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Hi,
My family and I are travelling from Berne to Lausanne around the 29th of December this year, could I receive some comments on road conditions in this area of Switzerland in December, will there be snow or ice? Also are there recommendations on hire car companies that offer good prices and are flexible so I can pick up in Berne and drop off in Lausanne.
Thank you
Peter
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Hi Pjlongy,
Congratulations for visiting Switzerland next December!
Unless you want to spend money for the return to Bern of an empty car, pollute the atmosphere, bring your luggage to the car rental place, find your way while steering a car in Bern, then in Lausanne (where you will have to find a petrol/gasoline station), drive in bad weather, you should do like most other travellers, and travel by train.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ca rversustrainThere are trains between Bern and Lausanne at least once an hour (during daytime), and you can sit without having a reservation. Stations are centrally located. You can look at the scenery, or/and have a drinnk or a meal in the dining car (in most trains). The trip lasts 1 hr and a half. The service is reliable. The amount of luggage you could take in a car trunk can be stored in the train car, on overhead racks, between the seats, or on luggage racks just after the entrance of the car. The train company is called SBB (there is only one on that itinerary).
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metableNobody can predict snow or ice around the 29th December, but both (as well as rain and fog) are possible. At that time of the year, it is dark until 8:00 am and from 5 pm.
http://www.myswissalps.com/be sttimetovisitThe decision is yours, of course. Enjoy your stay!
Thank you Snowman, I agree traveling by train is a great option and we are traveling by train for the rest of the trip but I’m interested in traveling by car to see the towns between Lausanne and Berne which is harder to do via train. Are there are other ways to drop into towns such as Gruyeres and Montreux on our from Berne?
< Are there are other ways to drop into towns such as Gruyeres and Montreux on our from Berne? >
I would say yes, although there is a tradeoff and you have to make a decision. The issue is your luggage. Timetables for end of december are apparently not available yet, but if you did the trip next sunday it would look like this:
1. Arrive at Bern station around 08:00 am, and send your luggage to Lausanne (How to Travel, top of the screen), except your hand luggage, of course.
2. Board train at 8:34 am (note, as there is a train every hour, you can decide to leave at 9:34, 10:34, etc.) , change at Fribourg, then Bulle, arrive at Gruyères at 9:59 am.
3. If you stay in Gruyères during 4 hours, including lunch, you board the train again at 1:59 pm, change at Montbovon and arrive in Montreux at 15:13 (that’s 3:13 pm, but you better get used to the 24-hoiur system used in Europe).
4. From Montreux there are plenty of trains to Lausanne until late in the evening. Pick up your luggage at Lausanne station.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
You could also visit Fribourg. If you skip Gruyères, you could take all your luggage with you and store it at Montreux (and Fribourg) station(s).
Sure, once your luggage is in your rented car, you get rid of the luggage problem, it’s a trade off as I said. Between Montbovon and Montreux, you would be on the Panoramic Express line. The road uses an entirely different itinerary.
it should be exciting no matter what you decide!
Hi Snowman,
Thanks for the great advice, the train plan sounds a much better, sorry to ask more questions but just want to understand how I send luggage to Lausanne is that a straightforward process at the train station in Berne?
Regards,
Peter
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