A 5 day summer trip Interlaken - Lucerne - Zurich

Hi i am Dipankar

We are a couple of 50+. we are planning a holiday in alps and want to make it once in a lifetime..

Day-1 Reaching Basel at 6.00 am. and then to interlaken. Check into hotel. A day trip to jungfraujoch -top of the europe and back,

Day-2 A whole day trip to Zarmatte- Materhorn and back.

Day-3 A day trip follows golden pass line to Zweisimmu and finally in Montreux and spent few hours. Then return journey to Brig and then to Spiez via Kandersteg. and back to interlaken.

Day 4 Base shifted to Lucerene. day trip to Titlis/Pilatus/ Rigi ( please advice which one to be pick).An evening shall be spent on lake.

Day-5 After breakfast train to Zurich. Check into hotel. A day trip to Rhine falls . Evening city tour .Next morning, take a train for Paris..

This is my plan. Please give your views and advice so that we are open change before take a final call.

Hi dipchat995, thanks for joining us!

Your itinerary is quite full. This especially goes for day 2 and 3. They're doable though, and perfectly fine if you don't mind some long travel days. The best you can do is check traveling times using the timetable. Do mind to use the correct spelling when doing so, e.g.: Zermatt, Zweisimmen, Lucerne. Note that you'll be covering (roughly) the same leg twice on day 2 and 3, being Brig-Spiez-Interlaken. You could pick the quicker tunnel connection one day and the scenic regional train through Kandersteg the other day. If you'd like to cut down on traveling times, I'd advise to spend a bit more time in the Jungfrau region itself on day 2 and/or 3. It's a stunning area and there's lots to see and do: www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion/acitiviti es.

Titlis, Pilatus and Rigi are all different and all beautiful destinations. Please check the links I inserted to find out for yourself what appeals to you most. Also, our Zurich and Rhine Falls pages may be of help.

Hi Dipankar-

<<"We are a couple of 50+. we are planning a holiday in alps and want to make it once in a lifetime..">>

You can do that. However, to prevent season related complications, please let us know when you are traveling. And, will you be jet lagged when you arrive?

And, as Annika said, you are really filling the days...perhaps too full.

May be useful -

www.myswissalps.com/be sttimetovisit

Also- please note the spellings that she used for place names...it will help with the timetable.

Slowpoke

I agree that you have a very full schedule with long train rides - which will be quite scenic if the weather cooperates. Also, the views you will experience at the Jungfrau and the Matterhorn - in fact any of the mountains you mention - are quite dependent on the weather. We spent a week in Zermatt in mid-July one year and only had one truly clear day to view the Matterhorn - it's quite stunning, but if it's buried in rain or clouds, you've gone a long way to see clouds. I'd also advise trying to be there early in the day, as the Matterhorn always seems to attract clouds as the afternoon approaches, at least in the summer. This can be quite beautiful if it's just clouds moving around and not totally engulfing it. As for the Jungfraujoch, each day brings its own weather there, too; but even if it appears clouded over from below, it may be clear up top. You can check the cameras at the train station (at least in Wengen, where we stay) and see what the weather looks like on top. I agree with Annika about spending more time in the Jungfrau area - and if there's rain, there are other wonderful things to do there. Trummelbach Falls in Lauterbrunnen is amazing and just as well experienced on a cloudy or rainy day as a sunny one! Click on the links Annika gave you for more ideas. And have a wonderful journey!

Hi Lyssa-

And, note that although Dipankar has said "Summer" we don't really know when he is going....which can affect the weather.

Slowpoke

Hi Annika-

Thanks for your reply

1. Regarding tight itinerary- i have full five days and interested to spend most of the times in Berner oberland. So , i am ready to change accordingly to make it more interesting.Delete stay in Zurich. 2 days in Lucerne and 2 days in Interlaken and 1 day in Montreux .

2.My holiday starts from 6-10 August,2016

3.I will take care of it (spelling)

Thanks for your valuable tips, Lyssa! Your remarks about weather dependency are very true. Too bad you didn't have much luck during your last stay in Zermatt, but I'm glad you eventually enjoyed the Matterhorn views on a clear day.

Hi dipankar,

Good to hear you're flexible and able to change plans. As long as you and your travel party are excited about your plans and feel they're doable, pretty much every itinerary is fine!

