MySwissAlps.com includes Jungfrau region, Zermatt, Glacier Express in June
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Myself and my wife are flying into Zurich from Manchester on 5th June and return on 14th for a joint 25th wedding anniversary and special birthday. It has been organised as a complete surprise for my wife who has no idea of the destination. The only request that she has made is that includes some special train journeys!
I have put the following itiniery together and would appreciate any feedback or suggestions:
Day 1 – UK to Zurich. Stay the night in Zurich
Day 2 – Spend the day exploring the city
Day 3 – Travel to JungFrau region and spend the afternoon around Harder Kulm – spend three nights in Grindlewald. Is Grindlewald the best and most centrale location?
Day 4 – Grindlewald First & Waterfalls
Day 5 – JungFraujoch & Schilthorn (if we have the time)
Day 6 – Travel to Zermatt- visit Gornergrat. Spend the night in Zermatt.
Day 7 – Zermatt to St Moritz (Glacier Express). Spend the night in St. Moritz.
Day 8 – St. Moritz to Zermatt (Glacier Express). Spend the night in Zermatt.
Day 9 – Zermatt to Zurich. Spend the night in Zurich
Day 10 – Spend the day at Rhinefalls before returning home.
When should we buy the train tickets?
Is it worthwhile travelling first class?
Is it possible to travel with our luggage in between one hotel to another on the train?
Can we do the same on the Glacier Express?
Do you have any suggestions or alternate ideas?Lastly, are there any other tips that you can offer such as restuarant / hotel suggestions?
I appreciate it
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Hi Omar,
Welcome to MySwissAlps.
Thanks for sharing your itinerary. Are you travelling this June? That is not a long time to go. If you plan to travel on the Glacier Express (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/glacier-express/), I recommend reserving your seats as soon as possible. Booking usually opens 3 months in advance and the seats do sell out, especially those in 1st class as they are limited.
Based on your travel, consider getting a 15-day Swiss Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/). Invest in a 1st class rail pass if you want more leg room, otherwise 2nd class is fine. With the Swiss Travel Pass, you can travel freely on Swiss public transport (e.g. trains, trams, buses and boats) and also get up to 50% discounts on mountain transport (e.g. cable cars, gondolas, cogwheel trains). The STP is also valid on the scenic trains such as the Glacier Express.
Travel light (1 medium suitcase + a backpack should be sufficient for one person) since you will be moving around quite a bit. However if you have big luggage you can also use the SBB luggage transport service. Further info and tips here: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/luggage/
Hope this helps!
Anna
Hello Omar
I have been regularly visiting Switzerland (from Britain) for 55 years. Ever since its introduction (under another name) in 1972, I have always invested in a (First Class). Swiss Travel Pass. It gives you the freedom of the world’s best public transport system. The only lines excluded are those which simply go up mountains. On those, the STP usually gets you a discounted fare. (See also Anna’s reply.)
Have a good map of Switzerland in front of you.
On day three take the scenic route from Zurich to Interlaken. That involves going via the city English-speakers call Lucerne, but known locally by its German name, Luzern.
Regarding which town you should use as a base for exploring the Jungfrau region, Interlaken (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/interlaken/) is a better centre for exploration than Grindelwald.
On Day six go from Interlaken to Spiez. From Spiez, take the RE1 train which goes to Brig VIA KANDERSTEG.. This route is slow but very scenic. Sit on the right hand side of the train in the direction of travel. From Brig you catch the narrow gauge train to Zermatt (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/zermatt/).
On day seven, you may indeed have problems with getting a reservation on the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St Moritz. Two alternative suggestions.
There is a Glacier Express which leaves Brig at 14 14 and gets to St Moritz at 20 53. It may be easier to get reservations on that train.The other alternative is to use ordinary trains to go from Zermatt to St Moritz (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/st-moritz/). In the morning go from Zermatt to Andermatt, changing at VISP. Take a break at Andermatt. Get some fresh air and have lunch. In the afternoon travel on to St Moritz, changing at Disentis and Reichenau-Tamins. On the IR38 train from Reichenau to St Moritz, the famous curved Landwasser viaduct comes about ten minutes after the train has left Tiefencastel. Sit on the right hand side of the train.
On day eight I would not go back to Zermatt. Instead take the train to Tirano and back. This train goes along the Bernina line, which many (myself included) rate as the most scenic railway line in the Alps. Spend a second night in the St Moritz area.
On day nine take the RE4 train from St Moritz to Landquart via Klosters. At Lanquart you change to an inter-city train to Zurich. Sit on the right hand side of this train for great views over the Walensee lake, and then over Lake Zurich.
On day ten, after the Rhnie Falls (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/rhine-falls/) go on to the small splendidly preserved medieval town of Stein am Rhein.
Best wishes for your detailed planning.
Roger.
Roger
I really do appreciate your very extensive reply and it is much appreciated.
I take onboard your suggestion of trips in and around Zurich and the fact that Interlaken is a better location to explore Grindelwald.
My only outstanding issue now is that it seems that, you were quite right, I cannot get two tickets of any class between Zermatt and St Moritz on the Glacier Express so will need to change my plans slightly. I can get tickets in the opposite direction but only on the 12th so will need to book them and work around it. I think this means that I will need to stick to my original schedule:
10th – Zermatt
11th – St Moritz
12th – ZermattI know its not ideal but it is what it is. Lesson learned for the next time.
I am more than happy to take any other suggestions before finalising our plans.
Appreciated to you all.
Hello again
Get out a good map of Switzerland
I suggest you travel as follows.
