unexpected trip planning help

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    8 January 2015 at 20:38:30 #806794

    Good fortune in the new year has brought me here and it seems like I am as lucky to find this site as to be making a last minute trip to Switzerland. My wife is suddenly being sent to a meeting in Basel and we have just today made arrangements for me to tag along and for 5 days of travel before we need to be there. We arrive in Zurich next Friday morning (16/1) and depart for the US again Sunday a week (25/1). We have to be in Basel by the evening of 21/1 and plan to stay there until morning of 24/1 when we would return to Zurich. Looking for suggestions on where to go and what to see that is doable given our schedule and the general directions we need to head. I have looked at your maps and the train pass calculator and the mountain excursions but I am not really seeing a good itinerary come together. Thanks, Allen

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    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    9 January 2015 at 20:17:30 #841503

    Welcome to MySwissAlps, Allen!

    Great that you get the unexpected opportunity to explore Switzerland! If understand it correctly, you have about 5 or 6 days that can be spent on traveling before you have to get to Basel. Which itinerary is best, personal preferences. I assume you’d like to explore the mountains? If so, I would suggest to stay in the Lucerne and /or Interlaken region. They’re both beautiful and don’t require that much traveling from Zurich/to Basel. The mountains in the Bernese Oberland (i.e. the Interlaken region) are higher, so if you’re looking for a snow experience you could best focus on this region. Interlaken itself is located centrally, which is advantageous if you like to travel around a bit. Alternatively, you could pick one of the smaller towns higher up in the mountains for the ‘traditional’ winter experience. Please check the pages I linked to for information on hotels, day trips, and so on.

    If skies are clear, you should definitely visit some mountain tops like Jungfraujoch, Schilthorn or Rigi. Also consider a scenic train ride like the Golden Pass and maybe some winter hikes. City trips are a good alternative if weather isn’t that good. Zurich, Thun and Bern for example are worth exploring.

    If you’ll be traveling quite a bit, a rail pass will save money. Which pass is best depends on the itinerary you plan. Generally, a Swiss Travel Pass is the most convenient option. A Swiss Half Fare Card could be cheaper if you don’t plan many long journeys though. You should make the calculations you’ve read about to be sure.

    Further tips about how to plan your stay can be found here. I hope this gets you started! Please get back to us in case you have further questions.

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