Honeymoon on motorbikes in the Swiss Alps
A traveler from India is planning a honeymoon trip to Switzerland in May with their wife, specifically wanting to bike the Alps. They need help with renting a motorbike, the validity of their Indian driving license, and suggestions for nearby Alpine routes that could be done in a day trip from Zurich or Interlaken.
- Check if an Indian driving license is accepted for renting motorbikes in Switzerland.
- Most Alpine road passes may still be closed due to snow in May, so consider routes in the Jura mountains instead.
- For detailed route planning, use a site like viamichelin.com or google maps to find suitable paths between Zurich and Interlaken.
- Make sure to have sufficient travel and vehicle insurance, as it may affect your rental options.
AI-generated summary-
Hi all. I am from india. I am visiting switzerland with my wife in may for my honeymoon. We both like biking. We would love to ride a motorbike in alps for a day or two. We are landing in zurich. Will really appreciate if anyone could help me with this as to
1. is it possible for me to do this
2. If yes, where to rent a bike and will an indian driving licence be valid
3. nearest alps roads to zurich or interlaken to which i can go and come back the same day or next.
i really want to experience bike riding in alps with my wife. Looking forward for the help from members and team.
thanks a lot in advance.
-
I don’t know about hiring, but you will see 100s of bikes a day on the Swiss alpine passes. Near Interlaken, bikers often congregate at the Hotel Hof und Post in Innertkirchen, which is at the junction where the Grimsel and Susten pass roads divide
Here is some information on trails:
http://www.schweizmobil.ch/en /mountainbiking-in-switzerland.html
Slowpoke
They are asking about motorbiking not mountainbiking
<<“They are asking about motorbiking not mountainbiking”>>
Probably.
<<“i really want to experience bike riding in alps with my wife. “>>
What do you suppose this means?
<<“3. nearest alps roads to zurich or interlaken to which i can go and come back the same day or next.”>>
Slowpoke
<<“. nearest alps roads to zurich or interlaken to which i can go and come back the same day or next.”>>
This will give you some idea of the distances.
map.search.ch/?pos=684672,201600&z=2
Slowpoke
<<“They are asking about motorbiking not mountainbiking”>>
Would you ride either one through the Grimsel in May?
Slowpoke
You can rent motorcycles in and around Zurich. But when I researched this, I discovered that as an American, I would require a state authorized motorcycle license to be able to rent.
Having said that, unless you are very familiar with driving in the Swiss Alps, it would be exceedingly dangerous to do. Also, May is still Winter so weather and road conditions are unpredictable.
Hi abbu,
Welcome to MySwissAlps!
1. Yes, it is possible to travel on motorbikes in the Swiss Alps. However it’s best to do it in the warmer months. I suggest reading this guide about the best time to visit: http://www.myswissalps.com/be sttimetovisit
2. You can rent motorbikes from Hertz (http://www.hertz.ch/p/en/bike s). An international driving licence is usually the requirement. You would have to enquire if an Indian licence would suffice. I hope someone else on the forum could give some insight on this.
3. For possible routes between Zurich and Interlaken, perhaps you can use a route planner such as viamichelin.com or google. Or visit this site for some recommendations: http://www.myswitzerland.com/ en-ch/experiences/experie nce-tour/car-motorcycle-grand-tour/
Be sure to read these for tips on driving on the mountains but should apply to motorcyclist and bikers too.
- Swiss traffic regulations: http://www.myswissalps.com/ca r/trafficregulations
- Driving in the mountains: http://www.myswissalps.com/ca r/drivinginthemountain s
Regards,
Anna
Hi Abbu-
Adding to the other comments about weather, most major alpine road passes are not free of snow until early June, and, in general, open in the first week of june.
This link is one way to get an idea about that:
http://www.tcs.ch/de/tools/ve rkehrsinfo-verkehrslage/paesse-in-der-schweiz.php
Although it is in German ( or French, or Italian) by clicking on the links, you can get a description for each pass on a long alphabetical list. The simple German is clear on when each pass is open.
Here is one example:
Sustenpass, 2’224 m
Innertkirchen (BE) – Wassen (UR), 45 km
Max. Gefälle: 9% ( maximum grade)
Offen (Open): Juni bis Oktober
Höchstgewicht (highest weight limit): 32 t zwischen ( between) Wassen und Innertkirchen, 34 t zwischen Innertkirchen und Meiringen
Or-
http://www.alpen-paesse.ch/en/
in English.
Slowpoke
Hi 1960man-
<<“They are asking about motorbiking not mountainbiking”>>
The precise meaning of “motorbike” may vary from country to country in the nominally English language.
