Itinerary advice for Wilderswil and Flüelen in May
Avijit is planning a trip to Switzerland from May 3 to May 13, 2023, with his family. They will be based in Wilderswil and Fluelen and are looking for an itinerary that emphasizes scenic views without long hikes due to a family member's mobility issues. Avijit seeks recommendations on destinations and travel passes suitable for public transport.
- Consider getting the Swiss Travel Pass or Regional Pass Bernese Oberland for unlimited travel on public transport.
- For scenic experiences, plan boat trips on Lake Thun and Lake Brienz, and visit places like Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn.
- When traveling from Basel to Wilderswil, opt for a direct train to Interlaken Ost for a quicker journey.
- Use the SBB timetable to plan your travel routes efficiently and check for connecting trains.
AI-generated summary-
Hello everyone!
I need itinerary suggestions for our trip in May, 2023. Following are the details of the trip which may help you to suggest the itinerary:
1. We shall be in Switzerland from 03.05.2023 to 13.05.2023 both day included.
2. Shall enter from Germany through Basel on 03.05.2023.
3. Shall stay at Wilderswil from 03.05.2023 to 10.05.2023 (check-out) and at Fluelen from 10.05.2023 to 13.05.2023 (check-out).
4. Shall leave through Zurich on 13.05.2023.
5. We shall be using only public transport during our stay in Switzerland.
6. We are three adults – myself, my wife and my son. My wife is having certain issues with mobility and can’t take long walks. So hiking isn’t an option for us. We like to see the natural beauty which can be covered through public transportation and little walking.
My request before the Forum is for giving me suggestions so that a tentative itinerary can be prepared which will cover most of the sights in the regions where we are staying. Please also suggest travel passes suitable for my itinerary.
Thanks and regards in advance.
Avijit.
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Hi Mishravijit,
Thank you for sharing your plans for your trip.
Based on your 10 Day Trip and as you are based in Wilderswil and Flüelen, a Swiss Travel Pass and the Regional-Pass Bernese Oberland and the Tell-Pass are worth considering.
- https://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass
- https://www.myswissalps.com/regionalpassberneseoberland
- https://www.myswissalps.com/tellpass
Many members find this link useful, in deciding on the best pass : https://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass
As mentioned earlier as you are initially basing yourself in Wilderswil, this is an ideal spot for you explore the Bernese Oberland region. There are many activities that would not require heavy duty hiking. A boat trip along Lake Thun or Lake Brienz. Harder Kulm is easily reached by funicular offering some beautiful views. Or a visit to Bern.
For your stay in Flüelen, here you could explore the Lucerne region, as a suggestion, Mount Rigi is a popular destination.
I hope this helps, if you have more specific interests, feel free to share and we can direct you accordingly.
Best wishes,
Yolanda
Many thanks Yolanda, for the excellent suggestions.
I have checked details for various travel passes and planning to purchase Half Fare Pass combined with the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland for 6 days for the BO region and 2-days Tell Pass for the Lake Lucerne region. From my calculations this will be more economical. For the rest of the days in my itinerary, I like to use Saver Day Passes (discounted through Half Fare Pass) as I plan to travel beyond the validity of the regional passes.
Please suggest whether it will be a practical decision or not, both regarding economy and convenience.
Avijit
Hi Avijit,
I agree. Combining the Swiss Half Fare Card with the Regional Pass Bernese Ober land and Tell Pass is a sensible option if you’re using public transport. You won’t have to worry about buying additional tickets as these passes provide unlimited free travelling to many destinations. You can view and download the validity map of each pass below:
- Regional Pass Bernese Oberland: http://www.myswissalps.com/regionalpassberneseoberland/validity
- Tell Pass: http://www.myswissalps.com/tellpass/validity
Anna
Thanks Anna, for your considered opinion.
Since the isssue of chosing the appropriate passes are more or less settled, let me now get the opinion of the Forum members about the usage of Saver Day Passes for two days of my itinerary.
