9 days trip to Switzerland in October

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    29 August 2014 at 11:27:38 #806612

    Hi,

    I will be planning to visit Switzerland for 9 days from October 4 with my wife and 2 kids (8 and 14 yrs). I would like to cover all major attractions like Pilatus, Interlaken, Titlis, sites around Lucerne and Zurich (any other attractive sites, please add)etc and if possible a day trip to Europe park in Germany. Is it better to stay in Lucerne or interlaken or zurich or split days in multiple destinations? Could I include Geneva also in my plan within this time? Please help me in planning the best itinerary on a day to day basis.

    Thanks

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    Arno
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    30 August 2014 at 6:32:23 #840954

    Hi Shamal, welcome to MySwissAlps,

    The major pitfall when you start planning is adding too much to your list which could result in a lot of traveling and changing hotels and less time for actual sightseeing. Having said that, I think this page is a good start. It provides step by step help to plan, plus a few sample itineraries. My advice would be to look into that, make a tentative plan and post it here if you have doubts about it.

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    2 September 2014 at 8:16:09 #840955

    Thanks Arno,

    I need your help for planning the trip. I will be reaching zurich on 3/October and planning to take a train to Lucerne on that day itself. I would like to visit mount pilatus , titlis and Interlaken by staying in Lucerne as day trips. Whare else I can go from Lucerne? Geneva is easy to reach from zurich or Lucerne? How many days I should stay in Lucerne? 4 days enough? Is it possible get Glacier express while staying in Lucerne?

    Thanks

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    2 September 2014 at 19:28:14 #840956

    Hi Shamal,

    The region around Lucerne offers lots of things to see and do. You can easily enjoy yourself for two or more weeks there, so 4 days is not enough to cover everything, but sufficient to see the highlights. Interlaken itself (the town) isn’t worth a day trip from Lucerne, but the journey over there is wonderful (Golden Pass line), and so is the Jungfrau region just south of Interlaken. Perhaps you should consider 4 days in Lucerne and 5 in the Jungfrau region if you want to see both. The guide I referred to will help you put together a plan.

    The Glacier Express is too far away for a day trip. Geneva is also pretty far. It’s doable if you’re interested, but I would focus on the mountains, not on the cities. And if you do want to see a city, then Lucerne is great, and so is Bern, which is closer. See the timetable for traveling times. See the Lucerne page I linked to for tips on attractions, hotels, etc.

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    4 September 2014 at 11:50:12 #840957

    Thanks Arno for the tips.

    I would like to take Golden pass line as you mentioned. is it to possible to cover the trip in Golden pass- Lucerne to Interlaken Ost – Zweisimmen- Montreux and coming back to Lucerne on any other trains in one day? I am planning to cover Jungfrau region on another day.

    Also in the Glacier Express route, is it possible to take join at Andermatt to Chur stretch, by joining Andermatt from Lucerne and go back to Zurich from Chur as single day trip? Is it worth?

    Both these routes are coverd in swiss family pass?

    Thanks in advanve

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    4 September 2014 at 13:14:52 #840958

    Hello Shamal,

    Yes, both round trips are doable as day trips. Please check the timetable for details. If you pick ‘Advanced Search’ you can enter via stations (e.g. Lucerne to Zurich, via Andermatt and Chur), allowing you to find details on the exact routes you have in mind. Both the Golden Pass and the Andermatt to Chur part of the Glacier Express are beautiful scenic trips. Your plans will result in long travel days though, so you can best check travel times and decide whether you’re fine with that.

    There’s no Swiss Family Pass, but I assume you’re referring to the Swiss Pass and the free Swiss Family Card for children? The journeys you mention are covered by the Swiss Pass. Please refer to the Swiss Pass page for a validity map, prices, promotions and further details. Additional seat reservations would be required for the Glacier Express (and for the Golden Pass if you want to be sure of seats in panoramic coaches).

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    10 September 2014 at 20:58:31 #840959

    Thanks Annika,

    With your kind help, I am finalizing my itinerary. I am planning to stay 5 days in Lucerne. One day trip to Jungfrau region is fixed. On the 6th day I am planning to go back to Zurich via Andermatt and Chur on Glacier express. I need your help for planning the rest 4 days in Lucerne.

    1) I don’t think I will get time to see all three mountain trips near Lucerne (Pilatus, Mt Titlis and Mt Rigi). I have to choose two among three, Please advise to choose. One full day trip is required to these areas?

    2) One day enough is to cover other attractions around Lucerne like Transport Museum, Chappel bridge or any other spots (please mention)? City tour is available?

    3) What is your suggestions for the remaining one day in Lucerne?

    4) What will be the climate expected on these mountain regions on October first half? All museums and other attractions are open on Sundays?

    regards

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    11 September 2014 at 8:19:04 #840960

    Hi Shamal! If you have 4 days in the Lucerne area, you will manage to visit Rigi, Titlis and Pilatus if you like. Rigi and Pilatus can be combined in one day; another day would be needed for the trip to Engelberg and the Titlis. You should only do this if weather is fine though; it’s a waste of time and money to visit mountain tops if you end up in the clouds.

