MySwissAlps.com includes ads, non-commercial links, and commercial 2 weeks trip to Switzerland Aug to Sep 20
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Hi, me and my husband are traveling to Switzerland mid Aug to Sep 20 for 2 weeks. My main areas that i want to see are the following: Zurich, bern, Lucerne, interlaken, grindelwald, Murren, Wengen, gimmelwald, jungfrau, zermatt, Matterhorn, st Moritz, st gallen, Rhine falls and appenzell. I booked 3 nights in Lucerne and 3 nights in interlaken so far. I do want to stay in grindelwald, zermatt, st Moritz and Zurich. We are also planning to buy the Swiss pass. We are not sure if we are over or under planning. Since we are planning to cover Switzerland only we want to see the mountains and the lakes. Kindly advise and thank you.
Ms Rajes
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Hello Ms Rajes and Welcome to MySwissAlps,
It is difficult to overplan. But it is good that you have started early.
I recommend using the SBB Mobile app (bit.ly/2ICIUHi) for checking train, bus, boat and cable way timetables, finding fares* and buying tickets on-line if required. In the unlikely event you don’t have a device capable of running the app then you can use the timetable on the SBB website (bit.ly/2HH1U7B). If you are not familiar with using the SBB timetable it is worth first reading the instructions at http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable.
* The SBB website shows half-fare prices by default, the mobile app allows you to nominate whether to show full or half-fares (by editing the passenger details in settings) and is also smart enough to offer you the Saver Day Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass) if that offers the best fare. The app can also display a platform map (at least at the larger stations) to help you make connections. You can also easily filter modes of transport (eg bus or ship).
The app (or website) will always show the fastest, most direct routes unless you tell it you want to go a longer way round by including other stations to go VIA. For example, if you wanted to follow the Golden Pass route you would need to search the SBB app looking for Luzern to Montreux via Interlaken and Zweisimmen.
Based on your personal itinerary you should read “How to choose the best travel pass” (http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass), download the handy spreadsheet calculator and do the math. The spreadsheet also includes links to the “Where it’s valid” page for all available passes. Be sure to check those pages for each pass you are considering. Study the map AND read all the text on those pages to fully understand what is covered by the respective pass.
Thank you so much for the response. Surely I will use the app and the links to start planning before I write again. Certainly it gives me a good start prior to buying the full Swiss pass.
Hello Rasa,
Thanks for your questions!
I think that getting the Swiss Travel Pass is a great idea for all the places you want to see while you are in Switzerland. The 15 days Swiss Travel Pass would be something to consider. It’s a good idea to look at this link that rockoyster also suggested. From there, you can download an excel sheet to help you “do the math”
Here is a detail link about the Swiss Travel Pass and a direct link to purchase the pass:
This link is great as well, as it covers suggestions on scenery activites of mountains and lakes that you like:
Here are more links to give you ideas for the places you want to visit:
- Zurich: http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich and hotels: http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/hotels
- Interlaken: http://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken
- Grindelwald: http://www.myswissalps.com/grindelwald
- and hotels: http://www.myswissalps.com/grindelwald/hotels
- Gimmelwald threads: http://www.myswissalps.com/search?q=gimmelwald
- Jungfraujoch: http://www.myswissalps.com/jungfraujoch
- Zermatt: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt and hotels: http://www.myswissalps.com/zermatt/hotels
- Kleine Matterhorn: http://www.myswissalps.com/kleinmatterhorn
- St.Moritz: http://www.myswissalps.com/stmoritz and hotels: http://www.myswissalps.com/stmoritz/hotels
- St Gallen threads: http://www.myswissalps.com/search?q=St+Gallen
- Rhine Falls: http://www.myswissalps.com/rhinefalls
- Appenzell threads: http://www.myswissalps.com/search?q=appenzell
You wrote that you have already booked to stay in Interlaken and Lucerne, but are looking into staying in: Grindelwald, Zermatt, St Moritz and Zurich. I would like to humbly add that it might be a good idea to narrow down your travel bases. It might be a challenge because all these places in Switzerland are so beautiful. However, sometimes it’s easier to make things a bit simple because checking in-and-out of hotels with your luggage can be tiresome. You can still see and cover all of Switzerland as you have planned with the Swiss Travel Pass.