03/05/2023 : This is the day we shall be entering Switzerland through Basel from Germany and we shall stay at night in Wilderswil. My proposed itinerary for the day is: Basel – Goschenen (using Treno Godardo) – Andermatt (using the cogwheel train) – Brig (if possible, using Glacier Express) – Spiez (using RegioExpress Lotschberger) – Interlaken – Wilderswill.
10/05/2023: On this day we will be shifting our base from Wilderswil in BO region to Fluelen in Lake Lucerne region. My proposed itinerary for the day is: Wilderswill – Interlaken – Montreux (using Golden Pass Express) – Fluelen.
My question is whether these routes can be comfortably covered within daytime i.e. before it becomes dark, as we have to locate our accommodation in a new place. All suggestions for improvement or change in my itinerary are welcome. I also need guidance for finding the right connecting trains using the SBB timetable.
With best regards,
Avijit.
Hi Avijit,
Basel to Wilderswil via Andermatt and Brig will take roughly 7 hours if you make all your connections. Wilderswil to Montreux then Fluelen might take 8 hours. I think both trips are feasible. In May the sun sets roughly at around 8pm, so if you set out early you will have enough time to complete each journey before it gets dark.
I’m sure you have your own reason to pick these routes. But if you wish to minimise train changes, you can travel faster from Basel to Wilderswil by taking a direct train from Basel to Interlaken Ost, then a short bus ride to Wilderswil (roughly 2 hours journey).
You can use the SBB timetable to check train schedules and plan your journeys: http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable
Let us know if you need more info.
Regards,
Anna
Thanks Anna, for your opinion on the proposed routes.
Yes it’s true that this routes are not the shortest ones. Actually I have tried to utilize the duration between the check-out time of one accommodation and the check-in time of the next accommodation. On both days these durations are around seven hours. Therefore I tried to fit in some scenic routes, as mentioned on this website, in my proposed routes so that we can enjoy the natural beauty while travelling without allocating extra days out of our very short trip.
Moreover , on these two days I am planning to use the Saver Day passes as my proposed routes will take us beyond the validity area of the regional passes I am going to purchase. Only problem that I can anticipate is handling of luggage due to numerous charges of trains which we need to undertake.
Considering this scenario, I request esteemed Forum members to help me fine tune my proposed routes so that we can enjoy of the scenic railway journeys within the stipulated 7 to 8 hours. Please also advise me how to find out most suitable trains for the various parts of these routes using the SBB timetable.
Thanks in advance
Avijit.
Hi Avijit,
Your idea of selecting scenic routes to enjoy your pre-check-in times and to make optimal use of the Saver Day Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass) makes sense.
You can use the Swiss timetable at https://www.myswissalps.com/timetable to separately plan each stage of your trips. Another option is to enter your departure station (e.g. “Basel”) and our arrival station (e.g. “Wilderswil”), and then adding the relevant via-stations so it comes up with one overall route that connects all of the sections you want.
If you’re not familiar with the timetable yet, I suggest you read the page I linked to first. It explains in detail how to find the exact route you want and how to add via-stations. Of course you can also consult the “Route” sections of our train pages for detailed route info for some of the legs you’re considering:
- https://www.myswissalps.com/gotthardpanoramaexpress/gettingthere
- https://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/gettingthere
- https://www.myswissalps.com/lotschberger/gettingthere
- https://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/gettingthere
I think your route for May 3 is long, but doable. It will be varied and scenic too! In your particular case I wouldn’t try to fit in the Glacier Express train. It might be too complex to get those exact arrival/departure dates right.
As for May 10: note that only one GoldenPass Express train per day is available at this moment (see https://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass), so carefully plan to catch that one. After Montreux, you can head for Flüelen via Fribourg, Lausanne, Bern and Lucerne.
Here’s another proposal that involves a bit less traveling and more time to take breaks in between:
- On May 3: Basel-Bern-Fribourg-Lausanne-Montreux, then the GoldenPass Panoramic or GoldenPass Belle Époque to Zweisimmen (unless you arrive in Montreux early enough to board the GoldenPass Express), and on to Interlaken-Wilderswil.
