[Removed user]

12 January 2018 at 3:40:12 #814014

Hi, my husband and I are hoping to travel to Switzerland in early September 2018 for 24 days. We want to base ourselves for 6 days each in 4 different locations, but are not sure which places to choose. We prefer to stay near towns or cities, but not in them ,if that’s possible. Also would prefer apartments rather than hotels. Can anyone advise me please? Thanks.

[Removed user]

12 January 2018 at 7:01:31 #874158

Hi crazydaisy52 and welcome to MySwissAlps!

What are you hoping to see and do in Switzerland during your stay?

Four popular regions in Switzerland are:

• Bernese Oberland (including the Jungfrau Region)
• Central Switzerland (main town of Luzern)
• Lake Geneva (Geneva & Montreux)
• Valais (Zermatt and the Matterhorn)
• and of courses many others…

Have a read through the above links and let us know what you plans are during your stay and we can help you fine-tune an itinerary.

[rockoyster]

12 January 2018 at 7:13:08 #874159

Hi Daisy,

The Ticino Region with a base in Lugano is well worth considering if you want to experience the Italian flavour of Switzerland. http://www.myswitzerland.com/ en-ch/lugano-a-city-of-artistic-innovation.html

Impressive castles at Bellinzona, Plenty of Lake Cruise opportunities.

Get there via the Bernina Express and return (to Lucerne say) via the Gotthard Panorama Express.

[Mageo]

12 January 2018 at 9:36:29 #874160

Hi Daisy,

As Rockoyster said, Ticino Region is worthwhile as a contrast to other parts of Switzerland. Beautiful stone buildings in the ancient villages of Bre, Gandria, Morcote, Carona, to name just a few.

Mageo

[rockoyster]

12 January 2018 at 10:04:29 #874161

I forget to mention, Daisy, that if you stay in Ticino your hotel will provide you with a Ticino Ticket (http://www.ticino.ch/en/ticke t.html). You can travel around quite a bit for free without using a day on your Swiss Travel Pass Flex (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpassflex), which I am sure you will find invaluable on a 24 day visit.

[Removed user]

13 January 2018 at 3:01:19 #874162

Hi Lucas and all those who answered my post, thank you all. I’ve looked at those links you gave me and they sound really good. My husband is a train buff, so all those cog-wheel and older trains are what he wants to see and travel on. I’m a scenery fan, so I’ll be happy anywhere in Switzerland. We like to walk and ride ferries on lakes as well. What we plan to do is stay in one place for 6 days and do day trips to the attractions in that area, then move to the next and do the same thing.I would like to see Lugano and the lakes, so we may have to shorten our time in the Zermatt area to 3 days and spend 3 days in Lugano. We would like to see some of the smaller places not just the main attractions. Does it sound like we’re trying to do too much in 24 days? Regards, crazydaisy52.

[rockoyster]

13 January 2018 at 3:36:30 #874163

Hi Daisy,

If your husband is a train buff you might do well to base your itinerary on the major panoramic routes on this map at http://www.mystsnet.com/filea dmin/doc/02_Produkte_S ervices/03_Verkauf_und _Vertrieb/Broschueren/ EN_Swiss_Travel_System _Map_2018.pdf

With your 3 to 6 day stops interspersing each leg.

[Removed user]

13 January 2018 at 6:12:23 #874164

Wow, thank you Rockoyster, that’s great.I’m starting to understand how I need to organise our itinerary. What seemed impossible is becoming a reality. Thanks. Regards, crazydaisy52.

[Arno]

13 January 2018 at 7:29:49 #874165

Did you already check the below itinerary Daisy?

http://www.myswissalps.com/pl antrip/doityourself/sa mpleitineraries/ultima teswissscenictrains

You can of course extend the stays in the various towns (that’s recommended actually).

[Removed user]

13 January 2018 at 7:57:50 #874166

Thanks Arno, that looks very adaptable. I’m beginning to realise that maybe 6 days in each place is not realistic, might have to split a couple of those sections up. Regards, crazydaisy52.

[Mark]

14 January 2018 at 23:21:35 #874167

Hi Daisy

if your husband is a train buff, there is an old open air cog train to Schynige Platte he might like and the views from Schynige Platte are fantastic. You can stay in Interlaken and catch the train nearby. From Interlaken you have access to both lakes and boat rides, as well as proximity to the Jungfrau region with possible visits to Murren and Wengen. Both are very scenic and you would likely travel via cog trains. Mark

[Removed user]

24 January 2018 at 5:20:17 #874168

Hi Arno, still fine tuning our itinerary for September. Is it possible to do a day trip from Lugano to St Moritz on the Palm Express bus and back again on the bus via Thusis and Bellinzona? Can’t find what time the Palm Express leaves Lugano, but I realise that it only goes once daily. Would this make for an extremely long day of travelling? Regards, crazydaisy52.

[rockoyster]

24 January 2018 at 5:42:53 #874169

Hi crazydaisy52,

Palm Express departs 12.05 from Lugano. You can get a connection from St Moritz that will get you back to Lugano via Thusis and Bellinzona just before 8:00pm.

Sounds like a long trip to me. Is you husband a bus buff as well as a train buff? 🤓

[Removed user]

24 January 2018 at 6:00:13 #874170

Thanks, Rockoyster. I think an overnight stay in St Moritz might be better, that’s a lot of bus for one day!! Back to the drawing board.

[rockoyster]

24 January 2018 at 6:10:47 #874171

Bernina Express bus departs Lugano 10:00 and connects with Bernina Express train which gets your to St Moritz (with change at Pontresina) just after 5:00pm. Plenty of time for a nice cheap Italian lunch in Tirano. Just saying.

[Removed user]

24 January 2018 at 18:24:56 #874172

Daisy, I think you would really enjoy 3 nights in Pontresina, which. Is very close, but not as big as St. Moritz. We stayed 2 nights in each place we visited, but would have liked it to be 3! If you want to read my trip report from last summer is is called 20 days in Switzerland. We went a lot of the places you are thinking of. I would be happy to share more specifics about accomadations, etc. if you have questions.

[Removed user]

25 January 2018 at 1:52:25 #874173

Thanks Rockoyster but we specifically wanted to ride the Palm Express bus. Thanks Mvmomcat, I will read your trip report and Pontresina is an option I hadn’t considered.This is getting so exciting!!

[rockoyster]

25 January 2018 at 3:28:20 #874174

This trip report http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/trip-report-late-august-to-mid-october-2016 includes the Palm Express with photos.

[Removed user]

26 January 2018 at 8:26:16 #874175

Yes Rockoyster, I found Alpenrose’s trip report last year and it was the description she made that encouraged me to include the Palm Express bus on our trip. Her observations have been really helpful.