This pass is valid in the whole of Switzerland.
If you’re travelling to Switzerland from Milan via Domodossola with the Swiss Travel Pass, you need only to pay for the ticket from Milan to Domodossola. Details about tickets from Italy are available here: http://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/italy
Regards,
Anna
That is correct. The railway into Domodossola (Domo) from Switzerland operates under Swiss ownership, hence it is part of the Swiss national travel system, which is why the Swiss Travel Pass (STP) gives free validity to Domo.
Thank you so much. We will get the swiss travel pass when it goes on sale then 😊.
Hello it’s me again! It’s now very clear to us that we need to purchase a Swiss Travel pass. Do we have to make seat reservations once we purchase the pass or just look at the time table for every excursion we planned in Switzerland and just show up at the station in our preferred time?. We will use eurorail passes fr Milan to Rome to Domodossola and use the Swiss Rail pass to Domodossola to Iseltwald. We will have another day of eurorail pass to use fr Domodossola to Milan after our Swiss vacation. Also, the 25% off the swiss pass is better than the predicted lower 2022 prices right? I hope you won’t get tired of my questions as this is a milestone celebration for us and we want it to be memorable . Thank you!
Seat reservations are not needed on all normal Swiss trains. The system is designed as a ‘turn up and go’. Because Switzerland is a small country the The Swiss travel network runs like an overgrown city transit system, whereby you just get on whichever train suits you best.
For a tourist with a Swiss Travel Pass this arrangement gives ultimate flexibility, for example you could walk from your hotel to a station, look at the weather forecast and decide to take the train in a completely different direction to what you had decided on over breakfast!
The timetable designed to be regular-interval, with trains on all except the very smallest lines running at least once per hour throughout the day, normally at the same time past each hour , eg 09.10, 10.10, 11.10 etc. This is designed to make planning easy for all users
Thank you so much! We are looking forward to 2022! 😊😊😊
Hi Samlam,
Agree with 1960man. Seat reservations on Swiss trains are not necessary unless you’re travelling on panoramic trains such as the Glacier Express and Bernina Express. This is explained in detail: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/reservations
You can find more useful information about travelling on Swiss trains here: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/practical/howtotravel
Regards,
Anna
- The thread ‘5 days in Iseltwald with Regional-Pass in summer’ is closed to new replies.
