5 Days Switzerland in early April
Patrick and a friend are planning a trip to Switzerland from April 2 to 6. They want advice on their itinerary, which includes stops in Zurich, Luzern, and Interlaken, and they have questions about feasibility, Easter closures, weather, and the Swiss Travel Pass.
- Consider visiting the Rhine Falls early on Day 1, as attractions may be closed in the evening.
- Shops will be closed on Good Friday and Easter, so check specific opening hours for museums and attractions.
- The weather in early April can vary, so be prepared for both winter and spring conditions.
- The 4-day Swiss Travel Pass is suitable for your itinerary; just buy a single ticket for your first day and use the pass from Day 2 to 5.
AI-generated summary-
Hello admins and friends from the forum,
A friend and I will go to Switzerland, this amazing country in Early April (2-6April, Tentative) during the excange semester. We would like to get some advice about our itinerary.
Day 1: Munich to Zurich by MeinFernBusin the early morning. Hang around in Zurich for the afternoon. Go to Rhine Falls for sunset. stay in Zurich/ Schaffhausen for a night(Which is better?)
Day2: Train from Zurich/Schaffhausen to Luzern by train. Hang Around in Luzern, plus boat trip and musuems. Stay overnight in Luzern.
Day3: Luzern to Titlis for a day. Stay overnight in Luzern.
Day4: Luzern to Interlaken (Golden Express). Interlaken to Jungfrau. Spend a day in Jungfrau + Grindelwald. Hostel in Interlaken.
Day5: Interlaken to First. Simply a hiking day. Overnight train from Interlaken to Amsterdam.
(Day4 and 5 can be swapped, depending on the weather of Jungfrau)
(We will buy a 4-Day Travel Pass valid from Day2-5)As we are the first time travelling to Swiss, we have some questions about the plan.
Q1: Is the whole plan feasible? Would Day1 and 4 be too hectic?
Q2: Will the shops close during this Easter period? I am so afraid we will have nothing to shop around/ museum are closed!
Q3: As we are going between summer and winter, what will the weather be in April? More winter or summer like?
Q4: Seems some museums or transportation are closed in April (eg Grindelwald one til 6 Apr, thanks god!). I am afraid I miss some of them. Would you guys remind me if I mention it in the itinerary? thank you!
Q5: About using the pass. For Day5, do I need to buy 2 train tickets (Interlaken to Basel, Basel to Amsterdam) seperately in order to enjoy the swiss pass free treat for the first journey to Basel? or simply buy one ticket only and I can have a free price for the part in Switzerland?
Q6: What is the hours of validity each day for swiss pass? (00:00 to next day 05:00?)
Q7: Is Swiss Pass 4 days a wise choice for my plan?
Q8: Are there enough things to do for Jungfrau and Titlis for 2 days? as we will spend 2 days there.I am open to any advice on the itinerary, if you think there is something I should add or leave out. Let me know your opinions on the itinerary and if it is do-able.
Thank you so much!!
Patrick
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Hi Patrick,
Thanks for sharing your plans here. Here’s my input, I hope it’s useful:
Q1: Please be adviced that the attractions around the Rhine Fall (the boat trips, the castle) will pretty much be closed down in the evening. More information is here: myswissalps.com/rhinefalls. You could see Zurich after arrival, then travel to Schaffhausen and see the falls the next morning before traveling to Lucerne. Day 4 is doable, but as you say, always check the weather before going up to any peak. Be flexible and go up when the skies are clear.
Q2: In general, shops will be closed on Good Friday and during Easter (not on the Saturday in between though). It varies for restaurants. Tourist attractions are open, but do check before you go.
Q3: It’s still Winter in the higher Alpine regions. It could be Summer/Spring like in the lower valleys and around the lakes. But , anything is possible really, so it can be quite chilly as well.
Q4: I don’t see any issues in your list, but do check museum opening hours. Also, you can go to First, but don’t expect any hiking options there. It’s too high up and in all likelihood still covered in snow. There will be options lower in the valley though. Just check with the tourist office and our hiking section.
Q5/Q6/Q7: A 4-day Swiss Travel Pass would fit your plan if you use it from day 2 to 5. On day 1 you just need a single ticket from Zurich to Schaffhausen if you spend the night there. On day 5 the pass gets you to Basel for free, so all you need is a ticket from Basel Bad Bf (the border station) to Amsterdam. See here for all pass details and prices.
Q8: I assume you mean the region, not the Jungfraujoch and Titlis specifically. There is plenty to do. You can spend weeks in each of these regions. Please see the Jungfrau region and Central Switzerland pages.
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