8-day Grindelwald based trip -what to do in March

  • Removed user
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    2 January 2018 at 23:33:33 #813918

    My husband and I have booked an 8-day ski package at a hotel in grindelwald In early March 2018. He is not much of a skier/snowboarder. We’d like to spend part of the time doing a few excursions. Mode of transportation will be public with the Swiss travel pass. Any suggestions on the must-see destinations in March? We are interested in Jungfrau, Lucerne, Zurich, glacier express, etc. Is the gothard tunnel worth exploring during our short visit?

    Thank you for any suggestions.

    sal

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    rockoyster
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    3 January 2018 at 6:15:35 #873458

    Hi Sal and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

    May we know how you are arriving in Grindelwald? Are you flying into Zurich?

    My recommendation is that you spend all your time in the Jungfrau region with perhaps a day trip to Bern or Lucerne. The Glacier Express is not worth attemptiing from a Grindelwald base. Same with the Gotthard route. You will end up spending too much time on trains.

    See http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauregion/activitie s but make the most of your ski-package!

    Removed user
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    3 January 2018 at 8:44:44 #873459

    Hi Sal,

    As mentioned it will depend on how much time you want to spend on trains each day. If you are up for an all day excursion then you certainly can do almost any trip you like but it may require 10-12 hours of trains (especially if you want to try to do the Glacier Express). You can do part of the trip and make it a bit more manageable (Andermatt to Zermatt for example).

    The Swiss railways timetable will help you plan out any trips you may want to take. Use our search box at the top of the website to look for further details on towns and regions. There is a lot to do in the Jungfrau region alone to keep you busy for your trip so you shouldn’t feel the need to go too far afield.

    Removed user
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    3 January 2018 at 14:18:38 #873460

    Thank you Rockoyster and Lucas for your valuable suggestions. Yes we will be flying into Zurich, and taking the train to Grindelwald. We don’t want to spend more than 4 hrs on trains each day. I agree with both of you that our activities should be mostly around the Jungfrau region. Will skip the Gothard tunnel. May do a part of the glacier express. Probably will go to Zurich one day, then Lucerne or Bern one day. Actually only I have the ski pass and my husband doesn’t because he does not plan to ski/snowboard. Will it be feasible for the later part of the trip that I only snowboard a couple of hours a day and use the rest of the time for other excursions with him, either in the Junfrau region or nearby?

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8889 posts
    3 January 2018 at 19:32:43 #873461

    Hi Sal,

    Your 4-hour limit will dictate your range of excursions outside the Jungfrau region. For example a round trip to Lucerne will take over 5 hours on a train. You should consult the SBB Timetable (http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) to see what is possible/tolerable. Even Bern is a little over 3 hours return.

    Removed user
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    4 January 2018 at 7:16:18 #873462

    >> My husband and I have booked an 8-day ski package at a hotel in grindelwald In early March 2018. He is not much of a skier/snowboarder … Actually only I have the ski pass and my husband doesn’t because he does not plan to ski/snowboard.

    If you will be in Grindelwald for 8 days, and your husband wants to be out and about using trains, boats, buses and cable cars in the Jungfrau Region while you are skiing, he might want to consider getting a Hiking and Sledging Pass.

    The Hiking and Sledging Pass provides unlimited free travel on the following:

    • Trains between Interlaken Ost, Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen, Wengen and Mürren
    • Trains Grindelwald, Lauterbrunnen and Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg and Eigergletscher
    • Gondola Grindelwald Grund to Männlichen
    • Cable car Wengen to Männlichen
    • Gondola Grindelwald to First
    • Bus Grindelwald to Bussalp until 16.00
    • Funicular Mürren to Allmendhubel
    • Bus and cable car Lauterbrunnen-Stechelberg-Mürren
    • Cable car and train Lauterbrunnen-Grütschalp-Mürren

    If you get a Hiking and Sledging Pass for at least 3 days, you also get 50% discount on tickets between:

    • Mürren-Schilthorn
    • Eigergletscher-Jungfraujoch

    http://www.myswissalps.com/ju ngfrauhikingsledgingpa ss

    I have attached a map that shows the coverage of the Hiking and Sledging Pass.

    Alpenrose

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    4 January 2018 at 14:15:55 #873463

    Thank you Alpenrose

    i think its it’s a great idea to get the hiking pass for my husband and i’ll Do that! Thank you for the great suggestion!

    for me, will I be able to get to pretty much the same places with my skiing pass? If not will I need another hiking pass too?

    thanks

    sal

    Removed user
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    5 January 2018 at 4:39:47 #873464

    >> will I be able to get to pretty much the same places with my skiing pass? If not will I need another hiking pass too?

    I’ve never used a ski pass in the Jungfrau Region (or anywhere else for that matter!), so I can only advise you based on what I have discovered online. Also, I don’t know what specfic ski pass you have – there are several in the Jungfrau Region.

    From what I understand, ski passes are focussed on ski lifts/chairlifts, and where they cover cable cars etc may only be valid for the trip up, as you are expected to ski down. But you would need to check that out for yourself, unless anyone else here is familiar with ski passes in the Jungfrau Region and which transport they cover.

    These links might help you further:

    Jungfrau Ski Region

    http://www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/jungfrau-ski-region/

    Price List

    http://www.jungfrau.ch/filead min/Prospekte_und_Bros chueren/Price_list_Jun gfrau_Ski_Region.pdf

    Alpenrose

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    5 January 2018 at 7:42:22 #873465

    Yes, it will depend on the ski pass you bought and which ski areas (and therefore gondolas and ski chairs that it covers). At most ski resorts I’ve been to you can take the lifts down if you want/need to – but check with them when you get there to make sure that is correct for them as well (if you want to go up with your husband without skis).

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