I hope all this helps gets you started!
Best regards,
Suzanne
Thanks Suzanne. Thats why i am so confused for now. Need time to digest and plan the rest of the journey. I am arriving and departing from Zurich. Additionally since it’s our first time, need to read up alot and plan especially whether to stay other then Lucerne and interlaken.
I booked ameron hotel luzern flora and hotel Rossli in Lucerne and interlaken respectively for now.
A few of the areas you want to visit can be done by making a base for yourself in a local town and doing day trips by train. For example I suggest staying in Wengen and visiting Grindelwald, Mürren, Interlaken, First, Lauterbrunnen etc. it’s so much easier to not have to travel to individual places and check in and out of hotels. And Wengen is a wonderful small Swiss town with easy access via train.
At this point it is OK to list all the places you want to go and see, and you have listed many: 15 locations, with booked stays in two towns and an indication you want to stay in four more. That may be too many base locations, unless you travel very light and don’t mind checking in & out of hotels every two days. But you have plenty of time to do more research and refine your plans.
We spent 15 days in Switzerland in October, staying in Zurich and Lucerne, and spent most of our time in that part of the country plus the Jungfrau region. Our plans to see the southern and western part of the country were curt short by temporary illness, so I have no advice on those areas.
Your plans to stay in Interlaken will make seeing Wengen, Grindelwald, Murren, and other areas in the region more convenient. We only spent one day there this year, going to the Schilthorn, then back tracking to Kleine Scheidegg for a sunny lunch while looking at the Eiger before heading back to Lucerne. The area deserves several days.
We used the Swiss Travel Pass, and staying in Lucerne made it very convenient to explore the surrounding areas, including Mounts Titlis, Stanserhorn, Pilatus, and Rigi, and taking lake cruises. The boats on Lake Lucerne as a pleasant way to visit smaller towns along the shore, schedules are fairly frequent, and several of the towns also have rail service back to Lucerne to shorten the round trip travel time.
We flew into and out of Zurich, spending a couple nights there. We took a lake cruise to Raperswil the first day, returning to Zurich by train, and visited Liechtenstein the second day. We walked around old town Zurich before leaving for Lucerne on day three.
I found the old town and riverfront sections of both Zurich and Lucerne very interesting, although very different, and we spent several hours exploring each.
I highly recommend the Swiss Travel Pass, the SBB app for your phone/tablet/laptop, and the Traveler’s WiFi, which provided connectivity everywhere we went and while in transit. That makes it easy to make those last minute changes to a planned itinerary, in case the weather changes or you want to stay longer or leave sooner than you originally planned. The Swiss trains, buses, and boats are wonderfully coordinated and the SBB app is marvelous. Be forewarned, the Swiss stick to the published schedules, especially the trains, so be on time.
Before we went, we made a (big) list of places we wanted to see and places we wanted to see “if we had time” or as alternates in case the weather wasn’t cooperating. All the reading and planning will pay off, and you will no doubt enjoy your trip.
Thank you for all the advises and sharing. Certainly I need to plan carefully with all the informations shared!!!
Hi all, finally decided and booked the accommodation but stuck at the last part.
Singapore to Zurich then take train to Lucerne. Lucerne 4 nights.
Lucerne to interlaken 4 nights
interlaken to grindalwald 3 nights
grindalwald to zermatt 2 nights
zermatt to st mortiz via glacier express. 2 nights (yet to book accommodation)
st mortiz to Lugano ( not sure If it’s worth the trip ?) yet to book accommodation
last lag Lugano to Zurich 3 nights
Lugano is definitely worth a look. I would give it more nights than Zurich.
When we did the trip we stayed at Chur after the Glacier Express and then took the Bernina Express through to Lugano the next day.
See trip reports at bit.ly/2GEdluh and bit.ly/2GEUfob.
Is it worth staying in st Mortiz? What you suggest is stay in lugano 3 day and Zurich 2 day?
We staying in Zurich 3 days because we intend to visit st gallen, appenzell and Rhine falls.
