7 days Swiss itinerary in late Oct

  • Removed user
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    1 October 2019 at 13:34:31 #824046

    Hi,

    Following from previous thread, I am doing 2 weeks’ trip from Zurich-Vienna-Budapest-Zurich. Need your your advice to see if this is do’able.

    Day 1 22-Oct-19 Tue Arrive ZRH (AM) – Rhine Falls | Leave for Vienna

    Day 2 23-Oct-19 Wed Vienna

    Day 3 24-Oct-19 Thu Vienna

    Day 4 25-Oct-19 Fri Leave Vienna

    Day 5 26-Oct-19 Sat Budapest

    Day 6 27-Oct-19 Sun Budapest

    Day 7 28-Oct-19 Mon Leave Budapest

    Day 8 29-Oct-19 Tue Montreux (Swiss Day 1)

    Day 9 30-Oct-19 Wed Bern

    Day 10 31-Oct-19 Thu Interlaken / Lauterbrunnen – Staubbach Falls and upper Lauterbrunnen Valley

    Day 11 01-Nov-19 Fri Zermatt

    Day 12 02-Nov-19 Sat Mt Pilatus

    Day 13 03-Nov-19 Sun Lucerne

    Day 14 04-Nov-19 Mon Back to ZRH

    Day 15 05-Nov-19 Tue Fly Out of ZRH (AM)

    1) I arrive in Zurich at 4.30pm on 28 Oct. Does it make sense to take train to Montreux from there? Is it too late from a safety perspective (2 females travelling)? Or should I stay in Bern for the night?

    2) Is it too ambitious to do only a day in each place?

    3) Accommodation wise, should we base ourselves in Bern and do day trip to the individual places each day? Will this be the best use of Swiss Travel Pass that way? Or should we stay each night in each place? While it may save travelling time by changing accommodation and moving places, seems more hectic but could this a better option?

    Many thanks for your input again!

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    Removed user
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    1 October 2019 at 13:41:36 #922962

    Additionally, I thought Lucerne is closer to Zurich. To avoid any unexpected delay which may impact on the international flight out of Zurich, I planned Lucerne as the last stop.

    Please feel free to make any suggestions on the accommodation and sequence of visits.

    Thanks again! :$

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    2 October 2019 at 1:11:28 #922963

    Skip the Rhine falls.

    Although you are not using a central base, you still have left too little time in each destination. Unless you intend to do the barest minimum of sightseeing, that is.

    Have you used the timetable to calculate travel times?

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable

    Slowpoke

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    2 October 2019 at 6:58:21 #922964

    Hi Slowpoke,

    I was using google to check the timings. Sounds like it’s not as reliable as the links you sent.

    Thought Rhine Falls is the top waterfall in Europe. Thought it would be comparable to Niagara Falls….. not worth the trip?

    Thanks for the input! 🙂

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    2 October 2019 at 7:38:42 #922965

    Hi Dover36073 –

    Have you seen the falls at Niagara?

    If you’ve spent time at the falls at Niagara, particularly the Canadian side, you are likely to find the Rhine Falls a bit of a non-event. Powerful, but not very high. Water flow in the Fall is at a relative low point, compared to late Spring and early Summer when the snow melt adds a lot to the flow.

    If this is your impression:

    <<“Thought Rhine Falls is the top waterfall in Europe. “>>

    I don’t know what “top” means to you. Could be, depending on what you mean by “top.”

    These people have their own opinion:

    http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/top-10-europe-waterfalls/

    Even in Switzerland, in their opinion , it is not Number One

    http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/top-10-switzerland-waterfalls/

    But, maybe they like a different style than you do…….

    <<“Thought it would be comparable to Niagara Falls”>>

    I suggest that spend some time in careful study of the Rhine Falls in this forum and on the internet.

