12 days in the Jungfrau region, Lucerne & Zermatt
Dave, a traveler, is planning a 12-night trip to Switzerland in June with his family of six. He wants advice on covering various attractions like Zermatt, Jungfraujoch, and Lucerne, and whether to stay in one location or multiple base camps, as well as details on using the Swiss Travel Pass for rail travel and seat reservations.
- Choose multiple base camps instead of one for better access to attractions.
- You can purchase the Swiss Travel Pass in advance, which covers most trains without needing seat reservations.
- For specific train journeys like Gornergrat, you don’t need to book in advance; just get your Swiss Travel Pass ready.
- Explore local areas in Lucerne on your first day to get familiar with restaurants and shops.
AI-generated summary-
Dear All.. we are family of 6 (4 adults and 2 children) planning to visit Swis by June 2020 for 12 nights.
Below are my todo:
1. Atlest 2 nights in Wengen wood house
2. Trip to Zermatt and Matterhorn
3. Trip to Jungfraujoch
4. One day trip to interlaken
5. One day trip to Luceren
6. One day trip Appenzell
7. Mt. Titlis
8. Mt Pllatus
9. Zurich & Geneva
I have not yet decided my entry and exit points, whether to Arrive in Geneva and Depart form Zurich or keep my arrival and departure as same city.
I would be really glad if i can get some help with my below queries:
1. Can these places of interest be covered when i stay in a single location (except Wengen) or should i be choosing multiple base camps?
2. Planning to get Swiss Travel Pass so hopefully planning to use the rail network, Is it better if i can pre book by seat reservation before i come to Swiss or can i do it on the day of travel from the local station ticket office?
Best Regards
Dave
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Hi Dave
There are a number of ways to visit the places you have chosen. I think they would be difficult to do from a single base. One option is to go strait to Lucerne from the Zurich airport for 3 days to visit Titlis and Pilatus. From Lucerne to Wengen for 3-4 days to visit Jungfraujoch and Interlaken. From Wengen to Zermatt to visit Gornergrat and/ or Klein Matterhorn for 2-3 days. From there to Zurich and maybe a day trip to Appenzell.
You can adjust the number of days at each place to suit your preferences as there is enough to see around all of these towns (and city)for several weeks or more.
Mark
Hi Dave and welcome to MySwissAlps!
Wengen, Jungfraujoch, Interlaken can be visited from the same base, I suggest to spend at least 1 night in Zermatt. For Titlis and Pilatus you could stay in Lucerne, it is a lovely town, you won’t regret it to stay there.
I do not think that Interlaken (http://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken) worths a whole day, but this is only my personal view.
In Zermatt do not miss Gornergrat: http://www.myswissalps.com/gornergrat/gettingthere, I liked it more than Klein Matterhorn, again it is my opinion. 🙂
Swiss Travel Pass is a great idea, you can see the validity map at http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/validity. You can buy your Swiss Travel Pass in advance at http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/price. See all the available promotions at http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/promotions.
You do not need seat reservations for 99% of all trains and buses in Switzerland. You can simply board with your Swiss Travel Pass. Exceptions are some international trains and some panoramic trains like the Glacier Express (http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress) and Bernina Express (http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress).
Also see:
- Wengen: http://www.myswissalps.com/wengen/activities
- List of recommended accommodations in Wengen: http://www.myswissalps.com/wengen/hotels and http://www.myswissalps.com/wengen/rentals
- How to get to the Jungfraujoch: http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch/gettingthere
- Zurich: http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/activities
- Geneva: http://www.myswissalps.com/geneva/activities
- Lucerne: http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/activities
- List of recommended accommodations in Lucerne: http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/hotels and http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/rentals
- How to get to the Pilatus: http://www.myswissalps.com/pilatus/gettingthere
- How to get to the Titlis: http://www.myswissalps.com/titlis/gettingthere
- Zermatt: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/activities
- List of recommended accommodations in Zermatt: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/hotels and http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/rentals
- How to get the Klein Matterhorn: http://www.myswissalps.com/kleinmatterhorn/gettingthere
Hi Ildiko-
<<“You do not need seat reservations for 99% of all trains and buses in
Switzerland. You can simply board with your Swiss Travel Pass.”>>
In fact, you cannot even make reservations on many trains within Switzerland, as you know. 😉
Slowpoke
Hello All thank you for your time and advice. I have finalised my itinerary.
