MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial 4 day itinerary advice: Zurich – Lucerne – Basel
-
Hi Guys
Please help with my below itinerary . Any advise on any point will be highly appreciated.I will be reaching in Zurich airport on 23rd Dec 9 am and have 3 night accomodation in Luzern.
I am planning to buy a 2 day Winter tell pass for 110 CHF .
1)Reaching ZRH at 9 am , planning to buy a ticket from ZRH to LUZERN – 26 CHF (plus a 2 day TELL PASS) . Stop at Zurich HB , spend 3-4 hours in Zurich city , walk around after keeping luggage in lockers. If I need to use TRAM , what is the best and economical way to spend 3-4 hours on TRAMs in Zurich ? Any good and nearby attraction apart from Old town.
2)Reach Luzern in the evening , Roam around and rest.
3)Next day – Excursion to Mt Titlis
4)Next day excursion to Pilatus or Rigi . Which one is better ? Please advise .I wanted to see green Switzerland which might be difficult to see in these areas ? Any advise please
5) Last day , leave accomodation and go to Basel . Buy tickets directly- CHF 32
Any other advices are most welcome.
-
Hi shamsamir and welcome to MySwissAlps,
The Tell-Pass Winter is a good choice.
1) I don’t believe you will spend 3 – 4 hours on trams in Zurich. A single ticket is probably what you are looking for. You can purchase them at every tram stop before you board the tram. Alternatively there’s the ZurichCard that allows free public transport throughout the city, free admission to most museums and a few other benefits. Here you’ll find some suggestions for things to do in Zurich.
4) Some like Mt. Pilatus and others like Mt. Rigi. There has been a thread before: http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/mt-pilatus-or-mt-rigi-which-one-to-choose. It might help you to make a decision. You made me giggle a bit. Usually people come to see the snow in December. Your train trip from Zurich to Lucerne might be green if the weather continues like it is today, but do expect snow in the mountains.
Check the weather forecast as there’s no point in going up if the mountains are covered in clouds. Dress in multiple thinner layers so that you can adapt to the different temperatures throughout the day. Note that it can be very windy at the top. Take along gloves, sun glasses and perhaps a winter sports hat. Solid shoes help too.
Other links of interest:
Many thanks for the reply Chantal .
I guess snow will be there in Titlis hence I was looking for greenery too 🙂
I think Cogwheel train to Pilatus will be closed then , so I will go to Rigi.
Hi shamsamir,
>> I think Cogwheel train to Pilatus will be closed then , so I will go to Rigi.
If you want to, you can still get to the top of Pilatus on the cableway from Kriens.
To get to Kriens, take Trolleybus #1 (direction: Obernau, Dorf) from Platform A of the bus station outside Luzern railway station. Get off at the stop called “Zentrum Pilatus”.
The bus takes 11 minutes, then you cross the road and follow the well-signposted route from the bus stop to the Pilatus gondola valley station, which is about a 10-minute walk, slightly uphill.
Check the webcams for visibility before going up:
Pilatus
http://www.pilatus.ch/en/nc/l ive/
Rigi
http://www.rigi.ch/en/Informa tion/Webcams
However, as you will have a Tell-Pass, and a limited time in Luzern, you might decide to go up to Pilatus or the Rigi regardless of the cloud cover, as you won’t have any additional costs if you have a Tell-Pass. The trip up to the top of either Pilatus or the Rigi will still be a great experience, especially if this will be your only opportunity to experience it.
>> I wanted to see green Switzerland
In my experience, the grass at lower altitudes in winter is more of a brownish-green rather than the vibrant green of, for example, summer and early autumn. Grass at higher altitudes that is not covered with snow tends to just be brown, as the grass dies off. The deciduous trees are bare in winter, which lends the landscape a greyish look instead of the lush green you see when they are in full leaf. If there is snow cover of course, everything looks wonderful!
If you ever have a chance to come back some time between, say, July and September, you will certainly see “green” Switzerland then, at both lower and higher altitudes. Probably lower altitudes turn green before that, but I have no personal experience of spring in Switzerland.
Alpenrose
Many thanks for the above 🙂
One last question , I and my wife will be arriving at Zurich airport with 2 big bags(20Kgs) and 2 cabin bags.
Will it be difficult for us to take all those luggage to the train to Luzern ? Are there sufficient space there ?
Are there any extra charges for the luggage?
Any other alternative please .
Hi shamsamir,
Normally there should be enough space. It depends on how busy the train gets. I have traveled a lot from and to the different Swiss airports and never had a problem. This thread http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/luggage-on-trains might be of your interest. Other forum members share their experiences, including the option of sending your luggage ahead which might be an alternative solution.
Thanks Chantal . Much appreciated.
- The thread ‘4 day itinerary advice: Zurich – Lucerne – Basel’ is closed to new replies.
