[Anonymous]

17 August 2018 at 15:20:27 #817927

Hi, I’m looking for multiple suggested day trips by car from Zurich (will have 6 days in Zurich in September). Two of our group will have driven from Germany and are not interested in buying train passes due to the cost and also they have a 6 month old baby. I already plan to go to Rheinfalls, Stein am Rhein, Lucerne, and Bern. What I am having trouble finding is good scenic drives and how to get up any scenic mountain for hiking. I’ve tried using your page “FIND SCENIC DRIVES IN SWITZERLAND”, but whatever choices I pick in the drop down menus, it keeps coming up with no trips, not sure what I’m doing wrong. Also, just to confirm, if we buy the one day saver train pass without the half-fare travelcard it won’t cover boats, or the cogwheel train up to Rigi for instance, correct? We’d have to pay full fare is what I understand. Thanks for any help.

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[User]

Reply 1 of 7 • 17 August 2018 at 17:36:59 #894399

<<“What I am having trouble finding is good scenic drives and how to get up any scenic mountain for hiking. I”>>

Hi Spud – Off hand, I can’t think of any such mountains that you can access by car.

You could drive to Alpnachstad or Kriens and take the cograil up to Pilatus. Not am lot of parking near Alpnachstad.

You could drive to Lauterbrunnen, park, and take mountain transport up to Männlichen for a gret easy fast walk to Kleine Scheidegg, train back down to LB.

You can’t drive up on the Rigi, but you van park at Weggis (lots of parkng) or Arth Goldau and ride up by cableway or cograil.

It seems that your German friends might wish to have separate itineraries on some days.

<<“and also they have a 6 month old baby.”>>

I’d think that train travel would be favorable with a small child. Lots of space to move around.

Perhaps some one else can find hiking that meets your description. At lower altitudes, as in the Emmental, you can drive to a lot of trail heads. Scenic; not Alpine.

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/langnau-in-may

And, Der Weg der Schweiz ( The Swiss Path) can be accessed at many points by car. It’s not alpine, but it is nice hiking.However, for a circular route, you’d probably need to return to our car by public transport.

http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/the-swiss-path-and-southern-lake-lucerne

If you have two cars, it gets easier.

<<“‘I’ve tried using your page “FIND SCENIC DRIVES IN SWITZERLAND”, but whatever choices I pick in the drop down menus, it keeps coming up with no trips, not sure what I’m doing wrong.”>>

I just tried it, and works for me for Zürich, but lots of other choices do not return trips, I agree.

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 2 of 7 • 17 August 2018 at 18:32:04 #894400

Thanks for the good suggestions. There will be one day when we will have an extra passenger and won’t all fit in the car. If we all bought one day saver passes (without having the half-fare passes) do they cover the same transport as the 3-day rail passes (like gettting up Rigi included), or just the main SBB trains and boats? Thanks again for your help.

[User]

Reply 3 of 7 • 17 August 2018 at 19:17:39 #894401

Hi Spud,

You can check the coverage area of the Saver Day Pass here: http://www.myswissalps.com/on edaytravelpass/details

It does fully cover your trip to Rigi (the only mountain it covers).

There is the Uetliberg mountain you can drive up to the top. It is about 25 minutes or so by car from Zurich and there is some nice easy hiking there. It isn’t a big mountain though. http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/uetliberg-felsenegg

Otherwise, as Slowpoke notes, you’ll need to incorporate a train or cable car trip to a mountain. If it is just one trip though a rail pass wouldn’t be needed. Just buy a point to point ticket at a mountain.

A nice option would also be the Ebenalp in the Appenzell region. Read about a trip I took there last year (by train) here: http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/ebenalp-appenzell-from-zurich-day-trip

[User]

Reply 4 of 7 • 17 August 2018 at 20:23:21 #894402

Hi Lucas-

<<“There is the Uetliberg mountain you can drive up to the top.”>>

I’ve been up on Uetliberg many times. Used to stay at Uto Kulm before it was glamorized. I don’t think you can drive all the way up to the very top. You can only drive, I think,as far as the Uetliberg Terminal

Station. Of course, that is where the walk to Felsenegg starts. I believe that you have to walk up the last 50 or so meters to get up to the observation tower and the restaurant/hotel.. Has that changed?

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 5 of 7 • 18 August 2018 at 5:49:38 #894403

Ah no you are right! The general public can’t drive all the way. I had something else in my head!

You can drive up to Buchenegg which is the end of a hike from Uetliberg (and similar elevation). Good views there or walk to Felsenegg or on to Uetliberg with minimal elevation change.

[Arno]

Reply 6 of 7 • 18 August 2018 at 6:47:51 #894404

Indeed we only have a few scenic drives here on the website: packages that mostly start from Zurich. All other scenic trips are by train, boat and on foot. Scenic drives are certainly possible although I like the other modes of transport better. Especially as the driver; there’s either a lot of traffic or curvy roads, so really no opportunity to see much until pulling over somewhere. A drive around the lakes on the smaller roads, not the highways, is always nice. Good places to stop are Rapperswil on Lake Zurich, Zug (historical town center) on Lake Zug, and Vitznau on Lake Lucerne to take the cogwheel train up to Mount Rigi. All the way by train would be more interesting though, as one can then descend on the other side of the mountain and easily include a boat trip to see more.

[User]

Reply 7 of 7 • 18 August 2018 at 20:30:32 #894405

Thanks to all of you for the helpful tips!