MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial Coronavirus and hotel closings in Switzerland
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I am currently still scheduled to leave the US on May 26. Family of 4 traveling together, our adult children are 25 and 19. This trip was planned, because we’ve been thinking that traveling as a family in the future may become something of the past with the kids ages and schedules. I know this virus situation is evolving daily, so I’m just preparing myself, if I will need to modify some of my itinerary or reschedule the trip for later in the summer. However, my travel dates need are restricted to the beginning of June because of work and one of my children has a summer internship program she has already committed to.
My itinerary is (for now) as follows:
May 27 -29 – Lucerne (I’ve contacted Hotel Villa Honegg to see if they will still be open, no response yet)
May 29 – June 1 – Wengen (I was just informed that the Beausite Park Hotel in Wengen, will now be closed until June 5). So I am am looking for an alternate property. Any recommendations of places to stay in Wengen ???
June 1 – 3 – Zermatt – I contacted the hotel Julen, and as of this morning, they are scheduled to reopen April 19.
June 3 – Glacier Express out of Zermatt. Seat reservations already purchased for the Excellence Class
June 3 and on, I’m scheduled in Salzburg and Munich, and return home June 10. I’ve been in contact with these hotels.
As you already know, a lot of time goes into planning a Switzerland itinerary, and as I think about having to modify/reschedule everything, especially my Swiss Travel Passes, and Excellence Class Seat reservations, hotel bookings, I’m just overwhelmed.
The unknown:
1) everything, we just have to wait and see what transpires from here on out.
2) rescheduling or changing the Excellence Class Reservations (at this time, my travel dates have not been posted about possible interruptions)
3) modifying the dates for the Swiss Travel Passes. (again, the dates for my Swiss Pass Pass have not been posted for changes)
4) If I have to reschedule for a few weeks later (due to travel date restraints), I will need to get in touch with all the hotels I have reserved, to see if they have availability on very specific days, so everything coordinates again. I’m worried some of the hotels could be sold out, who knows though.
I’m being optimistic that I will still be able to travel, however I have an open mind that this trip could be scrubbed for my May 26 departure.
I’m hoping to get a new hotel in Wengen for my original dates. And after mid April, if the travel restrictions haven’t changed, then I will have to look possibly for some new travel dates.
I am in the Travel Industry, and this Covid-19, has definitely affected my business with trip cancellations, and reschedulings for journeys that were departing in April and early May. Still have trips scheduled but on alert if they will depart for mid-may to the end of May. It will be a wait and see.
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Hi Nlp1-
I’m no expert, but i think you are overly optimistic. Switzerland may have things under control by then, but here in theUS, the Fedral government is still not using maximum force, and things are disorganized enough that I’m predicting that my May 23 departure will not be possible. So, I am cancelling. for late May, early June.
If they are open, the Hotel Bellevue in Wengen is my favorite.
Slowpoke
Hi Nlp1,
Last year we stayed at the Hotel Edelweiss in Wengen for 8 nights. It was great.
Good luck,
Narelle
Hotel Wengener Hof – stayed there last year. Loved it. Whichever hotel you find, be sure to book a room looking toward the Jungfrau area.
Hello Nlp1,
First of all I would like to share Arnos thread containing all the important links to keep up-to-date with the Coronavirus situation in Switzerland. Please make sure to closely keep an eye on them:
– http://www.myswissalps.com/forum/topic/does-the-corona-virus-affect-trips-to-switzerlandI would strongly recommend, IF you stick with your travel plans, to also contact the retailers of the Swiss Travel Pass and the Excellence Class early enough to find out about the possibility of re-scheduling.
However, the situation at the moment is so hard to judge, all I can say is “fingers crossed”, that your plans work out.
Best,
Steph
I admire your optimism. I have a trip planned from the US in mid-July and I have considerable doubts that this is currently realistic. But sheltering in place in my apt in NYC, for the last two weeks, with an expectation that my self-quarantine will extend for at least eight more, may have dampened my outlook.
The best of luck, and please keep this forum apprised of your developing circumstances, especially regarding hotel availability. It would be extremely helpful.
Take off your rose tinted glasses. People in Europe are dying by the thousand. Look how NYC is faring. It will get much worse and we have been advised to self isolate. The Swiss Alps have been there a long time, your journey sounds amazing, but perhaps a delay of a year will not make the trip any worse.
Nip1
Those dates do seem a little optimistic. I’m not a doctor or expert at anything but just watching the news is depressing and the virus is not slowing down.
We canceled our Europe trip (3/26-4/9) and are now looking at the last half of September to try again. Would’ve waited until next spring but airline says we have to travel by end of year to keep tix but we don’t want to go in winter.
Plus, I’m 71 so how much time and decent health do I have left to travel?
Best of luck with your plans.
I would not rely on airline stated policies at this point. They are changing daily depending upon virus development and market forces. International travel may be very different after this virus. In short, keep checking.
I completely agree with your comments. In fact, I would suggest that anybody who thinks this is all going to quickly go back to normal is deluded, and no amount of finger crossing is going to make things better in the next few months. Attached are two documents from Swissinfo.ch, one that shows that the number of cases per capita in Switzerland is right up there with Italy and Spain, and the second that shows how movements at Kloten are dwindling daily.
A site people might be interested in to follow the COVID-19 situation is the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: http://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/download-todays-data-geographic-distribution-covid-19-cases-worldwide
Hello, I want to thank you all for taking the time to comment. All the responses have been well taken, and thank you for the hotel suggestions as well. I do value all the responses and updates from each poster and especially appreciate the various links that have been provided. This information is important to refer to. All the best, and stay safe and healthy. Cheers.
And the chart of Zurich Airport activity (which drops like a rock), only includes statistics up until March 15.
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