Hi Rasa,
- I have never been to St Moritz so I can’t offer an opinion on that.
All I can say is I preferred Lugano much more than Zurich. Much to do around Lugano – bit.ly/2lMd2Cr. But if you are getting out of Zurich to St Gallen and Appenzell then that should be good too.
For Lugano to Zurich see Gotthard Panorama Express (http://www.myswissalps.com/gotthardpanoramaexpress).
Hello Rasa,
It’s good to see you are starting to flesh out your itinerary. There are definitely so many places to visit in Switzerland and it can be difficult to decide. Perhaps look at the photos and see if that captures your curiosity and you want to explore the place in person.
Personally I like the Lugano region more than Zurich. Lugano has a different vibe in comparison to Zurich. Lugano has this wonderful Mediterranean atmosphere. Zurich is the financial hub of Switzerland and I compared that to a bit like New York. I think your idea of Lugano 3 days and Zurich 2 days is great.
- Lugano: http://www.myswissalps.com/lugano
- Zurich: http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich
St.Moritz has some of the finest hotels in Switzerland and lots of restaurants, again many of the best being in the five star hotels. It is probably the most expensive town in Switzerland. There are some nice mountains and trips out from there, and the shopping is as upscale as you can find in all of Europe. Asking if it is worth visiting is difficult to answer because everyone is different in their likes and dislikes. I will attach a thread on St.Moritz so it can help you decide:
I hope this helps you decide. I wish you all the best for 2020.
Best regards,
Suzanne
Thanks Suzanne. Happy new year!!! Yes after reading through, I realise that’ definitely cannot see everything within 2 weeks but I have worked out my itinerary.
4 days in Lucerne: while in Lucerne make day trips to mt titlis, pilatus and rigi.
4 days in interlaken: day trips to jungfrajoch, Montreux, Lausanne, lake thun and brienz and harder kulm
3 days in gridelwald: day trips to Wengen, lauterbrunnen, Murren, gimmelwald
2 days in zermatt: explore Matterhorn and gornergrat. Take glacier express to chur and explore chur. Stay overnight at chur. Morning take bernia express to Lugano
3 days in Lugano
Lugano to Zurich via gotthard panorama express for 3 days
in Zurich explore, Lake Constance, st. Gallen, appenzell and stein am Rhein.
this is my itinerary I planned, booked all the accommodations and lastly just need to book flight tickets and Swiss flexi pass.
Hi Rasa,
I like this itinerary, it is doable. If you wish you can stay for 7 days in Interlaken, as you can visit Grindelwald, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, Murren and Gimmelwald from Interlaken too. But I understand if you do not want to spend so many nights at one place.
You can book your Swiss Travel Pass Flex at http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpassflex/price, make sure to check if there are any promotions before purchasing at http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpassflex/promotions (at this very moment there aren’t any, but worth to check when you will buy them). If you need a Swiss Travel Pass (and not the flexible version of it) go to http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/price.
You’ll find a useful guide with a calculation spreadsheet, which helps you to choose your rail pass in 5 steps at http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass. The downloadable spreadsheet also includes links to the “Where it’s valid” page for all available passes, be sure to study it carefully.
Do not forget to reserve your seats on the panorama trains, usually you can book seats 3 months ahead of time:
- Gotthard Panorama Express – you will also need 1st class tickets or a level upgrade if you have a 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass Flex: http://www.myswissalps.com/gotthardpanoramaexpress/tickets
- Glacier Express: http://www.myswissalps.com/glacierexpress/tickets
- Bernina Express: http://www.myswissalps.com/berninaexpress/tickets
- Golden Pass – Although seat reservations are not compulsory, we recommend it on the Zweisimmen to Montreux leg: http://www.myswissalps.com/goldenpass/tickets
Happy new year!
Ildiko
Hi Rasa,
Remind me again why you need a flex pass. You pay a premium for the flex bit and may be better off with a 15-day STP.
Thank you so much for the advise!!!! Yes we like to stay in various places to experience the places 😁.
Cause in total we are in Switzerland for 20 days and we are not moving continuously between places so we thought having flexi pass may be useful for us. Pls advise if I got it wrong.
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