On June 10th travel from Interlaken to CHUR, and stay the night there. You go via Bern and Zurich. Sit on the left hand side in the direction of travel between Zurich and Chur.
On June 11th catch 08 17 Bernina Express (reservations required) from Chur to Tirano, arrive 12 49. Catch an ordinary regional train back from Tirano to St Moritz. Stay the night in St Moritz.
If you find that the Bernina Express is fully booked, catch an IR38 train from Chur to St Moritz. Sit on the right in the direction of travel. The famous curved Landwasser viaduct comes about ten minutes after the stop at Tiefencastel. Park your luggage in a locker at St Moritz station and take a trip on the Bernina line using the ordinary regional trains. You may want to break your journey at the small intermediate station of Alp Grum. The views from there are fantastic!https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/bernina-express/
On June 12th take the Glacier Express from St Moritz to Zermatt.
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/glacier-express/
Kind regards
Roger
Roger
I really do appreciate your help and apologise for my delayed response but unfortunately very long hours work got in the way. Anyway, here I am back again for a little more advice.
Booked the Swiss Travel Pass from a third party website and to cut a long story short something went wrong with the booking and they informed me a couple of days later that the booking did not go through. No overall harm done as I got a full refund and ordered first class tickets through Swiss Railways.
Looked through the Glacier Express website hoping to find any first class seating and was only able to find two together on Monday 8th June, travelling from Zermatt to St. Moritz. As this is a bucket wish list item I just took this last availability and decided that I would work everything else around it.
Therefore, I have the following holiday schedule in mind:
Day 1 (June 5) – Arrive in Zurich and spend the night
Day 2 – Spend the day exploring the city
Day 3 – Travel to Zermatt. – visit Gornergrat and perhaps Matterhorn Glacier Paradise cable car
Day 4 – Glacier Express. Zermatt to St Moritz. Spend the night in St Moritz.
Day 5 – Travel to Lucerne via Chur on the Albula Line. We can then decide if we wish to do Mt. Titlis. Spend the night in Lucerne.
Day 6 –
Day 7 –
Day 8 – All three days as per previous in Jungfrau region but stay in Interlaken as per your advice.
Day 9 – Interlaken to Zurich and depending on how tired we are take in either Lake Brienz, Rothorn Railway and / or the Lauterbrunnen Valley. Spend the night in Zurich
Day 10 – Rhinefalls before flying home.To date the only trip I have booked is the Glacier Express. From reading it seems that we can book the other trips closer to the time and take into account the weather forecast. Is this the case?
Also, may I ask, is the Swiss coupon pass 2-for-1 offers (currently £30) a worthwhile purchase? In a similar vein, is the three day Jungrau travel pass a good idea (currently £199) bearing in mind I already have the STP. I do intend on doing as much as is possible in the region over the three days will spend there.
Once again, thank you for your time and consideration.
Omar
Hi Omar,
Well done getting seats on the Glacier Express. It’s usually impossible to get seats in 1st class at the last minute.
Your updated itinerary looks good. Lucerne is a good base for a day trip to Mt Titlis (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/titlis/) from Lucerne. Then from Lucerne, you can take the Lucerne-Interlaken Express directly to Interlaken Ost.
Whether it’s worth investing in a Jungfrau Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/jungfrau-travel-pass/) depends on your plans while staying in the Jungfrau region. If you are doing a lot of mountain excursions, combining the Jungfrau Travel Pass and Swiss Travel Pass might offer substantial saving. You will have to do the math as explained here: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/tickets/compare/
Regarding the Swiss Coupon Pass, this is not a transport pass but basically discount vouchers for specific museums, restaurants, guided tours and excursions. If you are planning to do any of these, then it might be worth buying.
Best regards,
Anna
Hello again Omar.
Day Five
Get out a good map of Switzerland
First note that the Glacier Express takes the Albula Line (via Filisur) from Chur to St Moritz.
So I would suggest the following route from St Moritz to Lucerne on Day five.
Take the RE3 train from St Moritz to Landquart via Klosters.
From Landquart take the fast IC3 train to Zurich Hauptbahnhof. Sit on the right hand side of the train in the direction of travel.
Take the IR70 train from Zurich to Lucerne. Sit on the left hand side of the train in the direction of travel.
The journey will take just over four hours.
As an alternative to Titlis, I would suggest that in the afternoon, you ‘slow down’ and go for a boat cruise on Lake Lucerne, and perhaps go up the Rigi from Vitznau. (Both are free with the Swiss Travel Pass.) Boats for Vitznau leave Lucerne at 12 minutes past each hour.
Days six, seven eight.
The Jungfrau Travel Pass gives Free Travel on the following mountain lines – Harder, Schynige Platte; Griindelwald-First; both lines to Mānnlichen; both lines to Kleine Scheidegg. On the very expensive trip to Jungfraujoch it gives you a much bigger discount than is given by the Swiss Travel Pass.
Whether you invest in Jungfrau Travel Passes depends on the amount of (mechanised) mountain climbing you intend to do! You could delay the decision until you get to Interlaken. (The booking office at Interlaken Ost station would be able to sell you JTPs.)
Coupon Pass I have no experience of this pass, which,as Anna explains, is not a transport pass. Remember that your Swiss Travel Passes gives free admission to a lot of museums.
Reservations
Apart from the Glacier Express, the only other trip you mention which requires reservations is Brienzer Rothorn (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/brienzer-rothorn/).
The only trip I mention which requires a reservation is Jungfraujoch (https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/jungfraujoch/).
Best wishes for your detailed planning.
Roger
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