Day trips by train to the Swiss Alps from Zurich
A traveler is planning a trip to Zurich for 3 to 5 nights starting May 28. They want to enjoy the scenic beauty of the Alps, focusing on green landscapes rather than snow, and are considering day trips to places like the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express. Their goal is to get practical advice on which routes are the most scenic and how to best utilize their time for a memorable trip to see the Alps.
- Opt for the Bernina Express for a more scenic experience compared to the Glacier Express.
- Using a Swiss Travel Pass is recommended for convenient travel and discounts on many excursions.
- Zurich serves as a great base for day trips to the Lauterbrunnen Valley, Zermatt, and Rhine Falls.
- Be prepared for jet lag and plan a slower first day to start your adventures.
- Look into flexible itineraries to adapt to weather conditions for the best views of the Alps.
AI-generated summary-
You don’t need to do the whole thing. You can hop off at several Swiss locations and continue by train. See timetable at http://www.urh.ch/images/pdfs /fahrplaene/URh_Fahrpl an_2019.pdf
rockoyster,
Thanks also for the link. We’ll add this into our itinerary as another excellent day trip option. Last time we were in Stein am Rhein was during the Christmas season and a boat trip wasn’t in our brains at all. By the way, I had to wonder about your nickname, rockoyster, and I see that it can be a type of oyster, or a single malt blended scotch. I’m guessing your association is with the latter… ; )
Environ0103,
Just an observatory note about using Zurich as a base vs more regional ones — while we sacrifice some travel time and local ambience / charm, using Zurich with daily itineraries allows us the option to see the day trips as independent units giving the added flexibility to change things up if the weather is rainy in Zermatt, and sunny at Stein am Rhein. We’ll decide daily if each destination is best per the forecast knowing that the weather can be as fickle as my favorite sports team! Looking forward to our upcoming trip as are you folks.
Mike J
Yes, there are indeed many stops along the way. So many choices and of course, I like that it’s free with the STP! Thank you so much, Rockoyster!!
Mike J, I completely agree with you! I love being able to have a plan but I also want the flexibility of changing things around, if needed, and having a stable base allows for that. I am really comfortable with Zurich as my base. Really looking forward to this trip as well. May will be here in no time!
Hi Mike,
My handle derives from a love of the mollusc of that name – it’s a long story. Although I have to admit a partiality to the alternate derivation you mentioned. 😉
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