- On May 4: Wilderswil-Interlaken-Brig (Lötschberg railway), Brig-Andermatt, Andermatt-Göschenen, Göschenen-Flüelen.
In the end it all comes down to what you prefer.
I love that you are trying to take full advantage of a day pass (like I always do in Switzerland – I often go around in circles and back and forth)
However, I agree with Arno, some of your proposed circuits are illogical and time consuming, in particular Interlaken – Montreux – Fluelen which is really not practical. Also I would not use the Glacier Express Andermatt – Brig as there is a single regional service covering that journey, and it is the least ‘panoramic’ section of the so-called Glacier Express route
Like Arno, I came up with ways to cover the same routes more practically:
First day (May 3):
Your original plan would work depending on your arrival time in Basel. The alternative Basel – Bern – Lausanne – Montreux – Zweisimmen takes between 6.5 and 7 hours (for example Basel 13.28 – Interlaken 20.28 = 7 hours) so is not actually that much longer than your proposed route via Goeschenen (best journey Basel depart 12.03, Interlaken arrive 20.28 = 8 hours 25 min)
May 10: same proposal as Arno: Interlaken – Spiez – Kandersteg – Brig – Andermatt – Goeschenen. Suggestion to avoid Glacier Express still applies
Many thanks Arno and 1960man for your considered suggestions.
I have gone through the details of the routes suggested by both of you and compared them with my proposed routes. My observations are as follows:
1. We plan to start our journey a little earlier, about 09-30 am, from the railway station to board the first train, i. e. Basel on 03.05.2023 and Interlaken West on 10.05.2021.
2. As per my proposed plan on 03.05.2023 the timings will be like this: Basel(10-03) – Göschenen (12-50), Göschenen(13-14) – Andermatt(13-24), Andermatt(13-54) – Brig(15-40), Brig(16-36) – Spiez(17-44), Spiez(18-05) – Interlaken West(18-21), Interlaken West(18-27) – Wildersil(18-40).
Your suggested route timings on the same day are: Basel(09-56) – Bern(10-56), Bern(11-04) – Laussane(12-16), Lausanne(12-21) – Montreux(12-41), Montreux(13-50) – Zweisimmen(15-57), Zweisimmen(16-02) – Spiez(16-47), Spiez(17-04) – Interlaken West(17-22), Interlaken West(17-27) – Wildersil(17-40).
Your suggested route takes one hour less and if we take the 12-50 train from Montreux, instead of the 13-50 one, it will save another hour but then it may be a little tight. However, this route requires 6 changes in comparison to 5 changes in my proposed route. I have tried to fit in two scenic routes, the Lotschberg railway and Gotthard pass route after reading about their beauty in MySwisAlps website. Since the timing of Glacier Express from Andermatt to Brig is coinciding with the proposed plan we may try to fit that in too.
In your suggested plan only one scenic route is covered, the Golden Pass route and I am not sure about the scenic beauty of Basel-Bern-Lausanne-Montreux route as I haven’t read about it in this Forum.
3. As per my proposed plan on 10.05.2023 the timings will be like this: Interlaken West(09-11) – Montreux(12-20), Montreux(13-43) – Brig(15-02), Brig(15-23) – Andermatt(17-20), Andermatt(17-29) – Göschenen(17-44), Göschenen(18-09) – Fluelen(18-43).
Your suggested route timings on the same day are: Interlaken West(09-34) – Spiez(09-51), Spiez(10-12) – Brig(11-18), Brig(12-23) – Andermatt(14-20), Andermatt(14-29) – Göschenen(14-44), Göschenen(15-09) – Fluelen(15-43).
Your suggested plan saves about 3 hours of travelling and covers two scenic routes, Lotschberg railway and Gotthard pass route. My proposed plan also covers two scenic routes, Golden Pass route and the Gotthard pass route. About an hour can be saved by reducing the gap at Montreux.
