Interlaken & Zurich 6 nights, researching hotels

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    14 September 2018 at 9:00:54 #818352

    We , a mother with 2 daughters will be staying at The Beausite Hotel in Interlaken from 5 – 9 Dec.

    Coming from Paris to Interlaken – Planning to do Grindelweld,Jungfrau, Lauderbrunen town, Lake Brienz, Mt Titilis, Mt Pilatus (one of these, depending on weather) , Rhine Falls (or should be do this from Zurich?) and of course around Interlaken town. I am so bad with geography, is my “grouping” correct? I want to maximise the usage of a 4 day 2-country or flexi pass. Is it too ambitious?

    The hotel does give us a free Guest Card which I understand can take us free to some places and we get discounts for some places.

    From the website link:

    “Guest Card, which entitles you to a range of discounts in the whole Jungfrau Region.

    The Guest card in additionally entitle the holder to free travel on

    public transport within Zone 80 and to Iseltwald, Saxeten and

    Niederried.”

    Oops, can someone who has used the card before enlighten me on this? Like can I safely put aside 1 or 2 days to maximise on places of interest with this card? This will help me strategise on which Swiss pass to buy.

    We will be in Zurich from 9 to 11 Dec – before proceeding to Salzburg.

    Any recommendations for value hotel near the HBF because we intend to take the earliest train to Salzburg on 11 Dec. All the hotels near the HBF seems to be so expensive!

    I know that it all seems a bit of a hodge potch itinerary – – just a macro plan – very open to suggestions.. it is really stressful for a first timer – trying to plan for this and also what is the suitable pass to use? I know that there is a worksheet from SBB that is supposed to help – I tried, but I am really quite lost in there!

    Oh yes, anyone knows if it is possible to travel by night from Interlaken to Salsburg? I tried to google .. apparently it would be challenging ?.. that was why I decided to reschedule our 6 nights in Interlaken to include 2 nights in Zurich.

    Thanks a lot!

    Christine

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    14 September 2018 at 14:20:23 #896187

    Hi Christine and welcome to MySwissAlps!

    From Interlaken, you’ll be able to visit those towns and mountains in the Jungfrau region fairly easily. http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

    Titlis and Pilatus are nearer Lucerne but can still be done from Interlaken. Leave the Rheinfall for when you are in Zurich.

    For hotel suggestions in Zurich, look here: http://www.myswissalps.com/zu rich/hotels – you’ll find budget options near the main train station listed there.

    The local guest card doesn’t cover much outside of Interlaken itself – it is mostly for local transport but gives some discounts on some attractions close by. http://www.interlaken.ch/en/i nformation-and-journey-to-interlaken/travel-tips-interlaken/guest-card-and-holiday-passes-interlaken.html

    It would not replace a rail pass. Which rail pass have you bought (or have you bought it yet)? It is a Eurail Select pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/eu railselectpass) or?

    For a nice web page on how to choose the best rail pass try ours here: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/ticketspasses/prac tical/chooserailpass

    There is a night train from Zurich to Vienna that stops at Salzburg (departs at 21:40) but arrives at 03:22. 🙁

    You can find that train and all other train schedules around Switzerland here: http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

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    17 September 2018 at 5:22:07 #896188

    Thank you so much, Lucas!

    No – I have not bought the pass yet – still contemplating which one to get to ensure that it will be well utilised! We will only be in Switzerland for 7 days ..with one day in Interlaken and Zurich that we will probably just want to explore the towns and cities. So we technically might need the passes for 5 days.. but there is no 5 or 6 day passes!

    Will run through the websites you shared for some ideas.

    So Grindelweld,Jungfrau, Lauderbrunen town, Lake Brienz, Mt Titilis, Mt Pilatus, can I safely schedule 2 days passes for them? Which ones can I grouped together each day for maximum time and pass utility?

    As I will have to activate one day pass for coming from Paris on 5 Dec, we will leave by the early morning train, is there somewhere that we can go on that same day so that we can maximise the use of the pass?

    Thanks again !

    Christine

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    17 September 2018 at 7:46:31 #896189

    Often an 8 day Swiss Travel Pass is cheaper or very close to just buying point to point tickets for a 6 day holiday (and much more convenient) but you can check the math on my link before to find the best rail pass to be sure (once you’ve got your daily trips planned out).

    From Interlaken you’ll want to visit Grindelwald, Jungfraujoch, Lauterbrunnen and Lake Brienz (anything in the Jungfrau region – http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

    Titlis and Pilatus are near Lucerne so best to do together from there. The timetable link I gave you will give you travel details for all trips.

    What day pass are you talking about activating from/for Paris?

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    17 September 2018 at 8:08:37 #896190

    Hi Lucas,

    Thanks so much for your help! I have actually been to Jungfraujoch during winter some years back .. but due to the heavy snow, it was too cold for us to venture outside other than between the train station and the restaurant nearby. Also all we could see was just all white snow .. beautiful but no scenery at all as the snowfall was just too heavy. Feels like a wasted trip (and we had to pay quite a bit too especially as a family as an optional tour).

    Just in case, if it is also heavy snowfall, don’t think we will pay to get up to the top.. where would u suggest that we may have a chance to feel some snow as one of my daughters have not experience it before? In any case, with the Swiss Pass, it will just be a discount going up to the mountain, not included in the pass right?