Hope the one i mentioned below will be possible 🙂
Can you pls help me the the questions i have in them:
DAY 1: Zurich -> Luceren
- 1. Arrive in Zurich
2. Zurich -> Luceren via Train
2.1 Zürich Flughafen -> Luzern (SBB Train)
2.2 Luzern -> Kriens Matterhof (S4 Train)
3. Hotel Checkin Luceren (in Am Mattenhof, Kriens)
4. Luceren: Free and Easy (What to Do??)
- Night Stay: Luceren
DAY 2: Luceren
- Mt. Pilatus Visit
- Night Stay: Luceren
DAY 3: Luceren
- Luceren Sight Seeing
1. Chapel Bridge
2. Lion Monument
3 Musegg Wall
4. Bourbaki Panorama
- Night Stay: Luceren
DAY 4: Luceren
- Mt Titlis Visit
- Night Stay: Luceren
DAY 5: Luceren -> Wengen
- 1. Checkout Hotel
2 Luceren -> Wengen via Train
2.1 Luceren to Interlaken by GOLDEN PASS LINE
2.2. Interlaken OST to Wengen via Lauterbrunnen (SBB Trains)
3. Hotel Checkin (Wengiboden)
4. Free and Easy:
4.1 Visit Mannlichen (via Cable Car)
4.2. Relax rest of the day
- Night Stay: Wengen
DAY 6: Wengen
- 1. Jungfraujoch via train (Wengen (CC 345) -> Kleine Scheidegg (CC 545) -> Jungfraujoch)
2. Way back to Wengen -> alight and explore Kleine Scheidegg -> Back to Wengen by train
3. Relax rest of the day
- Night Stay: Wengen
DAY 7: Wengen
- Visit Bern or Interlaken???
- Night Stay: Wengen
DAY 8: Wengen -> Zermatt
- 1. Checkout from Wengen Hotel
2. Wengen -> Zermatt via Train (Lauterbrunnen -> Interlaken OST -> Spiez -> Visp)
3. Hotel Checkin Zermatt (TBD)
4. Free and Easy
- Night Stay: Zermatt
DAY 9: Zermatt
- 1. Visit Gornergrat (Gornergrat railway)
Question: Should I do advance booking for Gornergrat railway??
- Night Stay: Zermatt
DAY 10: Zermatt
- Visit Klein Matterhorn
-> Zermatt station to Matterhorn Express gondola
-> Take Matterhorn Express gondola to Furi
-> Furi change to Cable car twords Trockener Steg
-> Trockener Steg change cable car to Klein Matterhorn via Matterhorn Glacier Ride
- QUESTION: Can i cover the entire ride using Swiss Travel Pass or should i buy separate ticket??
- Night Stay: Zermatt
DAY 11: Zermatt -> Zurich
- 1. Checkout Zermatt
2. Zeramatt -> Zurich by Train (Via VISP)
3. Zurich Hotel Checkin (TBD)
4. Free and Easy: What to do??
- Night Stay: Zurich
DAY 12: Zurich
- Visit Black Forest and Rhine Falls
- Night Stay: Zurich
DAY 13:
Free and Easy and start packing
Night Stay: Zurich
DAY 14: bye bye Switzerland
- 1. Checkout Zurich Hotel
2. Back to airport.
My questions:
DAY 1: What can we do in leisure during the evening stay in Luceren?
DAY 9: Should I do advance booking for Gornergrat railway??
