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We are a family of four including kids aged 2 and 4. This our first, and not sure we might again as we are not frequent travellers, so we want to make most of this beautiful place and make it a memorable one.
Following is our itinerary, already made the hotel bookings at Lucerne and Wengen, so not changeable. We will be getting the 8-day Swiss travel pass and the family pass. Please excuse if its too much detailed 😉 Ours is a budget trip, so please let me know if we can cut the costs at any places if possible.Also pls recommend any budget restaurants in these places
Aug 31 Arrive at Zurich(7.30 pm), catch next train and go to Lucerne, checkin by 11:00 pm Lucerne
Sep 1 Mt. Rigi
[Lucrne – Viznau by boat (free)
from Vitznau – Rigi Kulm- Rigi Kaltbad (cogwheel train 50% discount)
Rigi caltbad to Weggis (aerial cable car) Free, walk to Weggis boat station (15 mins)
Weggis to Lucerne by boat Free
afternoon: explore Lucerne City – Chappel bridge / church/ Lucerne Old town.. sleep at Lucerne
Sep 2 Mt. Titlis
Lucerne – Engelberg train free
cable car to Titlis (50 % )
afternoon, River Rotsee river promenade Lucerne .. sleep at Lucerne
Sep 3 Bern
Old town / Barenpark /Clock tower / Einsteins house… .. sleep at Lucerne
Sep 4 check out and go to Wengen
Luzerne(platform 12) – Interlaken express
Interlaken(platform 2A) – Lauterbrunnen
Lauterbrunnen – Wengen
check in, have lunch
cable car to Mannlichen (playground), hike to Kleine Sceidegg, train from Kleine Scheidegg-Wengen (30 mins) sleep in Wengen
Sep 5
train to Grindelwald (free), explore Grindelwald and Grindelwald first, return to Wengen , sleep in Wengen
Sep 6
Wengen – Lauterbrunnen (check the Staubach falls) (18 min direct train)
Lauterbrunnen – Grustschalp (cable car)
Grustachalp – Murren (train)
Murren – Allmendhubel funicular ride (playground)
sleep in Wengen
Sep 7 Check out, and come to Zurich , Rhine falls and catch the flight at 9 pm
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Hi Semsel,
It looks like you have built a nice itinerary. I’m sure your family will have a great holiday here.
Were all your questions answered on your other thread?I don’t know any specific budget restaurants in Switzerland, except to say you should buy to-go lunches at local Migros or Coop grocery stores in each town. Good food and the best prices you will find.
Also, here are some tips on how to save money in Switzerland.
Cheers!
Lucas
Hi Semsel-
Indeed, well-thought out and researched. Not too crowded. Enough time to explore and enjoy.
Just a couple of thoughts:
On your day in Bern, you might have some time leftover to explore more of Luzern.
On September 2nd, i don’t understand your reference to “River Rotsee.” The river in Luzern is the Reuss. The Rotsee(a lake) has no special tourist appeal, in my opinion. It is fed by, and has as its exit, small streams.
Slowpoke
Hi Semsel
The cogwheel to mount Rigi is free with your swiss travel pass.
The mount pilatus cogwheel is also free and near Lucerne.
The Schynige Platte cogwheel is also free and near Wengen.
Dirk
Thanks you so much,Lucas
Yes all questions in the other thread answered. this is the final itinerary based on all suggestions and our bookings.
Thanks again for the money saving tips.
Thanks Slowpoke / dirkvantorre – noted all your points
few questions :
-Is it possible to include Lake Brienz (not cruise, just a walk around) in any of the days?
-Is luggage keeping service available on all the train stations? How much for a family?
You could try to go to Lake Brienz on Sep. 4 after you arrive in Interlaken but before you head to Wengen.
Yes, most train stations will have luggage lockers or left luggage offices for you to use. Use the link for SBB “Rail station services and opening hours“on our luggage page here.
Search for the train station you want and you can find what services are offered, opening hours etc.
Lucas
Thanks Lucas, I was thinking of the same option!
Whats your opinion n Schynige Platte,is it possible to include here?
Hi Semsel,
Grindelwald first is not free with your Swiss travel pass so if you want to cut in your costs then Schynige Platte is a very good alternative.
Interlaken is maybe a good alternative for Grindelwald if you want to visit a city.
It’s near Wilderwill where the Schynige platte cogwheel station is.
