11-day Swiss rail itinerary December/January

  • Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    11 September 2022 at 0:49:36 #828311

    Hi

    4 adults of our family are planning a Switzerland itinerary from 23rd Dec to 3rd Jan as follows heavily drawn based on your scenic winter sample itinerary

    Fri, Dec 23, Paris Lausanne

    Sat, Dec 24, Lausanne to Zermatt via Bern, Visp with the RegioExpress Lötschberger Zermatt

    Sun, Dec 25, the Gornergrat from Zermatt Zermatt

    Mon, Dec 26, Zermatt to St. Moritz with the Glacier Express St.Moritz

    Tue, Dec 27, Bernina Express return ride from St. Moritz to Chur via the Lower Engadine Chur

    Wed, Dec 28, Chur to interlaken via Arosa, Zurich Interlaken

    Thu, Dec 29, Top of the World Interlaken

    Fri, Dec 30, Lauterbrennen, Grindlewald Interlaken

    Sat, Dec 31, Murren, Schilthorn Interlaken

    Sun, Jan 1, Wengen to Lucerne via Kleine Scheidegg and Grindelwald Lucerne

    Mon, Jan 2, Lucerne to Zurich via Rigi Zurich

    Tue, Jan 3, Zurich Paris

    I believe 15 days swiss pass will give us the flexibility considering the weather and day time available etc. please share feedback.

  • Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    11 September 2022 at 6:22:17 #946683

    I suggest to look up train connections at http://www.sbb.ch/en and to use this railway map maps.trafimage.ch/ to follow your draft itinerary.

    You will notice a few logistic mistakes in your draft itinerary.

    Lausanne to Zermatt via Bern is a huge detour. “Lötschberger” goes via Kandersteg-Goppenstein and ends up in Brig, not Visp.

    Bernina Express goes from St. Moritz to Tirano, this is the Val Poschiavo. Lower Engadin is elsewhere, from Zernez to Sent.

    You cannot travel from Chur to Interlaken via Arosa, you have to return to Chur after having visited Arosa. Chur to Interlaken is quite a ride.

    Luzern to Zürich via Rigi? Doable but not with suitcases. You better go up and down, and then Luzern-Zürich.

    If you take the TGV for Paris, you could easily go Lucerne-Basel, visit Basel, then get on the TGV Zurich-Paris there (the TGV regularly terminates in Basel when it arrives delayed from Paris and does not run as far as Zurich, which is done by a replacement train).

    On 25-26th Dec and 1st Jan all shops are closed (except grocery stores at train stations). These are official holidays.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    11 September 2022 at 6:31:53 #946684

    Hi Balaji pitch, thanks for joining us!

    Great that you’ve been able to create your own itinerary based upon http://www.myswissalps.com/plantrip/doityourself/sampleitineraries/scenictrainswinter. Your plans look good, and there’s nothing I would change if I were you. This plan will make for a very diverse and scenic tour through Switzerland.

    Yes, the 15-day Swiss Travel Pass is definitely the best option. You’ll experience free and ticketless traveling on all normal trains. You’ll only need additional tickets for mountain routes, plus reservations for the Glacier Express and Bernina Express. And you have to pay for the rides from and to Paris. Here’s more info:

    One remark concerning December 24: the RegioExpress Lötschberger doesn’t run to Zermatt. It connects Brig in the southern Alps to Kandersteg, Thun and Bern on the northern side. The route is explained here: https://www.myswissalps.com/lotschberger/gettingthere. Just take the normal regional train from Visp to Zermatt (which is very scenic!): https://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/travel.

    You’ll find hotel suggestions and excursion tips through the links at http://www.myswissalps.com/plantrip/doityourself/sampleitineraries/scenictrainswinter.

    Let us know if you have further questions!

    Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    11 September 2022 at 8:10:38 #946685

    Many thanks for sharing the railway map which clearly shows all the train stations. Corrected the itinerary on “Lötschberger”, will take trains from Brig to Zermatt via Visp, Arosa and Rigi as trips from and to Chur and Luzern respectively. and added specifics as revised itinerary attached, left Zurich as is because we were not seeing Zurich at all. I will wait for promotions on the STP and go for it. Please let me know if any further corrections needed, mainly shaped this due to the Zermatt and Sto.Moritz booking done last month, now they seem to be all closed already.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    11 September 2022 at 13:14:31 #946686

    Hi balaji pitch!

    Ah, I overlooked the fact that you want to travel from Lausanne to Zermatt via Bern and the RegioExpress Lötschberger in your initial plans. As Trainliner has noticed, that’s quite a detour. It’s easier to simply travel via the Rhone valley, along Montreux and Sion. But if you want to experience the Lötschberg route and don’t mind the longer traveling time, that’s totally fine. The stretch from Lausanne to Bern along Freiburg is nice too.

    The Bernina Express return ride and the connecting journey to Chur via Susch (Lower Engadine) and Landquart are possible if you leave early. The Lower Engadine leg is part of the route described for day 2 at http://www.myswissalps.com/plantrip/doityourself/sampleitineraries/scenictrainswinter, but then in reverse order.

    The ride Chur-Arosa-Chur Interlaken can be done if you leave early. You can find details by entering “from Chur” to “Interlaken Ost” via “Arosa” in the timetable (see https://www.myswissalps.com/timetable for explanation on how to use it). The total trip will take about 6.5 to 7 hours.

    Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    12 September 2022 at 1:55:04 #946687

    Huge thanks.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    12 September 2022 at 5:15:47 #946688

    I got the internal information that the technical issue will be fixed with the next data update scheduled for 14 SEP 22.

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    12 September 2022 at 10:53:51 #946689

    Thanks for your efforts and update Trainliner! Could this concern the problem raised in http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/visp-to-zermatt-by-train-please-help?

    Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    14 September 2022 at 1:04:30 #946690

    Can I combine 2 * 4 days STP to cover 8 days of my trip?

    Does the STP need to be valid on the day we take the glacier express?

    Thanks

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    14 September 2022 at 6:21:56 #946691

    Hi Balaji pitch,

    I am not quite sure what you mean by combining the 2 * 4 days Swiss Travel Pass. You can buy 2 times the 4 days Swiss Travel Pass if those 2 days are not consecutive days, or you can get an 8 days Swiss Travel Pass. You can check the prices here: http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/price.

    If you have a valid rail pass like the Swiss Travel Pass or a Saver Day Pass, you do not have to buy tickets for the Glacier Express. But, you still have to reserve your seats in advance: https://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/tickets. If you do not have a valid Swiss Travel Pass anymore on the day you are traveling by the Glacier Express, you can still buy a Saver Day Pass: http://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass/price.

    I hope I understood your question correctly 🙂

    Ildiko

    Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    27 September 2022 at 11:23:40 #946692

    Thanks to @trainliner update, checked the SBB website for the timetables for Dec-Jan and identified following trips for the heavy travel days, do these make sense?

    Sat, Dec 24, Lausanne to Zermatt via Lausanne to Bern, Bern to Brig (RE Lötschberger) and Brig to Zermatt 07:20 – 08:26 09:39 – 11:18 12:26 – 13:51

    Tue, Dec 27, Bernina Express to Tirano and return ride from Tirano to Landquart and Chur 08:48 to 11:00 11:41 to 16:10 16:18 to 16:26

    Wed, Dec 28, Chur to Arosa and back and then to Interlaken 13:08 to 16:26

    Sun, Jan 1, Wilderswil to Interlaken to Lucerne, then to Engelberg – Titlis 08:04 to 10:53

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    29 September 2022 at 8:00:59 #946693

    Hi Balaji pitch,

    the fastest route from Lausanne to Zermatt is via Visp – it takes around 3 hours. Would you like to travel via Bern as you want to travel by the RegioExpress Lötschberger?

    Make sure to reserve your seats in advance on the Bernina Express, you can do it here: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/tickets.

    Here is how you can get to Titlis: http://www.myswissalps.com/titlis/gettingthere.

