Accommodation problem - where to store luggage

hi there

I have used lots of information from this site but would like some advice please

My itinary is as follows

Fly into Geneva stay overnight in YHA Geneva.

Next day tour Geneva taking in major sights in order to take the 13.30 train which combines the Golden Panorama train to Gruyeres arriving mid-afternoon cant book into hotel till after 2pm anyway.

Spend afternoon and evening taking in the Mid Summer Festival events at Gruyeres stay overnight in Gruyeres Rooms (anyone stayed here as alternative is Hotel De Gruyeres with breakfast included )

My issue is the next day I would like to hike in the area taking in Broc chocolate factory and are thinking of doing the following walk

Charmey-Lake Montsalvens- Jaunbach Gorge- Broc - Maison Cailler (choc factory)- Gruyeres- Castle-Maison du Gruyere (Cheese factory)

Although I have temporarily booked another night in Gruyeres I would really like to get down to Montreux in order to make an early start the next day and try to get in Rochers de Naye and lake cruise with walk before moving onto Luzern. It is also cheaper to stay in Montreux.

There does anyone know where I can put 4 rucksacks for the day - Is there any lockers in any of the stations on route.

Thanks for your help in advance.

Hi Twiggy-

<<"There does anyone know where I can put 4 rucksacks for the day - Is there any lockers in any of the stations on route.">>

I am a bit confused about what your route is versus what you would like to do. In particular, where exactly would you like to leave your rucksacks?

Most train stations of any size or at major tourist destinations have luggage lockers, and some have left luggage offices.

This link give information about luggage storage at most Swiss stations:

www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/am-bahnhof/railway-stations/bahnhof-finden.html

Once you have picked a station, you can look under "services" (left luggage) and under "equipment" for lockers.

Let us know if that does not get you what you need.

Slowpoke

Sorry Slowpoke

I am sorry if it wasn't clear what my plans were

I would like to leave 4 rucksacks for the day somewhere in order to do the following walk as walking with full daybags isn't really an option I would like to do.

Charmey-Lake Montsalvens- Jaunbach Gorge- Broc - Maison Cailler (choc factory)- Gruyeres- Castle-Maison du Gruyere (Cheese factory)

After completing the walk I wish to head down to Montreux

Therefore my question was can I leave luggage at any on the stations in the area

Have looked at your information and was thinking either at Bulle or Charmey have you any advice

Many thanks (Hope this is clearer)

After completing the walk I am heading down to Montreux

Still unclear. Aren't you staying in Gruyeres? How will you get to Charmey to start your walk, and at what time?

Since you are staying in Gruyers and returning to Gruyeres, why not leave bags at your hotel. I checked the station listing, and I cannot find evidence of lockers. That is quite surprising.

Broc does not seem to have lockers, either at Village or Fabrique. Also a bit surprising.

Bulle has left luggage with reasonable hours:

www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/am-bahnhof/railway-stations/bahnhof-finden.posid.4086.html

but does not seem to have lockers.

It is possible to take the train to Bulle, leave luggage there, and with some delay, take a bus to Charmey. See attached screen grab.

Getting luggage on the way out would involve some kind of detour via Bulle, with only hourly service by train.

As an option, I'd also (If i had time, which I won't for a week or so,) contact a tourist information office in the region, by searching for Gruyers and Broc or other locations and ask a real person about lockers and there suggestions for your problem. Please be clear about where you intend to start and finish..

While I wait for that answer, because I want to double check your route for altitude changes and times, there is another possibility. Possibly you could send bags from GVA to Montreux upon your arrival and take only light baggage to the Gruyeres region? Regular service is 12CHF per piece. Express adds a flat 30 CHF flat fee to the 12CHF....possibly one fee for all bags, but i can't tell from the listing.

Ordinary service would not get your bags there until the morning after you arrive in Montreux,but express service, admittedly expensive, would get it to Montreux by 6 Pm on the day of your hike.

Or, if you route through Montreux, on the way to Gruyeres, you could drop bags there yourself.That could be quite a scenic trip.

Here are some links to the SBB luggage transport services.

www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/services/lugg age-and-flight-luggage/express-luggage.html

www.sbb.ch/content/dam /sbb/de/pdf/bahnhof-services/dienstleistun gen/gepaeck/Stationen_ Reisegepaeck_Express_D FIE.pdf

I've looked at the maps:

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=ech&lang=en&bgLa yer=ch.swisstopo.pixel karte-farbe&layers=ch.bav.ha ltestellen-oev,ch.swisstopo.swiss tlm3d-wanderwege&layers_visi bility=false,true&X=16 1495.30&Y=574937.47&zo om=7

and,

map.wanderland.ch/?lang=de&route=all&bgLa yer=pk&resolution=1.5& X=578924&Y=163083&laye rs=Wanderland

