Swiss Travel Pass: mountain excursions from Basel, with no walking
A couple is planning a trip from Basel to Switzerland from July 21 to 26. One of them has an injured foot, so they need suggestions for a scenic itinerary with minimal transfers and transport mainly by train or bus.
- Consider traveling from Basel to Locarno on the Treno Gottardo for a direct route with scenic views.
- Use the Swiss Travel Pass to cover most trips without additional costs.
- Look at alternatives like Chur to St Moritz or Lugano for beautiful destinations with limited walking.
- Plan for transfers based on the Swiss electronic timetable; connections are usually reliable even with short times.
AI-generated summary-
Suggestions for Mountain itinerary for riding train, bus (anything) and not walking? Someone in our party has an injured foot so would prefer sitting with few transfers. We are starting in Basel but can go anywhere with our Swiss passes.
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My difficulty in advising is that I can think of any number of mountain trips by Switzerland’s excellent public transport, but almost all would involve quite a few transfers. A rather extreme example from Basel would be Basel-Zurich (change sometimes needed)-Landquart (change needed about 100 metres) -Saglians (cross platform change)-Zernez, There is then about a 50 metre walk to the hourly bus which goes over the Ofen Pass to Mals in South Tyrol. (STP valid the whole way!). And then you have got to come back!
At the other extreme Basel to Locarno and return on the Treno Gottardo. No transfers, 500 metre walk to the lake. Some scenic buses depart from right outside the station.
However a natural circular from Locarno is on to Domodossola-Brig-Bern-Basel. (Perhaps try and avoid changing at Bern, as the direct Brig-Basel train will go by the Lotschberg base tunnel.)
I hope you can sort things out But only you can judge the abilities of your casualty.
Is this helpful? If yes, then please let me know as soon as possible, as I have already thought of many other suggestions.
Regards
Roger Sexton
Ps How familiar are you with Swiss public transport? Do you know about the ‘Taktfahrplan’ of hourly connecting services? Do you know that except in very large cities like Basel and Zurich, almost all ‘out-of-town’ buses go from outside the main station? At places where there are lake boats, the landing stage is usually about 100-200 metres from the station.
When will you be in Switzerland?
How big is your group?
What class of STP(https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/ ) have you got? FIRST class is better when changing at Zurich Hauptbahnhof, as the first class carriages USUALLY stop closest to the buffer stops. Similarly at Luzern for trains coming from Basel, Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, or Ticino/Tessin canton, BUT NOT from Zurich or Interlaken.
Note that many Swiss trains are double-deck. Except for the older class 450 trains which run (only) on the Zurich S-Bahn, the double-decks have level boarding to the bottom deck. That said, the views from the top deck are of course much better!
On boats, second class is downstairs and first class upstairs. First class ticket holders can go downstairs, of course, but downstairs is usually VERY crowded.
Where are you FROM? For example, Dutch, and Frecnh people will be familiar with double-deck trains. I am British, and regularly travel on double-deck buses with NARROW staircases. Stairs on double-deck TRAINS are usually much easier to negotiate.
there are only 2 people. we are in swiss from july 21 – 26, staying in Basel hotel the entire time
Thanks here are some more suggestions’
Go from Zurich to Chur by fast train; you may need to change at Zurich. Travel on a train which arrives at Chur at 52 past the hour. Straight across the platform at Chur the train for St Moritz via the UNESCO world heritage Albula line departing at 58 past the hour will be waiting. For an alternative route back from St Moritz take the train from St Moritz to Landquart via Klosters. THere is abuot 100 metres to walk to get to the trains for Zuirch and Basel.
Go from Zurich to Chur by fast train; you may need to change at Zurich. Having reserved two seats from Chur to Brig (quitre expensive), take the Glacier Express from Chur to Brig. (Four departures a day in July) At Brig ignore the rail replacement buses to Tasch (for Zermatt). Take an intercity train from Brig back to Basel. You may need to change in Bern.
Take an intercity train to Interlaken OST. (Some through trains – some need a change at Bern.) From there go up on the mountain line to Grindelwald (free with STP) Alterntaively, (and less far to walk at Interlaken OST) take the Interlaken-Luzern express to Luzern/Lucerne. Fast train back to Basel. (Lucerne station is right by the lake.)