You mentioned you'll be spending one day in Montreux. You could do so on May 6 after arriving in Basel, spending a couple of hours there and then heading for Interlaken the same afternoon/evening. That will be a full travel day, but it will give you an extra night to be spent in either Interlaken or Lucerne. A day trip to Montreux made from Interlaken using the Golden Pass line is fine too.

You may want to reconsider getting to the Jungfraujoch on your first day after arrival in Basel, unless weather is great that day. If it isn't, you may want to try again another day and try to get up there early. As Lyssa noted, clouds on warm summer days typically tend to develop in the course of the day. That's just a general pattern though. Checking the forecasts and live cams shortly before leaving is the best you can do.

Hi Dipankar -

Thanks for the updates.

I was afraid you might be going in early June, which might be summer down in the lower elevations, but, for sure, not up on the Jungfrau.

In August you will certainly have all of the tourist facilities, services and cableways leading to scenic spots and hikes open and running. It is the height of the tourist season, so everyone is eager to serve the tourists and earn a living. ;-)

I think Annika's idea about going through Montreux on your way to the Berner Oberland makes a lot of sense. After Montreux, you could ride the trains on the Golden Pass Route from Montreux to Interlaken, for example. In the timetable, you have to force the journey through Zweisimmen, or else it will go through Visp.

(There is an alternate, slower, very scenic route through Brig and Kandersteg, if you really want to ride trains and see mountains. Let me know if that interests you. You could have time to do it.)

Also, I see that you have decided to spend more time in the Alps or near them at Luzern and Interlaken. You did what I would have done if I were pressed for time and wanted to se he Alps....you skipped the Rhine Falls. I think that is a good idea, personally. They are nice, but they are not the Alps. ;-)

I'd take as much time in or near Interlaken as possible (unless the weather is very cloudy, when I would cut back a bit), but still give Luzern a couple of nights.

See attached screen grabs.

Slowpoke

Thanks LYSSA

When i made the itinerary, i thought it is a good one. But with a pleasure , i found it wrong. There are so many loose ends needed to be tie up.I understood from your experiences that there might be a plan B ready,when weather gets wrong.So i will be back with more spaces in my schedule. Mean while can you tell me where should i keep my base in Berner oberland.

Hi Dipankar -

Pardon me for jumping in.

Every town has its favorites.

This may give some guidance-

www.myswissalps.com/be rneseoberland.

I like Wengen.

So does one of the forum's most experienced members -

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim

and,

www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/tips-about-wengen-and-the-jungfrau-region-by-kim/page/2

Others like Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnne, Kleine Scheidegg, Brienz (offen lower costs) or Lauterbrunnen. For a very Swiss experience, you might try the hotel at Kleine Scheidegg, even though it is furthest from Interlaken and he outside world.

swiss-historic-hotels.ch/en/hotels/kl scheidegg_bellevuedesa lpes.php

If the morning weather is good, it would give you a head start up to Jungfraujoch.

Slowpoke

Hi friend

As it stands there is a possibility to skip a day trip to zurich and to concentrate more on alps.

Hi, we did Jungfraujoch at the same time of year as you are going last year, and I would strongly recommend you get up early and take the first train up that you can as it gets very very busy as the day goes on. We were up extremely early and had no trouble getting seats on the train but as we came down the crowds waiting at Kleine Scheidegg station were huge. Absolutely worth the trip though, just a tip re your timings. Also as others have pointed out check the webcam for the weather!

Hi Annika,

Back again.Thanks to receive so much information from our forum members- i am on the to revise my plan. I would like to share that i would reach Basel SBB at 6-30 hrs.(6/8) and have five full day/night to spent and to reach Paris by 14-00 hrs. (11/8).Now at the advanced stage of my itinerary ---

1. Remove the night stay either in Zurich or at montreux.

2. Zeroing in stay five nights at Bernese oberland and central Switzerland.

3. Like to keep the itinerary relaxed and a mixed bag of mountain,lake and beautiful valleys.

My friends, do i moving in right direction?

With only 5 days to be there, and in order to accomplish as much time as possble toward your goals, I'd remove the stay at Zürich and at Montreux, stopping at Montreux over lunch time on your arrival day as Annika suggested. Time in Luzen gets you close to some mountains and is especially rewarding for the first time traveler

Here is your stated goal:

<<"we are planning a holiday in alps and want to make it once in a lifetime..">

Zürich and the Rhine Falls are not in the Alps.

Montreux is at the base of high mountains beside the lake.

Luzern is near the alps and has easily accessible nearby high mountains.

The Bernese Oberland is in the heart of the Alps.

Slowpoke