MySwissAlps.com includes May trip to Montreux and Interlaken before continuing to Italy
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Hello All
I am finishing my planning for this year trip back to Switzerland. This time I am flying into Geneve at the end of May and I already purchased a 6 day STP. I am traveling with a rather I think medium size group of family and friends the wanted to tag along this trip. 14 total.
My plans are arrive in Geneve 23 May and take train to Montreux around 1230, I will be staying 1 night in Montreux, I am still undecided if I should try a trip to Yvoire this afternoon or just spend the afternoon in Montreux, I have visited Chillon castle before but I am really open to suggestions or advice here.
Next day May 24 I plan to take the 0932 GPX to Interlaken, leave our luggage at the hotel and do some exploring, most likely a boat cruise and going up to Harder Kulm in the evening.
May 25 will like to do Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Shilthorn and Maybe Wengen if time allows, maybe I’ll do it in this order Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, Murren and end with Shilthorn. Any suggestions or advice here?
May 26 I plan to take the 0804 Luzern–Interlaken Express and then do Stanserhorn first thing after arrival and then go to Rigi via Beckenried – Vitznau or Weggis boat trip and then back to Luzern for a stroll in the afternoon before heading back to Interlaken late afternoon or evening. Really taking advantage and using up the STP on this day 🙂
May 27 I was planning a trip to Matterhorn Glacier Paradise ( I went to Gornergratt last year) but I think I should just stay in Grindelwald area and do Pffinstegg and Glacier Canyon or Aareschlucht, I have been to Aareschlucht but not to GC so I am not sure yet, I was really impress with Aareschlucht couple of years ago. Should I plan for MGP or just take in Grindelwald? Specially when I have an early and long day coming up next day.
May 28 I will need to do an early departure to Chiasso to then take the regional train to Milano where I already have a 1440 reservation for a high speed train to Florence. Open to suggestions on the best route to take to make it to Chiasso in the morning.This is so far what I have for this segment 23 to 28 May. As always any advice or suggestions from the experts here is more than welcome and truly appreciated.
Thank you all in Advance!
Edwin
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Hello Edwin
Welcome to MySwissAlps
Thank you for sharing your exciting holiday plans with us. And an even bigger thank you for telling us your exact travel dates. That makes us confident about advising on public transport options, and on related issues such as likely crowding.
The Important News – 24th May is Pentecost Sunday.
Pentecost is an important Christian festival still widely observed in western Europe, including Switzerland and Italy. Monday 25th is a public holiday in Switzerland, Italy, and most other European countries. (Not a holiday in Britain.)
This means that on at least the 23rd, 24th and 25th, public transport (all modes) is likely to be extremely busy. If local schools are on holiday (very likely) 26th, 27th and 28th will be busy.
May 23 Forget Yvoire. Consider Les Pleiades
First note that trains run twice an hour Geneva Airport-Geneva city centre-– Lausanne-Montreux. The trains start from the Airport, so your group of 14 will have no problems getting seats. Sit on the right hand side of the train in the direction of travel.
To visit Yvoire you would need to break your journey at NYON and park your luggage in lockers. It is a fifteen minute walk from the train station to the harbour.
Late in the afternoon the fourteen of you would have to cram into a crowded train from Nyon via Lausanne to Montreux.
Provided you reach Montreux by about 14 00, consider going up the mountain line from neighbouring Vevey to Les Pleiades. This line is FREE with the Swiss Travel Pass.
https://www.myswissalps.com/details/swiss-travel-pass-validity/
May 24 Reservations Essential
Get your (14?) reservations for the Golden Pass Express NOW. These trains are always very busy, and are limited to just five carriages.
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/goldenpass/#price
If the 09 32 is fully booked, use the services which leave Montreux at 43 minutes past each hour. You change at Zweisimmen and Spiez. Reserve seats for the Montreux to Zweisimmen leg of this journey.
When you get to Interlaken the boats on both lakes are likely to be very busy, quite possibly having to leave people behind. If the weather is good, there will be long queues for the Harder Kulm funicular.
May 25 Phew! A day at a relatively more relaxed pace.
Just note that to get to Műrren you will have to go via Stechelberg. The railway line from Grűtschalp is closed for engineering work.
https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-guide/lauterbrunnen-murren/
May 26 Cramming the Luzern area free STP lines into one day!
