4 days at Swiss Alps in April; base is Kandersteg

Hello Experts,

Following is my itinerary 23rd April to 27th April

Day 1: Kandersteg -> Interlaken + Day trip to Mount Titlis + Lucerne (Lake Lucerne and chapel bridge).

Day 2: Day trip to jungfraujoch . back to Kandersteg.

Day 3: Kandersteg -> Lauterbrunnen + Schilthorn + Grindelwald (if possible) -> Back to Kendersteg.

Day 4: Kandersteg-> Zermatt (Zermatt sightseeing) + day trip to Matterhorn glacier paradise->back to Kendersteg.

Day 5: Kandersteg->Paris (27th April 2016)

Now I have following question:

1. Day 2 jungfraujoch, will this route be operational on 24th April. As many experts have suggested we need to check the weather before we plan this trip. Generally how is the weather during April end.

2. Day 3: I have planned Lauterbrunnen + Schilthorn + Grindelwald (if possible) -> Back to Kendersteg. is this doable.

3. Day 4: Trip to Matterhorn, will this be operational during 26th April.

My base is Kandersteg, in general I would like to understand if this is a good itinerary.

Thanks

First a question:

Why Kandersteg, every day you must travel many hours more than you stay in Interlaken.

Hello Brahms,

Thank you for your guidance.

I have moved my base to Lucerne.

Day 1: Day trip to Mount Titlis + Lucerne (Lake Lucerne and chapel bridge).

Day 2: Day trip to jungfraujoch .

Day 3: Lucerne -> Lauterbrunnen + Schilthorn + Grindelwald (if possible) -> Back to Lucerne.

Day 4: Lucerne-> Zermatt (Zermatt sightseeing) + day trip to Matterhorn glacier paradise->back to Lucerne.

Day 5: Lucerne->Paris (27th April 2016)

Please suggest your opinion.

Thanks.

Hi Flyhigh22,

Did you check the timetable for traveling times? Apart from day 1, you will spend a lot of time on trains. Which is fine if that's what you want. From Interlaken, traveling times would be better. A Swiss Travel Pass would come in handy with the amount of traveling you've planned. Apart from that, you need a ticket to Paris.

Again, Interlaken is the best place for this trip.

Luzern> Jungfraujoch > Luzern is about 9 hours by train

Luzern >Schilthorn> Luzern is also 9 hours by train, cable car and bus.

I think it is better to check the timetable, as Arno also wrote, befor you plan your hotel.

Greeting from the Netherlands, Brahms

Dear Brahms and Arno

Thank you very much for your suggestions. I understand that for this itinerary I will have long travel time for 2 days. However I cannot change by base now as I have already booked my hotel.

So I am planning to change the itinerary as below:

Day 1: Lucerne -> Day trip to Mount Titlis + Lucerne (Lake Lucerne and chapel bridge)

Travel time from Lucerne to Mt Titlis is around 2+2 (too and fro). So if I start early I can visit

Mt. Titlis and on return explorer Lake Lucerne and Chapel Bridge.

Day 2: Day trip to jungfraujoch .

This is going to be a long day with travel time of 5+5 (too and fro). But I am prepared for this and excited to visit jungfraujoch. I just want o understand do I need any extra precaution for jungfraujoch as its high altitude. I am accompany with my kid (1 Year and 6 Month old), will it be safe for my kid.

Day 3: Lucerne -> Lauterbrunnen

I will drop Schilthorn, and explore Lauterbrunnen. Journey time from Lucerne -> Lauterbrunnen will be around 2 and half hour.

Day 4: Day 4: Lucerne-> Zermatt (Zermatt sightseeing) + day trip to Matterhorn glacier paradise->back to Lucerne.

This will again be a long journey with 4+4 (too and fro) travel time. I am ok with this.

Day 5: Depart to Paris

I have booked the tickets from BASEL to PARIS.

I have few questions:

1. I can buy swiss half fare card online and get a link to print at home, its a best option for me. But I still want to know can I buy the swiss half fare card at Zurich Aiprort , in case ?

2. I see that at fahrplan.sbb.ch, I can buy tickets for my journey online that is point to point and includes all modes of transport (BUS, TRAIN, ROPE WAY). Currently I cannot book my tickets as I would like to buy it when I travel. So I want to understand can I get similar tickets from Lucerne station covering all modes of transportation for point to point.

Kind Regards,

Hi Flyhigh22,

1. For the amount for traveling you have planned I would recommend a 4-day Swiss Travel Pass and a ticket from Lucerne to Paris. You'll save about CHF 80 per person that way (please do the math if you'd like to verify). The Swiss Travel Pass is also more convenient as you don't have to buy tickets for each trip, it's more flexible, and also includes many museums (an option for day 1).

As you already have a Basel to Paris ticket you can't completely follow this suggestion. But you can still buy the Swiss Travel Pass and a regular ticket from Lucerne to Basel for day 5. Even then it would be cheaper than using the Swiss Half Fare Card.

In any case, both the Swiss Half Fare Card and Swiss Travel Pass can be purchased at the airport, but it's quicker to print them at home so you can use them immediately. You can go to www.swissrailways.com/ en and select "Online Ticket" when they present delivery options. The Swiss Travel Pass is also available for at home printing through the Indian site with the promo code discount as discussed here.

2. You don't need to buy tickets in advance. It's convenient to buy the pass in advance, but the daily tickets can be purchased on the spot. With the Swiss Travel Pass you only need tickets for mountain transport, but not for any of the other trains.

All Jungfraujoch information, including altitude warnings, is here: myswissalps.com/ jungfraujoch.

Day 3: What are you going to do in Lauterbrunnen ? This is a very, very small village. The village can you visit in 15 minutes. We are visit for 40 years Bernise Oberland, but dont visit the village Lauterbrunnen.......... We are only used Lauterbrunnen to change trains.

Better is a boattrip on lake Thunersee, or visit Grindelwald (and Mountain First). Or walk from Grütschalp to Mürren (above Lauterbrunnen) with the pretty view on the Eiger-Mönch and Jungfrau.

Pity you have booked a hotel in Lucerne. The travel times a so long...........

Thank you Brahms

I will visit the the Lauterbrunnen falls. And as you suggested I will plan walk from Grütschalp to Mürren.

Regards,

Nice, than can you also visit the small village of Mürren. The best is to walk from Grütsalp to Mürren. The footpad is starting at the end of the railwayplatform at Grütsalp station.

Under the Lauterbrunnen falls there is a small footpad, you can walk under the falls.

When the weather is bad, you can also visit the Trümmelbachfalls near Lauterbrunnen. Big falls in the mountain. You can from Lauterbrunnen by bus to Trümmelbachfalls, only a few mintes.

Nice vacantion in Switserland, hopely we get a revieuw about you trip.

Greeting from the Netherlands, Brahms