Best base for 3.5 days in Bernese Oberland region

  • Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    25 March 2017 at 16:19:02 #811180

    We will be traveling in early June with our 9 and 12 year olds and spending a full 3.5 days (4 nights) in the Bernese Oberland area coming from Lucerne. I’d like to lock down accommodations soon and am wondering if Murren would be be a good base or if it would be too much to travel back and forth from that town. Our girls are not huge hikers so easy to moderate hikes will be on the agenda and visiting Lauterbrunnen Valley, First, Schynige Platte and Jungfraujoch (basically the more kid friendly sites with zip lines and bobsleds) . I’d also like to do a day in Thun if time permits or weather is not cooperating for Jungfraujoch.

    Finally we will be heading out on our final morning on the scenic train to Montreux for a visit to the castle and walk around town and then on to Geneva where we will spend the night before heading to the UK in the AM. I am trying to figure out train schedules and think this is doable in a day but was hoping for thoughts on this if the starting point is Murren. My other thought would be to do our 4th night in Interlake to make logistics easier.

    Would really appreciate your input!

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    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    25 March 2017 at 16:53:24 #860485

    Hi Oliver,

    To reach the sites you mentioned from Mürren, you do need to descend to Lauterbrunnen and proceed from there. It takes 22 minutes with one (easy) change from train to cableway, and of course 22 minutes to travel back up to Mürren. Lauterbrunnen is a more central location as it’s down in the valley with transportation in all directions. The better views are in Mürren en Wengen though. It’s a matter of priorities I’m afraid 🙂

    If you do stay in Mürren you can’t miss out on a visit to the Schilthorn. That’s the mountain actually closer to Mürren than to any other village. And, be sure to take the boat to Thun, it’s a wonderful ride.

    As for your last day: it’s doable if you don’t mind a long day. It takes 4.5 to 5 hours to reach Chillon Castle from Mürren via the Golden Pass line (enter “Veytaux-Chillon” in the timetable as your destination, and enter Zweisimmen as the via-station after it first shows you the fastest routes). If you rush through the castle it takes 1.5 hour, but it deserves more time. Then count on 1.5 hour to reach Geneva. Add breaks to all of this, and an optional boat trip on Lake Geneva, and you’re in for a long day.

    Personally I would not stay in Interlaken for one night. Indeed it shortens the next day by an hour, but changing hotels takes quite some time so the net benefits are negative (time wise). Interlaken is not nearly as scenic as the smaller villages.

    These pages might be useful to find accommodation:

    Slowpoke
    Participant
    7567 posts
    26 March 2017 at 0:46:10 #860486

    Hi Oliver.

    In early June there will most likely be substantial snow at higher altitudes. Many of the trails above 2000 meters will not be open. Some hotels will be open, but most are on “Spring break” until mid June.

    Slowpoke

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