[Anonymous]

20 July 2017 at 13:06:01 #812673

Hello folks..

What do you think about the below itinerary. We are couple along with 2 young boys- aged 2 and 4.Flying from Dubai on Aug 31st. Do you have any advice to add any nice attractions anywhere which will be enjoyable by the kids? Any other suggestions or advices considering the weather in early September will be appreciated. We are planning to get the Swiss family pass along with the half pay travel card.

Aug 31 Arrive at Zurich at 7:30 pm, transfer to Lucerne by train (1 hr 8 min). Check in at the hotel at Lucerne, late night Lucerne

Day1 Sep 1 Breakfast at hotel, leave hotel at 9:00 am, Lake luzern, chapel bridge,transport museum (city tour) stay at Lucerne

Day 2 Sep 2 Train to Engel berg and cable car to Mt. Titlis, stay at Lucerne

Day 3 Sep 3 Lucerne – Viznau by boat,Mt Rigi, stay at Lucerne

Day 4 Sep 4 . transfer from lucerne to Grindelwald (Golden Pass train 1 h 28min), Murren. stay at Grindelwald

Day 5 Sep 5 cable car down Mannlichen to Wengen and then on down to Lauterbrunnen.Trummelbach falls, stay at Grindelwald

Day 6 Sep 6 Grindelwald to Montreux by golden pass train, return to grindelwald

Day 7 Sep 7 cable car to Grindelwald First, First to Grosse Scheidegg , bus to Grindelwald.

Day 8 Sep 8 morning checkout, go to Zurich(taxi), return flight.

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[User]

Reply 1 of 10 • 21 July 2017 at 6:05:45 #867083

Hi Semsel and welcome to MySwissAlps!

You may want to look at getting the Swiss Travel Pass instead of the Swiss Half Fare Card. This way you don’t need to buy tickets every time you get on a train etc. except for Mt. Titlis and routes around Grindelwald (cable cars etc). Have a look at the map of validity for the Swiss Travel Pass here.

Please note that the Golden Pass route is Montreux – Zweisimmen – Interlaken – Lucerne.
So between Grindelwald and Interlaken it is a regular train and not a part of this route.

For kids, the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne and the Ballenberg open air museum (1 hour from Interlaken) are both very popular.

Lucas

[User]

Reply 2 of 10 • 24 July 2017 at 9:27:57 #867084

Thank you so much Lucas, your comments are really helpful.

There are a few changes in our itinerary, as we decided to include 2 days in Paris, so it leaves us with only 4.5 days in Switzerland!. So we will be getting the 5 – day Swiss travel pass. Following is the revised itinerary:

Sep 3: Train from Paris-Gare de Lyon at 10:23 am, via Basel.-Olten – Luzern arrive at 2:55 pm.Check in, have lunch,visit Chapel bridge/Musegg wall/Rosengart, stay at Lucerne

Sep 4: Train to Engel berg and cable car to Mt. Titlis, stop at Trubsee lake. walk at Engelberg,return and stay at Lucerne

Sep 5: Lucrne – Viznau by boat,Mt Rigi, Uphill Vitznau – Rigi Kulm, downhill Rigi Kulm – Rigi Kaltbad by cogwheel railway . Downhill from Rigi Kaltbad – Weggis by aerial cable car,Weggis to Lucerne by boat.

Check out and catch train to Grindelwald last train at 18:05 stay at Grindelwald

Sep 6 : cable car from Grindelwald Grund to Mannlichen,walk to Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen. Explore Wengen and then on down to Lauterbrunnen. stay at Grindelwald

Sep 7 Grindelwald – Zweilutschinen – Lauterbrunnen (train 1 hr), cable car to Grutschalp,train to Murren(10 mins)

Explore Murren

Hike to Gimmelwald

Cable car down to Stechelberg

bus to Trummelbachfalls

bus back to Lauterbrunnen,train to Grindelwald , stay at Grindelwald

Sep 8 Train to Zurich and Return flight

Few questions here:

1. Considering the above short itinerary, do you think Lauterbrunnen is a better alternative to Grindelwald for the second part?. we want to make sure we explore the villages- Wengen, Murren and Grindelwald

2. Do you think it’s possible to catch the train to Grindelwald / Lauterbrunnen ( Golden pass train @ 18:05) from Lucern after finishing the day trip to Mt. Rigi?

3. How do you get to the hotels in Grindelwald if they are not close by the train station?

4. Do you think the itinerary is hectic with kids?

[User]

Reply 3 of 10 • 24 July 2017 at 16:30:36 #867085

Hi semsel,

1. I think either town is fine for your trips. Use the timetable to plan your trips and compare travel times between the two towns.
2. Yes, you can do a day trip to Mt. Rigi and get back to Luzern to catch the 18:05 train no problem. Again, the timetable will allow you to plan your day – give yourself about 2-3 hours at the top of Rigi at least.
3. Most hotels are walking distance from the train station or you can take a bus to them. They may also offer a shuttle or a taxi (contact the hotel for details). We have a list of Grindelwald hotels noted here (with travel time from the train station).
4. No, I think the itinerary should be fine (though I don’t have kids!). Be sure to keep things flexible and plan on visiting the must-do/see activities at the start of the day in case everyone becomes too tired by mid-afternoon and you just head back to the hotel.

