[Removed user]

13 March 2013 at 7:14:00 #805864

Hi
My husband and 13 year old child plan to visit Switzerland in June.
I need help to plan my itenery.
We will be flying into Geneva/Zurich (whichever works better for the routing) .
We plan to cover the following areas ( at least)
Interlaken ( Jungfrau etc)
Zermatt (glacier express etc)
Lucerne (mt Titlis etc)

• Please help me plan the trip i.e the correct routing. We need to travel to Paris from Switzerland.
• We would like to do the Glacier Express
• We have about 6-7 days in hand
• what kind of Swiss pass would i need to buy based on the itenery?

Please let me know if you need any more details.
Thanks

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[Annika]

13 March 2013 at 13:12:55 #838262

Welcome swisstraveller! An itinerary could look like this: fly into Zurich and head for St. Moritz. Spend one or two days there if you like, or else continue to Zermatt on the Glacier Express the next day. Move on to Interlaken after your stay in Zermatt, using the scenic Lötschberg RegioExpress via Goppenstein and Kandersteg rather than the quicker tunnel connection. Spend one or two days in Interlaken, travel to Lucerne via Meiringen and the Brünig Pass and end your trip in Zurich again. The timetable allows you to plan all trips, including the outbound one to Paris.

Long transfers are involved in such a plan, meaning that a Swiss Saver Pass or Swiss Saver Flexi Pass is the best solution. If you prefer unlimited traveling on all days, you should consider an 8 day Swiss Saver Pass. You can also get a 3 or 4 day Swiss Saver Flexi Pass, using free travel days for your most expensive transfers and discounted days for local trips. In both cases, your child will travel along for free if you get the free Swiss Family Card along with your pass. Please find details and purchase options at the Swiss Pass and Swiss Flexi Pass page.

Some more links that may be convenient:

• seat reservation information: you’ll need reservations for the Glacier Express and for the international train to Paris;
• hotels near Zurich Airport;
• hotels in St. Moritz;
• hotels in Zermatt;
• hotels in Interlaken;
• hotels in Lucerne.

[Removed user]

13 March 2013 at 23:55:20 #838263

Thanks a ton Annika. This was indeed very helpful.
One more clarification:
If I spend 2 nights at Zermatt, do you think I could do a day trip to Geneva and back and still be able to look around comfortably?

[Annika]

15 March 2013 at 12:41:52 #838264

Hi swisstraveller. A single trip Zermatt-Geneva takes 3,5 to 4 hours, so I wouldn’t do this as a day trip if I were you. I think you’d be better off spending your days in or near Zermatt, or in the near Saas valley.

[Removed user]

15 March 2013 at 13:15:57 #838265

Hi Annika
You have been patiently answering all my queries and a result of these I have changed my plans and route. What do you think of this plan?
Day 1 – arrive at Zurich- transfer to Lucerne – look around Lucerne
Day 2- day trip to Mt Titlis – night at Lucerne
Day 3 – Trip to Jungfrau (stay at Lucerne or Interlaken – what is preferable?)
Day 4 – take the Golden Pass line to Montreux – look around the town- then overnight at Montreux
Day 5 – day trip to Berne – overnight at Montreux
Day 6 – day trip to Geneva – overnight at Montreux
Day 7 – day trip to Zermatt – overnight at Montreux
Day 8- onto Paris

We would like to use only budget hotels which provide breakfast and are very very close to the train stations. Any suggestions?
Does this plan look feasible?

[Arno]

17 March 2013 at 5:58:17 #838266

Hi swisstraveler,

Your plan looks fine to me. It makes sense to stay overnight in Interlaken at the end of day 3, or you would just be traveling back and forth the same way to/from Lucerne. Alternatively, you could travel to Interlaken at the end of day 2, so that you can travel to the Jungfrau early in the morning. That gives you a better chance of clear weather.

I recommend to take a look into the passes that Annika suggested. As for hotels, please check the pages she suggested as well. All our pages with hotel suggestions can be accessed from this page. Most of these hotels are indeed very close to the rail stations.

[Removed user]

18 March 2013 at 10:20:37 #838267

Thanks again. Please tell me which is the main station at Interlaken to travel to Zurich, Luzerne and Montreux.

[Arno]

18 March 2013 at 10:33:17 #838268

Hi,

Interlaken Ost is considered the main station, although most trains stop in Interlaken West as well, except for the ones to Luzern via Meiringen. Details are in the timetable; see the link that Annika provided.