As an alternative to the Locarno suggestion already made, take an Intercity train from Basel to Lugano. Take the little funicular which goes down to the city centre, (Note carefully for the return journey the location of the funicular.) Bustling Italianate city centre with lots of restaurants etc. But about 600 metres to the lake.
This one defintely needs a fine day. Take an Inter City train to VISP (change at Bern may be needed.) Ignore the rail replacement buses to Tasch (for Zermatt), and catch a number 511 bus to SAAS FEE, a sensationally beautiful mountain resort which seems to be little known outside the German-speaking part of Europe. From the bus station walk about 300 metres to the Panorame Bridge/Bruck. WOW! In my view this is one of the most beautiful views on the planet.
Best wishes
Roger
What do you mean by “this one needs a fine day”?
Also interested in Bernina Express and had booked reservations to and from st moritz to Turino, and that train gets back to St Moritz at 18:25. can we really make it back to basel before the trains end? According to the schedules I think we can if trains are on time, but this is a long day of trains.
Why does ‘SAAS FEE ‘need fine weather’? When there is little or no cloud, the views from the Panoramabruck are absolutely amazing. If there is a lot of cloud the views are not nearly as good. And if its starts raining (or snowing) there is NO SHELTER, either at the bridge, or on the short walk to/from the bridge.
As to the Bernina railway line, it is truely spectacular. However the journey to TIRANO (note the spelling) from BASEL is TOO LONG. If you made the journey today (20 July) and got to St Moritz at 18 25, you woud get back to Basel untiil 23 45!
so while it is a long journey, it is still technically possible though? also I have seen some train connections are only 4 minutes in between exchange. is this long enough?
Yes, it is without doubt possible to do Basel to Tirano and back in one day. I have myself done Zurich to Tirano and back in one day. (But Basel to Tirano is one hour more at the beginning and one hour more at the end!). I have also done Bern to Campocologno and back in one day. Campocologno is the last stop before Tirano. If you opt to cut short your trip there, make sure you are on the correct platform for the return journey.)
As to ‘tight’ connections, if the Swiss electronic timetable says it is a connection, IT IS A CONNECTION! Swiss Railways keep statistics as to ‘missed’ connections. 98% of all connections are ‘made’.
The four minute connection you are referring to is probably at Chur. There the intercity train from Zurich comes into one side of an ‘island’ platform. The train to Samedan and St Moritz is waiting on the other side of the platform. The same is true going in the opposite direction. I have made this connection countless times at Chur. Except for one case when the SBB train was cancelled because of a breakdown, I have never ‘missed’. In the breakdown case I got back to my hotel at Zurich Oerlikon thirty minute later than planned. Not a disaster!
Hi Roger and rosen,
>>> SAAS FEE, a sensationally beautiful mountain resort which seems to be little known outside the German-speaking part of Europe. From the bus station walk about 300 metres to the Panorame Bridge/Bruck. WOW! In my view this is one of the most beautiful views on the planet.
Roger, I agree with you about the wonderful view from the Panoramabrücke in Saas-Fee! I had that same view from my room in the Saas-Fee youth hostel, where I stayed for a week in 2016. My photo doesn’t do it full justice, but I have posted it below, plus one of the same view obscured by low cloud, and one of the Panoramabrücke.
For anyone interested in Saas-Fee and the nearby mountains, my trip reports might be of use:
https://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/saas-fee-in-mid-september-2016/
https://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/saas-fee-hannigalp/
https://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/saas-fee-saas-grund-hohsaas-and-mattmark-dam/
https://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/saas-fee-mittelallalin/
Here is a link to the youth hostel where I stayed.
https://www.youthhostel.ch/en/hostels/wellnesshostel-4000-saas-fee
Hope this is of interest to someone!
Alpenrose
Hi rosen,
Yes, there will be transfers involved. With careful planning at least you can prepare yourself and see what is feasible for you. If you use the Swiss timetable ( https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/) you will be able to see how many transfers would be necessary and also where the platforms are located (arriving/departing). You could be lucky with some transfers, you may just need to walk across to the other platform.
Off the top of my head. Harder Kulm’s viewing point is a 5 minute walk once alighting from the funicular.
Or Mount Pilatus, the observation points are some 5-10 minutes from the cable car or cogwheel train stops
Another option is Mount Rigi.
I hope this gives you a few more ideas, in addition to the wonderful replies from Roger and Alpenrose.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
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