    From Paris to Interlaken – if we do not use the Swiss Pass, the ticket will cost us about S$170 each. However, if we activate the Swiss Pass from Basel to Interlaken , it will only cost us about S$80 each. Averaging the daily cost of the pass (around S$60) , even adding that on, it will still be cheaper than buying the direct ticket of S$170. That was also why I was checking if there is anywhere that we can cover that need to use the pass on the first day (5 December) .. to maximise its utilisation.

    Thank you very much for your patience!

    Christine

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    17 September 2018 at 17:54:48 #896191

    The best chance for snow on a mountain that is fully included on the Swiss Travel Pass (in 2018) is Schilthorn: http://www.myswissalps.com/schilthorn

    There are other mountains that are higher and have a better chance of snow in early December but they are only partially covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. See a list here: http://www.myswissalps.com/swisstravelpass/validity

    On Dec. 5 you could do one of the activities noted around Lucerne or Interlaken to make use of the Swiss Travel Pass more: http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne/activities and http://www.myswissalps.com/interlaken/activities

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    18 September 2018 at 8:37:15 #896192

    Hi Lucas,

    Read an update that the cable car at Schilthorn will be closed during the time that we are in Interlaken -5-9 December. So we should not include this place .. which may have a high chance of feeling snow as you previously recommended?

    Christine

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    18 September 2018 at 15:32:46 #896193

    Hi Christine,

    Although the Hotel Motel One in Zurich is not right at the train station, you might consider its overall lower cost per night makes it possible for you to take a taxi the short distance from that hotel to the train station. I will add that I have learned through much experience that sometimes booking a hotel “near the station” is really not that much of convenience unless the hotel is right on top of the station. Dragging one’s luggage in bad weather, or at times of day when the sun isn’t shining, for the distance that a hotel will advertise as “no more than 500m” really can be a nuisance. I’d rather stay at a comfortable modern budget hotel for less money per night and then pay a taxi driver for the one time, door-to-door ride to the train station.

    Motel One is less than a 10 minute ride to the station, the hotel desk is very professional and can be relied upon to call the taxi for when you need it, and the area where the taxi will pick you up is in the hotel’s private parking area, no confusion.

    Here’s what I wrote about my recent stay there:

    Motel One Zurich: I really cannot praise this hotel too highly. It is an extremely comfortable, affordable hotel in a quite good location in Zurich for touristing. Everything is simple and functional, but feels spacious. Absolutely quiet, with some wonderful public areas for taking a break. Would gladly return.

    I will add that a tram stops within a few feet of the hotel, and that generally this neighborhood has budget friendly eating options.

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    18 September 2018 at 18:18:52 #896194

    Hi Christine,

    Any mountain over 3000 meters, like Jungfraujoch has snow year-round. Any other mountains may have some snow on them by early December (probably) but I can’t guarantee the weather. 🙂

    See a list of mountains here: http://www.myswissalps.com/activities/naturalsites/mountains

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    19 September 2018 at 2:06:54 #896195

    Thank you Constance!

    On an average, how much would a taxi ride cost? In addition, the tram near the hotel does not go to the station?

    Thanks once again for your advice!

    Christine

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    19 September 2018 at 2:07:30 #896196

    Haha… thanks Lucas!

    You have been a great help!

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    19 September 2018 at 2:11:24 #896197

    By the way, Constance or any one else in this forum, would you know of what is the cheapest and best option to get from Zurich to Salzburg?

    Rgds,

    Christine

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    19 September 2018 at 3:26:35 #896198

    Hi Lucas,

    Saw your trip report to Grindewald – amazing account and pictures!

    I am planning to follow your itinerary but we will be going from Interlaken. I noticed that you used your half price pass – it would be more value using that then activating a day of our Swiss Pass?

    In addition, what are your thoughts about Basel? We are coming from Paris – and if we were to travel from there to make it by daylight in Interlaken, we would need to take a very early train which will be a bit of a stress for us to get to the train station. So we are planning to spend a night in Basel and take a mid morning train to Interlaken so that we can be more comfortable with the timing. Otherwise, would you be able to suggest any other way from Paris to Interlaken .. we dont even mind a night train but we will reach Interlaken at a very unearthly wee hour . Any suggestions on what we can do in Basel with a overnight stay?

    Thanks!

    Christine

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    19 September 2018 at 6:47:26 #896199

    Hi Christine,

    For train ticket prices from Switzerland to Austria look at the online retailers we suggest here: http://www.myswissalps.com/traintickets/austria/price

    I wouldn’t buy a Swiss Half Fare Card for one day of travel around Grindelwald if you already have a Swiss Travel Pass no. It gives similar discounts. You can compare here:

    Basel is a nice town. Read more about Basel here: http://www.myswissalps.com/basel

    I’d also look at Bern and Lucerne (but they are 1 hour each from Basel whereas Interlaken is 2 hours). I’d probably stay in Basel or just go straight to Interlaken.

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    19 September 2018 at 9:18:57 #896200

    My husband remembers paying 12CHF for the taxi ride with luggage from the hotel to the train station, but I think it was more, but still no more than 20CHF. I think I have heard that taxi fares in Zurich are about 5CHF per mile — and my experience of other countries is that sometimes there is a supplemental charge if you call for the taxi during late night or pre-dawn hours, or have lots of luggage. But usually such charges are no more than an extra few euros.

    I am not sure which tram line runs right past the Hotel Motel One, and I don’t know if it goes to the station. The hotel is within very easy walking distance of both Banhofstrasse and the Selnau train station, and I would guess that there are direct trams from both to the central station.

    However, a good test of whether the hotel staff is as good as I say would be to send them an e-mail asking them your questions! My bet is you would get a prompt and accurate answer.

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