If you can, catch the SEVEN 04 express to Luzern. Change at LUZERN. Catch the fast train to Engelberg, getting off at its first stop, STANS (for Stanserhorn.) Whether you catch the 0704 or 08 04 Interlaken to Luzern, reserve seats.
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/stanserhorn/
Having ‘done’ Stanserhorn, all 14 of you cram onto the route 311 bus which runs twice an hour from Stans to Beckenried. ‘Do‘ Klewenalp.
Boats from Beckenried to Vitznau run hourly at 32 minutes past the hour, and take just 17 minutes. Go up Rigi from Vitznau.
There are two possible routes from Rigi Summit to Luzern. Go back down to Vitznau, and then boat to Luzern. Or go down the other railway to Arth-Goldau, and then train to Luzern.
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/rigi/
The last connection from Luzern to Interlaken is at 21 06. (A change of train will be needed at Meiringen.)
May 27th You will need a quieter day
I suggest you just go to Grindelwald. From there, go up to First and to Pffingsteg. (50% discount with STP on both these lines.)
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/pfingstegg/
May 28th Interlaken to Florence.
You will need separate tickets for the Chiasso to Milan section of your journey. (Only 51 kms, 31 miles – not that expensive.) And then high speed train tickets Milan to Florence.
Reserve seats on the 0804 to Luzern, arriving in Luzern at 09 55.
Reserve seats on the 10 18 IC21 from Luzern to Lugano, arriving Lugano at 11 58. At Lugano cross quickly through the subway from platform two to platform one.
Catch the 12 02 ‘Tilo’ RE80 train which goes via Chiasso to Milano Centrale, arriving there at 13 17.
https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-guide/italy-switzerland/
If you miss the connection at Lugano catch the 13 02 RE80 arriving Milan 14 17; still in time for your train to Florence/Firenze.
Kind regards
Roger
Thank you Roger!
It is always a pleasure to read your expert advise.
Right from the start really appreciate your advice on Les Pleiades, I look it up and I think everyone will enjoy this trip specially with the narcissus in full bloom hopefully, half of the group already been to Yvoire already, so not really that important. And after Les Pleiades I think a stroll in Montreux Riviera in the late afternoon early evening will be great.
Next for Montreux to Interlaken I am flexible on timing and route so will skip reservations and take my chances, this is one of the things I love about the STP.
May 26 I will definitely to get everyone to do an early day start to get to Luzern as early as possible, I already been up to Stanserhorn last April but will really like the rest of the group to have this experience specially since they already paid for the STP and there is no additional cost, also will deffinetly try to fit in Klewenalp if we are doing good on timing. I will also like for them to have some time in Luzerne.
I was originally thinking of doing Pilatus on this day but instead I opted for Shilthorn the day before in Lauterbrunnen.May 27 Half of us already did First las April and will be skipping that this year, Most of the group will like to do a Toboggan slide, So I decided to do Pffinsteg and be more relaxed. Undecided it between Grindelwald Glacier Gorge or Aare Gorge. My question here is… If half of us already done Aare Gorge and really loved it but did not get to cross the entire length and will not mind doing it again. Should I skip Grindelwald Gorge and do Aare or will I miss a difference experience in GG?
Also on this day If I just stick to Grindelwald in the AM I might have time to do some lake cruising or visit Thun in the afternoon, I never been to Thun.And finally thanks for the May 28 suggestion, definitely a good option among others I also considered in the SBB site.
Again thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Edwin
Hello again Edwin
Thanks for the compliments!
Regarding the 27th, I have never been to the Grindelwald Glacier Gorge, but I have read some good reviews. I personally would go to Grindelwald with the rest of your group.
Regarding boat cruises, note that boat service on Lakes Thun and Brienz are not nearly as good as those on Lake Luzern. In particular, the first boat from Interlaken to Thun is not until 11 10! If you were decide to go to Thun, the best route is to take the number 21 bus along the very scenic NORTH shore of the lake. (Thun is a very attractive town!)
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/boat-lake-brienz/
https://www.myswissalps.com/activity/boat-lake-thun/
https://www.myswissalps.com/town/thun/Best wishes
Roger
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