As a consequence, I am not sure exactly what kind of two-wheeled vehicle Abbu is seeking.
In the USA, a “motorbike” is not the same thing as a “motorcycle.” The definitions overlap, and are certainly ambiguous, but a motorbike tends to be lightweight, low-powered, or more for off-road use. They may be “dirt bikes.” A motorcyle is larger, heavier, and can be a Harley-Davidson (one well known brand) or one of the larger Hondas or BMW’s, favored for highway cruising.
However, in Belgium, I read that :
“In BE, motorbike is a synonym of motorcycle. Motorcycle is more formal than motorbike. There is no difference in size, power, speed, etc.”
I don’t know the connotations and implications when a person from India uses the word. As I read his request, he might even be seeking an “E-bike” as follows.
Finally, in Switzerland, as elsewhere, battery-powered bicycles exist, which could be called a motorbike, and are sometimes known as E-bikes.:
http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/auto-velo/rent-a-bike-high-season.html
or,
something called a “road bike.”
bikeswitzerland.com/ro ad-bike-rentals-in-zurich/.
Among various searches, I found mention of battery powered mountain bikes.
So, until Abbu gives us a more precise idea of exactly where/how he wants to ride, all responses are fair game, at least in my opinion. I wish it was as clear to me as it is to you.
Slowpoke
Hi Slowpoke,
I imagine Abbu dreaming of roaring around the Alps on one of these http://www.ducati.com/ww/en/b ikes/diavel/diavel-1260.
But enough of the finer points of 2-wheelers, here’s a thread right up your alley – http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/easy-hiking-trails-along-the-bernina-line.
Hi Rockoyster –
<<“I imagine Abbu dreaming of roaring around the Alps on one of these http://www.ducati.com/ww/en/b ikes/diavel/diavel-1260.”>>
I wouldn’t be surprised. However, surely his wife-to-be’s opinion is a factor as well. Would she want one of those, or something more sedate, like a Honda Goldwing, with seats for two.
I’ll check the other link but I don’t know the territory.
Slowpoke
Hi Abbu,
That’s a nice and original idea you are having! I hope you and your future wife can fulfill your dreams.
There are only three road passes in Switzerland that I have not passed on a motorbike. More than 30 years ago (BMW R65), but things have not changed too much in that area. Let me try to answer your questions.
1. Is it possible? Yes, but see question 3.
2. Renting and driver’s licence. I have no experience in renting, but found this on the Internet, in Zurich. Foreing driver’s licences, if written with the latin alphabet and if they state the category of vehicle you are licenced to drive, will be accepted from tourists and new residents for one year. At least according to this website (scroll down to Driving in Switzerland on a foreign driving licence). To make sure, check with the Swiss embassy in your country, or with the Automobile Association of your country.
3. Alp Roads. In May, all, or at least most, road passes in the Alps will be closed because of snow. There are two major mountain ranges in Switzerland, the Alps in the South, and the Jura in the North-West. In between, the Swiss Plateau, where all major cities are located. My recommendation, if motorcycling is to be the highlight of your honeymoon trip, is that you select the Jura range, where you can cross several mountain passes, from Nyon and the Marchairuz Pass in the West, to Olten and the Hauenstein Pass in the North. On a clear day, you have wonderful views to the Alps from the Jura, esp. from the Western part of the Jura which is the closest to peaks such as Mt Blanc, Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger. The alternative, if you can’t postpone your trip to July, is to go in the Alps, but then forget about road passes. A pity, road passes are the exciting part of a ride. You might then as well forget about motorcycling and just visit the Alps like most visitors of this site.
As others have mentioned, if you don’t rely on a thorough experience in motorbiking, I suggest you forget it. There are hairpin curves on steep slopes, above cliffs, and that large truck or bus is moving towards you… Your passenger should also have experienced biking with you and be confident with it.
When (if..) you contact a motorbike rental company, ask them what are the insurance requirements. A third party liability insurance should be included in the rental fee, but you should have a good insurance, you know, if you or your passenger ends up in a hospital.
Just to add to your last, very valid, point. Travel insurance companies will often ask you to declare if you plan to undertake activities such as motor-cycling and will hike their premium accordingly.
Hi Snowman
You should come to my neck of the woods and ride your BMW motorcycle over the Tail of the Dragon. It’s 30 minutes from Knoxville and claims to be the #1 motorcycle road in America. It goes over Deal’s Gap next to the Great Smoky Mtns and there are 318 curves over 11 miles (many of them hairpin)and no intersecting roads. I have been on it several times and be forewarned people drive like maniacs on it. There are usually several wrecks daily and fatalities weekly and it rarely has any snow. Mark
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