That looks like a really nice walk. Depending on where you start in Charmey, you might have a bit of of descent to loosen up your knees. Overall, about 12 km, and not too much elevation change. See link for altitude profile:

www.wanderland.ch/en/r outes/etappe-01207.html

Slowpoke

ok Slowpoke

This is getting confused

Simply I want to move on from Gruyeres have stayed the night before and need to move onto booked accommodation in Montreux

The day will be sent working the route as listed and then in the evening catching the train from Gruyeres as that is where the walk finishes down to Montreux

I will be using public transport entirely during my stay so I assume bus and train not quite sure

Does this make it clearer

Maria

Also thinking of contacting the tourist board in the area to see if they can help

So from Gruyeres I will catch the train heading to broc and then the bus to Jaun Post total journey time 1hr 34 mins apporx

Start point to catch transport Gruyeres Gare Destination Jaun post start in the village of Jaun

Walk is the link you have posted Alpione Panorama Trail - Stage 22 Jaun to Gruyeres (have detailed IGN map and are keen walkers so distance is no problem neither the hills although this walks looks relatively flat in most places.

End destination Gruyeres inorder to get train to Montreux

Yes I have stayed in Gruyeres the night before this walk but due to expenses are not staying another night as Montreux is much cheaper accommodation

It still looks to me like you are leaving from Gruyeres in the AM, and returning in the PM, on your way to Montreux.

The simplest thing to do is to leave your luggage in Gruyeres. If the train station does not have facilities, ask your hotel to keep ypur bags.

Next best- go to Gruyeres from Geneva via Montreux, and leave luggage at Montreux.

Either of those approaches could solve your problem..

Sorry that I misunderstood your earlier posts, but it was completely unclear where you were going to start your walk, and whether you would stay in Charmey or Gruyeres.. Now, it seems that you may be starting 7 to 10 km. east of Charmey....which is not what you said in your earlier posts. About 18 km total; surely no problem for keen walkers. However, watch out for time required to visit Maison Cailler and allow for public transport that tends to runonly once per hour. In any case, looks like a nice hike.

If you are not locked in to staying in Gruyeres, at least check out Bulle.

It is a larger town.

Maybe could find accommodation in Broc... leave bags there.

You have some choices for getting to Montreux at the end of the day. Go west to Romont, then south via Lausanne, or, go south from Gruyeres to Chateu d'Oex and west to Montreux..quite scenic, or go southwest from Bulle to Vevey. The first and third suggestion would make sense if you left your bags in Bulle.

Slowpoke

.

Hi Slowpoke just thought I would give you an update - this is what I received form Gruyeres Tourist Board

We have to inform you that the Gorges of the Jogne are closed during the winter time, because of slipperydanger.

When do you wish to do this hike ?

There is a possibility to store your luggage in the hotel we will staying in the night before, or at the tourist information in Gruyères.

For the duration it is 3h10 from Charmey to Gruyères. And then you add the time for the visit, approximatively 1 hour at the chocolate factory and 1 hour at the cheese factory.

I contacted the tourist board and this is there reply . Great to see such great info and response time was so quick compared to the UK

It is just so unreal to be able to leave luggage at a hotel or elsewhere . Expecially a hotel if you are not using their services again!!

Hi Twiggy-

Thanks for the feedback. I am pleased to see that the tourist office confirmed my suggestion about using the hotel, as well as offering to use the tourist office for luggage storage.

The Swiss know that the tourist industry is quite important to the economy. In a typically Swiss manner, they then make the decision to help make it work well, by being helpful and informative, and by providing excellent travel facilities. You have gotten a sample. It is part of what makes travel in Switzerland such a pleasure.

Please make sure that you include dates and times in all your communications about Swiss travel. There are many options and lots of transport at different times. And, particularly at high altitude, there are many times of the year when the resort areas are almost completely shut down, and trails are not accessible.

And, as I noted, take care to allow necessary time for the total walk, from well east of Chambey . You are not starting at Chambey. They gave you a time from Chambey. You should have told them "Jaun, post"

I am not sure what they mean by duration, but 3 hours 10 minutes sounds like a bit too short a time for even the shorter 12 km walk, including the slower going in the gorge. Please note that the times posted on the Wanderweg signs are in "Swiss Hiking Time." My observation is that "Swiss Hiking Time" is the same whether the trail is level or hilly. And, "Swiss Hiking Time" is based on energetic hikers , moving steadily. Montainous trails are posted with more time for a length of trail, but still require energetic walking to meet the posted times. I am a slow but steady walker, and I only equal those times if i do not stop to take photos and only have an easy level walk.

Since you are experienced hikers, probably you will make 4 km per hour. Perhaps a bit less in the descent from Jaun, and through the Gorge.

Should be a nice hike.

It would take me considerably longer, but I have sore knees and do not walk quickly.

and -

Corrected from my last post-

<<" or, go south from Gruyeres to MONTBOVON (not Chateu d'Oex) and west to Montreux..quite scenic,">>

Slowpoke