    <<“not worth the trip?”>>

    Every site is worth the trip for somebody. The issue is what you could be doing instead. On your itinerary, you are spending very little time in each place, and will not have time to explore them. Luzern is the exception to a slight degree, but you will be in the Bernese Oberland before the cableways close for between-season maintenance after the 27th. You could spend more time there, seeing things that are uniquely Swiss, even though it is fairly late in the travel season. My view is that waterfalls are not so uniquely a Swiss experience as the Bernese Oberland , including the Jungfrau region.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/be rneseoberland

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

    You have not stated what your specific interests are, and perhaps all you want is a sampler. That is what you are getting. So, in that case, you’ve made a good plan.

    If you want to learn more about the cities that you have picked, look them up here:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/wh eretogo/towns

    Scroll down.

    <<“To avoid any unexpected delay which may impact on the international flight out of Zurich, I planned Lucerne as the last stop.”>>

    International flights are the norm in Switzerland…it’s a tiny country. Perhaps you mean “intercontinental” ? Indeed, if the case, it is wise to end up near your departure airport on the day before your last day.

    Slowpoke

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    2 October 2019 at 8:53:15 #922966

    Hi Slowpoke,

    Many thanks for the feedback.

    I actually a good mix of nature, culture and snowboarding for the Swiss trip. Would love to see things uniquely Swiss but I was taking the itineraries from some of the other travellers on Google. :$ Most of the itineraries were just spending a day each on the different place, which gave me the idea for my plans. Personally, I would prefer a more relaxing trip to take time and see what is uniquely Swiss, rather than doing day trips everyday.

    On hindsight and working out detailed itinerary now, looks like I should make some changes, especially if the cable cars will basically be closed for maintenance by the time we are back in Switzerland. I was only aware of the Glacier Express closure for St. Moritz but not aware of the others. Do you think it will work better if I spent 2 nights in Montreux, 2 nights in Interlaken and 2 nights in Lucerne? Believe there should be plenty to see in Lucerne but not sure about Montreux and Interlaken?

    Oh, will Mt Pilatus still be accessible during this period for snowboarding? Sorry, I’m might be getting so mixed up with all the research on Google now.

    Thanks! :$

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    2 October 2019 at 12:53:17 #922967

    <<“Would love to see things uniquely Swiss but I was taking the

    itineraries from some of the other travellers on Google. :$ “>>

    The average experience and knowledge level – focused entirely on Switzerland- is quite high on this website

    <<“On hindsight and working out detailed

    itinerary now, looks like I should make some changes, especially if the

    cable cars will basically be closed for maintenance by the time we are

    back in Switzerland.”>>

    This website can help you do that. Start at the beginning:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ge ttingstarted

    In fact, you might check out each of the headings on the home page to see what kind of information is available.

    <<“especially if the cable cars will basically be closed for maintenance by the time we are back in Switzerland.””>

    Go to Switzerland first, if that is important. Attached images show a walk that can likely be accomplished easily ( if there is no snow on the trail) by using the cableway from Wengen to Männlichen. Last runs on the 27th. Some of those photos were taken in late September.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/hi king/maennlichen-kleinescheidegg

    <<“Do you think it will work better if I spent 2 nights in Montreux, 2

    nights in Interlaken and 2 nights in Lucerne? “>>

    Yes.

    <<“Believe there should be

    plenty to see in Lucerne but not sure about Montreux and Interlaken?”>>

    To answer that, please follow the links that I suggested above:

    <<“My view is that waterfalls are not so uniquely a Swiss experience as the Bernese Oberland , including the Jungfrau region.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/be rneseoberland

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion

    You have not stated what your specific interests are, and perhaps all you want is a sampler. That is what you are getting. So, in that case, you’ve made a good plan.

    If you want to learn more about the cities that you have picked, look them up here:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/wh eretogo/towns

    Scroll down.”>>

    Pilatus is open all year. That seems a bit early for snow.

    Please look here:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/pi latus

    (By the way, the search function on this site works quite well).

    Slowpoke

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    2 October 2019 at 19:29:20 #922968

    Hi Dover360703,

    I also suggest to spend 2-2-2 nights in Interlaken, Lucerne and in Montreux. There are plenty of things to do and see there too, and most of them is free with the Swiss Travel Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isstravelpass/price):

    You can get to Pilatus all year round: http://www.myswissalps.com/pi latus/gettingthere.

