[Removed user]

24 February 2016 at 20:25:56 #808480

I and my wife are planning a trip to Switzerland in June. We will be landing in and flying out from Basel. We will be there for 10 nights or 11 days.

Plan is as follows: Arrive in Basel, Take the the train to Montreux, for first 3 nights. I think there is no direct train. Plan is to visit Chillon Castle and the lakeside. Vevey & Vineyards. Gruyere or Rochers de Naye, I have heard a lot about Grimentz also. Should we spend a day here?,(not interested in doing Chocolate factory tour)

My questions are: Should we stay in Montreux or can also look around for bases in Vevey or nearby Lavaux villages like Chardonne, I have checked some very lovely bed&breakfast in some of the villages but have no idea about the frequency of public transport from there to downtown( it’s just that we prefer an apartment or b&b over hotels) And I assume that Riviera card is provided by the hosts, which I will confirm before booking anything.

4th day Taking a golden pass route to Murren, this will be our base for next 5 nights. Plan is to hike around Take a boat tour at @ Lake Brienz, Gisebaach falls. If weather permits visit Visit Jungfrau or Schilthorn. Visit Wengen and hike around that areaI am confused should our base be Murren for 5 nights or should we stay in Wengen for 2 or 3 nights so that we have good time to enjoy both areas.

Head to Lucern for last 2 nights.

Will 8 day Swiss pass provide a better value or a flexi pass or half fare card will be of good value?

We look forward for your suggestions

Kind Regards.

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[Annika]

26 February 2016 at 10:29:22 #848680

Hi naturelover, thanks for joining us!

Your plans look fine. You’ll be visiting some of the prettiest Swiss regions and I’m sure you’ll enjoy your stay. Now, as for your questions: Montreux would be a convenient base for your plans, located quite centrally. Staying in one of the smaller villages in the region will add a bit to your traveling times. That doesn’t have to be a problem if you find an apartment or b&b that definitely appeals to you. The timetable will provide details on connections. For example, from Chardonne there’s a bus to Montreux about twice an hour; the ride takes 23 minutes. If you need specific help in finding suitable accommodation, please feel free to mention your criteria in our accommodation forum. The Riviera Card should indeed be provided by your host, but do ask for it to make sure.

Changing bases from Mürren to Wengen/Lauterbrunnen doesn’t make much sense. The villages are quite close to one another, and I’d personally prefer not to have another hotel transfer for such short distances.

An 8 day Swiss Travel Pass would leave 3 of your 11 travel days uncovered, which isn’t very convenient. You may look into the 15 day variant instead, if the convenience of unlimited traveling appeals to you. The price difference (2nd class, per person) between both variants is CHF 77,- and you could easily spend more than that during 3 travel days if you have to buy regular full fare tickets. If you want to compare this to the Swiss Half Fare Card and find out for sure which pass is most economical, calculations made according to these guidelines are the only way to tell.

Does this help you out?