Lucas

[User]

Reply 4 of 10 • 25 July 2017 at 3:01:15 #867086

>> Sep 5: Lucrne … Check out and catch train to Grindelwald last train at 18:05 stay at Grindelwald … How do you get to the hotels in Grindelwald if they are not close by the train station?

The village buses in Grindelwald stop running between 6-7pm. If your hotel is too far from the station to walk, a taxi is an option if your hotel does not offer a pick-up service.

>> Sep 6 : cable car from Grindelwald Grund to Mannlichen,walk to Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen. Explore Wengen

Do I understand correctly that you intend to walk from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen? I haven’t done this hike myself, but most people just hike to Wengneralp and then get the train the rest of the way to Wengen.

From what I recall, I think this is because the trail from Wengneralp to Wengen is quite steep, and there are no scenic views, as it is mostly through woods. Perhaps someone who has done this part of the walk could give you some better information.

>> bus to Trummelbachfalls

Children under 4 years of age cant’t be taken to the Trümmelbach Falls unfortunately. Please see information on the following page by hovering your mouse over the symbol of a woman with a pram. You could perhaps take it in turns, with one of you staying outside with the younger child.

truemmelbachfaelle.ch/ e/information_anreise. html

>> Considering the above short itinerary, do you think Lauterbrunnen is a better alternative to Grindelwald for the second part?. we want to make sure we explore the villages- Wengen, Murren and Grindelwald

For such a short stay, I would not consider changing hotels, as it wastes too much time.

Alpenrose

[User]

Reply 5 of 10 • 25 July 2017 at 19:16:39 #867087

Hi semsel-

Since you have taken out the trip to First, there is little need to stay in Grindelwald. It is the most commercial of the towns in the area. If you stay on the other side of the ridge- at Lauterbrunnen, or wengen or Mürren, you be in the less commercial, and in my opinion, more attractive part of the region.

map.search.ch/?pos=637928,160736&z=32

Just a thought.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 6 of 10 • 26 July 2017 at 5:12:59 #867088

Hi Slowpoke

I would want to include First, but I was not sure how to include and where. Better suggestions on the Grindelwald itinerary is always welcome :). Can you please suggest how to cover First, Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg(walk), Murren, Wengen in an effective way in 2 days. Now that as someone pointed out Trummelbach falls should be avoided as it is not allowed for kids <4 yrs.

If Wengen is more beautiful we would like to stay there. But how accessible and convenient it is to transfer with luggage in public transport, I heard it is a car-free area. considering this point,can you suggest any nice economic hotels?

[User]

Reply 7 of 10 • 26 July 2017 at 8:26:25 #867089

Hi Semsel,

Wengen and Mürren are both car free towns but luggage transfer is not a problem on the trains and to the hotels (often a hotel will offer a shuttle if it is very far from the train station).

We have a list of hotels for Wengen here for all budgets.

Lucas

[User]

Reply 8 of 10 • 26 July 2017 at 8:53:18 #867090

Hi Semsel –

<<“Sep 6 : cable car from Grindelwald Grund to Mannlichen,walk to Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen. Explore Wengen…. [Alpenrose wrote] – “Do I understand correctly that you intend to walk from Kleine Scheidegg to Wengen? I haven’t done this hike myself, but most people just hike to Wengernalp and then get the train the rest of the way to Wengen. From what I recall, I think this is because the trail from Wengernalp to Wengen is quite steep, and there are no scenic views, as it is mostly through woods. Perhaps someone who has done this part of the walk could give you some better information.”>>

I have walked from Männlichen to Kleine Scheidegg many times and will go back at every chance I have. In some of my photos I use the caption” Grannies’ Walk” which is one nickname for the trail. My granddaughter was 8 years old at the time of the attached photos. My wife and I walked from Kleine Scheidegg all the way to Wengen (not just Wengernalp) only once. That was a long long time ago. I don’t remember all the details. I do remember that we said that we would not do it again. We had sore and tired legs at at the end of the walk, and we were disappointed at the views….could not see the valley. From this map you can see that the easiest trail goes right along the tracks most of the way to Wengen: map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=ech&lang=en&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.bav.ha ltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&X=159841.74 &Y=638480.37&zoom=6 I recall that, although you can see the surrounding mountains, you cannot really see much of the valley. Flip the map to aerial view if you are not used to the map conventions, and you can indeed see woods along some of the route after Wengernalp. The train gives you as much view, but in a shorter time. If you go all the way to Wengen (800 meters altitude change) you’ll likely have sore knees ( unless you are really used to downhill walking.) That is too much altitude change especially aftter a 200 or 300 meters on the M->KS trail. The walk to Wengernalp is more manageable, with only a 200 meter elevation change. If I were doing it, I’d take the train down to Wengen, but certainly the walk partway down from Kleine Scheidegg is an option. However, I’d hesitate to do any of the walks with a 2 year old, and I’d reconfirm that the 2300 meters altitude (Männlichen) is not a problem for the 2 year old.

