My great 8-day April/May trip in Zurich, Interlaken, Zermatt, Locarno
Edwin shared his amazing 7-day trip report in Switzerland, filled with visits to places like Zurich, Lucerne, and Zermatt during sunny weather in late April and early May. He highlights the importance of the Swiss Travel Pass for its flexibility, allowing him to change plans effortlessly while exploring beautiful destinations.
- Use the Swiss Travel Pass for added flexibility in changing plans without worrying about reservations.
- Make sure to download the SBB app for easy navigation of public transportation across Switzerland.
- Consider visiting lesser-known towns like Solothurn and Olten for unique experiences away from typical tourist spots.
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Hello again.
I just wanted to post a quick after trip report so you all know how great it was and how helpful the knowledge gained here was for this trip.
It was a wonderful 7 full sunny days and only about an hour of rain the evening of April 27.
I arrived in Zurich airport around 1900 on Friday April 25, there were 8 of us with an 8 day STP. Picked up our luggage and went upstairs to catch the 510 bus to Rumlang, checked in the hotel, dropped off luggage and head out to Zurich HB on the S9 for a evening walk and dinner.
April 26 we were able to visit St. Gallen, Konstanz, Stein am Rhein and Rhine Falls in that order.
April 27 checked out of hotel and headed out to Lucerne, arrived around 0950 dropped our luggage in lockers and headed to Stans to take the Cabrio to Stanserhorn, it was a really nice sunny day and the views were incredible. Went back to lucerne to walk around the city and then took the Luzern-Interlaken express. Arrived in Interlaken around 1800 and went for a walk and drinks. This was the only time we got a little rain during our entire trip.
April 28 started our day visiting Lauterbrunnen needles to say we were stunned with the beauty, continued walking all the way to the front of Staubbach fall and from there walk down the cemetery and crossed the Nikolas bridge to catch the bus to Trümmelbach falls. After, we continued to take the Stechelberg cable car to Murren and after spending few hours in Murren and walking to catch the Grütschalp cable car we discovered it was out of service and walked back to Stechelberg and I have to say that the way down on this cable car was unbelievable.
April 29 visited Grindelwald and GW First in the morning and went back to Interlaken for a boat cruise in Lake Brienz.
April 30 Trip to Zermatt and up to Gornergrat, this was so unbelievable, weather was perfect with the best views I could ever imagine, there are no photos or videos I have seen on all my research that could truly show the beauty of this place.
May 1st we initially started our day going to Montreux, but in our train to Visp we continued we changed plans and continued to Domodossola, IT, from here we took the Centro valley to Locarno and then to Bellinzona and finally back to Interlaken in the evening, it was a really long day but it was really worth it to experience the change of scenery.
May 2nd our last day we went back to Zurich and took a short trip to Solothurn, really beautiful small town and Olten.
This is just a quick overview of most of the places we were able to visit in 7 days with the STP and the help of the SBB app.
We could not have asked for a better weather the 7 full days we spent traveling everywhere I am simply Grateful to God and to everyone that pitched in more or less to make this trip possible.Thanks again.
Edwin
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Hello Edwin
Thank you for this extremely interesting report. I suspect that it perhaps belongs in the separate ‘trip reports’ forum; the moderators will no doubt consider that point.
Reading your report, you obviously had a great trip. You obviously mastered the intricacies of Switzerland’s outstanding public transport system. But even more importantly, while you clearly took careful note of the advice we gave you, you were very flexiblle. You did not always follow are suggestions!
That brings me to the first two days of May. Regarding 1st May, three comments. Firstly, a you demonstrated one point I am constantly making in my replies posted on this forum. The Swiss Travel Pass enables you to change your mind as to your destination even in mid-journey! Secondly, the change of mind meant that you experienced the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, which is certainly different in character from the rest of the country. Thirdly it was clearly a long day, but you were able to get back to Interlaken from Bellinzona. (Did you go via Zurich and Bern?)
On May 2nd you visited two delightful towns not on regular tourist trail, Solothurn and Olten. But the fantastic Swiss transport system made them easy to get to.
In conclusion, I hope that as a result of your experiences this year, this visit will not be your last to Switzerland!
Very best wishes
Roger
Hi Edwin,
Many thanks for submitting your trip report. It will certainly reassure fellow travellers who maybe a little anxious to travel around by public transport in Switzerland.
Happy to hear the weather cooperated for the majority of your trip as April/May can indeed be very changeable.
I agree with Roger’s comments in regard to the Swiss Travel Pass. You have the flexibility to change plans and do something else 🙂 A true advantage with this pass!
Thank you again.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Hello again,
Roger,
Yes, having the STP is an invaluable advantage, as you are able to visit as many places as you wish if time permits without worrying about reservations. The SBB app is truly super easy to vavigate and a must when wanting to make changes in your itinerary, I think it is the best transportation tool i have seen that covers the entire pubic transportation system of a full country.
For my segment from Bellinzona to Interlaken, I took the IC21direction to Olten that was supposed to connect me to the IR46 in Arth-Goldau to Zurich, IC8 Zurich to Bern and ICE Bern to Interlaken West. But instead I stayed in the IC21 past Arth-Goldau and got off in Luzern where I then took the PE Luzern-Interlaken express for the second time in my trip arriving at Interlaken West just within a few minutes difference from the original trip without all the changes. Again this was possible thanks to the SBB app.
This was my 2nd trip to Switzerland within a year, the first I fully did on my own (the first was a circuit) and definitely God willing will net be the last, next one will be at least 15 days to fully enjoy as much as possible at a slower pace.
Yolanda,
Yes, I was worried about weather because the week before I was monitoring and it was not too good but I was prepared for any weather with rain jackets and extra pairs of shoes. But I have to say it was perfect, really could not have asked for a better weather, even at the top of Gornergratt, Grindelwald First and Stanserhorn were temperatures were low but with the sun a jacket was not necessary.
Edwin
Great photos Edwin.
Thank you for sharing and also sharing the additional information.
Great to hear you will be Switzerland bound again!
Happy planning.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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