So, I have to choose between these two sets of plan considering the pros and cons between them. Esteemed members are requested to please provide their inputs for optimization of my tour programme.
Avijit.
Hi Avijit!
I think you’ve figured out your options pretty well, and have used the timetable to get all details. Good job! As for the 12:50 train on May 3 from Montreux: that may seem tight, but it’s actually not. The Swiss timetable is designed for quick transfer times.
Any of the routes, proposed by you, me or 1960man, will be fine for each day. They’re all doable and all scenic. That also goes for the stretch Basel-Bern-Fribourg-Montreux. It’s not known as an offical panoramic train, so you’ll come across it less often. But it’s still pretty.
So most important is that you feel comfortable with whichever choice you make and that you look forward to it.
Thanks Arno for your comments.
Now the selection of Passes during our trip getting more or less settled, I like to get suggestions on the day-to-day itinerary, especially within the BO region. We are staying in Wilderswil for a duration of clear 6 (six) days, moving in the evening of 03-05-2023 and moving out in the morning of 10-05-2023. Please suggest some must see natural sights which can be covered by public transportation system without much walking. After selection of places we can always distribute within the duration of our trip considering the weather conditions and other constraints.
For Lucerne region we do not have much choice as we are staying only for 2(two) clear days at Fluelen and it will be vey hectic to cover even the most popular sights.
Thanks in advance,
Avijit.
Hi Avijit,
You might want to consider getting the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland to cover all your sightseeing and excursions from your base in Wilderswil. Have a look at the validity map here: http://www.myswissalps.com/regionalpassberneseoberland. The page also includes list of destinations covered by the pass.
Regards,
Anna
Yes Anna, according to your suggestion posted on 23-01-2023, I have already checked the validity area of the RPBO and found it to be most suitable Pass for us for covering the BO area. We are going to purchase 6-days RPBO for the three of us. I have also checked the destinations covered by the card and obviously it’s not possible for us to visit most of them due to constraints of time, weather conditions, dates of operations etc. Therefore, I need suggestions from the Forum members for preparing a bucket list of destinations which we should definitely try to visit. Only then I shall be able to finalize our itinerary for the six clear days (from 04-05-2023 to 09-05-2023) we are staying in the BO region and shall try to cover those destinations considering the relevant factors. So, please give me your considered opinions in this regard.
For our stay in Lucerne region we plan to purchase 2-days Regional Tell Pass which will cover all the popular destinations like Rigi, Mt. Titlis, Mt. Pilatus, Stoos Funicuar etc. Since we are getting only two clear days (11-05-2023 & 12-05-2023) in that region, covering these spots and the Lucerne city will be more than enough for us. Therefore, no suggestions for other destinations are required. However, I shall be obliged if esteemed members can give suggestions for plans and timings to cover the destinations mentioned by me so that those can be properly fit in within our stay, weather permitting.
With best regards,
Avijit.
Hi Avijit,
From your base in Wilderswil, you can easily explore the Jungfrau region villages of Wengen, Grindelwald, Mürren and Lauterbrunnen. Perhaps you set aside one or 2 or 3 days to visit these destinations. You can also plan excursions to Jungfraujoch or Schilthorn or both.
- Wengen: http://www.myswissalps.com.com/wengen/activities
- Grindelwald: http://www.myswissalps.com/grindelwald/activities
- Mürren: http://www.myswissalps.com/murren/activities
- Lauterbrunnen: http://www.myswissalps.com/lauterbrunnen/activities
- Jungfraujoch: http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch
- Schilthorn: http://www.myswissalps.com/schilthorn
In addition to mountain destinations, you can plan boat trips on Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. You can find several options from the following links:
- Lake Brienz: http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakebrienz
- Lake Thun: http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakethun
With the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland, you can also travel to Bern. Perhaps spend a day or half a day exploring the swiss capital – http://www.myswissalps.com/bern/activities
If you are interested in riding a panoramic train, you can take the GoldenPass train from Interlaken to Montreux. The Regional Pass Bernese Oberland covers the journey up to Saanen/Gstaad. In Gstaad you can visit Glacier3000. Or continue to Montreux (Sarnen to Montreux is half price with the Regional Pass Bernese Oberland). With careful planning, a day trip to Montreux is certainly possible.
