[Travel2Live]

2 March 2023 at 14:26:03 #829207

I am planning to drive around most of Switzerland and am considering hotels close to Visp as a base to visit Zermatt, in Como (Italy) as base for Ticino, in Feldkirch (Austria) instead of Zurich, St Galo or Lichtenstein and Crusseilles (France) as base for Geneva.

Is this a mistake? What factors should I consider other than driving time, traffic and parking?

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[Yolanda]

3 March 2023 at 10:21:12 #951617

Hello Travel2Live,

Welcome to MySwissAlps.
Attached some useful links in regard to driving in Switzerland.

• https://www.myswissalps.com/car
• https://www.myswissalps.com/car/drivinginthemountains

Driving has its benefits but in general, the Swiss rail system is recommended over car driving. It’s very efficient, very easy to navigate yourself around, have a read through the car vs train link below. (In case you are not aware, Zermatt can not be reached by car).

• https://www.myswissalps.com/carversustrain
• https://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/travel

Going forward, for accommodation in the Valais region, attached a link below. If cost is a concern for you, there are actually budget hotels here in Switzerland, some are close to rail stations. This way, you can reduce some of the commute times for the places you are planning to visit. For example, I see you are planning to base yourself in Como, to visit Ticono, to reach Locarno, this is approximately a 1h 20 drive or to Lugano, 40 minutes.

• https://www.myswissalps.com/valais/hotels
• http://www.myswissalps.com/hotels/budget

In terms of advising you further on towns and villages as bases, would you mind sharing your day plans in each location? I see that you mention Zurich, Geneva and Ticino but if you have an idea of activities and how much time are you planning to spend in each location, we can guide you further.

Kind regards,
Yolanda

[Travel2Live]

3 March 2023 at 13:50:29 #951618

Thanks Yolanda so much for your info and for your links. Yes, I am aware Zermatt is not reachable by car, I have yet to find out if parking in Randa is more convenient than Tasch. Aside from Wengen and Murren, are there more locations barred to private vehicles?

My plans for Switzerland are long and ambitious and include, in a nutshell and in addition to the places I already listed: Lugano, Bellinzona, Sankt Moritz, Poschiavo, Parc Naziunal Svizzer, Val Mustair, Scuol, Davos, Chur, Appenzel, St Galo, Luzerne, Lauterbrunnen Valley, Berne, Gruyeres, Lac Leman East and West and more. I also plan to do all of the major scenic train rides: Bernina Express, Glacier Express, Golden Line, Voralpen and Gotthard Express along with the shorter Jungrfrau, Gornegrat and Mt Pilatus cogtrains. I need to do the maths and choose between a 15 day Flex Pass or a combination of a shorter Full Pass, regional passes and Museum Pass.

Needless to say, Switzerland is as expensive as it is beautiful and I need to consider and take any action I can to not break my bank. Aside from 360 views and the flexibility to stop wherever I please, a car allows me to stay in out-of-the-way hotels that often offer better rates. I am now seeing that Spiez could potentially also be a cost saving alternative to Interlaken or Lauterbrunnen.

[Anna]

4 March 2023 at 15:51:55 #951619

Hi Travel2Live,

Combining train and car is an exciting way to explore the Swiss Alps. As you are well aware, not all destinations are accessible by car while most mountaintop destinations are only accessible by mountain transportation. Also with a car you need to think about parking and where to drop it off when you’re travelling on the panoramic trains such as the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express.

Here are some sample itineraries which might be helpful for your trip:

• All season: http://www.myswissalps.com/plantrip/doityourself/sampleitineraries/allseasondrivingtour
• Mountain passes: http://www.myswissalps.com/plantrip/doityourself/sampleitineraries/passroadsdrivingtour

In addition, you can find useful tips about planning road trips in Switzerland here: http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/experiences/experience-tour/grand-tour-of-switzerland/

We usually recommend the Swiss Half Fare Card for visitors travelling with a car and planning to do various mountain excursions.

Hope this gives you some options and ideas for your trip.

Regards,

Anna

[Travel2Live]

4 March 2023 at 16:23:26 #951620

Great input Anna, thnak you! I will make sure to have a close look at it.

My planned itinerary starts and ends in Milan, Italy and basically consists of two counter-clockwise round tours of your country. The first one, in principle, will follow the panoramic train rides (6 if I remember correctly, plus connections) and in my opinion makes the Half Fare Card not my best option (although I realize it is great for other travelers). The second round, on a rental car, is roughly alligned with the Grand Tour link you provided (thanks again) and has Zermatt and Lauterbrunnen Valley as second-to-last and last stops, in early july, when I hope the high mountain hikes are largely free of ice.

I realize parking will be a problem. I guess I will have to deal with it…and be ready to open my wallet 🙂

[Anna]

4 March 2023 at 20:22:05 #951621

Hi Travel2Live,

In that case, perhaps a Swiss Travel Pass may work better for the first leg of your trip. You can view a sample itinerary comprising all the major panoramic trains here: http://www.myswissalps.com/plantrip/doityourself/sampleitineraries/ultimateswissscenictrains

Regards,

Anna