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my sister & I hope to spend 6 days in Switzerland in mid Sept. We plan to take the train from Zurich airport along the Golden pass route to Interlaken & stay there for 4 days .Would there be a problem with luggage ?I think we could have 2 changes to do. From Interlaken we want to visit the Junfraujoch & the Schilthorn which I think would be 2 full day trips. We also want to visit Meringen , could we incorporate this with a cruise on lake Brienz? We have one day with nothing planned at all any suggestions? Our sixth & last day we want to take in other half of the Golden pass line on our way to Geneva airport.
The usual question what Rail pass would suit us best? Also is there any problem using credit cards in Switzerland? I would be grateful for any help & suggestions!
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If you do not want to carry your luggage you can use the Fly Baggage service. Buy the Fly Baggage tags before you leave and attach them to your luggage before you check in at the airport. You do not have to wait for your luggage in the Zurich airport and you can pick it up at either of the Interlaken stations. This would allow you to spend an hour or two in Luzern on your way to Interlaken.
You can take the boat from Interlaken Ost to Brienz and then the train to Meiringen. The boat landing is right by the train station. Be sure to visit Reichenbach falls while in Meiringen
DickI have found September to be the best time to visit the area, weather-wise, so good choice!
If you are interested in outdoor activities (such as hiking, anywhere from light to challenging) you may want to consider staying in one of the car-less villages above Interlaken such as Wengen or Murren (Wengen is my personal favorite). Interlaken is rather busy and touristy whereas the mountain villages give you more of the “Swiss” feel. The advantage that Interlaken has is that there is more shopping and nightlife, so this is a consideration as well. You will pass through Wengen on your way up to the Jungfraujoch (I recommend going up this way rather than going up through Grindelwald) and will pass by Murren on the way up to the Schilthorn. If you do stay in one of the villages you can easily return to Interlaken Ost to catch the ferry to Brienz then train on to Meiringen.
There is nearly a limitless number of things to do in the region. I have a 30+ page document of transport tips, excursions, and so on that I’d be happy to send you but need your email address to do so. If you are interested, send it to me via private message feature, don’t post your address up on the public forum.
I have never had any problem with using credit cards in Switzerland. However, with all the fraud these days, many credit card companies are now beginning to block international transactions so you need to call before you leave to let them know where you are going. Same with your bank ATM card (which is the most cost-effective way to get cash in Switzerland).
I would recommend the Swiss Card (182 CHF) for your travel discount pass. It will get you a free ticket from Zurich to Interlaken (or wherever your final destination is) and from there back to Geneva plus 50% off of all other travel (boats, buses, trains, lifts) including the expensive Jungfraujoch ticket. However, I think the swiss Card requires you to take the most direct route to your destination. If you decide to take a longer route (which Lucerne would be) suggest you buy the Half Fare Card (99 CHF) instead. 50% off of everything, just no free round trip. It usually works out to be about the same deal as the Swiss Card anyway so perhaps you can just go with this and leave all your options open.
Best
Hello Pollyesk! And thank you Dick, for your tips on luggage transportation and the boat ride over lake Brienz.
As for the best rail pass: a Swiss Half Fare Card would save you over CHF 120.00 on normal prices of the trips you mention and would be the most economical option in your case. It offers a 50% discount on all trips you want to make. Only if you plan some more long (and therefore expensive) rail journeys, an 8 day Swiss Saver Pass would in all be cheaper. The Swiss Half Fare Card does require you to purchase discounted tickets for each trip, whereas unlimited travel on trains, buses and boats is possible with the Swiss Saver Pass. Please note that, regardless of which rail pass you’ll be using, seat reservations are required for the Golden Pass trains. If you haven’t arranged for your seat reservations yet, it may be wise not to wait too long anymore.
Purchase options for the Swiss Half Fare Card are listed at the page I linked to. You can order your pass online in advance and pay by credit card. At most larger Swiss railway stations, paying by credit card won’t be a problem. For detailed information you can best contact the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).
As for other tips for your stay in Interlaken: please visit the page on day trips in the Bernese Oberland, where several options are listed.
I hope this helps!
I am in the VERY early stages of planning 5-6 days in Switzerland next August with my husband and four-year-old son. All I know right now is that we will be arriving in Zurich on August 15 from Amsterdam. The tentative itinerary is:
Aug 15: Arrive in Zurich
Aug 17 A day trip to Mount Titlis
Aug 18: Train to Interlaken
Aug 19: A day trip to Jungfrau
Aug 21: Train to Milan
Any help in shortlisting places to visit/stay would be greatly welcome.
Thanks
Hi sunnydays and welcome!
This is an old and unrelated thread, so can you please open a new topic? Just go to this page and click “Start new topic”.
Thanks!
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