Zurich-Lucerne-Interlaken-Zermatt, stay in the one base or several?
A traveler named Jimmy is trying to decide whether to visit destinations in Switzerland one at a time or stay in a central location like Interlaken and take day trips. He is considering two days in Lucerne, three days in Interlaken, and two days in Zermatt, and is looking for advice on the best approach for his week-long trip.
- Invest in a Swiss Travel Pass for unlimited travel on trains, buses, and boats, which makes day trips easier and often cheaper.
- Consider staying in Spiez as a great base for day trips with good train connections to Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zermatt.
- It's recommended to plan trips using the Swiss timetable to gauge feasibility for day excursions.
- For visiting Zermatt, spending a night there instead of a day trip is advisable to fully appreciate its beauty.
AI-generated summary-
After arriving and spending a couple of days in Zurich, I am trying to decide if it is better to travel to the other destinations one at a time say 2 days in Lucerne, 3 days in Interlaken and 2 days in Zermatt, or is it better to say maybe going directly to a central location like Interlaken for the entire week and taking day trips to Lucerne and Zermatt. The latter saves the moving hassle, but the day trips might be too long. Any thoughts?
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Hello Jimmy
Welcome to MySwissAlps
I have been visiting Switzerland for over fifty years. I always have just one base. I do not want the ‘moving hassle’. I always invest in a (First Class) Swiss Travel Pass: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/. I do all my travelling by day trips.
For the last twenty years I have based myself in Zurich. I can get from Zurich to anywhere in Switzerland and back in one day. Some of my trips are indeed ‘long’, involving leaving my hotel at about 07 00 in the morning and not getting back until about 19 30 (7 30pm) in the evening. In one day in April this year I left my hotel in Zurich at 07 00 and travelled all the way to Campocologno, the last station in Switzerland on the Bernina line. I got back to my Zurich hotel at about 19 00.
https://www.myswissalps.com/town/zurich/
(Lucerne and Montreux are also good bases for day excursions. Interlaken is not so good, though Zermatt and beautiful Saas Fee can both be easily done from Interlaken.)
Best wishes
Roger
Thanks Roger that helps a lot. But I’m confused when you say Interlaken is not so good as a base but then go on to say that Zermatt and Saas Fee can be easily done from Interlaken. We were thinking about staying not exactly in Interlaken but maybe in a town somewhere around Interlaken then taking day trips to Zermatt and Lucerne. Can you expand on why you think Interlaken is not so good? Do you have an opinion for a good base to use for day trips to Lucerne, Interlaken and Zermatt?
Thanks,Jimmy
I have never been to Swiss, but I plan to visit this summer and break into at least two bases – Lucerne & Interlaken Area. While I love trains, I can’t wake up early and be ready for a round trip 5-6 hr train journey to cover major attractions from one base. That’s just me… 🙂 Your lifestyle and family preferences will help you choose the right option!
Hi Jimmy,
Perhaps research a few of your trips with the Swiss timetable from a potential ‘base’, that way you can gauge what would be doable for you? Here is the link to the Swiss timetable: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel/public-transport/timetable/
Roger’s plans may work for some or you may prefer SVBackpacker’s approach. It really is very personal.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Apologies Jimmy, but I have only just spotted your reply 2.
Look at a map. Lucerne ( https://www.myswissalps.com/town/lucerne/) is a fantastic centre for day excursions. There are seven railway lines radiating from the city, and the lake boats in summer run hourly all the way to Fluelen passing several important villages.
Montreux (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/montreux/) is a great centre because it is on the Simplon main line with now FOUR fast trains an hour to Vevey, Lausanne and Geneva. The MOB line going to Zweisimmen via Montbovon provides a lot of excursion possibilities, including (if you change at Montbovon) Gruyere and the chocolate factory at Broc. Going south east from Montreux the next stop for those four fast trains is Aigle, which is the junction station for no less than three scenic branch lines!
Interlaken (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/interlaken/) is RELATIVELY not as good as Lucerne or Montreux. There are just three lines out of the town. But look at that map again. SPIEZ is a small town on Lake Thun just 20 minutes from Interlaken. You ask ‘Do you have an opinion for a good base to use for day trips to Lucerne, Interlaken and Zermatt?’ Yes, SPIEZ! I have never stayed in Spiez, but I must have passed through this junction town on almost all of my Swiss holidays (of which I have had over 40).
Best wishes for your planning.
Roger
Hi Jimmy! I can second Roger’s advice concerning Spiez. I’ve stayed there myself and it is a magnificent base town with easy train connections in several directions. Plus, it’s very charming, especially the harbor district down by the lake :-).
Thanks all for your suggestions. Very Informative. I will pass them on to my group.
Hi Jimmy,
I think your original plans sound fine. If you stick to that, I would suggest going right down to Zermatt (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/zermatt/) and working your way back to Zurich via Interlaken and Lucerne. The train ride is only a bit over 3 hours. I personally absolutely love Zermatt. To me (strictly my opinion), visiting Zermatt on a day trip doesn’t do it any justice. It’s the iconic mountain of Switzerland (the Matterhorn, of course) and is well worth the time to spend there. Everyone has their personal preferences on how to travel and such, but I think you’re on the right track with your itinerary. I’m not sure when you’re traveling, what you want to see/visit in the Interlaken area, how many people you’re traveling with, or how you plan to travel (car, train, other). But the destinations you have mentioned are all great places to visit.
It can be very easy to try to squeeze as much as possible into a trip, and for such a small country, there is so much one can want to see. That’s why I think your itinerary is very nice. You’re visiting most of the not only popular, but because of that popularity, some of the best places, and not trying to squeeze so much in.
If you are traveling by train, the Swiss Travel Pass (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/) would be the ideal way to travel. You can hop on/hop off and change your travel plans on the fly. There is no need to buy individual train tickets. It’s good on all public transportation, including boats, trains, and buses. Many mountain top cable cars and cog railways are discounted up to 50 percent on most, but not all.
Again, you can choose one base like Roger Sexton does, but as I said, it all depends on ones personal preference. Either way you choose, have a great trip.
I hope this helps your planning in some way.
Regards,
Danielsan
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