    One entire day will allow you to see quite a lot of Lucerne itself. Maybe not all of it, since a visit to the Traffic Museum easily takes half a day already, so you may want to spend two days in and near the city. Further tips can be found here. Do include a boat trip over Lake Lucerne (this can be combined with the Rigi or done as a separate day trip).

    Most attractions and museums are open on Sundays. You can best check the links on all the attraction pages I linked to.

    It’s very hard to tell what weather will be like. Sunny and pretty warm autumn weather is an option, just as well as cold rainy days. In any case, be prepared for cold circumstances since you plan to visit mountain tops. So pack several layers of clothes, solid shoes and warm jackets. Here‘s more about the weather and how to prepare for it.

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    11 September 2014 at 11:43:13 #840961

    Thanks Annika,

    I would like to combine trip to Rigi and Pilatus. How can I plan from Lucerne? Lucerne to Alpnachstad via Boat and cogwheel train to the Pilatus. (Cable car is closed during these days – October 2nd week) . Come back to Lucerne via train and proceed to Rigi from there or any other short cut byepassing Lucerne? Or visit Rigi first from Lucerne and then to Pilatus? Please give me a plan to follow.

    thanks

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    11 September 2014 at 16:46:04 #840962

    Hi Shamal! The order in which you visit Rigi or Pilatus doesn’t matter. This is an option: let’s say you visit Pilatus first, taking the cog train from and to Alpnachstad. Next, travel to Arth-Goldau by train and get up to Rigi. Take the train down to Vitznau from Rigi and travel back to Lucerne by boat.The pages I linked to provide more information about the travel options.

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    14 September 2014 at 21:27:23 #840963

    Hi Annika, Please give your suggestions for modifying my tentative itinerary.

    Day 1 : Saturday- Trip to Jungfraujoch. Lucerne- Interlaken-Lauterbrunnen-Jungfraujoch and return via Grindelwald. How many hours maximum we can spend at Jungfraujoch. in a day trip from Lucerne? What are the things we can do there during this time?

    Day 2 – Sunday – : Trip to Pilatus and Rigi ; Route – as you mentioned in the previous post. Train from Alpnachstad – Arth-Goldau is via Lucerne or different route?

    Day 3- Monday – : Morning visit Stanserhorn – Open cable car trip – : Afternoon: Visit Transport Museum

    Day 4 – Tuesday : Golden Pass route (Lucerne-Montreux)- Boat trip from Montreux to Geneva and return to Lucerne by train – Is it doable? Tiring particularly for kids?

    Day 5 : Wednesday : Full day trip to Mt Titlis

    Day 6 : Return to Zurich via Andermatt to Chur (Glacier express route).

    Day 7 and 8 in Zurich: We would like to see a chocolate factory near Zurich. Any suggestions? Any entertainment possibilities for kids near Zurich area?

    Swiss pass is ideal for my trip? There is rate difference for online purchase of the pass from rail europe and buying from railway stations in Switzerland. Better to get through rail-Europe online shop?

    Thanks in advance

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    15 September 2014 at 16:37:06 #840964

    Hello Shamal. Some remarks concerning your itinerary:

    • you can spend two to three hours at the Jungfraujoch. The timetable allows you to plan this trip, and your other trips, in detail. Please check the Jungfraujoch page for details and activities;
    • yes, the route Alpnachstad – Arth-Goldau runs via Lucerne. Such details can be found in the timetable as well;
    • day 4 is very long. It’s doable, but you’ll have to leave early and you’ll return late. It’s hard to tell whether your children are up for such a trip;
    • the chocolate factory nearest to Zurich is in Flawil: Schoggiland. It’s a one hour train ride from Zurich. Further tips are available at our Zurich page.

    Yes, an 8 day Swiss Saver Pass would be by far the most convenient solution for your stay. All purchase information can be found here; just pick your country of residence to see all relevant options. Promo codes are available if you buy online.

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    19 September 2014 at 7:56:40 #840965

    Hi Annika,

    Public tour in English language at Schoggiland, Flawil chocolate factory is only on Wednesday 2 pm. I will be reaching Zurich only on Thursday night . Could you please suggest any other chocolate factory near Zurich or Lucerne?

    Is it possible to cover Rhine falls in an evening trip starting at 3 pm from Zurich?

    Could you please send me a link to know the full details , including opening time, about various museums in and around Zurich.

    Thanks

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    19 September 2014 at 16:45:19 #840966

    Hello Shamal. There aren’t that many other chocolate factories, and as far as I know no other relatively close to Zurich or Lucerne. There is a Lindt factory outlet in Zurich, but that’s a shop and not a factory. Other alternatives may be the Chocolate Experience in Bilten or the Frey visitor’s centre in Buchs.

    I would personally prefer to leave for the Rhine Falls earlier than 3 pm. It’s a one hour ride from Zurich, and boat rides along the falls can be made until 5 pm. Further information is available here.

    Here‘s information on museums in Zurich.

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