[Removed user]

1 October 2015 at 9:58:14 #808001

My family of 4 including 2 girls going to Switzerland from 7-14 November. We planned to visit in sequence from Zermatt, Interlaken, Jungfraujoch Lucerne and last stop at Zurich. Our main objectives are to experience snow probably skidding, taking paranomic train and fun activities for the children. I understand November is low season , do I need to alter my itinerary to fulfil my objectives? Are we able to enjoy the paranomic train ride from Interlaken to Lucerne ?

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[Slowpoke]

2 October 2015 at 0:07:52 #846384

Hi Voice. Welcome to the forum.

Sounds like a good route. You’ll certainly have snow at the higher elevations. There has been some snow at Zermatt already. Luzern may have little or no snow at its lower elevation.

<<” Are we able to enjoy the paranomic train ride from Interlaken to Lucerne ? “>>

This may help:

http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass

Even if you cannot ride the named panoramic train (The Golden Pass) , the regular trains on the route are very scenic. Arno and Annika are fans of that route, and my offer further advice.

The timetable and a map might help.

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

map.classic.search.ch/

Use Giswil or Brünig as an intermediate stop to make sure you get that route.

Slowpoke

[Removed user]

2 October 2015 at 4:07:17 #846385

Hi Slowpoke:

Which alps can you recommend? I was told that some of the alps are closed in November. Is it confirmed that Golden Pass panoramic only available from Lucerne to Interlaken and not vice versa ?

[Slowpoke]

2 October 2015 at 7:53:24 #846386

<<“Which alps can you recommend? “>>

All of them 😉

To be serious, there are many tens or hundreds of famous or not so famous mountains in the Alps that are worth a look.

You can get a start on ideas from several links within this website. Here are a couple that deserve a deeper look. However, Arno and Annika, the forum moderators know the details of this site better than I do and probably can point you to some more specific information –

http://www.myswissalps.com/ac tivities

http://www.myswissalps.com/be rneseoberland

The group of mountains around the Jungfrau has many famous names – the Eiger, Schilthorn…….

<<“I was told that some of the alps are closed in November. “>>

I can assure you that they are there all year ’round. 😉

Joking aside, November, after the summer season and before the ski season, has fewer tourists, and many hotels in the alpine regions close for a while until the middle of December. The”ski” lifts and cable cars are often closed for maintenance or lack of customers. But, some transport runs all year round. The best example is the cograil train near the Jungfrau, which connects Grindelwald, Kleine Scheidegg, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen and (via a branch line), the Jungraujoch.

So, while transport to some alpine locations or specific mountains may not be available, you can still get a good look and get close to or on many.

Zermatt is a very famous scenic town in the heart of the Alps, but I do not know it well. So, I cannot comment on which mountain transport will be running in November.

http://www.myswissalps.com/ze rmatt

<<“Is it confirmed that Golden Pass panoramic only available from Lucerne to Interlaken and not vice versa ?”>>

If it runs, it runs in both directions.

Because I wanted to be sure, I spent some time checking details. Apparently, that section of the Golden Pass Route is not running then.

Check this link.

http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass

I believe it runs all year, but apparently, some parts of the route are not run all year,and some parts are. What I do know for a fact is that regular trains run on that route multiple times per day, all year long. To see if it is running on a specific day, look in the timetable –

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

Enter Interlaken Ost as a start, Luzern as a destination, and put Alpnachstad in as the “via” connection to control the routing that the computer selects.

I tried that for November 10th, just as an example.

Pick a time of day. Search selection. That will give you the four trains nearest your selected time.

Click on Show All Details. At the right, “Luzern Interlaken Express” will be noted in the details for certain trains. It runs on November 10, as a random day chosen in your time to be in Switzerland. It does NOT show Golden Pass. And, it has a bus connection for part of the route. The bus connection is a surprise to me. Perhaps there is track maintenance work in that stretch.

If you do not enter Alpnachstad as a “via” , the computer will default to the fastest route, which is through Bern.

You can also select “Return Journey.”

As a check on other parts of the Golden Pass route, if you select Interlaken to Montreux, via Zweisimmen, the “Golden Pass ” train is listed, as well as others on the same route. So, some parts of the Golden Pass Route are running, but, apparently not the segment through the Brünig Pass.

So, you were right that the Golden Pass is not available on your chosen route at the time you will be there.

Hope these comments can get you started on your planning.

Here are some general guidelines:

http://www.myswissalps.com/pl antrip

Slowpoke

[Arno]

2 October 2015 at 8:15:36 #846387

There are construction works between Giswil and Alpnachstad from November 2 to 22. So there’s a 20 minute bus ride to replace the train on that leg. It’s shouldn’t stop you from taking this beautiful route. It’s a slight inconvenience, but perfectly doable.