<<“If Wengen is more beautiful we would like to stay there. But how accessible and convenient it is to transfer with luggage in public transport, I heard it is a car-free area. considering this point,can you suggest any nice economic hotels?”>>

Some hotels are near the station. This map is supposed to show accommodations, but is not very thorough.

map.search.ch/?pos=637094,161732&z=10 24&poi=bar,bergbahn,ha ltestelle,hotel,restau rant,zug

Google Maps does a better job:

http://www.google.com/maps/pl ace/Wengen,+3823+Laute rbrunnen,+Switzerland/ @46.6055518,7.9203229, 18z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x 478fa1c61e6dd461:0xb1a 996face2f0381!8m2!3d46 .6054335!4d7.9215399

Many hotels have a pick up service with electric carts.. If you telephone once you are at the Wengen train station, they’ll pick you up. Check with a hotel before you book.

And, of course, they will return you and your bags at the end of the trip. Not all hotels do that….ask. And, study the maps for altitude. The hillside below the station is pretty steep.

Hotels:

http://www.myswissalps.com/we ngen/hotels

This is a useful bit of reading:

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

Also:

http://www.myswissalps.com/we ngen

If you want to put together a tight itinerary, and “cover” various places, assuming that the kids can manage it, check out and work the timetable:

http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

I don’t know how to estimate time for “cover” because “cover” can have a wide range of meanings, depending on the people involved, personal preferences, and the weather. If you have thick clouds, you can’t see anything…….

The timetable gives cableway information as well as train information. If you use the Wengen listings, you will see Wengen Wengiboden ( the bottom station of the cableway), and if you go up to Männlichen you will see LWM ( Lauterbrunnen-Wengen-Männlichen). Männlichen GGM is from Grindelwald to Männlichen. The stations are a hundred or so meters apart at Männlichen. Check the maps.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 9 of 10 • 27 July 2017 at 7:56:49 #867091

Thanks Slowpoke, You guys are extremely helpful, cant thank you enough!!

may be you misunderstood, we want to walk from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg only (as I read is really wonderful), rest should be covered by cable car/ bus/train.

Since our itinerary has become shorter, I want to make few arrangements:

1. Will it possible to do a round trip to Mt. Rigi from Lucerne if we start at 2:00 pm on the arrival day. We just want to click some pictures, spend few minutes at the views, not planning to spend more time there.

2. Is it a good option to visit the Ballenberg while we do the transfer from Lucerne to Wengen/Grindelwald (as I understand its on the way) if we start in the early morning? If yes where can we keep our luggage (at museum or train station Brunig) ? Whats the best route to take?

[User]

Reply 10 of 10 • 27 July 2017 at 11:06:17 #867092

Hi semsel –

<<“may be you misunderstood, we want to walk from Mannlichen to Kleine Scheidegg only (as I read is really wonderful), rest should be covered by cable car/ bus/train.”>>

Good. Then the timetable and the maps that I linked you to before will let you understand the terrain and the public transport options.

<<“Since our itinerary has become shorter, I want to make few arrangements: 1. Will it possible to do a round trip to Mt. Rigi from Lucerne if we start at 2:00 pm on the arrival day. We just want to click some pictures, spend few minutes at the views, not planning to spend more time there.”>>

The timetable can tell you that. I believe it is possible, but watch out for th return trip as transport services do not run past early evening or even perhaps only late afternoon.

Also, once you are up at Rigi Kulm, if I recall correctly you have only a few minutes before the train reverses and goes down, or else you wait an hour for the next one(s).

<<“2. Is it a good option to visit the Ballenberg while we do the transfer from Lucerne to Wengen/Grindelwald (as I understand its on the way) if we start in the early morning? If yes where can we keep our luggage (at museum or train station Brunig) ? Whats the best route to take?”>>

The timetable and maps can help you understand the options.

I’m not sure about luggage, but Station Brunig is too far away. Maybe Meringen or Brienz. Look under Stations and Services in the SBB timetable for each station.

Considering how short your time is near the Jungfrau, I’d go to Ballenberg when you come back on your next trip to Switzerland.

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/rainy-weather

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/need-suggestions-on-5-days-swiss-itinerary

The latter thread suggests leaving luggage at Brienz.

It’s nice, but unless you are really interested in that kind of stuff, the Jungfrau and nearby scenery is much more striking and a better use of your time, assuming clear weather. My opinion, anyway.

Slowpoke