[solskjaer12]

24 September 2022 at 3:24:01 #828422

My wife and I will be traveling to Switzerland from the US from Oct 21 – 29 with our 2 year old daughter. We’ll be flying in and out of Geneva. We’ll be getting in in the late afternoon on Oct 21, and leaving early on Oct 29, so out of the 8 nights we have, we’ll likely spend the first and last nights in Geneva, leaving 6 nights in between.

I have a few questions as I’m starting to plan this trip:

1) Is this an okay time to be visiting? I understand it’s a bit of the shoulder season, but will things generally be closed?

2) Would it be better to travel by car or by train with a toddler? Also taking into consideration any season closures of road and whatnot. We’ve not really driven much in snow before, so that’s possibly another consideration.

3) My preliminary thoughts are to spend 2 nights in each of Zermatt, Interlaken & Lucerne. The plan is to not travel more than 3-4 hours a day since our daughter doesn’t do great with long travel times. Even 3-4 hours is probably pushing it, but we’re willing to try. Would this itinerary make sense?

4) We don’t really plan to do much hiking, really just want to enjoy the scenery.

5) Any suggestions on specific things to do or places to go in those places I listed in #2 above would be greatly appreciated.

6) Does either of the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise or Jungfraujoch require large amounts of hiking to get great views?

Any other thoughts and recommendations would be absolutely fantastic! Thank you!

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[Anna]

24 September 2022 at 9:43:58 #947311

Hi solskjaer12,

Welcome to MySwissAlps.

1. That’s right. Late October marks the should season, during which most mountain transportation suspend their operation for maintenance work in preparation for a busy winter season. However public and regional transport (eg. trains) operate as usual so you can still plan day trips to the mountains, for example to explore villages such as Wengen, Grindelwald and Mürren.

2. Switzerland has an excellent railway system so I definitely recommend taking the train. I think your toddler might enjoy the experience too. Most trains have carriage or two specific for families. Some trains even feature a mini playground. You can find further practical tips and information about about how to travel by Swiss rail here: http://www.myswissalps.com/train/practical/howtotravel. If you’re thinking about driving, be sure to read this: http://www.myswissalps.com/carversustrain

3. I think spending 2 nights each in Zermatt, Interlaken and Lucerne is reasonable.

4. For sightseeing options, please refer to the following links:

• Zermatt: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/activities
• Interlaken: http://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken/activities
• Lucerne: http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/activities

6. There isn’t much hiking involved to enjoy the views from Jungfraujoch and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise. You can find further details of each destination by clicking on the respective links. Please take note though that these destinations have an elevation of more than 2,000m so might pose a risk for toddlers prone to altitude sickness. Please consult your doctors if you’re planning to take your child to high altitudes.

Hope this gets you started.

Regards,

Anna

[solskjaer12]

24 September 2022 at 12:39:11 #947312

Thanks Anna! I’ll read through your links and let you know if I have questions.

Also, if we want to get the best view of the Matterhorn, would it be better to go to the Glacier Paradise or Gornergrat? Or some other place?

[Anna]

24 September 2022 at 14:59:51 #947313

Hi solskjaer12,

On a clear day, you can get a good view of the Matterhorn from Zermatt town. Of course if you want a close-up view, you should make a trip up at least one of the three mountains above Zermatt (Gornergrat, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise and Sunnegga-Rothorn).If you are staying a few nights, choose a hotel with a mountain view.

Regards,

Anna

[solskjaer12]

26 September 2022 at 21:28:41 #947314

Hi Anna,

I understand the Snow Fun Park at Jungfraujoch might be closed in late October. Would there still be anything for us to do at Jungfraujoch then?

Thanks!

[Anna]

27 September 2022 at 3:34:40 #947315

Hi solskjaer12,

The train ride to Jungfraujoch is one of the highlights of the trip. At the top you’ll find various attractions such as the Sphinx Observatory, the Ice Palace, Lindt Chocolate Heaven and restaurants and souvenir shops. You can read about it here under Activities in Jungfraujoch: http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch

Regards,

Anna