    I haven’t checked the timing, just the route. Make sure to check the sunset and sunrise in advance, Jan and Dec we have shorter days then during the summer: https://www.myswissalps.com/time.

    Ildiko

    Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    29 September 2022 at 8:10:47 #946694

    Yes for Regio Thanks will check sunrise and sunset but looks like we will see the sunrise and sunsets during the train journey only.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    29 September 2022 at 8:58:32 #946695

    It is great if you can see nice sunrises during your trip, but if you are going on a panoramic train trip, it is better to travel during daylight. This is the reason I’ve mentioned the sunsets. 🙂

    All the best,

    Ildiko

    Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    29 September 2022 at 9:31:56 #946696

    I was earlier to understand the glacier and Bernina reservations open in October for December but now when I check, seems like already exhausted and no more available for last week of December. DO I have any other options for 26th Dec on Glacier and 27th on Bernina? Thanks for all your help.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    29 September 2022 at 11:25:17 #946697

    Hi Balaji pitch,

    I tried to book the Bernina Express for the 27th of December and I was able to see many-many free seats: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/tickets. I used the link called ‘Bernina Express seat reservations (e-ticket)’. It only says that ‘For your travel date you can currently only book the reservation. The tickets can unfortunately only be bought 2 months in advance.’. BUT if you have a rail pass, like the Swiss Travel Pass, you do not need to buy the tickets, just the seat reservation.

    Regarding the Glacier Express, it was the same: “For your travel date you can currently only book the reservation. The tickets can unfortunately only be bought 2 months in advance.”. So you can reserve your seats now. Here is the link: http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/tickets. I used the link called ‘Glacier Express seat reservations (e-ticket)’

    Make sure to have a rail pass, you could save money with it.

    Ildiko

    Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    29 September 2022 at 12:37:12 #946698

    Many thanks, I also raised the issue to the help desk as they had stated to do reservations to open in mid-oct. they reverted that they managed to do earlier and all are taken. hence, I rejigged the schedule a bit, booked for earlier day to St.Moritz on Glacier Express. For Bernina Express, since no more 2nd class seats are available for both possible days of my itinerary, I could only book 1st class reservation.

    If I have the 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass, how can I then upgrade to 1st class ticket only for this leg from St.Moritz to Tirano one way?

    THANKS for your patience and response.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    29 September 2022 at 15:31:00 #946699

    I agree with others, there is little reason to travel Lausanne – Zermatt via Bern. There is plenty of scenery to see on the direct route Lausanne – Martigny – Visp – Zermatt

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    29 September 2022 at 19:19:25 #946701

    Hi Balaji pitch,

    can you tell me please when are you traveling and on which route on Bernina Express? I just checked and still saw 2nd class seats on Bernina Express on 27th Dec St. Moritz – Tirano. Please see the attached screenshot. I used this link: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/tickets, the one that is called ‘Bernina Express seat reservations (e-ticket)’.

    Ildiko

    MySwissAlps.com recommends reading this: 1st class versus 2nd class

    Balaji_pitch
    Participant
    29 posts
    29 September 2022 at 21:43:25 #946702

    Thanks. I am travelling from Lausanne to Zermatt through Bern primarily to cover the Lotschberger as well. Hence I plan to take Lausanne to Bern (07:20 – 08:26), Bern to Brig (RE – 09:39 – 11:18) and Brig to Zermatt(12:26 – 13:51). hope this is correct planning. Many thanks.

Viewing 20 replies - 1 through 20 (of 38 total)
  • The thread ‘11-day Swiss rail itinerary December/January’ is closed to new replies.

About MySwissAlps

We’re passionate tourists and locals. We share tips about how to plan a trip to Switzerland. MySwissAlps was founded in 2002.

Get a free account for a worry-free trip

  • Join our 10730 members and ask us questions in the forum
  • Access to member-only promotions
  • Detailed maps and weather forecasts

Planning your first Switzerland adventure?

Get a jump-start with Annika’s 20-minute e-mail course, “Switzerland for beginners”. Subscribe to our newsletter to unlock the course.