Hi Kevin, and welcome to MySwissAlps!
>> 6-9 March 2018 … Spend an hour or two in Lucerne (assuming there is a left luggage facility at Lucerne train station) and then continue my journey to Murren
Yes, there are luggage lockers alongside the first and last platforms. If you use the ones alongside Platform 15, they will be closer to the platform from which your train to Interlaken Ost will depart (i.e. Platform 12).
You’ll need some coins. Lockers come in 3 sizes (measured in centimetres), at different prices.
- Small – 24.8 x 42.0 x 75.0 – CHF 6
- Medium – 31.7 x 61.5 x 75.0 – CHF 7
- Large – 44.7 x 61.5 x 88.0 – CHF 9
>> arriving at my hotel late evening on 6th March.
Sunset will be around 18:19. If you travel in the dark, you will miss some beautiful scenery between Luzern/Lucerne and Mürren.
>> 7th March – Schilthorn and Allmendhubel … 8th March – Jungfraujoch … I’m happy to reverse 7th and 8th March itinerary and do Jungfraujoch before Schilthorn/Allmendhuble if that is a better option.
It wouldn’t matter which order you did them in. If the first day has clear weather, go to the peak that is your top priority.
>> 9th March – Glacier Express from Brig (depart 10.12) to Chur (arrive 14.15). Spend an hour or so in Chur and then catch train to Zurich airport in time for flight at 18.55.
There is a tourist office in the Chur station, and they can give you a map showing where the notable sights are.
There is also some basic information here
http://www.myswitzerland.com/ en-au/old-town-chur.html
>> The Lucerne-Interlaken Express – is it worthwhile paying for first class or reserving a seat?
Second class is fine, and the carriages have large windows. The Swiss Timetable is currently predicting high occupancy levels for trains leaving Luzern for Interlaken Ost on 6 March between 16:00 and 18:30 – most likely commuters, and quite a few of them will probably get off between Luzern and Giswil, before the train ascends to the Brünig Pass. If you plan to travel during that time, for maximum comfort and convenience, you could either make a reservation (cheapest option) or upgrade to first class, which is predicted to have low to medium occupancy.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
>> The Glacier Express (Brig to Chur) – is it worthwhile paying for first class?
That’s a personal choice, but it is a special trip and many people like to enjoy the first-class experience.
>> I see that it is often said on the forum check the weather before you buy tickets to go up Schilthorn or Jungfraujoch. Assuming that I have already paid 270CHF for a 4 day Swiss Travel Pass, I need to do these trips to justify the expense of the pass. If the weather was really bad, what else could I do to get value out of the pass?
Bad weather alternatives for the Jungfrau Region in early March are a bit limited, as a lot of the usual alternatives are not open at that time of year. There are a few options though:
- Boat trip on Lake Thun (winter timetable, very limited departures)
http://www.bls.ch/-/media/bls/pdf/fahrpla ene/schiff/fahrplan-sommer-2018.pdf?la=en&vs=1
- Grindelwald Glacier Gorge
http://www.grindelwaldsports. ch/en/opening-hours-1749.html
- City visits to Thun, Bern, Fribourg or Solothurn
- Trip on the Golden Pass route to Montreux via Zweisimmen and back
It also depends on whether “bad weather” means simply that the peaks are in the clouds, or whether it is raining or snowing heavily. If it is simply a matter of clouds at the peaks, and there is any chance of them clearing up later in the day, I would stay nearby and explore the local villages, being ready to head up to the peaks if the clouds move off.
I think it is also worth going just as far as Kleine Scheidegg or Eigergletscher on the Jungfraujoch route if they are clear, as the scenery is magnificent. You could also check whether there are clear views from First above Grindelwald.
You can find out about conditions at the top on the following webcams:
http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/webcams/
Jungfrau weather
http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/weather/#jungf raujoch
Webcams Schilthorn
schilthorn.ch/en/Infos /Live
Alpenrose