I hope this will give you some ideas on what to include in your itinerary.
Regards,
Anna
Excellent ideas Anna, thanks a lot. I shall check the links and try to finalize my itinerary. In the meantime, other esteemed members are requested kindly to chip in with advises and suggestions for my itinerary.
I shall also make a list of probable places to visit and submit in this Forum for finalization. For that I may raise some queries for you to help me out. Presently, I have a question : Whether it is advisable to go for both Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn within such a short span or we may chose any one of them on the basis of prevailaing conditions?
Thanks and regards,
Avijit
Only you can really decide on what you want to visit. There is only so much information that others can suggest – in the end it is down to personal preference. There are thousands of web sites you can look at in addition to the vast resources on this web site which give information about the Berner Oberland (http://www.myswissalps.com/berneseoberland)
area and the smaller ‘Jungfrau region’ within it (http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfrauregion)
Just use the internet search phrases ‘Berner Oberland’, ‘Bernese Oberland’, ‘Jungfrau region’ etc
As well as advanced planning by searching the internet, you will also get lots of information locally on arrival at your accommodation. You should remain flexible and not try and plan a rigid itinerary in advance. This will allow you to react to changes in weather conditions, and decide to do something different from your original plan if you feel like it.
Hi Avijit,
I think that all mountain tops are different, so in my opinion yes, you can visit Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn as well during your trip. But as 1960man recommended, try to stay flexible. If you visit Schilthorn and you feel that was enough, then you can still go for a boat trip on Lake Brienz (http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakebrienz) or Lake Thun (http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakethun) the next day. You do not have to visit Jungfraujoch if you do not want to.
Happy planning,
Ildiko
Thanks 1960man & Ildiko for your suggestions and comments.
After going through all the links given by Anna, 1960man & Ildiko, I have chosen the following destinations/trips in the BO region which we shall try to cover during our stay, considering the prevalent weather conditions and other factors:
1. Lauterbrunnen – Strechelberg – Murren – Schilthorn – Murren – Winteregg- Grutschalp – Lauterbrunnen.
2. Grindelwald – First – Grindelwald – Mannlichen – Kleine Scheidegg – Wengen – Lauterbrunnen.
3. Lake Brienz boat trip from Interlaken Ost covering Giessbach falls, Iseltwald and Brienzer Rothorn Railways.
4. Lake Thun boat trip from Interlaken covering Niesen and Niederhorn.
5. Jungfraujoch Tour.
6. Interlaken City tour covering Harder Kulm.
7. Gstaad, Saanen and Glacier 3000.
Please let me know whether my selections are alright. I am also looking for suggestions so that each of the trips can be executed covering wider area and varied routes but involving less walking.
With best regards,
Avijit.
Hello Mishravijit,
Thank you for sharing your plans.
I think you have chosen well, all sensible and well arranged, covering some wonderful parts of Switzerland 🙂 They do not appear to have much hiking involved. The walk from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg is classed as a relatively easy walk and for the average walker, would take around an hour and a half.
As always, feel free to reach out with any further questions.
Kind regards,
Yolana
Thanks Yolanda for your comments.
It goes without saying that I shall encounter some more questions in the process of fine tuning our itinerary, and then I shall have to present those in this Forum for suggestions and guidances.
For the time being I require suggestions with regard to our visit to the Lake Lucern region. We have only 2 (two) full days of stay in that region and have plans to see Mt. Rigi, Mt. Pilatus, Mt. Titlis, Stanserhorn, Lucern Old City, Stoos funiculer etc. as well as a boat ride in the Lake Lucern. Considering the short duration please suggest a compact and doable itinerary. We shall be based at Fluelen.
With best regards,
Avijit.
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