MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial 8 hours stopover in Zurich, where to go?
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HI,
I am traveling with a friend and we have an 11 hour stop over in Switzzerland. We would love to see the alps and make the most of the short amount of time ther. Any suggestetions please where we should go that is the closest to Zurich airport (ZRH) and will allow us enough travel time to and from the alps. We aren’t looking for anything major. Just some beutiful site seeing and maybe a sky walk, or cable car…. thanks! All ideas are greatly appreciated as we are goijng in just 4 days!!!!!! If you can please include how to get to the location, how long it will take, and pricing!!
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Hello Chanaguttman and Welcome to MySwissAlps,
I would probably suggest a trip to Titlis.
You could do a round trip to the Jungfrau region in about 8 hours but that is without stopping to see much at each location along the way. eg Zurich Airport – Bern – Interlaken Ost – Lauterbrunnen – Grütschalp (cable car) – Mürren – Stechelberg (cable car) – Lauterbrunnen (bus) – Interlaken Ost – Luzern – Zurich Airport. All connections by train unless otherwise noted and fully covered by a Saver Day Pass.
You can use the SBB Mobile app (bit.ly/2ICIUHi) for checking train, bus, boat and cable way timetables, finding fares* and buying tickets on-line if required.
ps You win the prize for the shortest stopover in Switzerland seen on these pages.
Thank you!! Can you provide me with the details for a trip to Titlis ? Seems like from the research we did we wont have enough time to get there and back to the airport on time ;(
The timetable I linked to will tell you it is just over 2 hours 35mins from the Airport to Titlis. Twice that plus a few hours up top seems to fit well within your 11 hour allocation.
See http://www.myswissalps.com/titlis/gettingthere.
If you think that is too long then go to Pilatus. See http://www.myswissalps.com/pilatus/gettingthere.
Whether or not it it worth doing either will of course depend on what the weather is doing on the day you arrive.
Hi Chanaguttman,
In addition to rockoyster’s useful suggestions, you might want to get more inspirations from these links:
- Zurich, sightseeing and day trip suggestions: http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/activities
- Lake Zurich: http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakezurich
Lucerne is less than 1 hour from Zurich Airport. So you could easily plan a day trip and combine it with a trip to the nearby mountains such as Rigi, Pilatus or Titlis
- Lucerne: http://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne
- Rigi: http://www.myswissalps/rigi
- Pilatus: http://www.myswissalps.com/pilatus
- Titlis: http://www.myswissalps.com/titlis
For your information, the Zurich Flughafen train station is conveniently located within the airport. More details here: http://www.myswissalps.com/airports/zurich
To plan your journey please use the SBB timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable). It will tell you possible train connections, how long the journey takes and how much it will cost. The price is given in half-price by default.
Regards,
Anna
Thank you Anna!
We are deciding between Titlis and Pilatus. Is there any major different experience between the 2? Which do you suggest?
Thanks you!!
We were at both last October, so keep in mind the weather will be considerably different in January.
Pilatus – More infrastructure at the top, two hotels, restaurant, large indoor snack bar/lounge area with big windows, expansive outdoor plaza, but limited walking trails/paths although the short tunnel walk around the peak is quite impressive (not sure its open if the winter weather is bad). It is also an uphill hike from the Kriens bus stop to the gondola station, short but uphill nonetheless.
Titlis – Much more oriented to outdoor winter activities, walking on the snow, a short pedestrian suspension bridge (lots people taking selfies there, and it sways a bit). More of that “in the Alps” feel to it, and it is about 3500′ higher than Pilatus. Also a more scenic train ride from Lucerne to the base than the bus ride in Lucerne to the base of Pilatus.
Either way, dress warm and be sure to check the weather forecast and mountaintop web cams before you go. No sense doing either if the weather is bad. If the weather is bad, touring old town Zurich or Lucerne would be a better way to kill time.
thank you that was very helpful!
Hello Chanaguttman,
I have attached weather cam links for Pilatus and Titlis for you:
- Pliatus: http://www.pilatus.ch/en/nc/live/
- Titlis: http://www.titlis.ch/en/live/webcams
Good luck!
Best regards,
Suzanne
Thank you!!
Im looking to confirm the trip from ZRH airport to mount titlis! Is the train direct from the airport or do i have to transfer to Zurich main station? Once arriving in Lucerne what is the best route to reach mount titlis? Thanks to all for your help!!
In addition should we purchase a swiss day pass for a trip from ZRH to mount titlis and back or is not woth the price and payting for individual trains are cheaper?
Have you read http://www.myswissalps.com/titlis/gettingthere?
There are direct trains from Zurich Airport to Luzern and there are trains which require a change at Zurich HB (the main city station). From Luzern you need to get a train to Engelberg.
You need to check the timetables (several links above) to pick the best connections to fit in with your timing and also find the fares. You can then compare that with the price of a Saver Day Pass and make a decision. The Saver Day Pass does not cover the from Engelberg to Titlis.
The SBB website shows half-fare prices by default, the mobile app allows you to nominate whether to show full or half-fares (by editing the passenger details in settings) and is also smart enough to offer you the Saver Day Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass) if that offers the best fare for Zurich Airport to Engelberg return.
Hello Chanaguttman,
Nice to hear you’re taking your stopover for a visit to the Alps.
I know some members on the forum don’t appreciate guided tours, but from experience I know that they can offer great relief (in planning and cost) for travellers with very limited time, like you.
The tours start at 9.30 am by Zurich Mainstation (15 mins by train from the airport) and end there again at 7 pm.
I don’t know, if this suits your schedule, but find details in below links:
– Guided tour from Zurich to Mount Titlis
– Guided tour from Zurich to Mount PilatusBest,
Steph
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