    Removed user
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    3 October 2019 at 12:42:19 #922969

    Hi Ildiko,

    Thinking of switching from Montreux to Bern, as Bern seems more central to do day trips. Didn’t seem much to do apart from Lake Geneva and a boat trip in Montreux. Think I prefer to see more of the alps. Is it better for Pilatus or Zermatt, at this time of the year?

    Thank you. 🙂

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    3 October 2019 at 13:07:13 #922970

    Consider this in Montreux-

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ro chersdenaye

    And, if you happen to be a rail fan, the stretch of the Golden Pass routes between Zweisimmen and Montreux is among the best.

    http://www.myswissalps.com/go ldenpass

    http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/i-had-a-vip-front-seat-on-golden-pass-7-april-2019

    Slowpoke

    Removed user
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    3 October 2019 at 19:14:34 #922971

    Hi Dover360703,

    I am a huge fan of Montreux, so I would not skip it. 🙂 I think that the Montreux Promenade is breathtaking with the lake and the mountains in the background. But of course it is your decision.

    From Montreux you can get to Glacier 3000 (the valley station at Col-du-Pillon) in 1,5 hours, but as Slowpoke suggested, Rochers-de-Naye is even closer. Lavaux, the Unesco heritage vineyard is very close too: http://www.myswissalps.com/la kegeneva

    Check these, maybe it helps you to make a decision:

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    3 October 2019 at 20:27:05 #922972

    Hi Ildiko –

    And, I forgot to mention, there are 4 or 5 trains per hour between Luzern and Bern. The one exactly on the hour takes 1 hour.

    Both are nice towns, but each can be a day trip from the other.

    Slowpoke

    Removed user
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    72625 posts
    3 October 2019 at 23:17:24 #922973

    Pilatus is not a mountain with snow sports it is too vertiginous and rocky

    Regarding staying in Bern, you could stay your whole trip in Bern as it is an excellent jumping off point – being a nodal point for transport (and Switzerland being small) you can do easy day trips to many parts of Switzerland. Don’t just consider the Alps for things ‘uniquely Swiss’. The Jura Mountains easily accessible from Bern are very ‘Swiss’

    There are many advantages to staying in a city rather than a ‘quiet’ rural town or mountain resort village especially in the ‘off season’

    Easy to get to destinations from Bern:

    Zermatt

    Interlaken / Jungfrau area

    Chaux de Fonds/Jura watchmaking area

    Broc chocolate factory

    Geneva, Lausanne

    Goldenpass Zweisimmen – Montreux

    Lake Neuchatel, Bielersee

    Zurich

    Luzern

    etc etc

    Removed user
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    3 October 2019 at 23:20:35 #922974

    There are only 2 direct trains each hour between Bern and Luzern (and vice versa), one route via the high speed line and one routed via the Emmental line

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    3 October 2019 at 23:33:55 #922975

    <<“There are only 2 direct trains each hour between Bern and Luzern (and

    vice versa), one route via the high speed line and one routed via the

    Emmental line”>>

    True- but irrelevant. They all (4 or 5 per hour, total) get the passengers who travel between the two cities there in the times specified in the time table. Of course, some do require changes of train, but for a day trip, the passengers are unlikely top have much luggage to manage.

    Sadly, it is rare that anyone cares if a train goes through the Emmental. I like that slower route because of the scenery.

    Slowpoke

    Anna
    Moderator
    6274 posts
    4 October 2019 at 2:48:23 #922976

    Hi Dover360703,

    Oct – Nov is probably too early for winter sports in most places. But if you are interested in snowboarding, then maybe you should plan a visit to Mt Titlis in Engelberg, near Lucerne. If you check the website, “most pistes are snow-sure from December to April. Skiing/snowboarding is possible up on the glacier from October through until May” … If you have a Swiss Travel Pass, you get 50% off the cable car tickets. Please browse these links for more details:

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ti tlis/tickets
    http://www.myswissalps.com/ti tlis/gettingthere

    Anna

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