Best Regards and a Happy new year
Dave
Day 7. I would choose Bern over Interlaken although boat trip on one of Interlaken lakes is nice. Alternatively you could visit Grindelwald and First or Schilthorn and Lauterbrunnen/Stechelberg or perhaps a trip to Schynige Platte or Harder Kulm.
Day 9. No need to buy Gornergratbahn ticket in advance.
I don’t have enough knowledge of Lucerne to advise you.
mark
Hi Dave-
June is the transition month between Winter and Spring at high altitudes, such as Männlichen, Kleine Scheidegg. Also, possibly Wengen, at least in early June.
So, please let us know your travel dates so we can advise you better.
Your plan is good simply because it allows enough time at each base to be flexible. You need not be more precise. You may well find that you want to change your plans based on weather….which may be rainy at times in early June, in particular, or because you learn of something different to do once you are there. Switzerland is not large, and with an STP, you can hop on train and go to a variety of places easily.
Finally, I might advise you to make some changes if I better understood your specific interests…..obviously sight seeing, but how about specific scenic trains? Museums ( many different kinds – history, art, transport (trains)-
http://www.verkehrshaus.ch/en/home.html.
Food, wine? Villages in the countryside?
Cheese making at a show-dairy?
Will you want hike or take easy walks – in the countryside, in the mountains or in Old Towns of cities? To guide on that, the ages of your children would help us a lot.
For example, I have attached some images including my granddaughter when she was 8 years old. One is on this really easy spectacular trail. It is so easy that the locals call it “The Grannies’ Walk.”:
http://www.myswissalps.com/hiking/maennlichen-kleinescheidegg.
Another is of her enjoying the playground at Männlichen.
The other is from a photobook based on her trip, when she was in Luzern.
In passing, I’ll note that Kriens isvery convenient for Pilatus onr route up to Pilatus, but is not really close to the center of Luzern. It is expensive to stay downtown, or in the old town or along the river, but the image of the Jesuit Church , attached, shows one example of why it may be worth it.
What to do in Luzern? Ildiko already gave you a good link:
http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/activities
I like to visit Hammetschand – images attached.
Here is another, because there are many nice things in the surrounding region:
http://www.myswissalps.com/centralswitzerland.
Slowpoke
Attachments:
A couple of suggestions for your “what to do” times:
Day 1 – If you’re not too tired or jet-lagged once you get to Lucerne, you may want to explore the area around your hotel the first night to see what restaurants, shops, parks, etc. are nearby. This can be helpful since you’re going to be there several days.
Day 2 – Mt. Pilatus shouldn’t take all day. You can take the cable car up from Kriens, then the cogwheel down the other side to Alpnachstad, then catch a train or boat back to Lucerne. There really isn’t too much to do at the top of Pilatus, but I recommend taking the tunnel walk that goes around the peak and brings you back to the main plaza. The main plaza is a great place to sit and refresh if the weather is nice.
Day 4 – Mt. Titlis won’t take all day either, although there is more to do at the top than at Pilatus. On you way back you can take a slight detour in Engelberg to see the monastery and cheese factory, or just catch the train back towards Lucerne. However, if you’re not in a hurry, you can stop on the way back to visit the Stanserhorn. The open air train car through the countryside on the way to the Gondola allows you to hear the Swiss cowbell symphony. And there is a nice walk around the peak at the top of the mountain too. We did both in one day from Lucerne and had plenty of time left over.
Day 6 – There really isn’t much to explore at Kleine Scheidegg, but if the weather cooperates, I highly recommend an outdoor lunch at the train station while viewing the Eiger. The Bernese style rosti is particularly good. I hear the Apfelkuchen mit Rahm (apple cake with whipped cream) is good too.
Day 11 – Depending on when you get to Zurich, a visit to old town and the several historic churches may interest you, or, if you have a firm grip on your credit cards, a walk along the Bahnhofstrasse.
As a general option, boat rides are nice and covered by the STP. Lake Lucerne has many boats with frequent stops, Lake Zurich not so many. We did not take advantage of the boats on either of the lakes at Interlaken, something to do next time.
Have a great time!
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