Hi Semsel-
You can use the timetable to check timing and schedules for Schynige Platte.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
Slowpoke
dirkvantorre,
We know there is an option of full free train ride to Rigi, however we wanted to include boating (via Vitznau) in the trip so as to include more views, or the direct train ride is equally rewarding? Which other boating would be the best fit?
Whats is the best to-do for the latter part of the day after our Mt. Rigi trip?
Hi Semsel-
With the Swiss Travel Pass, the lakeboats are free ( although the ones on Lake Zürich haveimposed a small surcharge.)
The boat ride from Luzern to Vitznau, and the cograil train is more scenic than the “all-train” route via Arth-Goldau.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ri gi/gettingthere
Slowpoke
Hi Semsel,
Just so you know, when replying to someone you have to hit reply on their post – that way they will be notified of your reply. You’ll notice other posts will say “in reply to…” beside the time of their post.
I think the best way to visit Mt Rigi is “magestic round-trip” this way you get a lake cruise and the train trip as well. It is discussed on our Mt. Rigi page here.
Lucas
Thank you Lucas..
seen the Rigi page,My only doubt was whether both the Classic and Magestic trips are fully covered by the Swiss rail pass?
noted your point about reply to option 😉
Hi Semsel,
The majestic route and the classic route is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass to Mt. Rigi – see here on our Mt. Rigi page.
Lucas
Hi semsel,
>> My only doubt was whether both the Classic and Magestic trips are fully covered by the Swiss rail pass?
Yes, both the Classic and Magestic trips are free with the Swiss Travel Pass. You can download a map from the link below, showing what is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass.
As explained in the legend on the map, red lines are trains, yellow lines are buses, black lines are cable cars, white lines are boats. Solid lines are free, dotted lines are discounted. Discounts are mostly 50%, but only 25% for transport where you see the number “1” inside circle near the dotted line. There are a few grey lines on the map as well, which indicate transport that is not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass.
http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/validity
Alpenrose
Oops, thanks for the correction Alpenrose!
Wasn’t wearing my reading glasses or hadn’t had my coffee yet…one or the other. 🙂
Yep, a good strong coffee definitely helps 🙂
Alpenrose
What is your best suggestion to explore Grindelwald village and First in same day starting from Wengen avoiding difficult or steep hikes? I read the bus trip from Grindelwald to Grosse Sceidegg is good, we would like to stop by the Bachalpsee lake as well
Hi semsel-
<<“What is your best suggestion to explore Grindelwald village and First in same day starting from Wengen avoiding difficult or steep hikes? I read the bus trip from Grindelwald to Grosse Sceidegg is good, we would like to stop by the Bachalpsee lake as well”>>
All the information about the Bachalpsee, including how to get to First and the Bachalpsee is in this link.
http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/bachsee
You will pass through Grindelwald. I am not sure what there is to explore in Grindelwald:
http://www.myswissalps.com/gr indelwald
If you check the timetable
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
you can find three possible routes from Wengen to First, which are clear on this map if you zoom in to see the train lines and cableways. All pass through Grindelwald. The ones through Zweilütschinen or Kleine Scheidegg are longer, and will be displayed only if you enter one of those names in the “via” or “connections” box. They also will show in the evening, when the cableways have stopped running.
The fastest route (the default) uses the cableways up to Männlichen ( station LWM) and down to Grindelwald from Männlichen station GGM.
None involves significant walking; however the map shows you where you have to walk, and the timetable indicates a walk where necessary. There are 4 short walks on the route via Männlichen
map.search.ch/?pos=638544,162088&z=32
There trails from Grosse Scheidegg to First or to intermediate stops on the cableway from Grindelwald to First. They are several kilometers long and have significant altitude changes.
Slowpoke
Hi Semsel.
Whats is the best to-do for the latter part of the day after our Mt. Rigi trip?
I also travel with two kids and the Swiss Museum of Transport (verkehrshaus) is near Lucerne and is great for the kids. There is a 50% discount i think with your swiss travel pass.
If you want to make the most of your Swiss trip then you can go in the early morning by train to Alpnachstad, then take the cogwheel to mount Pilatus and enjoy the great view, then go down with the cable car to Kriens and take the bus back to Lucerne. In the afternoon you can go to mount Rigi like you planned. The last train down from Rigi is at 20:00 PM i think so you have enough time.
Everything is free with your swiss travel pass but the question is if it’s not to much with 2 young children.
Dirk
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